Bought this M38 from a gentleman in Summerville who apparently got it from a bubba in AL. It has had some manner of conversion to 12 volts. All of the wiring for the lighting is chopped and looks like a mess and the battery box is gone. I had to secure the battery with a bungee haha. The engine runs like a champ and it actually drives quite well. The body is in good shape and I have ordered most of the bits and pieces including the top and rear seat frame. I still need to find wipers and assemblies etc for those as well as the side mirrors. The real trick will be to sort out the wiring.
They guy I bought it from had about 50 acres of land and had been using it for a mode of transport around his property. I can see from inside the engine compartment that the bubba had at some point painted it PURPLE. I don't even want to know.....
Considering how cheap repro wiring is for these, I'd just buy an entire new harness. I think for about $550 you can rewire the entire vehicle, with all new wiring, including the metal circuit # tags and your choice of either Douglas or Packard connectors. Best part is the vendors (there are a couple) will add in a second brake light circuit in the rear, turn signals with M-series turn signal switch and flasher connectors (so that it will look like a factory installation) and you can tell them where you want the front turn signals (a lot of people either replace the blackout lights under the headlights or they add them on the fenders).
The wiring harness on my '55 M38A1 is relatively uncut and I was going to try and re-use it but after I had to do some work on it, I realized it was old and brittle that it was just pointless to try and mess with it. I guess 54+ years will do that to wiring.
Agreed clinto...even that old wiring that hasn't been "chopped on" can be dangerous. My M37 was sitting perfectly still not running when suddenly a cloud of smoke came from under the dash!! Good thing we were close to it.
I say if you're gonna fix her up and drive her...get the new harness or you will always wish ya did
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Vintage wiring of Maine is great to deal with. My harness went in under two hours of work.
I second using Vintage Wiring of Maine. They do really awesome work, and the harnesses they make look better than NOS. They can also add in extra wiring into the harness if you want to add other accessories such as lights.
We got one for our M37 and it was super easy to install as they even include the wiring diagram.
Heres the thing. Will those harnesses work as a 12 volt system? I am not sure what parts have been changed out to 12 volts and whether it is better to keep it that way or to change everything back to original 24 volt configuration. Advice guys?
My 1952 M38 Project
