Mystery holes in frame horn area

1952 - 1968, M38A1, M170, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38a1 series.
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Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by signsup » Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:53 am

I'm caretaking a club members M38A1 while he recovers from a massive stroke. I'm afraid I will have it for the duration. I'm not an M series guy, so this is new to me. I'll piddle with it with his permission while I have it entrusted to me.
I know the extra marker lights are not correct, presume they just filled a Bubba hole. But while I was feeling around that area, noticed two smaller holes in the top of the frame rail that feel like captive nuts in the frame and two larger holes forward of them in the side of the frame rails that come all the way through.
Are these Bubba holes as well? If not, what military part would go in those holes. Same with marker light holes. Is something "correct" supposed to go into them?. I think the rest of the jeep is fairly correct. We did swap out his 81 jerry can for a 51 jerry can and we will lieave it 12v.

Any help greatly appreciated.
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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by mdainsd » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:01 am

Those holes are leftovers from the early M38A1 which had the fold down grill option as did the M38 series. That was deleted on later production Jeeps.
Don't be so quick to say the B.O. Marker lights on the bumper are incorrect. If the MWO kit was applied to add turn signals to that jeep, two additional bullet style lamps could be used. Sometimes the two in the grill were left as the original B.O. markers and the new pair got the amber turn signal lenses and were mounted "where convenient" other were just the opposite, with amber lenses going on the original grill lamps and the B.O. s getting mounted where ever.

Lets see a full frontal picture.
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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by signsup » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:40 am

I don't do nudes . . . oh, you mean the jeep.
OK, shot of grill and shot of dash. No turn signal arm like I would expect and marker lights in dash feel like same as on bumper. I'm just guessing, if it were me and I converted the jeep to 12v, I'd get 12v marker lights and find a home for the 24v lights, like the front bumper.
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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:45 am

Using the BO Stop or BO Markers lenses for turn signals is worthless.
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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by mdainsd » Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:40 am

That's why they make the conversion lenses. Same as M151A1...
52 M38 2X, '52 M37, '44 WC51, '42 WC 56/57, '50 CJ-V35(U), '42 GPW, '44 M3A1 Scout Car, 2010 M-Gator

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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:41 am

But not everybody used them.
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HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by mdainsd » Mon Apr 08, 2019 2:17 pm

Fair enough. Cant fix stupid.
52 M38 2X, '52 M37, '44 WC51, '42 WC 56/57, '50 CJ-V35(U), '42 GPW, '44 M3A1 Scout Car, 2010 M-Gator

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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by signsup » Mon Apr 08, 2019 2:44 pm

OK, I'll leave everything in place as is. I'll put some bolts in the captive nut holes because it looks like something should be there and fell off. I'll leave the second set of marker lights in place as well, but I'll try to hide the disconnected wires or even connect them up for display. I got a feeling they are 24v, so I may have to change bulbs.

But, nice to know I'm not missing air bags or some other critical part up front.

Thanks, guys.
Robert Brough
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Re: Mystery holes in frame horn area

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:13 am

All mid 53 and later M-38A1s have those hinge mounting holes from the factory they are a leftover appendage.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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