new member of the family

[bdean666]

Hello friends,

I just acquired a 1954 dodge M37 somewhat accidentally (the deal was too good to ignore). Anyway i just wanted to share my new rig and get a feel for the forum. I was also hoping to get a little insight on good (and the bad) places to get parts and information regarding these super neat rigs. I'm relatively new to projects of this nature. I've never worked on anything this old or in this much despair...but i will now be forced to learn and i'm looking forward to the adventure. I've noticed a lot of beautiful restorations on this website and hopefully there's support here for the rigs not going that route.

it has a 345 International V8, questionable but likely international flavor 4 speed (haven't researched that far yet), seeming stock divorced twin stick t-case and axles, and some serious "ranch engineering" to make it all work. it started life on a southern NV test site (yay for rust free) and then lived on a cattle ranch in central NV.

we got it running today; started it on propane then eventually got it running on gasoline. i am curious about propane. the PO has a complete set up to convert the motor to pane but i know very little about it. does anyone here have any experience? pros/ cons using propane? i was impressed with how the motor took to it, it started up and idled like it ran yesterday. but i hear there is a loss of power (not a concern here as i think the gearing will more them make up for it) other then that i've heard it behaves more like a fuel injected vehicle but that's about the extent of my propane knowledge.

at this point in the game i am more interested in good places to find parts (currently looking for misc. brake parts) as my only immediate goal is to get it drive-able and licence-able. google has been a tinge of a let down.
thanks in advance for your .02. build thread to come (once i get past the running/ driving stages) but ive got big plans for it (everyone does) one tons and 4bt.

anyhoo. heres some pictures of it

the way it was found

we drove it around the yard in low range without any brakes.

 

[goodguyzy]

Welcome from Southern Oregon. A good place to get parts in here in the classifieds and there is also a lot of knowledge on the M37 at g503.com.

 

[EMD567]

Vintage Powerwagon is the place to go for parts. Remember, the only thing worse than the brakes on a M37 is death.

I can't help you on the propane conversion.

 

[combat32]

Nice rig, Midwest Military also great place for parts. Not sure about propane either but I would be interested in seeing how you got it hooked up.

 

[Carter]

Hello and welcome, you might also try posting your needs and questions on the G741 forum: http://www.g741.org/PHPBB/ a sight dedicated exclusively to M37s. Looks like you have a mostly complete truck and it should be fairly easy to put it back on the road.

Carter

 

[bdean666]

Thank you for the inspiration and information. it does appear that i've opened a can of worms regarding the brakes. everything on the brakes side of things either needs a rebuild or replaced (i havent even gotten into the front axle yet) not to metion all of the axle seals to keep the gear oil off the brake shoes....here we go!

thanks again. i figured there were a lot of niche sites out there that were not going to be as easy as a google search away.

i found a website called http://www.surplusjeep.com/M37/M37_ Lead_ Page.htm which has a lot of neat exploded diagrams of these truck parts. but most of the prices are POR, which to me means "the part isnt on our shelves." ill give them a call next week and get some mroe info as their website ordering doesn't appear to be a real treat. how are these guys to deal with?

 

[Karl kostman]

Congrats on the M-37 very great place to start in the HMV sickness, next will be a Deuce then a 5 ton, then its all up to your imagination after that! The M-37 looks pretty darned good, the 345 IHC engine is interesting and the propane part is just plain baffling???? What are you plans for the truck? Getting the original type engine and transmission should not be a problem for you, there are lots of both out there. The BRAKES, Well let me just say WELCOME to the HMV world!! Since a lot of these vehicles have been sitting for in some cases VERY long periods of time the brakes are pretty much an expected rebuild item, another item you will be replacing is the rubber pressure line that comes down from the center of the bed to feed the steel brake line on the rear axle assembly, it will be rotten on the inside and plugged. My point is dont fret about the brake issues that is all normal. When you figure out what your going to do with the truck we can sure give you some pointers etc. to get you going in that direction. The M-37 is a great truck, easy to work on and getting more desirable by other folks every day. Keep us posted on your directions with it.
Karl

 

[FrankUSMC]

Go with Midwest Military for your parts, John is a great guy and will help you. The last order I got from Vintage Power Wagon I sent back. I ordered for a 1942 Dodge WC, the parts were just cheap made junk. I then placed my order with Midwest Military and the parts were spot on perfect.
Also, my best friend just ordered some brake parts from Vintage Power wagon for a M37, and he also returned them.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

 

[Storm 51]

Welcome to the site! Be sure to register your truck on G741; it will help you and lots of other people trying to compile a history of these vehicles.

Get yourself a complete set of manuals and start reading them. That way you will at least know what these vehicles started out as. You will also see that these vehicles are very simple to work on compared to modern trucks (they are like farm tractors that you can drive on the highway).

I like to keep mine stock, but others like to "improve" the trucks. Choice is yours; good luck with your project whichever road you take.

There are lots of people over on G741 who knows all about propane systems. It would be a good place to start your research.

Storm 51

 

[IsaLandr]

I'm not an M37 owner and know nothing at all about those trucks. But I'm very familiar with that engine, having been borne to the IHC disease. That's a much better engineered engine than the original (better than most gas engines and many diesels, actually), and if the swap-in was well executed, I would probably keep it. That engine has full skirts and is cast from a very hard-wearing alloy. With proper maintenance it will outlive you and the truck both. It's not a diesel, but it was built by a company that expected similar performance and longevity from it in what are normally diesel applications. The engine lives up to that expectation quite well. I have a 345 in my 1962 road tractor with a T35 and 2-speed rear; I like it.

Depending on the year and source of that 345, if it's a stock-option 4-speed it will be a Borg Warner T98, T18, or T19. If you're lucky and have a 5-speed, it will most likely be a T34, T35, or T36. I'm a big fan of the T98, it's pretty bulletproof and can take a lot of abuse.

According to guys I know who have owned them, the IHC SV engines (266, 304, 345, and 392) all run well on propane. IH offered a propane option, and according to reports it worked well. About a 10% power loss, but the engines run clean and are reported to have increased longevity. Propane seems like a valid and viable option. You might even consider a dual-fuel kit that allows you to run either at your whim.

If you decide to remove the 345, be prepared: the engine weighs over 900lbs by itself. Don't go in expecting it to be like a V8 from one of the better-known car makers. It's not. It's very heavy. Remember what I said about it being designed to operate in a diesel environment. I bent our shop's ceiling hoist centre beam with a 304/T98 combo when I was a teen because I expected it to weigh what a similar displacement V8 from the big 3 weighs and didn't prepare accordingly. Don't repeat my mistake.

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Not to argue with anyone`s suggestions I think NAPA has break parts for an m-37 possibly at better prices? Might be worth a few phone calls to each place to check, just sayin.

 

[combat32]

Also check with a member here named Warthog, he got me all new wheel cylinders and a M/C from NCStar I believe he is a vendor for them.

 

[bdean666]

as far as the brakes go, the shoes dont appear to be in all that bad shape with the exception that one is cracked. i will definitly be checking into napa for shoes and will replace the shoes as needed, thanks for the advice. I'm assuming that the axle grease saturating the shoes is not going to boost their performance. Considering the number of years they have been basking in the grease, can they be cleaned or will they forever be damaged? someday i will replace the axle seals but that is not on my immediate list of things to get done to get the rig mobile. one thing i do not want to do is buy all new brake shoes and have them become tainted with grease before I get a chance to change out the seals as it appears to be a significant undertaking. im assuming there are some guys out there with some experience with this as ive heard a lot about thow prone to leaking these axles are.
i've got a slight time constraint on getting the vechicle off the property it currently sits on, otherwise i would just do it all in one sitting.

 

[AZDeuce]

That's a nice original USMC truck, take good care of her.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

as far as the brakes go, the shoes dont appear to be in all that bad shape with the exception that one is cracked. i will definitly be checking into napa for shoes and will replace the shoes as needed, thanks for the advice. I'm assuming that the axle grease saturating the shoes is not going to boost their performance. Considering the number of years they have been basking in the grease, can they be cleaned or will they forever be damaged? someday i will replace the axle seals but that is not on my immediate list of things to get done to get the rig mobile. one thing i do not want to do is buy all new brake shoes and have them become tainted with grease before I get a chance to change out the seals as it appears to be a significant undertaking. im assuming there are some guys out there with some experience with this as ive heard a lot about thow prone to leaking these axles are.
i've got a slight time constraint on getting the vechicle off the property it currently sits on, otherwise i would just do it all in one sitting.

Keep the axle vents working and venting and there really is not much of a issue with continued leaks. With the rear, you are going to change the shoes, you will have the seals right there in view. Your going to find that you might as well pull the hubs and leave them in place on the drum as the 3 slot/countersunk screws are going to need some attention to remove. Not a better time!!

 

[bdean666]

Quick question regarding the brakes...Karl mentioned the replacement of the rubber pressure line that comes down from the center of the bed and connects to the steel brake lines on the rear axle. is this a common part i can put together using parts from the local NAPA or is this a specialty M37 item with a part number? will i be able to re-use the factory (i think) steel lines or will they likely be plugged up and corroded?

I've got another work day planned tomorrow and im just trying to get a game plan together. Currently i've got a new MC and wheel cylinders for the rear. i am hoping to remove and replace any rubber lines (i.e. the one mentioned above) without the truck sitting in front of me that's the only rubber line i can recall. are there any other brake parts that are going to be a mandatory replacement? and weather they will need to be specially ordered or local parts store purchase? i apologize for the questions as i will likely be able to answer a few of them on my own, but with the truck being a considerable drive away i am trying to arrive as prepared as possible.

This truck has been sitting for approximately 3 years and as far as i know was driving prior to that.

thank you!

 

[txm37]

Welcome to the site and congrats on the new M37. Yes you should be able to get the rubber brake lines from a local napa. That's where I went when I rebuilt the brake system on my M37. I was able to get everything there. I don't remember the part numbers for the hoses but I just took my old ones up and they matched them up. Had them in stock too. As I'm sure you know there are 3 rubber pressure lines on the front axle. I would replace them too.