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M38a1 radio power plug location
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:30 pm
by RHarris
Hello. on my 1953 m38a1 there are no holes at the passenger seat spring latch for the radio power plug. Were these always mounted in this loation? Did all vehicles have these connection plugs? Looking at the manual photo's they show them mounted at the seat latch. Any ideas? Thanks, Robert
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 4:14 pm
by wesk
They were spot welded on both the M38 and the M38A1. Perhaps yours was broken off or removed.

This is a M38 illustration but the A1 was in the same place.

The late A1 seat latch was a bit further to the rear than the radio power receptacle.

radio power plug
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:54 am
by RHarris
Thanks, Wes. I have three of the plugs and mounts all were loose in a box of parts. I could not find any matching holes except the ones in the seat retainer spring. Robert
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:16 am
by wesk
The M38's were spot welded and I have seen the M38A1 both ways. Not a lot of room for bolt ends and nuts on the inside and you don't want the nuts on the outside. I'd spot weld it.
radio power plug
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 4:59 pm
by RHarris
Wes. did all m38a1's have these plugs? I went over my 1953 and found no spot welds, no other holes for the ground wire. Robert
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:44 pm
by Headcase
my M38A1 has the identical set up as in wes's pic and is a 1953 as well. My sold jeep a 1967 had it in the same spot also a M38A1 just ahead of the seat bracket spring and in theopen as wes's pic. No tunnel or channel then plug ended there and another to the radio was aattached. that's all I know or have seen. the 1967 had a tunnel for the wires to cross over to the drivers side just behind the seat on the upper edge of the rear deck.
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:35 am
by wesk
The tunnel is part of the radio power cord kit and is installed in the filed when the radios are installed.
John at Midwest Military still sells these tunnel kits.