Licence plate mounting M38 CDN

[charlie fitton]

Anyone out there have a source for:

The hinge that holds on the front plate, and

The light that illuminates the rear plate?

New or used ... just tinkering.

thx

[Jon Skagfeld]

Charlie: My M38A1CDN3 has its CFR plates mounted as follows:

Front...bolted through drilled holes in the fender, LHS, looking it from front.

Rear...similarly bolted to LHS of bumperette.

AFAIK, config is original. Perhaps CDN2/3 plate mountings were different than M38s?

HTH.

Regards

[Frank v R]

Hi Charlie, as follows:
52' M-38 Cdn, 53' M-38A1 Cdn piano hinge centre front bumper also 2 plate set-up both bolted to bumper, rear driver's side upper rear panel, same bracket used on front of all M-series 2 1/2 ton GMC Cdn,

67' & 70' M-38A1 Cdn , front bolted to bumper, mounted on upper portion of grille, also hinge used off of bottom of front bumper, rear bracket welded to bottom of jerry can bracket from the factory , NO rear light on any of these during DND service,

[Wayne Hingley]

Frank's description is accurate. My M38A1 (1953) has piano hinge mount under the center of the front bumper, and a rear license plate bracket as pictured below. There may have been other variations, but I have also seen this bracket on M38's. The one in the photo is not the original from my jeep, but it is a very close copy that I have recently found. My understanding is these brackets were common to many civilian Ford vehicles of the era.

[charlie fitton]

The rear mount being a common ford part makes sense. I have a pre-war catalogue with something similar in it.

likewise the brake setup is similar for the 40 - 46 truck brake, with 4 adjustment points.

[charlie fitton]

...regardless - I'm looking for the hinge, and the light...

[David Dunlop]

If memory serves me correctly, on my 52 M38CDN, the rear plate bracket (as shown by Wayne) had a wooden block located under the lower mounting portion. This allowed the licence plate portion to be located about 3/4 " off the rear top canvas and made it a lot easier to access the top tie down straps and related footman loops on the driver's rear corner of the vehicle. The wooden block was shaped to match the lower curve of the plate bracket.


David

[Wayne Hingley]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

If memory serves me correctly, on my 52 M38CDN, the rear plate bracket (as shown by Wayne) had a wooden block located under the lower mounting portion. This allowed the licence plate portion to be located about 3/4 ' off the rear top canvas and made it a lot easier to access the top tie down straps and related footman loops on the driver's rear corner of the vehicle. The wooden block was shaped to match the lower curve of the plate bracket.


David

Exactly David. Same on the 1953 A1's.

[charlie fitton]

David, Wayne..

Thanks for that info - I was wondering as all in there seems kind of cramped without a spacer of some kind.

[Peter Phillips]

I believe, and Steve J could confirm, that my M38 Cdn rear mount is from an Iltis. It looks a lot like the one in the picture. Also, I don't think there were licence plate lights on any older military vehicles. I don't have a wood spacer and it's a pain to get at the tarp strap; not a show stopper but difficult all the same. I'd be interested in seeing an example of one if that's possible.