jeep spare fuel rack question

[Jack Geratic]

How was the the top strap secured/locked in place for this front rack style?

france-general-bernard-montgomery-france-shutterstock-editorial-7397708a.jpg


Also what does MA and MB refer to when talking about the jeep subject?


regards,
Jack

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Also what does MA and MB refer to when talking about the jeep subject?

Willys MA, "M" for "Military", model "A,"
Willys_MA_Light_Truck.jpg


Willys MB:
1941-1945_WILLYS_MB.png

[Jack Geratic]

Hello Hanno, thanks!

[Ed Landstrom]

By the '70s, we thought the Pinto fuel tank location was bad. Standards do change.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

How was the the top strap secured/locked in place for this front rack style?

It looks like it’s a pin through holes in the vertical strips, but it’s hard to tell from this angle.

Originally Posted by Ed Landstrom

By the '70s, we thought the Pinto fuel tank location was bad. Standards do change.

It could be a water can …

[Jack Geratic]

.....................................

[Jack Geratic]

Thank you Jakko. The water can was a possible tertiary question to my thread, but not sure if Crerar's driving regime would require quick access to extra water?

Point noted about the rod sliding through the upper framework of the fuel rack. Found slightly different angle of the same jeep to confirm this. Just wondering how it was kept in place to prevent it from sliding out while driving?

monty crerars jeep.jpg

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

The water can was a possible tertiary question to my thread, but not sure if Crerar's driving regime would require quick access to extra water?

From the picture you posted as a screenshot of Acrobat Reader:

Crerar's Jeep.jpg

… I get the impression he had one of each — assuming it’s the same two jerrycans as in the other photos.

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

Point noted about the rod sliding through the upper framework of the fuel rack. Found slightly different angle of the same jeep to confirm this. Just wondering how it was kept in place to prevent it from sliding out while driving?

From the photo above, there seems to be some kind of lock on the left-hand side. Could just be some kind of simple latch that prevents the pin from sliding out, or maybe it’s padlocked to prevent people stealing the cans? However, I can’t find any more photos of this particular jeep from the left-hand side on a quick search, nor a clearer version of this photo.

I just noticed the stars on the sides are completely point-down. I thought the normal way in the Canadian Army was point-forward, until it changed to point-up eventually?

[Jack Geratic]

Is it the stamped portion of the fuel can painted white indicating it contains water?

Anyhow, I went back to the same photo album to see if any helpful photos were missed. There is this one but quality of a contact sheet is not much help, but it does seem to be same as the opposite side.

fuel rack.jpg

Plus one more of a different serial jeep:

Crerar-jeep-CM4242267.jpg