Wayne.
My gut would tell me not to rely too much on the presence of a white rear diff on the vehicle for dating purposes. Too much possibility for a diff cover or complete rear axle assembly being swapped out on a vehicle. Better to check if the vehicle was ever equipped with the convoy lamp and switch set up.
For certain, the M-Series vehicles delivered/built up to 1953 for the Canadian Army were convoy lamp equipped. At some point subsequent to that, this system was phased out, but exactly when I do not know. My 1st M38CDN was a 1952 vehicle purchased from Crown Assets in 1976. It still had a white stripe painted on the centre of the rear diif, the convoy lamp mounted underneath the rear of the vehicle and the convoy lamp switch assembly on the dash. The convoy lamp wiring was still in place but had been cut and taped off under the dash.
It also had a working turn signal setup added to it. The big heavy grey pot metal switch assembly with the indicator lamps in the main body. The indicator lamp circuit had also been cut. I wondered why, until I restored it. First time I used it at night, the green indicator lamp lit up the entire interior of the jeep.
It would not surprise me if instructions were published in the Army at some point advising the convoy light system was to be terminated. Some one out there might know when.
As far as I know, the paint used to mark the diff was the same semi gloss white used for CFR Numbers etc on the vehicles.
David
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