Lights and wiring issues M38A1 CDN 53

[Casey B]

Okay have wiring insulation that is crumbling on rear lights... right at the light.
Any idea what gauge wiring this was?
Can the pin connectors be removed and reused?#1 pic
The small little tit that was soldered in the light bulb holder that touches the centre of the bulb is this removable as well or just a ball of solder? #2 pic

All the stainless screws broke on the pass side rear light not so on the drivers side. I was going to replace the pass side with a three bulb lens so I can have two brake lights. One brake light on the west coast confuses our newer drivers...they think you are signaling to the left every time you brake.
So if I can drill out the screws I'd be looking for the top two light guts and the lens. Or a whole new three bulb light...?maybe easier eh?

Now not sure about the lights either in the 3 light there are tow lights on the Top... a brake light to the right and the other one the left is...? rear tail light?non balckout? wasn't working and could not get circuit to work. #3 pic
The bottom light being the Blackout out red lens.

here are the pics to show you the lights.
On the front black out drive light ...can you remove the front plate and visor to clean the glass or is this permanently closed with a seled beam inside? Also was this supossed to be painted balck or the jeep baody colour? #5 pic

Any thoughts greatly appreciated...casey

[rob love]

The wire is a mil spec (usually prestolite) 14 gauge wire. It is a very high quality wire, as evidenced by it's losing it's installation now, after just 60 years. It is available from many of the jeep supply guys, I believe John has it at midwest, and I'm pretty sure Brian Asbury has it up here. Shell out the money and buy a good length of it. You would be hard pressed to find better wire anywhere else, and it is the only correct wire for M-series vehicles.

Re the contact for the light bulb, yours appears to be a small washer soldered onto the end of the wire. You can renew it with some fresh solder. You could also replace the wire at the same time, once you get the right stuff.

Re the two upper bolbs, the smaller (#623) bulb is for the running lights (should be wire number 21 powering it) while the larger (#1251) bulb is for the brake light (and turn signal if so equipped) and is wire circuit number 22.

The modification by the Cdn army was to add a single filament light unit on the right side of the Jeep on a separate bracket. The lamp unit was similar to that found on the railroad crossing arms. However, your best bet is to change the BO tail lamp assy for the same assembly that is on the left side. That would mean you would not have a BO brake light, but if you really wanted one you can install a lamp unit similar to your front BO marker but with a BO brake lense.

All these lamp units are available form the various dealers, and are also always on ebay.

Note that these early military lights, along with the later first generation of composite lamps (introduced in the 70s) are not SAE approved, and if your vehicle is subject to a safety inspection, may not pass if the inspector knows his stuff.

The NOS BO headlamps I have are all black. They are a PAR36 sealed beam unit. You can pry open the crimp and get to the glass, and they will recrimp reasonably well.

There are also some large tail lenses available to replace the rear tail lenses. They give much improved visibility for road use.


Re removal of those pesky little screws: Good luck. There was a CFTO on that very subject, and they were to be drilled out and replaced with common self tapping screws. Personally I never had much luck removing them, and with a list price of around $30 for the complete lamp unit, it quite frankly was not worth the time spent extracting them. They are the victim of dissimilar metals. I would suggest some silver loctite antisieze when installing them initially.

[Casey B]

Thanks Rob I'll hunt for that wire and I'll replace the wires to the unit and try to reuse the crimped end again..some were soldered and others soldered and crimped as well or so I have been told.
I have the light that you said was the mod by the Can forces (re the pic) is this the light? It looked so hokey when I bought the Jeep I thought for sure it was a farmers adaptation! Sorry farmers! Is this the light you described?! Ha ha ha.
I'll try the pry method and clean the lens and a repaint the Black out drive light. Yes maybe a totally new light body. I am not too too worried about not having a rear Black out brake light. The 67 I had had just that set up with the two bodies the same and the one added rear smaller black out like the front markers. Maybe I'll put the railroad back on ha ahahahaa!
Thanks Again Rob!!... did you read I got it running and moving...about 100 feet!

[rob love]

That light is close to what I remember as the Cdn army modification. I think the originals did not have as thick a body. Problem with that light is it is a single bulb, so you will not have a running light on that side. A similar light is available with a two filament bulb with (a 1157 type bulb) but you would have to find the two filament bulb in 24V, which, while they exist, is not that common.

Note that when I say "two filament" I mean a bulb with two separate circuits inside it. Many 24 volt bulbs have two filaments, but only a single circuit. The bulb you would need would have offset pins on the side, and two contacts on the bottom.

I read your thread where you made it 100 feet up the road. Sounds like you are almost there......your use of the choke to get it going makes it sound like you still have a fuel delivery problem. Next time it happens confirm it by removing the #1 plug wire at the plug and confirming the spark. Then you will know for sure it is the fuel system.

[Casey B]

Yes the spark is good I'll try it again we had some snow today and we are both not feeling the greatest right now...Cold and flu season and it's not cold enough here to wipe out the germs!

I'll let you know ...thanks again I have left a message for Brian to see if he has some parts. thanks casey