M38 vs M38a1 blackout lights

oldfordkid · Post by **oldfordkid** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 6:18 pm

I have been looking at NOS blackout lights and parts of lights for my 51 M38. I bought a repro bracket for the one on top of the driver's fender, but am trying to find an authentic new light. There seems to still be a lot out there, but most of it looks newer or at least the packaging is newer. I found a light for the driver's fender dated 1952 with the packaging, but it does not have the housing to mount it. I found another complete NOS one that looks the same, but it is just advertised for an M38a1 only. My jeep has all of the other 4 lights, and plastic headlights. But they are all faded and have paint on them. So at least I would like to buy new outer covers for them and clearer headlights.

So I guess my question is, are M38a1 lights the same as M38s? Most of the NOS parts are dated newer than my jeep, but they look very similar. Thanks for anyone that has info.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 6:49 pm

Factory restoration, motor pool, or daily driver?

If factory, it has to have what it came with at birth.

If motor pool, then any series light for the era, up to
the date your vehicle is stuck in time will do. The assumption
would be one or more lights were damaged and had to be
replaced, and were done so with whatever was on the shelf.

Daily driver all bets are off.

Did I get it right Wes?

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:11 pm

As far as the front and rear lights, strip or sand the housings
and repaint. If 1950's lights, the lenses are glass. You should
be able to remove the paint off the glass with paint remover
or thinner. Don't get it on any of the internals.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:54 pm

Have both of you guys reviewed the parts manuals for both jeeps? If you need a copy of either the M38 ORD 9 SNL G-740 or the M38A1/M170 ORD 9 SNL G-758 you can download them free on our downloads page.

oldfordkid · Post by **oldfordkid** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 11:34 pm

I didn't even notice the download section, but there is a lot of great information in there. And with all the diagrams, I noticed there are a lot, a lot of small parts that make up a jeep. The diagrams and part numbers were especially helpful and in short, the parts I am looking for are the same on an M38 and M38a1.

Mine won't be a factory restoration really. But I just figured if I am going to the trouble and expense to hang a blackout light on my fender, might as well get the right one. I think I will try to sand and paint the front marker and rear tail light doors as Brian suggested. They only look like they have one coat of turquoise brushed on them, and I am painting everything else anyway so they will be sure to match.

Thanks--Scott

Post by **wesk** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 11:51 pm

Before you start the painting process I suggest you actually open up / dis-assemble them to save grief after painting if lamps are burned out or they appear to dim due to interior corrosion issues. Most of the lamp bodies are aluminum and the steel screws usually seize in the threads. Takes a lot of soaking in penetrant and heating to break the screws loose. Even then one or two still usually snap. Drilling steel screw remnants from aluminum housings is no picnic. Corrosion of the interior sockets and terminals and cracking of the old wire insulation leads to a lot of grief as well. Replacing lamp sockets also requires the same process of removing steel screws from aluminum housings.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 7:42 am

Yes Wes,
Have downloaded and reviewed the manuals.

Figured it was necessary for him to determine the class of
restoration before we could help.

I only had to drill out one broken screw, and as you say, it was
a lot of grief. Penetrant, filing, drilling, extractor, the whole
deal. But I got it out, and managed to save the threads.

Fwiw, there is an original (as advertised) refurbished fender
black out light on EBay from a seller in Israel.

80 simoleons.

Take care,

45auto · Post by **45auto** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 2:02 pm

I will also add to use Never-Seize on the screws as this has been very helpful when it was time to replace light bulbs over the years.