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New Owner with M37 question

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UnimogMike

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New to 1954 M37 that I purchased from Oklahoma forestry and have many questions.
First did they all come with 24 v or 12 v system?
Second question, where do I get part and service manual?
What are the best places to purchase replacement parts for M37?

Thank you for any and all help in advance.

Mike
 
mkcoen

mkcoen

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It's amazing what's available for the M37 on eBay. Of course sellers aren't always as honest as you might hope (guy who said my 37 had "minor rust"). But I've gotten some decent items for decent prices. I was able to get most of the manuals on CD there and have picked up the missing ones (like Fording Kit manual) individually. A simple Google search will bring up a number of part vendors as well.
 
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DDoyle

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The trucks came with a 24 volt system. Memphis Equipment Company, Midwest Military, AB Lynn, Vintage Power Wagon, and Adirondack Dodge all have a good selection of parts - I've bought from all of them with good results.

HTH,
David Doyle
 
Lifer

Lifer

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Go to G741.org for all things M37. It's a forum much like this one, except it's devoted entirely to the M37 and its variations. Anything you ever wanted to know (and a lot of stuff you never even thought of asking) can be found there. The members are a great bunch and some of us hang out here, too! :D
 
Carter

Carter

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Lifer said:
Go to G741.org for all things M37. It's a forum much like this one, except it's devoted entirely to the M37 and its variations. Anything you ever wanted to know (and a lot of stuff you never even thought of asking) can be found there. The members are a great bunch and some of us hang out here, too! :D
Click to expand...
:ditto:
 
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UnimogMike

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Thank you all for replies, I will check out the links provided, could not find a link to ( AB Lynn )
If any body has it please post. I am getting ready to starting it and the batteries did not come with the truck, so I was not sure if I will need single 12 volt or dual for 24V. This truck was old fire truck with Oklahoma forestry and they had nest of wires under the dash and the hood, but they all have been cut and hanging. It does not have the generator and voltage regulator independently. They have alternator installed that appears to have regulator internally.
I am concerned that it may have been converted to 12 v, but starter looks to be stock, so it could be 24v. This is the picture of it
Thank you for all the help

Mike
 

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CGarbee

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In addition to what has already been said:
Parts: Sid Beck at ACE Surplus in Texas and AB Linn in North Carolina are my two "first choices".
Manuals: http://military-media.com/military/ has a cd for less then $20 with almost all the manuals in it in PDF form (lets you print out pages when you go out to work on the truck) and http://www.portrayal.com/manuals.html has all the manuals in original and/or reprint form for putting on your bookshelf or for use in the "library"...

I've got a little info on my website that might be of use as well (shameless plug).

It's a good looking truck that you have,
 
Carter

Carter

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UnimogMike said:
Thank you for the additional links, any thought if it will be OK to try 24 volts to start it with?

Mike
Click to expand...
Does it have the orig. military distributor? If so, is there a coil mounted outside of it or is the coil still inside. If outside it's most likely a 12V conversion ign. system but if the coil is still in the dist. it's likely to be all 24V. Some 12V conversions did have a military 12V coil in the dist. so you could pull the cap, remove the coil and verify the voltage. It's usually stamped on the coil body. If everything seems to be orig. military 24V then go ahead and try a 24V start up. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand just in case, 24V and bad orig wires can cause a lot of damage. Let us know what you find and how it goes.
 
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UnimogMike

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Thank you Carter, it has a distributor with coil outside and the coil is just connected with spark plug type wire and it is not even bolted down. So would you think this truck is 12 v conversion, it also does not have generator and regulator individually, but it has alternator with positive and ground terminals. Some one had connected positive terminal of alternator to the positive battery wire which is connected to starter motor. Would they have also converted the starter to 12 volts?

Mike
 
Carter

Carter

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UnimogMike said:
Thank you Carter, it has a distributor with coil outside and the coil is just connected with spark plug type wire and it is not even bolted down. So would you think this truck is 12 v conversion, it also does not have generator and regulator individually, but it has alternator with positive and ground terminals. Some one had connected positive terminal of alternator to the positive battery wire which is connected to starter motor. Would they have also converted the starter to 12 volts?

Mike
Click to expand...
I would guess the entire elec. system has been converted to 12V, fairly common on trucks used by forestry and community fire departments. Does the truck have a push-to-start pedal or is it a key or push button switch system. Does the starter have a data plate, military 24V starters have "Starter 24V.DC. on them and if that is not on the unit it's likely a civ. 12V one. Military 24V starters operating on only 12V hardly spin the engine at all and if they do it's really slow but it could have been rewound for 12 and might be hard to tell if it's not marked 12V in some way.
Edit: Caution, You can fry a 24V starter really guick trying to use 12V to spin it, try to ID the existing one before hooking up 12V and trying to start the engine!
 
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UnimogMike

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Thank you Carter, there is no plate on the starter and starting is done by pushing a rod in the floor board which contacts a switch on to of the starter.

Thank you

Mike
 
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Carter

Carter

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UnimogMike said:
Thank you Carter, there is no plate on the starter and starting is done by pushing a rod in the floor board which contacts a switch on to of the starter.

Thank you

Mike
Click to expand...

A switch on top would seem to indicate a regular 24V M37 starter. Maybe the alt. is 24 and not 12V. you might see what voltage the alt. produces by taking it to a auto parts store that tests alternators and starters and have them spin it and see what it generates.
You could also check the coil for any indication of what voltage it is rated, early duces like the GMC M135/211 sreies trucks used a coil that looked like a commercial auto coil but was 24V., at least that would give an indication of what voltage you are dealing with.
 
NCmountainman

NCmountainman

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Hey Mike, welcome to the group of M37 owners. For A.B.Linn, he is located in Salisbury NC (704-637-9076) and sells on ebay under the name "ablinninc". I second the info for Sid Beck and AB Linn. Terry Kivett at White Owl Parts in NC (252-522-2586) is another good source. He sells on ebay under the name "alyce1120". Garbee"s website has a wealth of good info on it.
 
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