willysmjeeps.com

Looking for something unrelated to jeeps, I stumbled across this:



Thought it might be of interest, particularly for anyone restoring an M38 as an MP jeep.

I couldn't identify the triangular symbol on the windscreen vent cover, but it looks like it's also painted on the bonnet. Anybody know the purpose of the odd-shaped hood blocks?

Wbr,
Owen.

7th Army

dayboy42 wrote:7th Army

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Se ... my_SSI.svg

That's one proud looking MP there!

The paint on the jeep looks glossier than 2030. The guy at TPC Global (paints) I'm working with was in the Army motor pool in Europe in the '60s, and he said some commanders had vehicles painted to their own personal preference in spite of the regulations or federal standards. Maybe one of those cases?

Garrison

Ugh!

The odd hood blocks were to clear the windshield wiper assemply which was mounted at the top of the windshield if a artic top enclosure was installed. Jeep in picture has the standard canvas top, but may have had the artic top at some time.

The odd hood blocks were to clear the windshield wiper assemply which was mounted at the top of the windshield if a artic top enclosure was installed.

Close but not quite correct. If you stop and think about it the M38 Arctic Top came with a straight up fixed windshield that did NOT FOLD DOWN.


When a Hot Water Heater kit (TB 9-2855-37) or Gas fired Heater kit (TB 9-2855-2)were installed with the canvas top still on the jeep the kit instructions dictate moving the wipers to the top of the stock windshield and directed the hood blocks to be moved 2" outboard to clear wipers. The old holes would have bolts installed with nuts as plugs so when the Arctic power plant kit was installed along with the arctic hard top they could be moved back to their original location because the canvas hood cover used with the arctic power plant heat kit has the block holes located in the original stock position. It didn't take long for the motor pool troops to get smart and leave the blocks in their original location on the hood and just notch them to clear the wipers at the top of the fold down windshields. The Arctic Power Plant Heater kit allows the complete removal of the blocks if the canvas cover holes will not fit around them properly.

The Arctic top Kit and Arctic Power Plant Heater kit were not required until temp was below -25F.

The paint on the jeep looks glossier than 2030.

It has been common place in all the services for VIP vehicles and Military Police vehicles to be painted with a full gloss. This was usually done legally by issuing a local supplement to the applicable service regulation for the vehicle painting rules. These supplements were drafted locally and submitted up channels for higher head quarter's approval before becoming official supplements legalizing the deviation from the original publication.

The triangular symbol is the 7th Army Patch.