GPW rear tail light identification

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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Awd261
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GPW rear tail light identification

Post by Awd261 » Tue May 06, 2014 12:30 pm

Hi ,

here is an identification needed, for a gpw rear tail light.
I owned a not so good rear light (the unpaint on the picture)
And get the opportunity to purchase the missing one, in NOS condition.

The fact is that the newly arrived part looks so different from the other one that I just wondering about a new made part instead of the NOS annouced.
So if you could take few minutes to give me an objective opinion, i will be really thankfull.
Now the pictures

Image

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Image

Image

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The oval hole looks to have been grinded from a right BO tail light . . .

Image

. . . and no very well made ! !
Image


If i was taken for a fool, just let it me know


Joe Gopan
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Re: GPW rear tail light identification

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue May 06, 2014 3:05 pm

There have been many Right Hand BO Stop Light Doors that were made into Driver Side Service Tail Lamp Doors by removing the excess metal that have been sold over the years. Some sellers have a special tool that will punch out the oval hole.
We are 70 years into the game and the Service Tail Light doors in the more desirable brands, Ford, Guide, C-B, Arrow, etc., are in short supply and altering NOS BO tail light doors , when done precisely, maybe the next best thing to the original.
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Awd261
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Re: GPW rear tail light identification

Post by Awd261 » Wed May 07, 2014 9:29 am

Hi Ben ,

thanks for your answer.
What is your opinion about the bucket?
It looks like a new made(?)
The stamped F is very present and large once compared to the other one.
The inner front door retainer are not riveted the same way:
-on my original the rivets make a crown due to the tool used.
-on the new one, the rivets ahve been simply hammered.
The grinded oval hole , is not really what we could call a NOS part.

On the new one there is a piece of metal that come back to the center and it is bent at 90°.
Small clue that make me worry; almost i pay a bit of money for it, so should i claim to the seller on should i consider it as an other factory?

Thanks

sutts
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Re: GPW rear tail light identification

Post by sutts » Wed May 07, 2014 9:40 am

It does look new made to me - the F is usually much more subtle on the buckets.
I seem to remember mine had an F mark on the flats of the studs too.
I believe the silver bit is also too bright - it should be a cadmium finish which dulls with age.
The door has definitely been modified - hole should be stamped out - so the unit is definitely not factory NOS.

Have these just appeared on ebay in white boxes?

Dave
GPW 68744 29-Sep-42
GPW 123050 01-Jun-43
MB 210793 11-Feb-43

Awd261
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Re: GPW rear tail light identification

Post by Awd261 » Wed May 07, 2014 9:46 am

Hi Dave,

PM sent

cheers Alex


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