The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Gas can mount

I might have come up with a new topic. I could not find any other post on this. I have been given a metal, 1943 U.S, Marine 5 gallon gas can. I was thinking about restoring it and mounting it on my 54 3100. Was there a standard mounting bracket for gas cans back in the day? Any suggestions on where and how to mount it? This is going to be as much functional as anything. My truck is 100% original. This means I can not take it on the interstate. When I want to take a longer trip I have to take the back roads. I don't want to run out of gas on some remote back road.

Doing some research, the common name for these cans are Jerry Cans. There are a lot of options and interest in them. I found several styles of bracket I could purchase but would still like to see if any AD owners have done this or come up with a unique solution.

If you are going flat bed you have a great, easy opportunity to find a good used tank from a newer blazer or suburban or ? and mount under rear frame. The filler pipe issue would be much less with a flat bed. Use a two way valve and never have to pour gas out of the Jerry can or worry that it leaks or gets squashed, stolen, etc. Just a thought. A jerry can would look good on your truck. Your pics show a flatbed and bed sides. Don't know which you are doing.

The standard Jerry can mount used on Army vehicles was a tray affair with a higher back that bolted on the vehicle, and had a strap over the top and thru the carry handle of the Jerry can to hold it in place. Those are available, but you need either a vertical flat surface to bolt the bracket onto the truck or a horizontal flat surface (running board?) with enough room for the can to fit.
Here are some samples: The 5th one from the top is the old GI style.
http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Exterior-Pa...ets.aspx?t_c=3&t_s=188&t_pt=8401

Ever try to fill a truck with a Jerry can? Some of it may actually make it into the tank.

Ain't that the truth? Even with the nozzles that connect to them you might get a little in. Those might as well be made of window screen.

I don't have any input on mounting the Jerry can, but my 54 3100 has always been completely stock. Over the years I have driven it on many longer trips around Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, a lot of it being on 2 lane highways and back roads. I have never run out of gas or had to worry about being stranded on a remote back road. I didn't make it a practice of carrying extra gas with me. Just my experience.
Samantha

Original style military 5-gallon jerrycan mounting bracket You can find them lots of other places, too -- most of the military vehicle parts vendors carry them. (Memphis, Midwest, Vintage Power Wagon, etc)

The have provision to mount to either a vertical or horizontal surface. If you mount it to your bed side or running board, make sure its ruggedly secure -- that full jerrycan will weigh approximately 50 lbs or so.

Here's the stock mounting for the jerrycan on my M-37 . My can is actually a toolbox

I'm with the others who say "Sure you can carry gas around in a jerrycan ... but why would you want to?" Mounting it just for the look is about the only good reason I can think of ...:) and having an original Marine Corps can is cool. Is it marked or stamped with Marine Corps markings, then? Do you have a picture??

I wonder if there are others out there, then?? I'd love to have a Marine Corps jerrycan for my M-37 ...

Part of my concern has been I have a 90 mile one way trip coming. up. I only recently repaired my fuel gauge and don't have enough history to trust the gauge (My confidence level is increasing. I gassed up last night. The gauge was showing half tank and it took 8.5 gallons to fill up)
I also like the look. Based on the feedback I might go ahead and mount the can but hold off on actually filling it with gas. It will always be an option. I am thinking on inside the bed in one of the front comers right behind the cab.

Samantha, do you have any pictures of your 54 posted?

Dave,
No, I don't, I need to do that. A 90 mile trip won't be a problem. I used to regularly drive my truck from northern Illinois to Quincy (300 miles, went to school there) and from northern Illinois to Carbondale (400 miles) to visit my brother.
Samantha

I was thinking about mounting a tall ammo can in the bed of my '65 for a toolbox/storage box and putting a padlock on it. They seal and keep out the weather pretty well and isn't too big.

Had to go look at the WWII water can I have to see if it had a spigot at the bottom like the newer ones have, but it doesn't. It is lined with porcelain or ceramic though.

My grandpa has an air tank from a B-17 that he uses as a portable tank for filling tires. That would make a good looking fuel tank.