1953 M38A1 Floor Riser

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:02 am

My 1953 M38A1 Floor Riser needs to be replaced. I got a replacement (reproduction) from Classic Enterprises and it has two small reinforcement C-channels about 4" wide installed at the body mount locations, my original does not. Was this an engineered change made for later production Jeeps?

Thanks,

Mike B

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 7:22 pm

Any of you M38A1 guys care to look at your body mount to see if it's single metal or double metal at the Riser to frame bolt locations. It's easy to see, just look ahead of the tire at the frame riser location...no creeper required.

Thanks for your input,

Mike B

Post by **wesk** » Sun Sep 16, 2018 10:02 am

It helps tremendously when you ask questions about how something looks if you post a photo of what you are looking at.

Is this the part you received from Classic Enterprises? It is the early CJ5 unit that they market as useable on the M38A1.

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:09 pm

Wes,

Yes that's the part.

So is that a CJ5 only part or did the later A1's get the extra metal as well?

Sorry about not posting pictures, but I struggle with resizing, so I just wimp out and don't do it at all.

Mike B

Post by **wesk** » Sun Sep 16, 2018 10:43 pm

It's worth the pain of learning because it makes it much easier to accurately present your questions and let folks know your needs. Apparently you have something on the rear side of your new riser panel that we can't see in the only on line photo of Classic Enterprise's front view of the replacement you have.

This is a good view of the 53 M38A1 riser panel from the rear and those two sets vertical rows of six rivets each seen on the Classic Enterprise's part are not there. Also note these two areas do not come in contact with the tub's front floor reinforcement hat channels.

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:39 pm

My tub looks like the one in your picture.

The new Riser is double framed (for lack of a better description) and the inner C channel frame pieces are spot welded where you see the welds burn marks and on the top and bottom flanges (not shown).

So, is this a CJ only thing or did the later A1's also get this added metal?

Mike B

Post by **wesk** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:12 pm

Thru 1955 the M38A1 looks as posted. I suppose you would like to see a 56-68 model M38A1's riser panel as much as we would like to see exactly what you are not doing so well at explaining. Can't say it better than a"Picture is truly worth a 1000 words!"

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 7:17 pm

OK, hope this works...Well I got the picture to my gallery page, but failed to get it here...

This picture is with my tub resting with the drivers side on the floor. The replacement Riser is leaning against the floor with the original riser in the background, so both new and old are in the same picture.

Mike B

1st click on the small yellow box above with img in it

2st open the thumbnail in your photo album with a single left click. Then right click on the middle size photo and from the drop down menu select "Copy image address" Then come to this post and where you left these "

" paste your "Copied image address in between these

you will get this:

Post by **wesk** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:24 pm

My best guess is that either:

1 - Sometime after 1955 Willys reinforced that riser panel at least for the CJ5's if not also for the post 55 M38A1's

or

2 - Classic enterprises decided to add that little reinforcement.

Have you asked Classic Enterprises if the doubler is their invention? If they say no then ask them, can they tell you exactly what model jeep they copied the riser from for their prototype.

I have a 1960 CJ5 with no evidence of those doublers.

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:50 pm

Thanks Wes, I think I got it.

I'll call Classic Enterprises and see what they have to say.

Is there an easy way to jump from my photo gallery (after I copy the image address) back to the thread I want to insert it into? I just used the back button and kept clicking until I was back, is that the way you do it?

Mike B

Post by **wesk** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:53 pm

Mike,

I always open the photo page on a separate tab. This can be tough to do when you aren't using a PC or lap top. But it makes the posting of photos much easier.

Post by **wesk** » Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:12 pm

While offering advice another thing with photos and their relative file size. The more background scenery you leave in a photo the more wasted bandwidth we have.

Try to trim the background crap out of your photos. Most PC or Laptop users have Microsoft Word and/or Microsoft Office which contains a built in photo working program called "Paint". Try to ise it for trimming the useless material off your photos, for reducing file size and for placing annotations on your photos.

Here's your original middle size shot of your original jeep. It's file size is 244K. Just fine size wise.

It took me 5 minutes to download your original 244K photo, delete the background and reduce it's size to 198K and post it to your photo album and post it here.

It took me another 5 minutes to add the writing to the 198K photo and it is now a 202K photo and I have posted it to your album and then copied it here.

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:40 pm

Thanks Wes, I'll keep the crop feature in mind when I load pictures again.

The front bumper/grille guard was added by the VFD when they built the Jeep into a Brush Unit in 1985. The Jeep was originally fitted with a PTO winch, but the VFD had safety issues with the members using it, so they pulled it off and added an electric Warn winch with remote control. The winch mounting plate looks stock to me as it mounts via four captured nuts that are welded to the inside of the frame boxing.

Mike B