BO light bucket

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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Ron E.
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BO light bucket

Post by Ron E. » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:23 pm

This BO Light Bucket is from my early 42 GPW. Frame # 27384, Delivered 1 or 2 June1942, “FORD” stamped on rear body panel. I am looking for any history of its usage, Ron E.
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Bill H.
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Re: BO light bucket

Post by Bill H. » Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:36 pm

WWII blackout drive light Willys and Ford.

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Bill H.

"Each shall seek his own kind, in other words, a bird may love a fish but where would they build a home together?" Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof

1952 Dunbar Kapple M100
1953 Willys M38A1
1962 AMC M422A1
1965 Stevens M416B1 X 2
1967 Kaiser M715

2 Timothy 3:1-5

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Re: BO light bucket

Post by 70th Division » Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:51 pm

Hello Ron,

That BO bulb holder is not for a WW2 Jeep.
It is postwar.
Your jeep did not have one installed on it when it left the Ford factory.
They later were issued as a standard feature for all the jeeps .
On your jeep and all early jeeps if they were added, they were added as a field modification/upgrade .
If you have holes for it in your fender, it was added later in the war .

This one appears to be from an M38 or M-38A1 jeep, and is used with a 24 Volt bulb as well.

Even though the bulb is a correct WW2 issued 6 volt unit.

The WW2 BO bulb holder only had 1 screw tab to connect the cover with the bucket, the screw was located at the bottom of the bucket as pictured

Here are some pictures of my BO bracket assembly going onto my 1943 GPW project.
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Resized_20210808_155742.jpeg
Resized_20210808_202731.jpeg
Resized_20210808_215145.jpeg
Resized_20210808_172147.jpeg
This is the correct bracket and Ford bulb for a GPW.
An field added unit, likely was not a Ford made bulb or even bracket.

A Ford factory installed bracket had a F script on the top of the loop of the bracket.
It also is slightly different than a Willys made bracket.

Best Regards,
Ray
Last edited by 70th Division on Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Bill H.
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Re: BO light bucket

Post by Bill H. » Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:01 pm

Thanks Ray!

I might add that the BO light Ron posted is for an M series. The two spring clips inside are for the Douglas or Packard connections.
Bill H.

"Each shall seek his own kind, in other words, a bird may love a fish but where would they build a home together?" Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof

1952 Dunbar Kapple M100
1953 Willys M38A1
1962 AMC M422A1
1965 Stevens M416B1 X 2
1967 Kaiser M715

2 Timothy 3:1-5

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Re: BO light bucket

Post by 70th Division » Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:05 pm

Hello Bill,

I am glad to share whatever I can here on the G !!

I will add, I got that awesome Ford bulb from an ebay seller in Bulgaria.
A great find for my GPW restoration, and it was quick shipping via Athens, Greece.

I am very happy to have it
😄😄😄😄

Best Regards,
Ray

Mike Kelly
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Re: BO light bucket

Post by Mike Kelly » Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:06 pm

I used to buy the inserts, wrapped in the greasy cosmoline cotton wrapping , for 50 cents each . This was back in the mid to late 1970s. I noticed at least three different distinct shades/colours of O.D. green and three different manufacturers names embossed on the black front cover. I bought them mainly to colour match the original paint , which was a difficult process because the dead flat finish had a slightly rough surface texture to it. One O.D. was a bright/light to mid green the others were quite different greens, the dates on the back were 1943-44 . Makers names I can remember were Guide and Corcoran Brown. The paint retailers I took the inserts to would shake their heads and send me away :shock: My father was a automotive spray painter for many years and even he had problems matching the original O.D. He did eventually come up with a close match.

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Klaas
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Re: BO light bucket

Post by Klaas » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:07 pm

I would like to add that the guard for the retrofitted BO Drive light on early GPW's and MB's is a "tombstone" model.
The one Ray is using for the '43, is the different model guard which was used when the BO Drive light was fitted by the factory.
Klaas
GPW17331 - April 21 1942 - Dallas, "J-dot"
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Ron E.
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Re: BO light bucket

Post by Ron E. » Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:44 am

I must say I am a little embarrassed to learn that the light in not from a Jeep. It was with some parts included when I got it. Those parts also included the early version of the fender guard with the wider space at the front. It bolts perfectly to the fender. Thanks for the responses. Ron E.


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