Cab/personnel heater & gas fired heater for m37

[MilitaryRestoration]

Has anyone ever installed both the cab/personnel heater (artic kit) and also the gas fired heater on a m37. We have both kits and ready to install them but got to thinking, maybe it is easier to one before the other as certain add on's may be easier to get around before doing the other. Anyway any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank You

 

[CGarbee]

No, but please take lots of photos of the installation process for both as I'd really like to include your work on my M37 website... I've got some information on it for the artic heater kit (the install manual for the Perfection unit that mounted on the passenger side between the running board and fender that heated the engine and batteries) and info on how to instal a M151 heater (for cab heat instead of using either the hot water or gas fired personel heater that mounted to the driver's fender), but nothing on the original gas personnel heater...

Thanks, and good luck with the installation.

 

[rosco]

I'm familiar with the gas fired, South Wind personal heater that mounts on the left fender. It has the ducting that cones into the cab * a defroster section that goes across the dash board.

What other heater are you talking about?

 

[CGarbee]

Rosco,
Great looking truck. Looks very "at home" in the snow...
I'm interested in your heater ducting. In the photo it looks like you are running the air out of the heater and down through the cowl in front of the driver's window. Every M37 that I've seen has a round knock out on the cowl side between the driver's door and the fender for the ducting to go through.

Did you install the heater or did you get the truck with the heater already installed?
Does yours have the knock out on the cowl side?
If you did the instal, why did you plumb it the way that you did?

Thanks,

 

[rosco]

I got the truck along about in 1971 or two. the heater was installed, but not the in cab defroster. I found that stuff and installed it myself. I'm in Alaska - its cold - never enough heat. Way back then, it was my daily driver. That tube that comes out of the cowel, was my idea to re-circulate heat. Rather then to use brand new -40f air & heat it, I thought to use pre-heated air, so that is for intake air into the heater. At sever temps, the heater would keep the windows defrosted & the defroster manifold across the dash, serves as a super glove drier. One of the problems is those cabs leak lots of spots and that is a problem for any heater.

These days, the truck is retired to ranch duties, as a work truck. Kids today want "four wheelers" .... Thats mine. I recently rewired it. Everything new in the engine, Another transmission & a super good arctic top.

Have a front mounted, 15' boom that goes to it. In the Old Days, keeping it stock wasn't as high a priority. Actually, the only thing that is not stock are some of the Add-ons like the turn lights. They didn't even have them, uyears ago.

Lee in Alaska

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

CGarbee-We will hopefully be getting started on it in August just days before the national show. Reason have to wait till then is vacation time. As I have heard that the artic heater on the fender isn't too bad to install but the one on the right running board that heats the radiator, oil pan, etc is a pain to install. But i will for sure be taking a bunch of pictures and I will also let you know when it is complete to give you the pics and stories .

Rosco-the left fender mounted heater is not gas fired...it should be the electric one. The gas fired heater mounts right behind the right fender and in front of the right running board,thats why there is mult. hole to mount the right running board. The gas fired heater heats the battery box, radiator & coolant, and the whole oil pan it self. But correct me if i am wrong as i have never seen a gas fired heater on the left fender...

 

[spentshell]

MilitaryRestoration the fender mounted heaters are gas fired. Im not to familiar with your type of heater install but make sure you take pics along the way.

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

hmm i will have to get pictures then...and i just may stand corrected but i'm pretty sure the one that we got is not gas fired.

 

[rosco]

All the M-37's that I have seen with heaters ( and there were many in the junk piles over the years - here is where they used them), were gas fired. The Personal Heater (South Wind), on the left fender was gas fired. The engine coolant heater on the right fender, in place of the gas can, was gas fired - also a South Wind. I saw many of them. It was of similiar design as the others we currantly see, but mounted in a verticle position. There was a stainless coolant chamber/pad under the battery that was after the heated coolant exited from the engine. Also a shroud around the oil pan, for the exhaust to heat.

Here, they wern't known for their realiability, so when the getting was good, I wasn't interested. Instead, I opted for a propane fired engine coolant heater, which is still inplace and operable.

Lee in Alaska

 

[jatonka]

Lee, when I was in Delta in 1974, we used DN400 in the oil pan, plugged in at night and still lit a pan of oil under the engine an hour before we left for work every day. 40 Below? Heck, we had to work until it hit 58 Below, then the choppers couldn't fly and we had to knock off or camp out. Those were the days, i was young and so foolish.

 

[CGarbee]

There were actually two different personnel heaters for the M37 that mouted on the driver's side fender, one hot water and one gas fired... I have seen both types mounted, but don't have enough info on either instalation to do a decent page on my website for them.

List of personnel and power plant heater manuals that I know of:
ORD 738722, Southwind personnel heater, M37 Jan-55
ORD G249 Vol10 Winterization equipment, M37 Jan-55
TB 9-2855-5 Personnel heater kit Jul 1953
TB 9-2855-45 Hot water personnel heater kit Dec-56
TM 9-2855-6 Power plant heater kit, M37 Sep-53

The installation manual that I have for the Perfection Power Plant Heater Kit - Arctic has a Ord Part Number of 7531642, and is dated May 1953. It is located on my website at:
http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/arcticmanual.htm

I have been told that this is not the only Power Plant Heater Kit that was available...

Rosco, I'd love to have some photos and details of that recirculating air setup you've got. It sounds like a great solution. I'm not knocking your modifications at all, I'm applauding them. I've been making them to my "driver" M37 for years (Cummins, disk brakes, H4 lighting, M151 heater, etc...).

MilitaryRestoration, no rush on the photos and docs, just remember me when you do the deed... Thanks.

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

Ya mine is the hot water heater. the crate that I found it in is labeled and dated m37 hot water heater 04/1950 everything still original...so i wonder if that manual you have is for it, however i believe that there is a manual included in the kit, if not you may be hearing from me Cgarbee you dont know of any m37 hood blankets do you?

 

[CGarbee]

Don't know of any hood blankets floating around. A buddy of mine who served on the DEW Line in Alaska in '60-61 told me that the only time that he saw them used was the last half of December 1961 when it stayed 50-60 below for about two weeks.... His photos are on my website at:
http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/photosmisc.htm

Photo 4 on that page has a good shot of Jerry standing next to his M37. It shows the hood attachement loops for the blanket (not installed), the relocated hood numbers (to the doors since they would have been covered by the hood blanket), the gas fired engine heater just forward of the passenger door, and the gas fired personnel heater on the driver's fender (with the exhaust stack running up the driver's side edge of the windshield).

Photo 3 shows a M37 from above so you not only get to see the heaters, but you get a great view of the quilted cargo cover.

Enjoy.

 

[rosco]

Used to have a hood blanket for mine. The loops are still on the hood, if you look close. Haven't seen them in years either. The exhaust from the personel heater on mine, exits out the bottom, through as hole in the fender. The exhaust going up the side of the windshield, was most common.

Lee in Alaska

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

what did you do with your hood blanket?

 

[rosco]

It got lost in a move, some 25 years ago!

Lee in Alaska