Did the military...Packard vs Douglas connectors

skyjeep50 · Post by **skyjeep50** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:52 am

Did the military install Packard connector equipped wiring, gauges and components on M-series vehicles that were manufactured with Douglas connectors? Anybody seen such a mix on a unrestored vehicle? I'm thinking that if they needed, say, a new high beam switch for a M38A1 and had Packard equipped switch from a M151 in stock, they wouldn't hesitate to modify the wiring and use what they had. Nowdays, Packard equipped stuff is sometimes half the price of Douglas stuff - makes me want to mix things up. Function and price may trump originality. But maybe a mix was "original" at some point!

rgmutchler · Post by **rgmutchler** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:17 pm

My M38 was pretty much unrestored, however the wiring had been worked on somewhere along the line and the harness has packard connectors on it, the lights, head, tail etc were all packard but the dash connectors on the back of the guages were adapted to the douglas connector. Judging by the conditon of the wiring harness it had been replaced at some point but there is no way of telling who replaced.

Post by **wesk** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:34 pm

I would imagine a confused young GI mechanic would switch Douglas to Packard when the new part came with Packard but keep in mind it was just as simple to move the old Douglas connector parts from the old switch to the new switch. It's really 6 of one and a half dozen of the other since either way takes the same time but retaining the newer Packard connectors would necessitate obtaining new Packard parts for the jeep side of the harness which add's an extra supply step and cost. Assuming the average GI approach would be the more anal "Make it all look the same" I would guess they converted the new part to Douglass using the old Douglas pieces.

Before anyone gets upset about:

GI approach would be the more anal

I spent 2 years in the Army and 22 in the Air Force and the quoted statement is based on fact.

12Bravo · Post by **12Bravo** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:29 am

I was in the Army from 89-96 and worked in the motorpool. I don't know how things were done when the M38/M38A1 jeeps were in service. When I was in, we would use what ever parts that would fit and work to get a vehicle up and running as fast as possible. I can see Army mechanics either switching new parts to fit or changing vehicle wiring to fit.