Why the red innards on M38's?

I noticed in the "before & after pics" thread that M38A1diesel's rig is O.D. on the outside & a dull or faded red on the inner panels. A guy here locally has a similar unit & his is the same, O.D. out & red in. Whas up wit dat?

Thanks,
Curious in Clermont

 

The red paint stuck out like a sore thumb when getting shot at- so they squirted it with OD paint? Mine has the same combo except ECJ5 green on the inside and faded OD on the outside. I painted mine to use for deer hunting.

 

My original thought was that the M38 in my buddy's garage may have been used as a fire department jeep in its first life, but now I seriously doubt that hypothesis. Any other thoughts out there?

 

The primer is kinda red.

 

red oxide primer under paint

 

Re: Why the red innards on M38A1's?

Makes perfect sense...but riddle me this Batman. If these M38's were in fact Army/Marine Corp units, wouldn't the floors & rear wheelhouses, etc be painted O.D.?

 

I had also thought that my Jeep belonged to a fire department in a previous incarnation, and that someone else shot the OD paint job back on it whilst being too lazy to do the inside. There's some bondo underneath the exterior OD paint, so I doubt that it's original. Also the hood was still OD underneath, although it may have came from another Jeep.

They guys @ armyjeepparts.com told me that all these units were all shipped from the factory pained lusterless (flat) olive drab, and then they were later repainted in their respective colors for whatever branch they were assaigned to. i.e. Army semi-gloss OD, USMC Forest Green, USAF blue, etc.

 

My m38 (not m38a1) appears to have left the factory blue, this seems to upset the people on willysmjeeps.com he say m38's all left the factory green

 

My M38a1 was OD green inside and out.
No clue on the red.

 

Patrick,
Since your dads m38 was an airforce jeep can you get me any pics of markings that are still on it?
Thanks,
Bill