M37: Coming out of the green closet

[rmvivas]

I've been tooling around my property on my M37 a few times but hadn't really taken it for a spin in public yet.

The other day my fire company got toned out for a pretty good structure fire and when it was all done we had all sorts of muddied up gear that we put on the side to clean.

We had some really good weather the other day so I decided I'd go down to the firehouse and start cleaning gear. Since the weather was nice I figured I'd take the M37.

Boy that thing is fun to drive. It's slow, loud and big but definitely fun. It also seems to run better, shift easier and sound better after it's warmed up a bit.

Once I had it parked at the firehouse and I started working, I noticed that lots of people walking or driving by would stare at it. I also noticed that lots of older men would take -long- -hard- looks at it and a few came over to talk. The converstaion usually went like this:
Me: How ya' doin'?
Older Guy: This yours?
Me: Yup.
Older Guy: I used to drive one of these back in the day.
Me: Really?
Older Guy: Oh yea, I ran three dinks off a pontoon bridge bridge outside Da Nang once with one of these.

And that was a fairly typical statement from the older crowd. One guy in my company is a Korea vet and said that his advice for starting in the winter was "to pull the choke all the way out to the tailgate". Also, I am relaibly informed that an even dozen Seoul hookers can fit in the back if the troop seats are folded up.

So that was my first public foray.

I figured I'd try a slightly longer trip and took it to work a couple nights ago. I parked in the nursing home parking lot and more than one resident regaled me with their M37 stories. Interestingly, thw day supervisor came by to admire the vehicle and casually mentioned that her Dad has a 1954 Jeep at his hunting camp he uses for plowing. While I had no interest in jeeps prior to getting this M37, now.......so I filed that little tidbit away for future reference.

Did have some trouble getting the vehicle started in the early morning cold. Had to recharge the batteries and then they started fine. I'm still getting used to fine tuning this whole Choke/Throttle/Starter thing. I am thinking I am going to replace one of the batteries though; right now there is one honking huge truck battery and a small automobile battery. If I drop in another truck battery I can pick up an extra 200 Cold Cranking Amps or so and I suspect that may be useful.

 

[WarrenD]

You might want to get 2 indentical batteries that that fit your battery box. Having different size batteries is a problem looking for a place to happen.
As the weather got cooler this year, I had the same observations as you. Runs much better after it's been warmed up a bit. I don't need full choke with mine, but it's in a garage and the temps in the garage haven't gone below about 40 F this winter, which is unusual to say the least. Biggest thing I find starting mine is co-ordinating my right foot to hit the starter and my right heel to pump the gas a little as I crank. I'm starting to get the hang of it and she usually starts right up after about 5 secs.

 

[zout]

How bout a couple pics with your 37 sittin around the firehouse when you get a chance.
I see a JEEP in your future.

 

[islandguydon]

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Put it in nuetral use your left foot on starter right foot on gas . That is how i have to start my duece gasser. Be certain you are in nuetral or you WILL move forward when you hit starter!

 

[Storm 51]

If you have the primer pump handle in the cab, a single nice pump of that will start right up while you push the starter.

That primer system is very nice in the winter.

 

[Capt.Marion]

Put it in nuetral use your left foot on starter right foot on gas . That is how i have to start my duece gasser. Be certain you are in nuetral or you WILL move forward when you hit starter!

That won't exactly work... the starter button is directly above the accelerator, making it just a bit more complicated if you're not used to it (as I was when I first got mine running)

 

[RodUSMC1962]

The starter on the gas duece is in the same place, you have to put your left foot on a 45 degree angle to hit the starter, laying your foot above the ciutch and brake pedal.It has been 49 years since I drove an m-37, I can remember having the same problem as rmvivas. The starter could have been put in a better location.

 

[WarrenD]

I have always been of the opinion that you want to keep the clutch in when starting to reduce as much load on the starter as possible. Even in N in the winter you are trying to turn some gears in the tranny with the starter and those gears are bathing in cold, thick gear lube. A little heel and toe co-ordination is all that's needed. I struggled at first but I'm doing better!