ID these items?

evanso1975 · Post by **evanso1975** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:16 pm

On my far-reaching search for M38 usaf markings, I resorted to looking for usaf M37 trucks. I came across this little gem:

I have a few questions about the jeep in the photo:

1) Can anyone ID the purpose of the "vents" just forward of the axe retaining straps?
2) Similarly, what's the purpose of the tube on the rear corner of the jeep? An aerial? Or a flagpole?
3) Could be my eyes, but this jeep looks like the windscreen door channels have been removed. Was this a common practice on usaf jeeps, because mine were missing?
I thought they'd been lost to the sands of time, but maybe they were removed for a reason.
4) How does that cover over the bonnet fording cut-out work? My bonnet is drilled for the fixing screws (a snapped-off screw head was still in place),
but as far as I can tell you would lose the slave cable connection. Is this right?

Thanks in advance,
Owen.

Bill_F · Post by **Bill_F** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:02 pm

Interesting how close it is to my hood number, just not as nicely done

The vent is for the heater that used the engine coolant.

Post by **wesk** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:35 pm

The tubes are for flags such as those used when using the vehicle as a follow me jeep or when escorting weapons and etc. Did you figure out what color the M38, M37 and APC are? That 505 uniform was one of my favorites.

The hot water heater kit was also the reason that M38's wipers were moved to the top of the windshield.

Where did you find the photo?

evanso1975 · Post by **evanso1975** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:33 am

Thanks Folks.

I did a google image search for M37 usaf markings, and it came up. I think it originated on G741.org. Hahn AFB in Germany, if I remember right. The "50th" marking on the armour would seem to agree with this.

If the above is correct, that would suggest to be the photo was taken between 1953 & 1956. The 50th TFW redeployed back to Hahn in 1960, by which time I guess the hood number markings would have been moved to the door area I think!).

Trouble with b+w photos is you can never be certain what colour the jeep is. Since the original factory-applied hood numbers have been painted over, my best guess is strata blue. The trucks & armor look to be the same as the jeep.

The hood number is very close to Bill_F's. Wonder if yours is front the same unit? The 50th FBW (as they were then) flew mustangs out of Clovis AFB in New Mexico in early 1953, before chaging to Sabres. Aside from the hood numbers, did you find any other markings on your jeep?

Wbr,
Owen.

Bill_F · Post by **Bill_F** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:08 am

No other markings where found on my jeep. However it looks like my tub came from the factory blue. The only OD paint that was on it was on the hood.

Bretto · Post by **Bretto** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 7:29 am

Looks like I didn't know about the vent. I figured the prev owner tried to better vent the toolbox. It had the similar holes in the front of the box but no louvered vent cover. What role did it have in the heater anyway? I don't see any connection.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:29 am

If you read the instructions for the M38 Hot Water Heater kit it installs on the passenger floor and it's air inlet is pointed at the front of the toolbox where a hole must be cut to allow fresh air to get from the grill covered hole on the right side of the toolbox. It insured fresh outside air intake was available

Kit installers in the field varied the style of their front toolbox cut. Some just cut the 3 1/2 x 4 7/8" opening spelled out in the TB. Some filled the same measured area with drilled holes. And some covered the cut with a grill like the one used on the right hand outside toolbox cut.

TomM · Post by **TomM** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:57 am

On question 4.
The later jeeps did not have the slave connection. The cover on the hood is sheetmetal kept in place by two screws.

evanso1975 · Post by **evanso1975** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:42 am

Hello Tom,

Thanks for that. I thought all M38's came with the slave cable fitted. Mine is July 1951 (no heater hole in the dash), and has the two screwholes for the metal cover:

Fyi, the screw head you can see still in place was a slotted truss-head. The rest of the screw snapped off long ago, so I don't know if it was a bolt or self-tapper. Seems that only the rust was keeping the screw head in place.

My jeep also has the holes in the fender for the slave cable bracket, but maybe they made all the fenders with the holes and just left the bracket off? Does anyone know which at vehicle number they stopped using the slave cable?

Wbr,
Owen.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:04 am

The majority of parts that were superseded or discontinued are annotated in your ORD 9 for that jeep. You can immediately at your leisure look up a part you suspect was affected by serial number in your ORD 9 and get the answer with all the details.

You'll find the serial cutoff listed in the ORD 9 for the bracket and slave cable receptacle. It was a part of a major overall cost reduction effort by the Army and Willys to keep the acquisition cost figure below the congressional limit.

The holes remained in all the fenders and most times when a jeep was destined for a northern climate and the heater kits or the arctic top were installed in the field then the slave receptacle was also installed in the field.
The slave cable kit was often an integral part of these northern tier arctic kits.

For those of you who feel they don't have access to an ORD 9 for your jeep, no worries. Just go to the downloads page and download a pDF copy for free.

M38
http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... tit&lid=95

M38A1/M170
http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... tit&lid=87

evanso1975 · Post by **evanso1975** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:23 am

Thanks for the pointers, Wes. I forgot about the ORD-9.

The last factory vehicle fitted with one was MC-47771, for anyone that's interested.....

ECVJeeps · Post by **ECVJeeps** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:35 am

Interesting picture Bretto, it looks like the axe head sheath was removed from your jeep to accommodate the vent.
My M38 was painted Strata Blue from the factory and the axe head sheath was also removed. No hole was cut into the tool box front or the side of the jeep for a heater installation; however it did come fitted with a M38 Arctic Top.

Post by **wesk** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:47 pm

My bonnet is drilled for the fixing screws (a snapped-off screw head was still in place),
but as far as I can tell you would lose the slave cable connection. Is this right?

The plate was used when both the slave cable and fording connections were not installed. This plate and the fording and slave cable connections were frequently switched around in the field. So a motor pool resto makes no difference which you use. If you want a factory class resto just follow the serial number cutoffs in the ord 9.

evanso1975 · Post by **evanso1975** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:41 pm

Thanks for the info Wes.

There was no slave connection or fording kit on my jeep when I bought it. The bonnet cover plate wasn't there either. According to the ORD 9, my jeep (MC-26057) should have had the slave connection fitted.

Maybe the USAF removed the slave connection when my jeep was re-painted blue, and didn't see the need for re-instating it?

Motor pool restoration makes more sense to me, as my jeep never came out of the factory in strata blue.......

ID these items?

ID these items?

bonnet sheild