What's this latch for??

[8683jb]

I thought this latch was a field modification or something unique to my half track, but now I see one identical to it in an M3A2 on page 342 of David Doyle's Volume One. It lives on the floor ahead of the passenger-side door. Anyone know what the heck it's for? Thanks!

[attachment deleted by admin. sorry all images over 3000  kb where deleted automatically

[prestone]

There was in my M2 exactly the same assembly

I will put a picture of the assembly

[8683jb]

Thanks Prestone. Do you know what it's for?

[col.halftrack]

 I have shown photos of this to several of the halftrack meets at the MVPA convention and as of now still no clues. I hope someone can solve this mystery.
 
Kevin L.

[WayOffTrack]

That keeps the right side of the halftrack from falling off. On a more serious note maybe a binocular box or something along those lines slides onto that clip and then the latch holds it in place?

[prestone]

8683jb I do not know what it's used for.
The wayofftrack solution seems logical

[8683jb]

Some things are so obvious we look right past the answer: It's there to keep your beer from sliding across the floor!

[steve-0]

thats it
you have the very rare beer hold down accessory   


I have seen fire extinguishers mounted in that area

[spec4don]

Whew! Glad that got cleared up!

[8683jb]

Fire extinguishers are OK, but in a pinch a beer can be effectively used to put out a fire (assuming the fire is a danger to something of such value as to warrant using up a beer on it).

[Jesse]

Decontaminator.

[spillmk1]

Anybody seen a photo of what the bracket looks like that would hold the decontaminator?

[Tapper02]

Don't think that bracket and latch have anything to do with the decontaminator mounting...but I could be wrong.

Here's an interesting writeup on how to convert a pair of General Detroit fe brackets into a decontaminator bracket:
https://www.armyjeepparts.com/p-2716-m2-decontaminator-bracket.aspx?network=g&device=c&keyword=&campaign=10021784063&adgroup=aud-848636158291:pla-295061284227&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhb36BRCfARIsAKcXh6Fr5k_DKm9bVlZEZ1bcEJlTTVsovnVNtqpDKQ9rctn0kBAVEWy6sXIaAgndEALw_wcB

You can alternatively buy a reproduction.  Not sure what bracket it is based on but it's not quite the same.  I'm sure it will do in a pinch:
https://www.armyjeepparts.com/p-2716-m2-decontaminator-bracket.aspx?network=g&device=c&keyword=&campaign=10021784063&adgroup=aud-848636158291:pla-295061284227&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhb36BRCfARIsAKcXh6Fr5k_DKm9bVlZEZ1bcEJlTTVsovnVNtqpDKQ9rctn0kBAVEWy6sXIaAgndEALw_wcB

-Tom

[Jesse]

Could be this. Since there were several non interchangeable decontaminator brackets in use at the time, they may have made the brackets themselves “quick release”, instead of installed permanently like the extinguishers.

[halftracknut]

Mine has the same hook....My CO2 is held by a wire bracket on left side of drivers seat...