Which way to face your Jerry Can?

RonD2 · Post by **RonD2** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:38 pm

Posting this silly poll question for fun and out of curiosity.....pretty sure the answer isn't in the manual...

Not much interaction from 5970 members here lately...what's up with that?

JBJeep · Post by **JBJeep** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:22 pm

To the left.
The refueling issue makes great sense, but for me there is another reason...
With the fuel cap on the left means the handle is in the right.
That means it is easier to lift if you are right handed.

aslanperro · Post by **aslanperro** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:26 pm

Lid towards driver

CoastieReid · Post by **CoastieReid** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 4:06 am

Well... I went and looked. Towards the right. I didn’t really pick that because anything, but the CG emblem is facing aft on it. I’m both left/right handed. Parents, older sister, a grandparent on both sides, niece and both nephews are lefties. My younger sister is straight up right handed.

I don’t intend to put fuel in that can if I can help it.

Naugha · Post by **Naugha** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:05 am

Not much interaction from 5970 members here lately...what's up with that? Ron. D

Well, I’m covered with OD23070 and can’t go out in public ‘till it wears off.

Gas can pics are a great way to see what kit & orientation is actually being used out there in M38 land. One can. One vote. What’s on your tailgate?

While we are here .... how well does the red can do for a M38 ???

RonD2 · Post by **RonD2** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:49 pm

Hi Don,
Maybe it's just me, but I see two red cans? And it looks to me like neither one is U.S. military?

Are you asking if the U.S. Army put red-painted gas cans on the M38? I don't think so. They were too invested in OD paint.

I recall reading somewhere that the all-knowing and all-seeing government made laws that all gas cans have to be red in color.
Which makes me wonder if I'm going to get a ticket for having gas in my OD-painted can.

Btw, I run mine with the lid pointed to the drivers side.

Naugha · Post by **Naugha** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 2:33 pm

The red one is on the right. Photoshop may have played with the colors.

These two cans came with the jeep but it sounds like I will need to go shopping. Let me guess, there are only three M38 cans left on the planet .... all in museums.

RonD2 · Post by **RonD2** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 2:43 pm

Don,
Pretty sure there's no such thing as "M38 cans".

True U.S. military issued cans are marked (imprinted, stamped) a certain way, and they have a date on the bottom (last 2 digits of the year made). Meaning that almost any can dated in the 1950's or 1960's would be "correct" on a M38.
It's my understanding that M38's left the factory without cans because the Army stocked them for all sorts of vehicles and put them on at the unit level once the jeep was issued out for service.

With a couple of exceptions, I believe that the vast majority of gasoline cans have a screw-on lid. Water cans have a hinged lid and a special coating that lines the inside of the can for potability.

This might help: https://olive-drab.com/od_mvg_jerry_can_markings.php

They aren't hard to find, but some are in better shape inside and out than others. Good luck!

Naugha · Post by **Naugha** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 6:45 pm

That’s a ‘thumbs up’ on my screen

mdainsd · Post by **mdainsd** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:44 pm

Naugha wrote:The red one is on the right. Photoshop may have played with the colors.

These two cans came with the jeep but it sounds like I will need to go shopping. Let me guess, there are only three M38 cans left on the planet .... all in museums.

Not hard to find. Look on the bottoms, try and find one marked either 20-5-50, 20-5-51 or 20-5-52.

Country to what you may hear, that number isn't just a date. the 20 means 20 liters, the 5 means 5 gallons and the last two digits are the year of manufacture.

The Jerry cans is its own niche in collecting and its easy to go down the rabbit hole. It took a lot of hunting to find a '44 for my Scout Car with the slot in the handle to accommodate the red octane tag. Those were made specifically for the invasion of Europe, and cans before and after don't have the slot.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:21 pm

Did Willys ship military jeeps with Jerry Cans???

Here are WWII MB's parked on the Toledo Factory Roof awaiting shipment in 1942:

Here is an M38A1 crated at Toledo:

Here are M38's at Toledo awaiting shipment:

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:30 am

Wes!

You are back!

Naugha · Post by **Naugha** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:31 am

Look on the bottoms, try and find one marked either 20-5-50, 20-5-51 or 20-5-52. mdainsd

Great info & pics.

Hi Wes. Some of the regulars recently reported you MIA.

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