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I am new to the forum and M37s and need help trying to figure out what I have! I recently acquired what was reputed to be a 1962 M37B1. The truck is titled as a 1962 Dodge PU and the serial number on the title is the same that is painted on the truck, 80048593. As many of you know that serial number is a 1953 M37. There is no data plate on the glove box, and I cannot see the serial number stamped on the frame, it is covered with what looks like original undercoating that I do not want to disturb at this time.

To add to the confusion, the spare tire is mounted in the bed (M37 style). While working on the brakes I noticed that there were older style brake lines that were disconnected and left in place and the truck had Douglas connectors (M37B1 style). It has been repainted several times and reflects US Army right now, but has the paper clips on the bumper and shackles on the rear, and may have USMC on the tail gate..and to top it off I understand that the Corp. undercoated its vehicles!

So what do I have?

I am attempting to attach some pics..

any help would be appreciated!!

Hi Manfrom,

Interesting dilemma you got there. Anything is possible with these trucks, but unless someone changed the cab..........it's a B1. It has the reinforced cab cowl side in front of the driver's door and holes for the latch behind the door. If it were mine I'd remove the undercoating on the frame to see the actual serial number. Without it you're just going to be guessing. I'd get the frame SN and send it to the Chrysler Historical Society and have then send you a copy of the build card for your truck. Most had the hood numbers written on the build card so you'd know that too. Me thinks your hood numbers are just a guess by some previous owner. You can also check the engine number located on the side of the driver's side of the block just towards the front just beneath the head. It'll start T245-XXXXXXX. And on the firewall inside the engine bay, on the upper passenger side just above the air cleaner and the drip rail is a cowl tag with a number on it. You can take both the engine and cowl numbers and search the registry for something close and then count how many trucks between those numbers and yours. That should get you close.

There are other ways to identify a B1......the trans shifter is much taller, to the point where the shift knob is almost at the top of the dash in 1st and 3rd gears.....and the trans is different itself. The Douglas connectors don't really mean anything. It probably needed all new harnesses and a previous owner probably found some NOS harnesses with Douglas connectors instead of Packard. They can be interchanged with just a bit of trouble. The guys on here will fill you in on all the B1 differences...........I'm just not that familiar with the later trucks. They can also tell you all the differences between the Marines version and the Army. But because these trucks are like Legos..........and people mix and match parts all the time.........you really need to look at the frame Serial Number to be sure of what you have. That's the only "Legal" number that counts. Looks like a very cool tuck..............welcome aboard!!

regards,
bob

Judging by the holes in the cab, your truck likely had the left-side spare mount at some time in its life. So it very well could be a B1 (or maybe a first series that had the MWO applied for moving the spare from the bed to the door, or maybe a B1 cab put on a first series frame, or...)

Interesting hardtop conversion. Don't think I've seen one like that before.

What serial number is stamped on the engine block?

You mentioned that the wiring harness has Douglas connectors, but those are for the first series trucks, not for the B1, which used Packard connectors.

The only way to know for sure is to scrape off the frame and see what serial number is stamped there. Bob is right about the parts being swapped around and mixed and matched.

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the help guys!

I may have my electrical mixed up, but the ones on the truck are the rubber connectors..The cab conversion is indeed different and done very very well especially where it blends into the cab at the bottom rear. I think this was a Rural or Wild-land fire truck at one point in its life and I am guessing that is where the top was put on.

I do see the holes in the side of the cab, and it does make sense to me that a spare tire carrier was once mounted there.

I did find the cowl number the other day and will find the engine block # when I change my oil..

Thank you for the warm welcome..this is a cool truck!

The electrical connectors with the external rubber shell are Packard type, consistent with a B1 series truck.

Lots of knowledge here, so anything you need help with, just ask.

Another idea but more rare and hard to prove, is that it was a first series command truck. Those I understand came with the door tire swing arm while all the regular trucks had the bed spare.

My 1952 I am certain went through the rebuild program in the 60's and got the swing arm. But it retained the early transmission. Then by 1973 it got a replacement standard bore engine and I think a refreshed early transmission.

So these trucks can have quite a story even before they get surplussed out of the Military. Alan

Greetings and Welcome Manfrom,
A very easy way to get at your #'s, a scraper with a razor blade mounted in it. If your not too sure where your sn is, it should be just ahead of your steering box, they should be about 4/3 of an inch tall. This is how I found my sn.

From what you have posted I would guess you have a USMC M37B1. If you think it was brush truck for a fire department somewhere in its lifetime then probably was painted white or red for the FD and then when it went to civilian hands the uneducated said 'hey it's and army truck' and painted as such. Unless you are not wanting to make any changes right now I'd get some 220-400 grit sandpaper and start sanding down the bumpers to see if you find army type markings or MC type markings. Start sanding the body down to see if you can uncover the layers of paint and see if it was MC Green at some point and time. Nice looking truck otherwise. Have fun with it and enjoy it.

Belated welcome to you! That's a nice project to begin your M37 journey. Glad to have you with us!

So where in the 307 are you? One of our forum mates M60TC is in the 307, and I do some road trips up that way each year.
Gary