My Green Disease has manifested itself!!

[Soupermike]

Having been a member here for several years, I finally have the title MV owner. It is a 1954 Dodge M37. I found it on FB in Samson, AL. Got a friend to go with me and after a 16 hour day, we got it home and in my shop where the restoration will begin. It is a very solid truck. 1 spot of rust to the body and lots of surface rust to the frame. The engine won't turn but I started soaking it tonight. I want to say thanks to Trailboss for putting up with all the questions I have asked him over the last couple of years regarding all things MV related. Looking forward to spending time with the family working on and enjoying time riding in my new toy.

UPDATE—With the help of some other M37 owners, I found out that I in fact have a 1954 M37.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Nice truck! How sure of the year are you? It looks to have a lot of early features like the bed, lack of spare tire on the door, and big instrument cluster lights.

 

[Soupermike]

The data plate states 62' maybe it was changed out at some point?

 

[SCM35A2]

Very nice truck!

 

[Dozerman51]

Hi Mike,
Congratulations on your purchase of what the experts say is the best Dodge Military Truck ever made. It looks very clean and straight. Keep up with the loose juice in the good old 230, and she will hopefully break free. Your M-37 is light years in improvements over my 1941 WC Military 1/2 ton. I don’t care what these other guys say on here, we Dodge guys have to stick together. LOL. LOL. Again congratulations on what looks like a fine purchase.
Joe Giraud
San Carlos, CA
’41 Dodge WC-12(Salad)

 

[Soupermike]

Thanks Dozerman. I am really excited about the truck.
Thanks SCM35A2
Evil DP, I would guess by what you said, my bed and other features were changed over the years due to the data plate? Or would it make more sense the plate was swapped?

 

[Dozerman51]

Check the serial number on the frame and see if it matches the number on the glove box plate. If they stamped the serial number in the same location as my WC-12, it should be on the left(Drivers side) frame rail around the front rear spring mount close to the pitman arm. If not there try the opposite side,same area. Again I’m not an M-37 expert. Just thinking that they stamped the serial number in the same location as in my truck.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

It's possible the data plate, glove box door, or cab were swapped at some point. Like dozer said the number should be on the left side of the frame. Your tag looks to be original and lightly stamped b1 after m37 which is right for a 1962 m37b1. The full length fording support on the bedside, the large instrument lights, and lack of the spare tire on the door are features of the original m37 built in the 50s.
Other things you can check for are an access door under the passenger seat for the parking brake and count the number of cab top hooks. Check the block number on the side of the engine and see if it says T-245 (early) or T-245A (late). The engine, cab, bed, cluster, etc. are all things that could have been changed so the frame number is the way to know for sure. It's also possible that they swapped the glove box because they had a title for that number, or did a frame swap and changed the plate to match.

 

[Soupermike]

Thanks for the info y'all. I will check all the spots mentioned this evening and make an update. I am not a rivet counter by any means, however I would like it to look age specific.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Very nice!

 

[dmetalmiki]

That is one beautiful looking truck. The repair should go relatively easy. (You have an enthusiastic 'mechanic' there already to >help<!). A fantastic item to start into the hobby with.

 

[Soupermike]

Thanks! I think he is more excited about it than me!! He and his sister are dying for me to bring them to school in it. They may have to wait until next school year.

So I could not find the numbers stamped on the frame but I found numbers on the very front left spring hanger. I did find T-245 on the engine, 5 cover hooks on the cab and no parking brake access under the passenger seat. This leads me to believe the cab is the transplanted part. If the numbers in the first pic are not from the correct spot, could someone post a pic of where I can find them?

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Congrats!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Migginsbros]

Very nice truck. Congrats.

 

[T. Highway]

Hi Mike,

Frame serial number is located about 6 - 7 inches behind the left front spring pivot. The number is most likely going to be hard to see through the layers of paint. It should be about 1 inch down from the top radius on the frame rail and about 4 inches back from the 2nd hole pierced in the frame behind the spring pivot.

Once you find the number stop over on the G741 site and look up the number in the registry, if it isn't already in there please make sure to enter your truck into it.

I look forward to seeing more about your truck.

Bert

 

[Soupermike]

Thanks Bert. I will check out that site once I find the number.

 

[Soupermike]

UPDATE—With the help of some very helpful M37 owners, I found out that I in fact have a 1954 M37. Now to get a new data plate with the correct info.