While light sanding the dashboard above the instrument panel I discovered the yellow "Bell Housing Drain Plug..." decal. I don't see it in any of the pictures of M38's in the WO lot awaiting distribution to the units. Would this indicate my late model (Apr '52) would have had a fording kit installed in the field at some point?
Tripp Cantwell
1952 M38
MC62332
US Army 20909964
Restoration Photos: www.trippsjeep.com
The M38's all came with the basic fording system plumbing. There were a few subtle changes with the late model bell housing change. The decal was an afterthought. The decal and drain plug are never mentioned or illustrated in the September 1950 Original Operator's Handbook TM 9-804. The decal and the drain plug are shown and covered in the January 1956 Operator's Handbook TM 9-8012.
The decal and drain plug are not mentioned anywhere in the 1950 and 1955 ORD 9's.