Joined: Dec 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Lexington, KY USA
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:29 am Post subject: Mystery #1 for MD54216
Hello all, nothing fancy here, I just had a question regarding some drilled holes on my jeep's passenger-side rear wheel well.
The holes are drilled in a square roughly centered on top of the wheel well, and measure 16" x 7.5" center-to-center. This jeep has not seen civilian modifications, so I'm just wondering what could have been mounted here. I've seen pictures of both radios and rear bench seats on this side. However, there's no evidence of the MP50 mount for the antenna.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
I'll have a second mystery for you all to mull over early next week! _________________ - Dan
Joined: Dec 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Lexington, KY USA
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:48 pm Post subject:
Nope. I've got all that hardware. The holes appear to be about 3/8" to 7/16" diameter. Based on photographic evidence of other M38A1s, these drilled holes are not factory. They show stress where something heavy was bolted down through them. _________________ - Dan
Joined: Dec 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Lexington, KY USA
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:47 pm Post subject:
I've checked the driver's side and found no similar holes, so a roll bar is unlikely.
It'll take some time for me to get a picture; dial-up sucks, but I'll try to get one by tomorrow evening at the latest.
I was looking again, and I found two more holes of the same size within the box the four make. So I've got a total of six now.
They start about 7-8" from the tub's back panel. So far, it looks like I have a 7.5" square pattern of four holes connected to a 7.5"x8.5" rectangle at its side.
Let's see if I can draw it in text....
o = drilled hole
------edge of fender inside----------|
o-----7.5"-----o------8.5"-------o
|
7.5"
|
o-----7.5"-----o------8.5"-------o
____edge of body outside________
Is that legible? The axe bracket is to the left of the drawing. Again, each hole appears to be roughly 3/8" diameter or so. There is some variation, likely due to metal fatigue.
Looking at it now, it seems to me that it is very possible that multiple things have been attached here at different times.
I can take more measurements if anyone would like me to. Just let me know what you need. _________________ - Dan
Joined: Dec 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Lexington, KY USA
Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 7:28 am Post subject:
I don't have any of the wiring, but at some point the jeep was refurbished by the Army and things were changed. It was simplified for base duty.
At one time, I know the jeep was equiped with the M31C pedestal mount. It belonged to what's been described as a mechanized infantry division (the 40th). Other than that, I have no clue what else was on the jeep. Basically, I'm wanting to use the existing holes for something legitimate.
Does anyone have any measurements for the mounting hardware of common military radios from the 1950s-60s? _________________ - Dan
Joined: Feb 20, 2007 Posts: 606 Location: Illinois
Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:33 am Post subject:
On this website under "Downloads" and Radio Equipment http://willysmjeeps.com/downloads/ant4.pdf
is a diagram of a GRC-9 mounted on the passenger side wheel well on three hardwood blocks. May be a clue to your holes. I couldn't find dimensions to the mount - I looked in my Receiver-Transmitter manual and over at Fair Radio but didn't spot anything useful. I have a RT-68 on my M38A1 but it has a different mounting system - a metal rack. Maybe others have a similar wood block mount. Of course, your mounting holes could be a bubba mount for a beer cooler! _________________ 1951 M38
Just about all the radio systems used in the M38/M38A1 used a metal mounting tray system that contained cable adapters and circuit boards. It was these Metal trays that were adapted to the jeep wheel house with the wood spacers.
Take a browse thru my photos of detailed radio mounting drawings on my photo site. You'll see examples of the wood spacers used with the steel shock mounted trays and you'll also see the AB449G antenna which mounts on the spare tire bracket.
Joined: Dec 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Lexington, KY USA
Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:32 am Post subject:
After looking it over with diagrams in hand, I'm pretty sure there was a radio mounted at some point. However, since I don't have any exact measurements for the wooden spacers, I can't confirm this. It's possible that multiple radios have been installed over time. I will say that the radio(s) was not installed according to the books, as there is only one small hole for a cable keeper leading up to the fender well. However, I'm pretty sure it was a cable, because someone had cut a hole through the side of the cowl support to run a cable through. I guess to keep it out of the passenger's feet. My jeep does *not* have the radio accessory wire harness outlet beside the passenger seat, nor does it show signs of ever having it. So, either this was a field modification to a jeep never intended for a radio, or it is, in fact, an elaborate setup for a powered beer cooler. _________________ - Dan
Joined: Dec 01, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Lexington, KY USA
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:38 pm Post subject:
After doing some research, I believe that the AN/VRC-10 setup was located here at one point. The MT-299 mount dimensions seem to line up, though I can't account for the two extraneous holes in the center. It's possible that they might have added an extra support, since the setup weighs 140lbs. I could be reaching here, though.
Here's a link to fairradio's VRC-10. Out of stock....
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