My 1953 M37.

[Section8]

Well it is time to post some pics of my 1953 M37!
This new to me M37 is sweet! I obtained it feom a fellow Steel soldier out my way. He was nice enough to do a straight trade for my 1956 M135 project.
I was even given an extra engine with a "spitfire" head on it. I am not sure if this is something original to M37s later on, or if this is a different engine of the same era. You be the judge.
Super excited. Gonna try and get the old girls original engine going. Strip the cream and brown paint off and see if there are any markings. Then re paint to original.
As always helpful tid bits and comments are always appreciated.
Time to search the forum for some good stuff here!

 

[TGP (IL)]

Good luck on your project.
Looks like a good truck to bring back.
The spitfire head from my understanding was on a passenger car engine.
The thought was to improve performance, Though I don't think that was proven.
More a marketing gimmick.

Your better off to rebuild the trucks engine if the numbers prove it to be.

Yes it will fit providing the crankshaft will bolt to the flywheel.
There were different number of bolt holes between the car and truck.
The oil fill and dipstick tubes fasten to the block differently.
Engine numbers will go a long way in telling what you have.
Tom

 

[M543A2]

The original motor in your truck is a 230.6 C.I. The Spitfire is a 250.6 C.I. motor with about 15 more HP. I believe you will find the length of the head/block is a bit more than the 230.6. I have no experience to tell you if they will easily interchange. Pulling the original motor and comparing will tell you. I have a Canadian M37 which I believe has the longer motor as stock. All of these motors are famous for lots of torque low down in RPM.

 

[just me]

The number on the block will tell you what the engine is and what it came from. The correct engine for your truck would be a T-245. And the one in the truck has the telltale signs.
The Spitfire head is good trading stock as it is a higher compression head and the cars guys want them.

 

[Superdave]

From the few items I spotted in the pictures it is a Canadian Model truck with the T249 251CI engine in it.