I am starting to work on my 1952 M38 windshield frame and I would like to double check with you to see if these holes should be repaired or not? I believe #3 is for a rifle bracket. The rest I am unsure of. Any input is greatly appreciated! Thank you, Best Regards ~ Matt
I am starting to work on my 1952 M38 windshield frame and I would like to double check with you to see if these holes should be repaired or not? I believe #3 is for a rifle bracket. The rest I am unsure of. Any input is greatly appreciated! Thank you, Best Regards ~ Matt
1: Not used
2: Not used
3: rifle holder bracket?
4: Not used
5: Not used
6: Not used
7: Not used
8: Not used
9: Not used. (Clamp between 9 & 10 not used)
10: Not used
11: Not used
12: Not used
13: Not used
14: Not used
15: Not used
Above answers "Not used" means the military & Willys did not make those holes. A good guess would be civilian soft top door channels.
If you review the illustrations in your TM 9-8012 Fig 1 pg 7, Fig 2 pg 8, Fig 126 pg 304, Fig 127 pg 305 and Fig 128 pg 306
You didn't show the lower 10" of the arms but each side of the lower arms had two holes for vacuum plumbing clamps.
The fording system would add, in the field, two 3/16' holes on the right side as shown below for tubing clamps.
No Sir,
They weld onto the inside edges of the uprights of the windshield frames.
Get on the horn to John this morning and get a pair on the way.
Then when you get the frame back spot weld them on.
I haven't seen a good photo of that area but if you are lucky all of the
old stuff is cleaned off. Otherwise you'll have to remove it to prepare
the arms for installation.
It's pretty straightforward as there are half round cutouts that fit only
one way that you can use to determine location.
Great thing is the door hinge is already mounted to this piece
at the correct angle.
I prefer to screw the door seal strips on after I have the jeep assembled. Main reason is the windshield angle and the door angles are not always dead nuts on and the final fitting of the door can be better tailored to your jeep if you fit the door and then position the upper hinge and rope channel to provide the best door fit. The fitting of the door should start after the top and side curtains are in place and tensioned.
These are John's offering and they can be screwed or spot welded.
I still prefer the stock method of fitting the door, then saving final attachment of door canvas bead retainers till I have the door in the opening then once canvas is properly drawn in each direction I add the upper hinge with it's own bolts making the final position of the door as perfect as it can be.
Hi Wes,
I can see where your method would probably provide the best fit.
I do wonder about the term stock method. I assume the windshield for
the M38 was assembled including the door channels and top hinge,
prior to it being installed on the vehicle.
One other point. Screwing or bolting the door channels and/or top hinge
would not be a factory class installation for the M38. They were spot welded
at the factory that made the windshield, correct?
Not picking, but the factory resto guys probably need to know this unless
they already do.
For the rest of us motor pool/daily driver/just happy to have it on the road guys your assembly directions make perfect sense. Unless it may be quite some time before doors are installed, and even then, painting and installing
the door channels long after the rest of the vehicle is finished is much simpler
screwing or bolting them on.
I just returned home from work and I was pleasantly surprised to find all the great responses! I will definantly be giving John a call for those parts. Thanks again for sharing all the great info and pictures.
Have a great day everyone!
~ Matt
Matt, Truck 1/4 Ton 4x4, M-38 (G-740)
Willy's Model: MC
DOD April 1952
Ser. # 63326
I do wonder about the term stock method. I assume the windshield for the M38 was assembled including the door channels and top hinge,
prior to it being installed on the vehicle.
If you read my post carefully you will note that I was referring to the stock method of dealing with used body pieces that are not always in their like new jig position. Nothing we are doing here in 2016 would have needed to be done in 1950, 51 or 52.
One other point. Screwing or bolting the door channels and/or top hinge would not be a factory class installation for the M38.
True, however I am addressing Matt's needs on this post.
To be perfectly honest no one has produced any evidence to when and where the original M38 windshields gained their door canvas strips. May be the builder of the windshield but we do not know for sure weather Willys or an outside supplier built the windshield.
I've got a photo somewhere. Thought it was in my photo pages but it's not.
It's on the top left on the horizontal part facing upwards a couple of inches
from the left end. I'll go look on my desktop.
As you say, after 65 years one can't be completely sure about original versus
repop, but mine has OD under red paint, the windshield wiper hard lines are
there including the valve, clips for the hard lines on the arms. All holes for
the rifle brackets, screwed vent, canvas door channels and the horizontal rod
brackets.
Of course it had a gazillion holes for a civvy top, and the door hinges were torched off. Our buddy Bubba. Photos in my pages.
I was going to order just the hinge brackets, but John sent the whole assembly. Just as well. Mine were pretty ragged, so removing and replacing the whole thing seems easier in the long run.
I think Matt will like them.
I will think about screwing them on. Probably will depend on what the sheetmetal looks like after I get the old junk off.
I will definantly be giving John a call for those parts. Thanks again for sharing all the great info and pictures.
