Identification Number Help Needed

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

I started looking at my new toy. I know there are a bunch of idenditication numbers I should be looking for......and here's what I've found so far:

1. Frame numbers by the driver's side front spring
2. An oval tag with numbers on the engine firewall passenger side
3. Dash data plate info

I've read there is an engine ID number somewhere too? Can you tell me where to find that? And are there any other numbers I should be hunting around for?

thanks,
bob

[snowdad]

The engine ID number is located on the driver's side at the top front of the engine just beneath the head. There is a boss there that it is stamped into. If it is original, it should start with the numbers T245-*****. The oval tag is the body serial number and the number you located on the frame rail is the actual vehicle VIN number and should start with 800*****. You can use that number to determine the year of manufacture. It also should be the same as the nomancliture data plate on the glovebox. If you post those numbers here, we should be able to offer assistance identifying it.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

Ok........I did a cursory inspection of my beast and here's what I've found.....

The original color is dark blue. Once I started looking for it I found it everywhere. Best indictor was inside the glove box and under the hood, but it's under all the layers of paint everywhere. So I'm guessing it's Air Force? Or did the Navy paint them dark blue too?

The frame number is 80026562 which matches the data plate I'll get to in a second.
The engine number starts with T245 but I can't read the rest because there's a metal pipe right up against that part of the block and I don't want to bend it out of the way.

The first data plate on the glovebox says;

Procurement Depot Maintenance
ORD DEPT ORD DEPT
ORD DEPT ORD DEPT

The second plate titled "Truck Cargo 3/4 Ton 4x4 M37 WOW" says;
RPD STOCK NUMBER 67955 31
MFR SER NO 80026562 DATE DEL 4-14-52
MFR PART NO MODEL T2 45
CONTRACT NO 8615

Let me know what you guys think...........and I'll go enter it into the registry.

thanks,
bob

[w30bob]

Oh..........forgot to mention......the oval tag on the firewall passenger side reads "49102-18881".

thanks,
bob

[Travlr]

The engine ID number is located on the driver's side at the top front of the engine just beneath the head. There is a boss there that it is stamped into. If it is original, it should start with the numbers T245-*****. The oval tag is the body serial number and the number you located on the frame rail is the actual vehicle VIN number and should start with 800*****. You can use that number to determine the year of manufacture. It also should be the same as the nomancliture data plate on the glovebox. If you post those numbers here, we should be able to offer assistance identifying it.

You say that the vin number can be used to determine the year of the vehicle, but how is it used to determine the year?

I have two trucks, one has a vin: L-245-2198 and it appears to be an older truck. The other truck has the vin: 2661161723

EDIT: I found the Vin Decoder so thanks for that. The older vin/truck decoded just fine so I now know it is a 1958.

The second vin came up as bad. But after checking diligently, the numbers are clear on the frame. The number on the dash tag is 61723 and the prefix of 2661 which is common to all M37 trucks in 1961/62 is there... so it looks like an extra "1" is stamped between. But I'd like someone with experience to verify my thinking if possible.

[Cal_Gary]

Hi Travlr and welcome!
Your build date can be found using the Production Dates log at the top.
The VIN is the number stamped on your frame in front of your steering box. It is also on your dash assuming the data plate hasn't been destroyed/removed.
The firewall tag is for the cab only-it is NOT the VIN.
Finally, the engine number is stamped on the driver's side front above your generator (hard to see behind your oil fill tube).
Gary

[Travlr]

Hi Travlr and welcome!
Your build date can be found using the Production Dates log at the top.
The VIN is the number stamped on your frame in front of your steering box. It is also on your dash assuming the data plate hasn't been destroyed/removed.
The firewall tag is for the cab only-it is NOT the VIN.
Finally, the engine number is stamped on the driver's side front above your generator (hard to see behind your oil fill tube).
Gary

Thanks Gary...
Is the vin supposed to be nine digits? Or ten?
My dash tag says 61723
My frame has clear numbers stamped which are 2661161723
When I load the vin into the vin decoder the ten digit number is said to be invalid. But if i load in the 2661... and take out the extra "1"... and finish with the 61723... the vin comes up as a 1961 truck. So ten digits does not work, but nine digits does work.
And my information is that the numbers, 2661, were commone to all M37 trucks in the years 1961 and 62.

[NAM VET]

I have one of the "command" variants, mine was built in '52. But a standard truck could be converted to a "command, M42" version by adding the "kit" to do so. I have a dash placard that says it is a command truck, and when the additions are removed, "this plaque is to be removed". From the rough way my side radiator cut out for the front rectifier lines was done, I think my truck was converted later, and not made originally so when built. But somewhere I read command trucks have one extra number in their serial number. So perhaps your numbering reflects that at one time it was or is actually an M42. Which have a winch and 100 amp alternator. Maybe all the M42's were a later conversion. The '42's have more holes drilled in the sides of the bed for multiple antennae.

Others more knowledgeable will soon be along with more information. Hal

[Travlr]

I have one of the "command" variants, mine was built in '52. But a standard truck could be converted to a "command, M42" version by adding the "kit" to do so. I have a dash placard that says it is a command truck, and when the additions are removed, "this plaque is to be removed". From the rough way my side radiator cut out for the front rectifier lines was done, I think my truck was converted later, and not made originally so when built. But somewhere I read command trucks have one extra number in their serial number. So perhaps your numbering reflects that at one time it was or is actually an M42. Which have a winch and 100 amp alternator. Maybe all the M42's were a later conversion. The '42's have more holes drilled in the sides of the bed for multiple antennae.

Others more knowledgeable will soon be along with more information. Hal

Well I went out and looked at the bed side of both trucks and found this.

20210923_155650.jpg (56.31 KiB) Viewed 1305 times

20210923_155612.jpg (63.41 KiB) Viewed 1305 times

So I'm thinking there is some kind of plate missing on the green truck that is still there on the red one. The plate is illegible so I have no idea what it was for.

[Travlr]

As long as I'm posting questions and pics, has anyone seen a top like this one? Is it military issue, or what?

20210916_142417.jpg (102.86 KiB) Viewed 1305 times

And what is this bolt on, cone shaped attachment on the rear of the cab behind the door, driver side? It has a notch underneath so seems to be something that would have something slide on and have a spring loaded (?) tooth to keep whatever it was attached.

20210923_155604.jpg (151.36 KiB) Viewed 1305 times

[Cal_Gary]

Hi Travlr,
I cannot offer a definitive answer on your VIN. Mine is 10 digits beginning with 8, and was built in March 1954.
That riveted plate I've never seen-perhaps it is just a patch panel?
The nub at the back of your driver's door is the latch pin for the door-mounted spare tire-used on the M37 B1 series trucks.
That is also some kind of aftermarket top-The M37 hard tops are very hard to find. Vintage Power Wagons offers a glass top at around $1K. Some folks adapt the WWII CCKW hard top that allegedly fits pretty well.
Gary

[Travlr]

Hi Travlr,
I cannot offer a definitive answer on your VIN. Mine is 10 digits beginning with 8, and was built in March 1954.
That riveted plate I've never seen-perhaps it is just a patch panel?
The nub at the back of your driver's door is the latch pin for the door-mounted spare tire-used on the M37 B1 series trucks.
That is also some kind of aftermarket top-The M37 hard tops are very hard to find. Vintage Power Wagons offers a glass top at around $1K. Some folks adapt the WWII CCKW hard top that allegedly fits pretty well.
Gary

Whoa... a spare tire carrier on the driver door? And from the pics I've found it looks pretty flimsy for the weight. But the pin is stout so maybe the carrier is tronger than it looks.
The plate on the bedside of the red truck is definitely not a patch. It is the same kind of plate that there are several of in the cab.

I finally got the third truck home. The fibreglass top is kind of nice. It turns out that the truck is a '53 and the frame number is eight digits. Unlike the other two trucks the number on the glovbox tag hasn't any relationship to the vin on the frame.

Learning a lot. Thanks...

[PoW]

The door mount spare is a beautiful piece of engineering, and is very handy.

A bed-mounted spare is never needed until the bed is full up with heavy items.

Anyone saying the door spare is a pain never read my info on how it is SUPPOSED to work.

PoW