David Ahl's M37 Restoration Guide

[maddawg308]

I shoulda bought one of these when I had the chance - even though I don't have an M37, I might in the future. And used copies are selling for $135???? Are they nuts? I know it's probably a great text, but that's WAY more cash than I am willing to pay for a used book.

Any idea if this will be put into a second printing? Seems if there is a lot of demand for this book, used, then it would make sense to print another run of it.

I believe they were selling for $27.95 new when they were in print.

 

[FrankUSMC]

RE: David Ahl

Mike
Do not waste your time on the book. Even at $27,95, it is over priced. The book has a lot of mistakes in it.
The funny, or not so funny part is, Dodge Military books are hard to find. I have several that are now out of print. I was told years ago by a military book seller that the printers do not want to print books on Dodges, but the MIGHTY JEEP!
If you want to read the M37 restoration book, you can borrow mine. Just promise not to read it while eating Cheetos.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET.

 

[bmac6026]

RE: David Ahl

Try this http://www.portrayal.com/ he had some for $39 a few months back

 

[Dieselsmoke]

And used copies are selling for $135???? Are they nuts? .

Whoa, maybe I should put mine on Ebay...what's with some of them prices, have y'all seen the prices on the air hoses for the deuces??????? Whoa.......

 

[cranetruck]

RE: Re: David Ahl

I believe most of that book came from aticles also published in the MVM, a series of 5 or more issues.

 

[LC]

RE: Re: David Ahl

I got a copy through inter-library loan. It was interesting but I wouldn't pay $20 for it.

 

[halftrack]

I bought the book when it first came out after I had already restored (frame up) my M37 thinking I might have missed something. Lets just say I didn't miss anything in my restoration, but fun to read.

 

[acetomatoco]

Dave was a rookie and only restored the one truck...it is a compendium of the articles he wrote for his magazine and is fine for the novice, but certainly not the purist who might want tobacco juice from the factory on his battery box cover...and chalk marks on the firewall.....and crooked decals from the left handed installer..those are original details often overlooked.

 

[zak]

maybe DD will pick up the challange and write a proper restoration book

 

[gimpyrobb]

Cabell has alot of good info on his website. .02

 

[maddawg308]

I have already read it, my buddy ShieldWolf has a copy near me. Just wanted one for my bookshelf.

I'll say it was a good read for a good quality resto, maybe not one I'd follow if you were into factory restorations and the like. Lots of good information in it. My beef with his restoration is that in his "total of expenses", all the costs that he considered in the price of his resto, he included: building a garage, buying general purpose tools, taking his wife out to dinner/movies/shoe shopping/etc., medical bills from a hernia, etc. By the time he was all done, it was over $20,000 to restore his M37. NO no no no NO. The garage will likely be used for other things as well, and adds to the value of your property. Tools can be used for a multitude of things after this resto project. Taking your wife out is not a direct cost of the resto, it's a cost of being dumb and getting MARRIED. And hernia surgery as a result of trying to lift the Braden winch by yourself isn't a cost of the resto - it's a cost of having no friends to help you, and a cost of being too dumb to get a chain hoist. Hope he never has to use his nuts again. Oh, wait, he's married - nope, he never will.

Lots of great info, lots of good pictures, just didn't like the fact he jacked up the "cost" of restoring an MV by including a lot of crap he shouldn't have in his totals.

 

[emr]

acetomatoco, that is a very good reply, Dave Ahl, Is a Great guy and a Friend, He was the 2nd owner of the Famous MV Mag, Although the book for me was just to have one, i dont have an M37, But it fills up the library nicly, I like to read all the stuff I can about the hobby and guys in it, Lots of good pics and brake downs , There are alot of common things in all resto's,It does touch on most of what to expect in a restoration,But as we all know no one book can do it all! Randy

 

[metalle]

maybe DD will pick up the challange and write a proper restoration book

Hi to all, im a newbie Maybe this comment is late, but there are so many with knowledge, experience and willing to share experiences restoring all vehicles, I am semi-retired and rebuilding 2 M37s. If there was a common repository I would be willing to organize and put something together (non profit) and donate. Keep in mind, all this is time sensitive... thoughts?

 

[M-37Bruce]

All of this is true, not a great book, I got my copy, pre-paid and my first subscription to MVM from Dave $20 while attending my first Aberdeen Rally.

 

[Explorer0863]

I just checked Amazon. $768.57!! Unbelievable.

 

[M-37Bruce]

Imagine the guy who makes that mistake?