Most Practical Modification Thread

Discuss fixes, upgrades and modifications to your M37

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billy
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by billy »

318 engine
block heater
locking hubs
dual m/c
12v conversion
turn signals
soon adding 40,000btu heater under drivers seat (stole the idea from a thread on this site)
wipers
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by billy »

drilling a hole for a padlock in part A
lock the other doors from the inside
stick a padlock on the tire mount
wah lah!

Image
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by billy »

speedbleeders
part no.dorman 12707
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by rcamacho »

Looks nice, might consider a skid plate or more protection as that would be bad to hit offroad.
m37jarhead wrote:Here's some pic's of the installation of the 24V elec. fuel pump and the spin on/off fuel filter.
Unit mounted on inside left frame rail behind the cab. More pic's of same on my gallery.
The top pic shows the correct fuel line going to the engine. The bottom pic shows a temporary
fuel line exiting the fuel pump that was used to "test" the system.
Jerry
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'51 M37
52PLOWERWAGON
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by 52PLOWERWAGON »

high performance camshaft from vintage power wagons

it really perks up the engine

and it sounds like a HARLEY 8)
Thanks,TRAVIS
When it comes to gambling I don't play the Powerball, I play the Powerwagon

1952 M37 FARM TRUCK
230 W/THRUSH EXHAUST, DELETED HEAT RISER AND 12 VOLT IGNITION

1941 WC RATROD
w/ 5 TON MULTIFUEL TURBO DIESEL
billy
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by billy »

I think the power steering is going to make 3 point turns a lot easier
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by 52PLOWERWAGON »

practical mod

removing cowl vent to do wiring
Thanks,TRAVIS
When it comes to gambling I don't play the Powerball, I play the Powerwagon

1952 M37 FARM TRUCK
230 W/THRUSH EXHAUST, DELETED HEAT RISER AND 12 VOLT IGNITION

1941 WC RATROD
w/ 5 TON MULTIFUEL TURBO DIESEL
billy
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by billy »

52PLOWERWAGON wrote:practical mod

removing cowl vent to do wiring
I simply sealed mine to keep everything dry.
And after insulating it doesnt get very hot in there anyhow
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by LesBerg »

I don't know if this belongs here, but someone mentioned it and I have to chime in with a "Please for the love of everything HMV" never, never, ever, ever, coat your truck in bedliner. Ever.

To be clear, I'm referring to the people who coat entire trucks/jeeps/whatever with bedliner thinking it's the Cosmoline of the auto world and will prevent rust until the end of time.

It won't.

I don't know that anyone here has ever done it, but a warning to anyone considering it:

First, in order for it to prevent rust, all the rust must be completely removed. If not, you'll rust out under the bedliner and it will be nigh impossible to clean it up enough to weld. If you do manage to repair the panel, you'll have a very hard time matching the finish texture.

You can't easily or economically remove bedliner. It's permanent. If you bend a coated fender, tailgate, or whatever, and it needs more that a little hammer & dolly work, you're going to have to replace it outright.

If you can deal with those problems, please also consider that covering a part in bedliner effectively takes it off the market for resale. No one, I repeat NO ONE, wants to go through the hell of removing bedliner for a part going into a restoration. You can't sand blast it off, or at least not for less than the cost of several NOS parts, sanding is difficult and almost never removes it completely, and the heat required to remove it can warp panels or ruin the metal's temper.

The surface prep work that steel needs to prevent rusting under bedliner is exactly the same as needed to properly prevent rust under 'traditional' coatings like single-stage enamel paints, base/clear paint systems, or even UV-stable primer (intended as a 'final coat' for rat rods and such'). Proper surface prep, a quality etching primer / primer sealer /surfacer combination will provide decades of rust prevention, and preserve the worth and usefulness of your HMV. Please note that if you're just planning on applying bedliner over existing paint, that any rust under that paint will continue to eat the metal away and you won't see it until the panel/part fails.

If you absolutely need it for corrosion protection in locales that use corrosive salts on the road in the winter, consider taking your rig to a quality body shop. They have products and tools that can get into insane places and prevent corrosion, places like the inside of your rocker panels.

Not having had my ambulance delivered yet, I don't know how the rocker panels are constructed. However, in a modern vehicle, they're a closed box design made of several layers of stamped sheet metal. So if you coat the outside of the rocker box with bedliner and there's rust on the inside, it will eventually rust out anyway. Bedliner will just make it that much harder to repair.

Apologies to everyone, I don't mean to rant. in the end it comes down to this:

Your vehicle's body is just as much an engineered system as your motor. Even more so in a military vehicle. You wouldn't hesitate to take your motor to a specialist for block work like line-boring, decking, or cylinder honing. Please consider that the body is not so very much different. There are great anti-corrosion systems out there, and great ways to protect your truck from rocks and brush, Bedliner isn't the answer.

Just my two cents,
Les Berg
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by m-37Bruce »

Excellent point Les!
Bruce,

1953 M-37 w/ow

Retired Again

Keep Em Rollin'

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billy
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by billy »

I am seriously considering thoroughly cleaning the underside and everything else i can find.
All the hidden channels etc.
And slathering everything with cosmoline.
I dont have rust
And plan on keeping it that way
BTW
I dont even use bedliner to line beds.
Hate the stuff
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by 52PLOWERWAGON »

hour meter for offroad driving
Thanks,TRAVIS
When it comes to gambling I don't play the Powerball, I play the Powerwagon

1952 M37 FARM TRUCK
230 W/THRUSH EXHAUST, DELETED HEAT RISER AND 12 VOLT IGNITION

1941 WC RATROD
w/ 5 TON MULTIFUEL TURBO DIESEL
SOTVEN
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by SOTVEN »

HELLO AGAIN EVERYONE!!! THIS TREAD IS NICE! :D
PRACTICAL VS COOL... HMMM... LOL
ITS BEEN ABOUT 18 YEARS NOW THAT I HAVE HAD MY M37, AND THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, I USED IT AS A DAILY DRIVER, FIREWOOD HAULER, CAMPING AND HUNTING RIG, CHORES VEHICLE, WORKBENCH, HOUSE REBUILDING MATERIAL GO-GETER, A HAVE-FUN-MACHINE, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING INBETWEEN!
SO, ONE MAY UNDERSTAND THAT THE MODIFICATIONS DONE TO IT BY ME WERE MOSTLY TO IMPROVE MY WELL BEING WHILE USING IT. SO, I ASSUME THEY ARE MOSTLY PRACTICAL, BUT SOME MIGHT REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE COOL SIDE ALSO!
THE MOST IMPORTANT BY FAR (FOR ME AT LEAST) MODIFICATION, WAS THE INSTALLATION OF THE POWER STEERING (THANK YOU CHARLES!) IT ACTUALLY MADE THE TRUCK USABLE. LIVING IN A SMALL COUNTRY, WITH TINY ANCIENT CITY ROADS, MOPED GALLORE, AND PARALLEL ON STREET PARKING, THE POWER STEERING WAS WELL WORTH IT. ALSO OFFROADING AND NEGOTIATING TIGHT SPOTS WITHOUT HAVING TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH, WAS A HUGE ADDED BONUS. THE REGION AROUND HERE IS MOUNTAINIOUS, SO, A NOT SO QUICK STEERING MIGHT MEAN AIRBORNE M37 DOWN THE RAVINE! LOL!
THE REST OF MODS ARE THERE FOR SPECIFIC REASONS, BUT NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC ORDER.
ELECTRIC WIPERS SINCE THE BEGINING. I COULD NOT MAKE TO VACCUM ONE TO WORK FOR THE LIFE OF ME. REGARDLESS, NOT MUCH NEED FOR WIPERS WITH THAT VERTICAL WIDSHIELD. I SHELDOM TURN THEM ON.
NATURAL GAS OPERATION. SINCE IT USED TO BE MY DAILY DRIVER AT ONE POINT, IT MADE SENSE, SINCE LPG IS HALF THE PRICE OF GAS AROUND HERE. ALSO, I LIKED THAT NOW I HAD 50 GALLONS OF FUEL TOTAL WHEN FULL OF GAS AND LPG. (LIGHTER ANYONE? LOLOLOL)
LOCKOUT HUBS! NO NEED TO DRAG ALL THAT FRONT DRIVETRAIN 95% OF THE TIME! MINUS THE NOISE, WEAR AND TEAR, AND PLUS THE TIGHTER TURNING RADIUS. (SMALL COUNTRY, REMEMBER? LOL)
SWAPPED THE SEATS FOR A 40/60 BENCH FROM AN 80'S FORD TRANSIT. ME, BEING 6'2'' AND 290# I COULD NOT REALLY ENJOY SITTING IN MY M37. THAT ORIGINAL SEAT WAS PLACING ME VERY HIGH IN THE CAB HAVING MY VIEW OBSTRUCTED BY THE WIPER, AND TOO MUCH FORWARD FROM THAT THICK BACK CUSHIONING. AND IF ONE MIGHT ACTUALLY CONSIDER THE M37 DRIVER'S SEAT A SEAT, THE PASSENGER SEAT LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED IMHO. SO I SWAPPED THEM WITH THE AFFOREMENTIONED FROM A JUNCK YARD, A SET OF CAMO WATER RESISTANT DENIER COVERS ON THEM, AND THE DRIVING POSTURE AS WELL AS THE GET IN AND OUT EASE IMPROVED GREATLY.
LOCK DOOR HANDLES. NOT SURE WHO WOULD EVER COME NEAR IT TO STEAL SOMETHING. BUT ANYWAY... LOL
COWL TO WINDSHIELD WEATHERSTRIPPING! NO MORE WET PANT LEGS WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN! LOL!
12V OUTLET PLUG FROM A 12V TRANSFORMER THAT RUNS THE RADIO, CB, AND THE LPG PLENUM.
SPARE TIRE CARRIER MATED TO THE DOOR. THEY WORK AS ONE SINCE DAY ONE. NO MORE FISHING OUT THE OPEN WINDOW TO PULL THE SPARE TO CLOSE!
DONALDSON DRY AIR FILTER. MOUNTED ON THE PASSENGER FENDER, SUCKING IN COLD DENSE AIR.
BATTERIES RELOCATION MY BATTERY TRAY AND FLOOR BENEATH IT WERE ROTTED AWAY WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK. SO I RELOCATED THE BATTERIES UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT, AND RE FLOORED WITH SHEETMETAL UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT, MAKING A VERY BIG STORAGE COMPARTMENT THERE.
STEERING WHEEL WRAPPING THE ORIGINAL STEERING WHEEL, WAS TOO THIN FOR MY FINGERS. SO I WRAPPED IT IN ROPE AND THEN PUT A GENERIC STEERING WHEEL COVER OVER IT. WORKED FINE FOR ME SINCE. OH, AND THE BAKELIGHT WAS SHOT AND BROKEN, SO NOT MUCH WASTE OF A GOOD STEERING WHEEL.
A SEE-THROUGH BIKINI TOP WITH CAMO NET. I LIKED DRIVING WITHOUT TOP AND THE WINDSHIELD DOWN, BUT LATELY THE SUN IS GETTING TO ME. SO THIS SOLUTION PROVIDES "SHADY" RESULTS! LOL
A FOLDING STEP ON THE INSIDE OF THE TAILGATE. MAKES GETTIN IN BED AND OUT A BIT EASIER AND MUCH SAFER.
GAS TANK CLEANUP REMOVED IT, PERFORMED ELECTROLYSIS TO IT, AND THEN TUMBLE PRIMED THE INSIDE WITH AN EPOXIC PRIMER. CLEAN FUEL FILTERS SINCE. PICTURES WILL FOLLOW.
REVERSE LIGHT ON COMMAND WITH A SEPERATE SWITCH, ALONG WITH A BED LIGHT FOR LOADING STUFF IN THE DARK.
ROLL BAR. I HOPE I WILL NEVER NEED IT, BUT IT GIVES ME SOME EASE OF MIND THAT ITS THERE.
VISE OVER THE WINCH. HELPS FIXING THINGS ON THE TRAIL, AS WELL AS MAKES SHARPENING CHAINSAWS EASIER.
MORE TO THE COOL FACTOR ARE
OFFROAD LIGHTS. NEVER NEEDED THEM REALLY ALL THESE YEARS, THEY HIT ON TREE BRANCHES OFTEN, BUT THEY LOOK NICE LOL.
STACK EXHAUST WITH RAIN FLAP NOT MUCH USE FOR IT, PLUS, I AM SURE IT CHOKES MY EXHAUST, I BURNED MY SELF TO IT, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE, BUT LOOKS NICE LOL.
HERCULINER IN BED AND CABIN FLOOR. NOT SURE IF I NEEDED IT, AND IT DOES NOT LOOKS NICE! (I PAINTED OVER IT)
SEAT BELTS I NEVER WEAR THEM, THEY WERE EXPENSIVE, AND THEY CAN NOT EVEN BE SEEN, NEVER MIND IF THEY LOOK NICE OR NOT! WTF???? LOL
AND LAST, IT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET, BUT IT WILL. REAR DUAL WHEELS. YES, NOT A SINGLE PRACTICAL THING THERE. INCREASED WEAR AND TEAR, DROP IN THE ALREADY LOW TOP SPEED, HARDER TO TURN, WILL NOT FIT IN THIS SMALL COUNTRY, MILAGE ABOUT 2 MILES TO THE GALLON, BUT HEY!! IT LOOKS NICE!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Last edited by SOTVEN on Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
LIFE IS SHORT AND ENDS UNEXPECTEDLY. MAKE EVERY MOMENT WORTH REMEMBERING.
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by SOTVEN »

AND OFCOURSE, ONE THING IS STILL THE SAME AFTER ALL THIS TIME, I STILL CAN NOT UPLOAD PICTURES! HAHAHAHA!!! TOO MANY KB. WILL TRY TO MAKE THEM SMALLER
LIFE IS SHORT AND ENDS UNEXPECTEDLY. MAKE EVERY MOMENT WORTH REMEMBERING.
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Re: Most Practical Modification Thread

Post by SOTVEN »

A-HA!!! MANAGED TO UPLOAD ONE NEW PHOTO IN MY ALBUM AT THE GALLERY AT LEAST! MORE TO FOLLOW! :D
LIFE IS SHORT AND ENDS UNEXPECTEDLY. MAKE EVERY MOMENT WORTH REMEMBERING.
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