• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

1952 M37

kendelrio

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,682
8,674
113
Location
Alexandria, La
Ok all-
Into the Power Wagon breach for me...

First, a little history....

My first dream vehicle as a kid wasn't the "Army Jeep" like most kids. I saw a M37, but had no idea what it was. It wasn't until years later when I saw another one and asked about it that I learned the designation.

Since that time, I've been searching for one. Every one I found pre-internet was either a rusted hulk or was so priced out of my range that it may as well be priceless....

Fast forward to 2007. I'm not actively hunting an M/V, but still have the coals of the M/V fever glowing in my heart. I'm driving and see a 1969 M35A2 for sale.... After realizing how much I **need** that beast in my life, I buy it and become friends with the man who sold it to me.

He too is an M/V enthusiast and we are talking and he says "Lemme show you my pride and joy.... and he takes me into his shop where a 1950's half track is sitting with the quad .50 A/A propane fired replica guns.... as I'm walking around drooling on this monster, just outside the back of his shop I spot.... an M37 Dodge..... we go back and look at it and it turns out it was his first vehicle. His father and he got it and started working on it when he was 13 years old. He drove it all through high school and has kept it since.

I casually asked if it was for sale and he was really quick to let me know that it wasn't.

Due to the vagaries of life, we lost touch in about 2012.

Fast forward to last year.... I've sold the deuce, bought a 5 ton and am restoring it and who do I run into at a high school football game, but my buddy I haven't see in years! We exchange numbers and a few weeks later we are shooting the bull and talking M/Vs and the subject of his old M37 comes up and he states "I really need to do something with it as all it's doing is sitting at my friends rusting away because I don't have time for it and if I don't do **something** it's going to be ruined.

I asked if we could go look at it and he set up a time. We met and boy... is she rough.... But I crawled all around it and realized it's mainly cosmetic environmental damage to the truck, that she is restorable....

He and I talk and he says "Get in touch with me and we will discuss a price".

I texted a few times and never heard back, so I assumed the deal wasn't going to happen, so I gave up on that dream again....

Right now I'm offshore working nights, so I wake up at 1500 and message my sweet lady and tell her how sore and tired I am and she responds with "Can I make your day better?" "Sure" I said.... "You're the proud owner of a 1952 M37 Dodge!"... my brain isn't processing this..... "Wait... what?" She says "I got in touch with him, made an offer and he accepted. The truck is yours!

Honestly, I teared up.


SO... when I get home, I'll be recovering her from where she has sat for the last three years. Here is the message my friend sent about the condition (and I know he says "Ran when parked", but I know this man and believe him...):
Ran when parked 3 years ago. needs either a new cab or lots of sheet metal to repair it. The only non-original items are the tires. I put Michelin XL radial 11:00R16s instead of the NDT 9:00R16. It has correct troop seat brackets/hardware, original cargo cover bow corners and hard parts for the bed (including tool rack on the tailgate). Needs new wood. Original 24v coil is weak and needs replacement. Recommend full flush of fuel system. Can probably start with a gravity fed external tank run to the carb. It has the original flat-head 6 cylinder T245 with the sealed ignition, all original engine, transmission, transfer case, transmission mounted PTO and Braden PTO winch.


All-

I'm super stoked and downloading TMs now.... I know I need to replace glass, seats cushions and canvas, and body canvas (soft top cab and cargo cover). I had seen a website that had a TON of NOS replacement parts and cannot find it again. Any ideas?

I appreciate any and all help, and will start a recovery/rebuild thread when I get home and recover her....

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics right now, bit that will change during recovery....

Oh, and her name is Ethel..... :)
 

Mullaney

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
7,774
19,893
113
Location
Charlotte NC
Ok all-
Into the Power Wagon breach for me...

First, a little history....

My first dream vehicle as a kid wasn't the "Army Jeep" like most kids. I saw a M37, but had no idea what it was. It wasn't until years later when I saw another one and asked about it that I learned the designation.

Since that time, I've been searching for one. Every one I found pre-internet was either a rusted hulk or was so priced out of my range that it may as well be priceless....

Fast forward to 2007. I'm not actively hunting an M/V, but still have the coals of the M/V fever glowing in my heart. I'm driving and see a 1969 M35A2 for sale.... After realizing how much I **need** that beast in my life, I buy it and become friends with the man who sold it to me.

He too is an M/V enthusiast and we are talking and he says "Lemme show you my pride and joy.... and he takes me into his shop where a 1950's half track is sitting with the quad .50 A/A propane fired replica guns.... as I'm walking around drooling on this monster, just outside the back of his shop I spot.... an M37 Dodge..... we go back and look at it and it turns out it was his first vehicle. His father and he got it and started working on it when he was 13 years old. He drove it all through high school and has kept it since.

I casually asked if it was for sale and he was really quick to let me know that it wasn't.

Due to the vagaries of life, we lost touch in about 2012.

Fast forward to last year.... I've sold the deuce, bought a 5 ton and am restoring it and who do I run into at a high school football game, but my buddy I haven't see in years! We exchange numbers and a few weeks later we are shooting the bull and talking M/Vs and the subject of his old M37 comes up and he states "I really need to do something with it as all it's doing is sitting at my friends rusting away because I don't have time for it and if I don't do **something** it's going to be ruined.

I asked if we could go look at it and he set up a time. We met and boy... is she rough.... But I crawled all around it and realized it's mainly cosmetic environmental damage to the truck, that she is restorable....

He and I talk and he says "Get in touch with me and we will discuss a price".

I texted a few times and never heard back, so I assumed the deal wasn't going to happen, so I gave up on that dream again....

Right now I'm offshore working nights, so I wake up at 1500 and message my sweet lady and tell her how sore and tired I am and she responds with "Can I make your day better?" "Sure" I said.... "You're the proud owner of a 1952 M37 Dodge!"... my brain isn't processing this..... "Wait... what?" She says "I got in touch with him, made an offer and he accepted. The truck is yours!

Honestly, I teared up.


SO... when I get home, I'll be recovering her from where she has sat for the last three years. Here is the message my friend sent about the condition (and I know he says "Ran when parked", but I know this man and believe him...):
Ran when parked 3 years ago. needs either a new cab or lots of sheet metal to repair it. The only non-original items are the tires. I put Michelin XL radial 11:00R16s instead of the NDT 9:00R16. It has correct troop seat brackets/hardware, original cargo cover bow corners and hard parts for the bed (including tool rack on the tailgate). Needs new wood. Original 24v coil is weak and needs replacement. Recommend full flush of fuel system. Can probably start with a gravity fed external tank run to the carb. It has the original flat-head 6 cylinder T245 with the sealed ignition, all original engine, transmission, transfer case, transmission mounted PTO and Braden PTO winch.


All-

I'm super stoked and downloading TMs now.... I know I need to replace glass, seats cushions and canvas, and body canvas (soft top cab and cargo cover). I had seen a website that had a TON of NOS replacement parts and cannot find it again. Any ideas?

I appreciate any and all help, and will start a recovery/rebuild thread when I get home and recover her....

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics right now, bit that will change during recovery....

Oh, and her name is Ethel..... :)
.
Congratulations Ken!

Wow... What a wonderful woman you have there.
So sweet that she would do that for you. Man! That is just fantastic!

I can't wait to see some pictures.
Time to start a build thread... :cool:
 

kendelrio

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,682
8,674
113
Location
Alexandria, La
.
Congratulations Ken!

Wow... What a wonderful woman you have there.
So sweet that she would do that for you. Man! That is just fantastic!

I can't wait to see some pictures.
Time to start a build thread... :cool:
As soon as I get home and can recover her, I'll start it. She's in **rough** shape, but my lady looked at her and said "Honestly, she's rough, and if I didn't see what you were able to do with the 5 ton I wouldn't go for it, but because of your work on it, I see the potential here!"
 

ldmack3

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
849
1,740
93
Location
N. Central Idaho
Ok all-
Into the Power Wagon breach for me...

First, a little history....

My first dream vehicle as a kid wasn't the "Army Jeep" like most kids. I saw a M37, but had no idea what it was. It wasn't until years later when I saw another one and asked about it that I learned the designation.

Since that time, I've been searching for one. Every one I found pre-internet was either a rusted hulk or was so priced out of my range that it may as well be priceless....

Fast forward to 2007. I'm not actively hunting an M/V, but still have the coals of the M/V fever glowing in my heart. I'm driving and see a 1969 M35A2 for sale.... After realizing how much I **need** that beast in my life, I buy it and become friends with the man who sold it to me.

He too is an M/V enthusiast and we are talking and he says "Lemme show you my pride and joy.... and he takes me into his shop where a 1950's half track is sitting with the quad .50 A/A propane fired replica guns.... as I'm walking around drooling on this monster, just outside the back of his shop I spot.... an M37 Dodge..... we go back and look at it and it turns out it was his first vehicle. His father and he got it and started working on it when he was 13 years old. He drove it all through high school and has kept it since.

I casually asked if it was for sale and he was really quick to let me know that it wasn't.

Due to the vagaries of life, we lost touch in about 2012.

Fast forward to last year.... I've sold the deuce, bought a 5 ton and am restoring it and who do I run into at a high school football game, but my buddy I haven't see in years! We exchange numbers and a few weeks later we are shooting the bull and talking M/Vs and the subject of his old M37 comes up and he states "I really need to do something with it as all it's doing is sitting at my friends rusting away because I don't have time for it and if I don't do **something** it's going to be ruined.

I asked if we could go look at it and he set up a time. We met and boy... is she rough.... But I crawled all around it and realized it's mainly cosmetic environmental damage to the truck, that she is restorable....

He and I talk and he says "Get in touch with me and we will discuss a price".

I texted a few times and never heard back, so I assumed the deal wasn't going to happen, so I gave up on that dream again....

Right now I'm offshore working nights, so I wake up at 1500 and message my sweet lady and tell her how sore and tired I am and she responds with "Can I make your day better?" "Sure" I said.... "You're the proud owner of a 1952 M37 Dodge!"... my brain isn't processing this..... "Wait... what?" She says "I got in touch with him, made an offer and he accepted. The truck is yours!

Honestly, I teared up.


SO... when I get home, I'll be recovering her from where she has sat for the last three years. Here is the message my friend sent about the condition (and I know he says "Ran when parked", but I know this man and believe him...):
Ran when parked 3 years ago. needs either a new cab or lots of sheet metal to repair it. The only non-original items are the tires. I put Michelin XL radial 11:00R16s instead of the NDT 9:00R16. It has correct troop seat brackets/hardware, original cargo cover bow corners and hard parts for the bed (including tool rack on the tailgate). Needs new wood. Original 24v coil is weak and needs replacement. Recommend full flush of fuel system. Can probably start with a gravity fed external tank run to the carb. It has the original flat-head 6 cylinder T245 with the sealed ignition, all original engine, transmission, transfer case, transmission mounted PTO and Braden PTO winch.


All-

I'm super stoked and downloading TMs now.... I know I need to replace glass, seats cushions and canvas, and body canvas (soft top cab and cargo cover). I had seen a website that had a TON of NOS replacement parts and cannot find it again. Any ideas?

I appreciate any and all help, and will start a recovery/rebuild thread when I get home and recover her....

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics right now, bit that will change during recovery....

Oh, and her name is Ethel..... :)
Congrats man. I'm dying for a 1952 M37. Not too rough, not too pricy.
 

ldmack3

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
849
1,740
93
Location
N. Central Idaho
I saw a 52 on Epay that looked really nice. The price might get high though.
There are a number of them out there but already rebuilt and asking in the $teens. They look beautiful but I'm looking for some sweat equity, as they say. Thanks for the lead. I'll check it out. I really need to finish my M35A2 but thought I'd start looking now.
 

M35fan

Well-known member
1,173
4,018
113
Location
Arab, Alabama
There are a number of them out there but already rebuilt and asking in the $teens. They look beautiful but I'm looking for some sweat equity, as they say. Thanks for the lead. I'll check it out. I really need to finish my M35A2 but thought I'd start looking now.
10-4. I'm not in the market for any new toys but there's (usually) no harm in looking.
 

G744

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,725
3,885
113
Location
Hidden Valley, Az
Like most tacticals within the model years, M37 (G741 series) don't mean much, as they are some 99.9% the same.

The B1's were later, and had a little different transmission/PTO, and rusted faster as they used a different steel alloy in the body metal.

Some features were deleted, like slave receptacles, separate ignition noise filters, the cold start priming pump, and liquid fire extinguishers.

Some gauges were upgraded, some light switches were different, some wiring looms were different, but all those items were still usable in their entirety, as they were backward compatible.

The biggest thing in any in-service M37's lifetime was the inclusion of turn signals.

Biggest congrats upon getting the little power wagon in military livery.

VPW is not the sole source of bits and pieces for them, either.

DDG
 

kendelrio

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,682
8,674
113
Location
Alexandria, La
Like most tacticals within the model years, M37 (G741 series) don't mean much, as they are some 99.9% the same.

The B1's were later, and had a little different transmission/PTO, and rusted faster as they used a different steel alloy in the body metal.

Some features were deleted, like slave receptacles, separate ignition noise filters, the cold start priming pump, and liquid fire extinguishers.

Some gauges were upgraded, some light switches were different, some wiring looms were different, but all those items were still usable in their entirety, as they were backward compatible.

The biggest thing in any in-service M37's lifetime was the inclusion of turn signals.

Biggest congrats upon getting the little power wagon in military livery.

VPW is not the sole source of bits and pieces for them, either.

DDG
Thanks bud. To my knowledge this is an unmolested 52. I have leads on other sites, but feel free to pass along any you may know of...
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
16,924
24,545
113
Location
Burgkunstadt, Germany
Having to wait til next week is **killing** me!!!! I WANNA GO GET HER NOW!!!!
Do NOT forget your Pretty Lady. She too needs to feel wanted.

I helped drive the last M37's from the 32nd AADCOM here in Germany, to the DRMO, in 1973-74. There were 6-7 from my Battery. We were in convoy with about 25-30 trucks. Not that the convoy stayed together long.
They were not in good shape, but more then road worthy. When the army decides to get rid of something, they reduce the amount of money that can be spent repairing things. So these trucks were falling apart. And still, they took us several hundreds of klicks to the DRMO. I was impressed. It was what I learned to drive first, in the army. We used to chase rabbits around at night without lights on the Missile Site!
 

Mullaney

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
7,774
19,893
113
Location
Charlotte NC
Do NOT forget your Pretty Lady. She too needs to feel wanted.

I helped drive the last M37's from the 32nd AADCOM here in Germany, to the DRMO, in 1973-74. There were 6-7 from my Battery. We were in convoy with about 25-30 trucks. Not that the convoy stayed together long.
They were not in good shape, but more then road worthy. When the army decides to get rid of something, they reduce the amount of money that can be spent repairing things. So these trucks were falling apart. And still, they took us several hundreds of klicks to the DRMO. I was impressed. It was what I learned to drive first, in the army. We used to chase rabbits around at night without lights on the Missile Site!
.
Sounds like rabbit chasing would have been a real adventure!
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks