Tombstone B/O guard and trailer socket

[Benton_west]

So I have an August of 42' GPW (55285) and it has some interesting points I need help on. One, I recently purchased a B/O guard for my fender (the holes were brazed shut expertly I might add) and when I went to clamp the repro bracket on to re drill the holes I discovered the hole pattern wasn't even close. I think it had a tombstone bracket oddly enough. Is this normal on such a late 42' GPW?
Second, the trailer socket hole was added later on my tub and is roughly 5-3/4" to center from the rear panel seam. Measuring my friends August of 42' GpW (delivered ten days earlier, same plant) it is only 2-5/8" from the seam to center. This socket hole is essentially directly above my signal light socket and makes the 4 holes for my gas can bracket way out of their correct location. I'm actually considering welding all these "field mods" closed with scrap body panels from another GPW. In other words, some less than intelligent GI torch cut a socket hole in the wrong place then drilled some crooked holes for a jerry can bracket. What should I do you purists?
PS, there is no reinforcement plate for the jerry can bracket or appear to have ever been.

[philbrinson]

I also have an August '42 GPW as well and as you know, none of those features were present when delivered from the Factory; (blackout light, Trailer socket or Jerry Can holder). All were added as field mods including the reinforcing plate right over the rear star on mine though the rear panel reinforcing braces were never added. As you know, these would have been done by soldiers going more or less by the modification package instructions.

The blackout light on your jeep may not have been the Tombstone, but could have been a later light guard which I believe has a different pattern, (or the fender simply could have been changed out from a later jeep.)

If it were me, all of these holes are evidence of your particular jeep's history and I'd try to preserve it as closely as possible as long as it serves functionally. I'd use your new Tombstone guard drilled correctly but if the other items work, I'd just use them as they fit, knowing that these field mods were done not as a factory would have done them, but as they were done by a GI in the motor pool. That gives it some real character I think.

Phil

[Chuck Lutz]

As you surmised....someone used a torch to cut a hole for a trailer socket and obviously did not have the instructions that a retro kit might have included. That forced the mounting of the gas can carrier off of where it should have been.

With an eye to your jeep not having the reinforcing braces on the rear panel and the reinforcing plate for the jerrycan I am wondering if in fact this was done by Private Partz in the motorpool or by Bubba when he got the jeep?

He used a TORCH?
He mounted the socket where HE wanted it?
He did not use the jerrycan plate?
He did not install the rear panel braces? (it's true I think they did come out later one in a refit kit)

Sounds more like like Bubba to me!

With that in mind, and your request for the opinion of "the purists"...if you would be OK with rigging a lighting harness under the jeep so you could tow a trailer if that ever became an issue.....then I would do as you mentioned....using some original rear panel metal ...weld up the socket hole, fill in the rest of the holes and go back to "original" as factory issued status. Since the fender has a really NICE welded up set of holes that are in the wrong position anyway, weld them up also unless someone can prove that your jeep factory was already installing them by your DOD. To me it sounds like either a late style was put on or some BO from another vehicle altogether with a different bolt pattern was used.

Either is it one of the most sloppy "field upgrades" or it was a previous owner who did the work. Since I am of the opinion it was the latter...and I am a purist....I'd go back to the factory as-delivered look concerning these items.

[Benton_west]

Thanks guys for the opinions and suggestions.
In regards to the B/O light, I've found the schematics for a "tombstone" guard and the holes match up perfectly with my brazed holes.
The trailer socket too is a bit o a quandary. I know everyone thinks their jeep is special but I tend to think it was your "Private Parts" to blame for the poorly placed torch hole. I only suggest this because the receptacle is the same as the one I pulled off a 43' GPW. It's marked Warner and has a part or contract number of 3529. So unless some dumb rube, which is possible I guess, got a surplus military socket then I think it were some hung over GI who had too much Vat 69 the night before.
I also forgot to mention that this jeep had a very odd/rare modification. It had a cross country package at one time. When I got it there was a 4th data plate on the glove box door for proper inflation of 7.00x16 tires and proper lubrication of the compressor. It also had two brackets behind the spare tire carrier to lift it up and out one inch to accommodate the larger spare tire. Sadly it was missing the hose box on the step and the compressor otherwise I'd have restored it to that condition. Does anyone know how many jeeps had this mod or what year this mod was introduced?
Thanks in advance guys.