Your Numbers Wanted !!

[Jim Gilmore]

Your numbers wanted……

 

I have been keeping a database of existing Weasels for many years now. I have about 370 or so on it. I would like to add as many more as I can to help with my research on the Weasel.

I also have a database of Weasel photos, testing reports and data listings from the National Archives that have either the USA # or serial/hull numbers listed. In addition to this I have a database listing from surplus sales of Weasels to the public that often lists the original USA numbers of the vehicles. These databases include the T-15 (M-28), T-24, M-29 and M-29C. On the photo/document database I have over 450 weasels listed

If you would post or send me your numbers I will check to see if I have any photos or data on your vehicle. I have found several Weasels from these listings and was able to give the owners these numbers. I am also interested in any Weasel numbers from scrapped vehicles as well.

What I need is:

ORD number........
Serial number.....
(both numbers are stamped on the main data plate just behind the driver and should be the same)

Hull number......
(from data plate mounted on the inside bulkhead in the cargo compartment)

Motor number......( if possible)

USA number
(if known to be correct)

Any special notations about the vehicle.

It is very important to give the entire number sequence .. ie. UST-24-xxx or M29C-xxx as many of the surplus documents are keyed to this (the hull) number.

If you do not have all the data plates on your Weasel, just send me what you have. I may be able to give you the missing numbers. Many times I can give the original registration numbers for the vehicle.

If I have any photos or data listed for your vehicle I will send you the info on it. Unlike some others…I do not charge for giving information on your Weasel if I have it.

You can post the numbers here or E mail me at jgilmore@ptd.net.

 

If you want to keep your numbers confidential please note I do not publish anyone’s numbers without permission.

 

Jim Gilmore

Jim Thorpe, PA.

 

[Jim Gilmore]

Here's an example of what my data can show.........

 

DIYJ posted..........

"....This is the only tag on my Weasel..."

 

 

You are in luck.......I have data on this Hull number in my files!

This vehicle is a M-29 even though the Hull plate says UST-24..........(Studebaker considered all Weasels as T-24 in internal documents)

The original USA Registration number was 40149100.

It was assembled under contract # 271-ORD-4727, Treasury Order # T-9473

This vehicle was sold at Government Auction as item # 74 and bought by Consolidated industries .

The ORD/MFG number was not recorded in the sales documents but it would have been ( according to my data base) ORD/MFG 180? .... ? = a number from 2 to 9.

DIYJ....Could you contact me and give me your name and where you are ( Country/state/city ) so I can add this vehicle to my list?

 

Jim Gilmore

jgilmore@ptd.net

Jim Thorpe, PA. 18229

 

 

 

 

[Seabeeparke]

Hi Jim, I just recently got my first Weasel. The only number that I can make out so far is the Body Tag number. It is: M-29C-5860. Not sure if that's helpful to you or not. If you can tell me anything about it, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Thanks, Parke

Lancaster PA

[Jim Gilmore]

Parke,

Thanks for listing the data....I see you are just "around the corner" from me here in Jim Thorpe, PA.

I have this Weasel on my list as belonging to Ken Lent. I will change it to your name.

Using the data I have .....your ORD/MGF number would be between 1032? to 1034? ( ?= unknown number)

This vehicle was built under contract T-17432

The USA # would have been around 401938??

See my posting on finding USA numbers and try to see if you can find the original USA number. Let me know if you do.

BTW...there are two other M-29C's with hull numbers very close to you here in PA. One in Allentown ( M-29C-5867 ) and another in Pittston ( M-29C-5872 ).

Jim Gilmore

Jim Thorpe, PA.

[Seabeeparke]

Thanks! I hoping to find a better hull to rebuild in the near future, but I will try to find the USA number on this one and let you know what I do to keep your records up to date. 

[OZM29C]

Jim, I don't think I have sent you this one in the past. This weasel is located here in Oz. No hull tag, but Letterkenny ORD plate. This weasel was recovered from Antarctica.

[Jim Gilmore]

John,

Great stuff! This is a good find....USA number and later USN numbers are not often found. This was an early Letterkenny Ord Depot rebuild.

Jim Gilmore

[nwer]

Hi Jim. I bought this M29 a couple of months ago. I think it is ex-Norwegian army, then a Dutch owner, German owner, Dutch owner and now back to Norway. Not sure if the USA number is correct.. s/n 2660

[Jim Gilmore]

NWER,

Thank you for the information.

I have this Weasel on my list as being owned by Niels Werring in Norway. Is that you?

This M-29 is one of only a few on my list that has M-29 stamped on the hull plate.

This vehicle was assembled under contract T-9937.

The USA number on the side in not correct. The original USA number for this vehicle was 4015180? ( ?= unknown number) This is as close as I can get to the original number using my data base as there are not too many Weasels near your ORD number on it.

[nwer]

1 hour ago, Jim Gilmore said:

NWER,

Thank you for the information.

I have this Weasel on my list as being owned by Niels Werring in Norway. Is that you?

This M-29 is one of only a few on my list that has M-29 stamped on the hull plate.

This vehicle was assembled under contract T-9937.

The USA number on the side in not correct. The original USA number for this vehicle was 4015180? ( ?= unknown number) This is as close as I can get to the original number using my data base as there are not too many Weasels near your ORD number on it.

Thank’s Jim. Yes, I am Niels Werring.

[OZM29C]

Hi Jim,

You might have this weasel in your records. Located here in Australia.

ORD number 8812

Hull Number M29C-4338

USA 40186510

British Number P6180963

Supply Mech Number 6362

Here is some British weasel info kindly offered by Richard Farrant over on the HMVF forum;

<<<All Weasels under Contract Supply Mech 6362 come in five batches of census numbers;

X5853143 to 5853242

P5881878 to 5882381

P6160643 to 6160990

P6180709 to 6181208

P6225756 to 6226757

 

"P" is prefix for amphibs, why the first one is listed as "X" in the copy book of census numbers, I don't know, but it was a mistake somewhere in time as that letter denotes a Trailer.

ozm29c said:

Can I assume (using simple maths) that approx 2449 weasels were supplied to the British under this contract? If this is indeed the case, this is a significant number of vehicles out of the total amphibious weasels production.

 

They are the numbers allocated for the contract, but quite often the actual numbers delivered may vary, especially if a ship sank onroute from the US. It does sound a large number. I am no expert on this particular vehicle, but if anything else comes to light I will pass it on to you.

>>>

[Jim Gilmore]

John,

Thanks for the info!

The first group of WD Census numbers - X5853143 to 5853242 did not have the "P" as they were T-24/M-29 vehicles are were not considered amphibious.

If I remember correctly from a discussion with the curator at Bovington these vehicle were given a X-prefix because there was no set prefix for vehicle of this specialized type. I don't remember if they actually had the "X" painted on the hull or not........and this was speculation at the time.

Also.....I believe the census numbers were assigned in blocks that were larger than the actual number of vehicles delivered.

When all this COV19 stuff is finally over and things get back to normal I will be going back to the US National Archives to look in the Lend Lease files for more info on the British contracts.

[Patrick Tipton]

Jim:

@Jim Gilmore  My "ultimate restoration project" M29C:  Hull number M29C5253.  I will get on this as soon as the T-24 is finished 🤫

 

 

[Jesse Browning]

Wow! That makes our two hulks look pretty good.

[OZM29C]

5 hours ago, Patrick Tipton said:

Jim:

@Jim Gilmore  My "ultimate restoration project" M29C:  Hull number M29C5253.  I will get on this as soon as the T-24 is finished 🤫

 

 

Patrick, I can see that I am not the only one in this crazy restoration world that would consider working on a project like your hull. What's the story with this hull?

[OZM29C]

@Patrick TiptonI restored an Amphibious Jeep many years ago. The hull on it was in a similar condition to your weasel hull as shown above.

[Patrick Tipton]

7 minutes ago, OZM29C said:

Patrick, I can see that I am not the only one in this crazy restoration world that would consider working on a project like your hull. What's the story with this hull?

This is a nearly complete parts Weasel that came with my T-24.  Norwegian return with rebuild plate on the motor.  Pretty rough for sure and I will take most of the running gear for the T-24.

I had my club's fall trail ride come to my shop and look at both the T-24 and this M29C and the comments (about the T-24) were hilarious...."10 years and it still won't be done etc."  I told everyone that I was going to restore the M29C first 😉. Of course this got me thinking and looking more closely.  

Most of the hull parts that would be really hard to reproduce are either intact or repairable.  The rest is just flat sheet as you know.  When I started fixing the T-24, I decided to go ahead and do drawings since I was doing most of the work anyway.  I have a friend who is great with CAD so we are drawing most of the hull, including flat patterns for the sides and lower hull. I have a local shop that can easily take the plans and cut and bend...so it sounds like a lot of fun to make a "new" M29C using the bulkhead and front and rear sections of the hull....and whatever else I could salvage.  I will have the running gear out soon and the hull will go into my barn to stop the decay.  

Your GPA project is impressive!  That is a lot harder than a Weasel for sure....so much more forming.  That had to have taken 100s or even 1000's of hours.

Patrick

[Jim Gilmore]

Patrick,

Thank you for the information. I have added this parts vehicle to my list.

This M-29C would have a ORD/MFG number of 97?? ( ? = unknown number)

Although the data plate is very rusted I believe I could use a special technique and find the numbers that were stamped into it. I have done this before on a plate that was worst then this one........

[Jonas Ryrfeldt]

Hello Jim.

My numbers are…….

Hull # UST-24-336 with USA # 40122026 and...….

Hull # UST-24-426. There is no data plates on my Weasels. 

Best regards Jonas Ryrfeldt, Sweden.

[Jesse Browning]

Engine for 11731. 

[OZM29C]

Jim, I have posted this  info before in another post but will repost here so the info can be easily found for reference.

UST-24-949

ORD 1002 (Last Hull deignated as a T24 before switing to the M29 designation)

USA 40122704

ARN (Australian Army Regeistration 145623

This weasel was one of two T24's shipped to Australia in August 1945 for user trials. The vehicles were deemed totally unsuitable for Jungle Warfare (report available for anyone interested) and were quickly disposed of. They were used on the Australian ski fields as ski tows before the final indignaty of being converted into a tracked garbage truck.

[Jim Gilmore]

Jonas, Jesse and John,

Thank you for the numbers........

Jonas,

Your T-24 with hull number UST-24-336 would have had a ORD/MFG number of 32? ( ? = unknown number)>

On your other one ....look at the photos John just posted and you can see where the original USA number was painted. if you sand this area you should be able to find that number. If you find it let me know and I will check my photo/document database to see if I have anything on it.

Jesse,

Thank you for the motor number....these are a great help in determining ORD/MFG numbers for people that have no data plates on their vehicle.  According to my records this is the original motor  for that Weasel.

John,

You wrote:

" UST-24-949

ORD 1002 (Last Hull designated as a T24 before switching to the M29 designation)

USA 40122704"

Just a nit-pik ....the ORD/MFG number is the vehicle serial number. The hull number is the serial number of the hull only. These do not run in numerical order.

Examples are:

T-24 ORD/MFG # 991 which has a hull number of UST-24-974 and USA #40122648

T-24 ORD/MFG # 955 which has a hull number of UST-24-961 and USA#40122652

The hull on the Weasel was still a T-24 after ORD/MFG # 1003 (and up) even though the designation for the vehicle (on the main data plate)  was changed from T-24 to M-29. The change from T-24 hull to M-29 hull was around 2103. The highest T-24 hull number on my list is UST-24-2101.

I'm sure you actually meant "vehicle" instead of hull but I thought I would clarify it for others reading these posts.

Your T-24 was the highest ORD/MFG for the first Weasel contract and the second to the highest USA number.  It is very historically significant because of it's historical documentation and most worthy of a restoration.

 

"This weasel was one of two T24's shipped to Australia in August 1945 for user trials." 

Is this 1945 date correct? The in-service test photos show the vehicle to be brand new as the white painted tracks ( correct as delivered) look like they have been run very little and there is still overspray on the bogie wheel tires.

In my photo collection I have some photos of M-29C's in service by the Australian Army prior to the end of the war in 1945 so it would seem to be prior to that when these vehicles were tested.

Jim

 

[Jesse Browning]

My wife bought me a handy dandy snake camera so I could take that picture. 

[OZM29C]

8 hours ago, Jim Gilmore said:

Jonas, Jesse and John,

Thank you for the numbers........

Jonas,

Your T-24 with hull number UST-24-336 would have had a ORD/MFG number of 32? ( ? = unknown number)>

On your other one ....look at the photos John just posted and you can see where the original USA number was painted. if you sand this area you should be able to find that number. If you find it let me know and I will check my photo/document database to see if I have anything on it.

Jesse,

Thank you for the motor number....these are a great help in determining ORD/MFG numbers for people that have no data plates on their vehicle.  According to my records this is the original motor  for that Weasel.

John,

You wrote:

" UST-24-949

ORD 1002 (Last Hull designated as a T24 before switching to the M29 designation)

USA 40122704"

Just a nit-pik ....the ORD/MFG number is the vehicle serial number. The hull number is the serial number of the hull only. These do not run in numerical order.

Examples are:

T-24 ORD/MFG # 991 which has a hull number of UST-24-974 and USA #40122648

T-24 ORD/MFG # 955 which has a hull number of UST-24-961 and USA#40122652

The hull on the Weasel was still a T-24 after ORD/MFG # 1003 (and up) even though the designation for the vehicle (on the main data plate)  was changed from T-24 to M-29. The change from T-24 hull to M-29 hull was around 2103. The highest T-24 hull number on my list is UST-24-2101.

I'm sure you actually meant "vehicle" instead of hull but I thought I would clarify it for others reading these posts.

Your T-24 was the highest ORD/MFG for the first Weasel contract and the second to the highest USA number.  It is very historically significant because of it's historical documentation and most worthy of a restoration.

 

"This weasel was one of two T24's shipped to Australia in August 1945 for user trials." 

Is this 1945 date correct? The in-service test photos show the vehicle to be brand new as the white painted tracks ( correct as delivered) look like they have been run very little and there is still overspray on the bogie wheel tires.

In my photo collection I have some photos of M-29C's in service by the Australian Army prior to the end of the war in 1945 so it would seem to be prior to that when these vehicles were tested.

Jim

 

Hi Jim, The only record I have of M29C weasels coming to Australia was post war. It is believed that 5 M29C floaters were brought into the country and were sent to the snowfields. They were stripped of their superfluous Amphibious Float gear with exception of the front and rear float tanks and were pressed into service. I came up with the figure of five weasels as I found 5 sets of track aprons and  other discarded amphibious equipment. Would you be able to share that photo of an M29C in Australian service? If no, does your photo have an ARN visible on the weasel hull? More photos of the M29C on the snowfields can be seen here http://australianalpinoversnow.blogspot.com/2011/09/m29-weasel.html

Cheers

John

[Aron Callewaert]

I have a late war M29C of 1945
the ord and serial number is 10159
Hull nuber is M29C-7155
and on the engine I have 2 plates, 94322-3A and X112