jeep spare fuel rack question

[Jack Geratic]

How was the the top strap secured/locked in place for this front rack style?




Also what does MA and MB refer to when talking about the jeep subject?


regards,
Jack

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Also what does MA and MB refer to when talking about the jeep subject?

Willys MA, "M" for "Military", model "A,"



Willys MB:

[Jack Geratic]

Hello Hanno, thanks!

[Ed Landstrom]

By the '70s, we thought the Pinto fuel tank location was bad. Standards do change.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

How was the the top strap secured/locked in place for this front rack style?

It looks like it’s a pin through holes in the vertical strips, but it’s hard to tell from this angle.

Originally Posted by Ed Landstrom

By the '70s, we thought the Pinto fuel tank location was bad. Standards do change.

It could be a water can …

[Jack Geratic]

.....................................

[Jack Geratic]

Thank you Jakko. The water can was a possible tertiary question to my thread, but not sure if Crerar's driving regime would require quick access to extra water?

Point noted about the rod sliding through the upper framework of the fuel rack. Found slightly different angle of the same jeep to confirm this. Just wondering how it was kept in place to prevent it from sliding out while driving?

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

The water can was a possible tertiary question to my thread, but not sure if Crerar's driving regime would require quick access to extra water?

From the picture you posted as a screenshot of Acrobat Reader:



… I get the impression he had one of each — assuming it’s the same two jerrycans as in the other photos.

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Point noted about the rod sliding through the upper framework of the fuel rack. Found slightly different angle of the same jeep to confirm this. Just wondering how it was kept in place to prevent it from sliding out while driving?

From the photo above, there seems to be some kind of lock on the left-hand side. Could just be some kind of simple latch that prevents the pin from sliding out, or maybe it’s padlocked to prevent people stealing the cans? However, I can’t find any more photos of this particular jeep from the left-hand side on a quick search, nor a clearer version of this photo.

I just noticed the stars on the sides are completely point-down. I thought the normal way in the Canadian Army was point-forward, until it changed to point-up eventually?

[Jack Geratic]

Is it the stamped portion of the fuel can painted white indicating it contains water?

Anyhow, I went back to the same photo album to see if any helpful photos were missed. There is this one but quality of a contact sheet is not much help, but it does seem to be same as the opposite side.



Plus one more of a different serial jeep:

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Is it the stamped portion of the fuel can painted white indicating it contains water?

I think so, but I’m not sure why I think so

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Anyhow, I went back to the same photo album to see if any helpful photos were missed. There is this one but quality of a contact sheet is not much help, but it does seem to be same as the opposite side.

Very hard to see … It could just be flat bar with a narrow end to go through the slot on the right, while on the left side of the rack is a bend-over bit that the flat bar hooks into somehow? Maybe with a separate retaining pin though both the bar and the rack’s vertical strip?

[David Herbert]

Yes, the white painted pressings in a jerrycan indicate that it is a dedicated water can.

David

[Jack Geratic]

Hello David, thank you for confirming white painted portions identifying water can.



Jakko, thank you for the continued interest. A flat metal strip (same as those used for the constructed rack) with narrow ends is what I had originally thought. Taking a close up view of the area, it does seem the 'restraining' metal strap is just visible to the left of the rack framework:



If one of the narrow ends is curved, it would be very slight bend as there is not much room to pivot at that point in between the fuel can handles. Also the actual insertion of that strap would require prying outwards one end of the rack, so not sure how viable that is?


Another example, but this one is designed differently with the vertical framework tapered to a point where the restraint is inserted: