Radio Receptacle Question

[Elwood]

I came across some parts that the previous owner of my truck had acquired, and I think they're for the radio receptacle that mounts in the front wall of the cargo box. The ORD 9 catalog doesn't have an exploded diagram, and the listing of parts is as clear as mud, so I'm not certain if I have all of the parts needed, and exactly how they mount.

Here's what I have:



And here's the only illustration that I could find in the manuals (Fig. 2-57 from TM 9-2320-212-20, Organizational Maintenance, May 1955, p. 2-63):



I think that the "Radio Receptacle" with the cap and the circular split base (the "Wall-Mounting Receptacle" in Fig. 2-57) bolt to the inside (i.e. rear) face of the front wall of the cargo box. The dark-colored circular plate in the upper right of the top photo above, which has a 3/16" lip on the backside of the outer circumference and what's left of a rubber grommet below it, goes on the cab wall, I'm guessing, and seals the back side of the receptacle to the cab wall, or maybe just the cables from the receptacle to the battery, but I don't know which side (inside or outside) of the rear cab wall it mounts to. Probably the outside, i.e. between the cab and cargo box.

Other than cables and fasteners (and a new grommet ), are these all of the pieces necessary to install the radio power receptacle?

Fig. 2-57 appears to show a larger ring of some sort between the split ring/receptacle assembly, and the cargo box wall? Some sort of gasket, maybe?

[52 M-42]

I have the complete working installation in my truck. The cable assembly came from MWM and I think it was $35 (the connector alone is worth 2 or 3 times that amount). It is the complete assembly from the battery to the bed. The pieces you have may be the bed side pieces to sandwich the front bed panel to the connector to complete the "panel mount" of the bed connector.

John at MWM can help you put this together. I put a little 30 amp automatic reset breaker in the battery box between the battery and the cable. I'm paranoid about burning up wiring and exploding batteries.

[Elwood]

Thanks for the good info. Especially the idea to add a breaker in the radio receptacle circuit.

[52 M-42]

Glad to help.

I hope you can get the parts to get it working.

[Elwood]

I ordered the cable and receptacle assembly from John at MWM today, so I think I'm in good shape. From what little I know of the bewildering permutations of radio equipment used in these trucks, the power supply will likely be the easy part to figure out.

[52 M-42]

Once you get power into the bed, there is more than just radios that you can add. I have a MRE Heater (RAK-15) that I use and a Blood Cooler (Peltier Refrigeration unit) that is about the size of a normal ice chest. You can also add map lights, overhead interior lights and a handheld spotlight to name just a few.

As for radios, you do have a large selection because there was huge amount of electronic innovation during the life time of these trucks. I have all the "Old Family" sets and systems (Korea and pre-1968 Viet-Nam). The 524 systems are also seen a lot in these trucks (a much more expensive way to go - but a lot less maintenance) from the post-1968 Viet-Nam period.

You will have lots of choices regarding "accessories" once you get power into the bed.

Oh, btw, you will probably want / need to build at least one junction box. However, that is something you discover after you get power to the bed.

Good Luck with your project!

[Elwood]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the other accessories, but those could certainly be useful. As for radios, I'm partial to the units in use during the mid to late 1950s. I might want to pick your brain on that one when I finally get to that phase of the project.

[52 M-42]

Let me know what you decide to install and I will be glad to help with what I can.

[Elwood]

Thanks. You might regret making that offer, though, because I know so little about those radios that I'll be asking a lot of questions.