The M38 is basically a civilian CJ3A with a few design changes to make a
military unit out of it. The CJ3A tailgate stayed but with the military
spare mount and jerry can holder mounted on, it can't open. The CJ3A spare
mounts on the passenger side behind the rear wheel well and sisn't come with
a jerry can holder. Hence the bolts to keep the tailgate closed. Many of
the changes between the CJ3A and the M38 had to do with strength, boxed
reinforcements on some frame rails for example. Other changes seem to
include identical parts but with a higher quality steel in the M38. You can
hacksaw through a spring shackle on a CJ3A while the same effort on an M38
shackle will barely groove it.
The army did have a number of CJ3A's with winches in their inventory prior
to production of the M38. The Navy also received a number of CJV-35 jeeps,
also basically a CJ3A. And I imagine both had some input into the design of
the M38 (and the slightly later M38A1 I would guess, which then became the
basis for the CJ5).
Lou
----- Original Message -----
From: <PirschEng4@aol.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 3:29 PM
Subject: [MV] M-38 Tailgate
> I am restoring a 1951, M-38 and have a tailgate that looks like its been
> through the last 3 wars and hit in every battle.
>
> I am in the market for a good, used, or NOS tailgate.
>
> Also does anyone know why they made the tailgate swing open with two
bottom
> hinges and than bolted it closed?
>
> Thanks
>
> Peter
>
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Feb 05 2001 - 07:13:47 PST