Some thoughts:
Well, on WWII Jeeps the factory drawings and TM's as well most
of the photos show them pointing up. So one has to admit that that
is the proper way it was done...BUT:
If pointing up, the rear lights are obstructed, and you could not
step on the bumperettes and storage of things was difficult...
To my mind even more important: the raised end, if pointing down,
gives protection to the rear spring and U-bolts ! This fact is my
only sensible explanation why there is a raised bit on the bumperettes.
So, it is my believe that they were designed with the intention to
be mounted pointing down, to protect the springs and not to
obstruct the rear lights...but for some reason the things got then
mounted pointing up when the vehicles were assembled.
When the crated vehicles got assembled by GI mechanics...
they might have had the original way of thinking and mounted
them pointing down again...to protect the springs.
O.K....this is all guessing...but think about it. Try to explain why
there was the raised bit and what the intention behind this design
was...then, so I believe, there is only one whay of mounting them:
pointing d o w n...even if the TMs and pictures show it was not
done that way !
On the side: how do the mounting bolts go in ? It is easier to
install the bumper, if the bolt points outward, with the nuts attached
from the outside...however most of the bumperettes I have seen
are installed with the bolts from the outside and the nut from behind.
The early GPW TM I have, shows the bolts are pointing insideout,
with the nut comming on from the outside.
Any comments ?
Lars-Uwe Rudek
<RUDEK@SHH-HAMBURG.DE>
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