My New M37

[televisionman007]

Well I was at the same auction as GoNorth and I bought the other M37. She wasn’t my first pick as she had bald tires (ok the cords where showing) leaky radiator and a top from some other larger military truck. After I won the bid (thanks GoNorth) she looked better than the prom queen back in high school. I asked Pat the previous owner what would be the best way to get her going and all he said was “new points and a condenser is all you need”
So after loading up GoNorths trucks and helping him get them home it was my turn (Thanks again I still owe you that cold one!) to get my new truck home.
Well I tried to start her and alas even with the good 91 octane gas from fleet farm (no ethanol or additives) it was a no go. So it was off to MWM and John who was a great help with new plugs, sparkplug wires and points rotor, cap and condenser. Since this was my first truck that I have ever worked on (no kidding dad owned a car dealership and in the Navy I was a sonar tech) I was eager to work on a truck that the common man could fix with common tools.
(That and the fact that my understanding wife was calling it a lawn ornament)
Pulling the distributor and replacing the points and setting the gap was easy thanks to John B’s tips after priming and a quick prayer she started right up for a quick trip around the block. It was then I discovered that the brakes where not up to stuff in fact missing all together. That and a wiring harness that looks like the poster child for a electrical tape ad means I have a little work ahead of me.

I will post more pictures tomorrowwith the correct top

I think I am going to name the truck BOAT (Brake Out Another Thousand) as I start adding up the cost to fix her right the first time. Not cheap but well worth it.

Questions I have for the group are: 1. What parts are must haves as ready service spares. 2. Besides the fuel pumps what else are hard to find items? 3. Sources for label plates? And lastly as I get ready to buy my second M37 is there a group up in southern Minnesota that meets and shows off their MV’s.
Thanks in adavance

very very cool

 

[STSCSS]

Got her off and as soon as I can get to a read computer instead of tis silly I pad I will post them. It looked like a dirt farm back there behind the rotten plug and took several very careful diggs to get the crud out . Tomorrow I will Flush the space again as well as prep for the new plugs. Note to self get running water into workshop next summer.

 

[STSCSS]

The new frost plugs are in and the rust is cleaned out from beneath the starter, generator and Distributor. Put the slave cable in and recoated the regulator to starter wire as it was down to a few specks of insulation. Primered white and repainted.
Now for the bad news found out my one side panel was bent from an accident sometime in the Boats past and will have to replace it. Luckly I have a donor M-37 (Mader) that has a good splash guard.
Now to get rid of the nasty blue paint on the replacement and get the green to match.

Best part is that my son sure likes working on the truck.

 

[STSCSS]

Like al things it is eaiser to pull apart than to put back together. The generator weighing all of 20+ pounds and a bad back would have made for some creative wording last night. Luckly I remembered that I had a old fence puller and with some creative rigging was able to remount the generator with little effort. Now I just have to reconnect the wiring, replace the fuel pump, change the oil filled gas...............

 

[Karl kostman]

Looks to be coming along very nicely it WILL get done and just wanted to say keep at her AND keep up the good work and trust it does pay dividends in the end
KK

 

[STSCSS]

Have to put Boat out in the Cold while they finish up the shed. Is it best to put the oil pan heater on the lower section of the oil pan or the higher? She is all tarped up and I have a blanket covering the radiator.
She started right up the other day in 12 degree weather but just want to make sure I am not missing anything.
Any other tips would be helpful.

 

[Oldfart]

The purpose of the heater is to heat the oil so it will flow and not be like molasses. The oil collects in the lower part of the oil pan so put the heater where it will heat the oil on the bottom lower part of the pan.

 

[STSCSS]

Well I have added to the herd due to the fact that... Ok I wanted an M43 and here she is getting ready to be loaded up. Going to have to explain to the wife why soon. GHM!

 

[Oldfart]

We understand the accumulation process. They just seem to enjoy having company. I got my M37 back in 1963 and within a week my sis and brother in law got theirs. Then we found some parts trucks that just wandered in and then my son got old enough to go out and buy himself one becaused he liked mine and it did not look like it would be passed on to him very soon and then his older sister got her M43 and then he found a couple of parts trucks and then I found several more. It just goes on and on. It is wonderful to have an understanding spouse. Then again, she gets to drive all the military stuff.

 

[STSCSS]

Boat is now topless and in storage, Mader is up and into about 300 parts with the engine header reground, new fuel and carb, got him started but now have to redo the wiring ignition and fuel systems. Oh what fun

 

[zout]

OK - time to play with the 43 you got your paws on - how about some more pics of the inside and exterior to excite some of us interested - this is also a HINT to Ghostdriver as well while she waits for the snows of Colorado to melt.

 

[Oldfart]

Expect activity out of Ghostdriver shortly. Then engine is firmly bolted to an engine stand as of late yesterday. I can confirm that it was 64 today and mud abounds in the farm yard. Last night the overnight low for us was 40 degrees so we had melt through the night and sloppy mud surrounds the shop. Tonight we are supposed to drop to the high 20's with daytime high's tomorow in the low 40's. The ground should firm up enough to at least walk without losing your boots. It needs to either dry out or freeze so we can move around the yard. I am charging the camera batteries so we can have some photos of the inside of Ghostdriver's engine. All parts are believed to be on hand.

 

[zout]

Blah Blah BLah Blah
Vicious romors of work abounding without ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I see a rumor spreading - at least a snow and mud picture would surfice us awaiting results.

Pic of an engine on a stand

 

[STSCSS]

Yeah the 43 would be a fast startup and yes I will shoot some pics tommorow. Sitting in hospitial right now next to my son who have a operation to correct his club feet he is ok abiet in pain all is well though.

 

[STSCSS]

Need help folks busted a bolt off while removing the water pump. The bolt sheared off right off next to the block so I can't weld a nut on it any thoughts?

 

[Capt.Marion]

Need help folks busted a bolt off while removing the water pump. The bolt sheared off right off next to the block so I can't weld a nut on it any thoughts?

Drill and tap is one way. Use super-hard cobalt drill bits, starting small and working your way up.

Somebody welded over one of the holes in the block for a water pump bolt on my truck. We put the pump back plate on with 2 of the 3 bolts and used the pump to mark where the bolt should be. We then proceeded to drill it out using 4 or 5 RIGID-brand cobalt drill-bits from Home Depot, and then we used a bottom tap to thread the hole. You'll need a bottom tap as there is not enough clearance between the inside of the block and the cylinder wall of cylinder number 1 for you to fully thread the hole with a regular tap.

 

[pwrwagonfire]

This of course is a no-brain-er for you guys...but I just wanted to add in;

My M-37's original engine had a water pump replacement, and the person who did the replacement used bolts only a few threads too long, and it cracked the blocked and wrecked the piston

 

[Oldfart]

I have managed to work a broken bolt out by using a small cold chisel and making a hook on the broken bolt to use as a push point. Tap lightly with a ball peen hammer on the chisel rotating the bolt to turn out. If that does not work, then you can try to drill and easy out. Heating the block around the bolt will usually help unfreeze siezed bolts. It would not surprise me to hear that you found the bolt was bottomed because it was too long.

 

[STSCSS]

Right now I am fearing that I may have drilled a little too deep, I will not know until tomorrow but ether way this is going to be interesting. The good news is that if I did at least I have a spare engine I picked up a year ago. The bad news is all the hours I put into this one to run again are shot.

 

[STSCSS]

Well the easy out broke and alas it looks bad drilling out is a pita and don't know what to do