M38CDN Questions

[David Dunlop]

Hello again, Nate.

I do not know if US Army M38’s were so equipped, but in the front photos you just posted, you can just see the sets of one large and one small hole at the fronts of the fenders and in line with the length of the fenders where the M38CDN turn signal lamps were installed.

I also see a potential ‘red flag’ for you in the earlier photo of the front, looking down behind the bumper. I can see what looks like a pneumatic damper bolted to the tie rod assembly. That commercial add-on is nearly always fitted to stop a bad case of tramp, or gallop in the front end, where at a given point in acceleration, or after hitting a bump in the road, the whole front end of the vehicle starts to shake alarmingly. The damper cures the symptoms but not the problem, which can be as simple as unbalanced front tires, flat front springs, worn out tie rod ends, worn out guide pin in the steering box, or any combination of all these factors. Something worth asking about in any event.

You might also want to see what information the guys here on MLU can dig up for you based on the CFR Number stamped on the front frame. At the least, you will get some or all of the basic service history and possibly luck into some better idea of what the serial number might be.

Best regards,

David