1952 M37 with IBM punched card found in frame rail

[nutsfor59]

hey !! does anyone out there know how or where you can get one of these old cards read ??? when i purchased my truck and was looking it over the first time i found this IBM card tucked up in the right rear frame rail,it has a pencil notation matching my serial #,is this a ancient "build sheet" on how the truck was originally equipped ?? i'd love to know !! anyone who can read these or help to will be greatly appreciated !! possibly can fax/email etc a copy,we'll see !! thanks !!

[creinemann]

Thats really cool, you'll wanna contact the Chrysler Historical archives at the website or here; http://www.wpchryslermuseum.org/newsroo ... 90&mid=135

They usually can give you the build sheet if you supply them with a serial number, but they do charge for it. Can you scan or take a picture of the card, I'd like to see it.

Pricing

Owner and service manuals: $25 - $50
8X10 photographs: $15 for black and white and $25 color (pending availability)
Build cards: $25 - $45 for cars (based on decoding availability) and $25 for trucks (no decoding available)
Checks and money orders, payable to Chrysler LLC, are accepted for all Archival services.


Ordering
Material can be ordered in writing via U.S. Mail, e-mail or fax with the following information:

owner's full name
mailing address, phone number and e-mail address
make, model and year of the vehicle
specific documents and/or images requested
All build record requests must include the vehicle's VIN or serial number and proof of ownership (a photocopy of the title accepted)

Contact
Mailing Address:
Chrysler LLC
Corporate Historical Collection
12501 Chrysler Fwy.
CIMS 410-11-21
Detroit, MI 48288 USA
Attn: Historical Information

[nutsfor59]

hi,thanks for the reply !! i remember you and your web site !! it's YOU !!! that got me started on this m37 hobby HA,HA,and where i got the ideas about using the uhaul etc etc,i saw the truck i have on ebay a couple of years ago and after seeing your site i went ahead and got it,it was alot of help i thank you alot !! my wife does not !!! i will scan that punch card and send it to you and any others asap,it is full of punch holes and i'm dying to find someone who can read it,thanks

[Lifer]

Scan it and post it here or PM me with it. I can probably "read" it for you. It's been 30 years since I did it for a living, but some things just sort of stick with you.

[nutsfor59]

hi again,thanks i will try and do it soon as i can,my scanner printer is on the fritz right now,thanks again.

[creinemann]

Hi, thanks for the compliments, I am in the process of updating my website, as it is out of date, and I have lots to add, just haven't had the time. the website has been fun and I made a lot of good friends, and I had an offer by a company in France to buy my domain - dodgem37.com, they make models, and I have been helping them with dimensions, pics etc, they are trying to get a model kit rebuilt for the m37-m42 no promises though, other than that I would get a prototype model for my help (fingers crossed).

One of the cool things I found when restoring my truck was a re arsenal tag from an airman dated 1954 with his name on it, with a bit of research, and google, I found his address and phone number, and called, unfortunately he had passed away but his widow talked to me on and on about his work as a mechanic for airforce (he worked on an army base), and she has lots of pictures including one of a shop in Turkey with about a hundred m37's lined up or in the process of being repaired, I hope someday she'll let me borrow the album so I can scan all the photos.

hi,thanks for the reply !! i remember you and your web site !! it's YOU !!! that got me started on this m37 hobby HA,HA,and where i got the ideas about using the uhaul etc etc,i saw the truck i have on ebay a couple of years ago and after seeing your site i went ahead and got it,it was alot of help i thank you alot !! my wife does not !!! i will scan that punch card and send it to you and any others asap,it is full of punch holes and i'm dying to find someone who can read it,thanks

[nutsfor59]

hi to you and all others who are interested in the build sheet/IBM card i found in the frame rail,i have not forgot you,i cant find the darn instructions for my scanner / printer so you can all see this card !!,staples wont send/email anything out !!!,if anyone really wants i can gladly send copies out thru the mail ??? help reading decoding with this rare item will be much appreciated !!thanks !!

[Lifer]

hi to you and all others who are interested in the build sheet/IBM card i found in the frame rail,i have not forgot you,i cant find the darn instructions for my scanner / printer so you can all see this card !!,staples wont send/email anything out !!!,if anyone really wants i can gladly send copies out thru the mail ??? help reading decoding with this rare item will be much appreciated !!thanks !!

Send one to me, and I'll see what I can make out of it. My address is:
Charles Briggs
1437 Hartwell Hwy
Elberton, GA 30635

[repealThe17th]

if it's an 80 column card, then it's an ibm punch card and reads in hollerith code. get your scanner working as i can probably (hopefully) still read it. but if it's a 96 column punch card then it's a honeywell card and i can't help you.

btw, most human operated punch machines would type each letter at the top of the card as it was punched, so it was human readable. this was so the operator could 'easily' read them and try to reassemble the deck of punch cards in the right order after he dropped them all. (i've seen a deck of 1000's dropped, it wasn't pretty). so look hard at the top of the card, the letters may actually be there.

[Lifer]

I can still easily read the Hollerith code...even without the printed text at the top. In the AF, we were required to learn the 5-level Baudot code for teletype, the Hollerith code for IBM cards, and (later) the 8-level ASCII tape code for teletype. As far as the cards go, our card punch equipment did NOT print on the cards. We had a card interpreter which added the text if required.

[Joe]

if it's an 80 column card, then it's an ibm punch card and reads in hollerith code. get your scanner working as i can probably (hopefully) still read it. but if it's a 96 column punch card then it's a honeywell card and i can't help you.

The 96 column punch cards were also used by Burroughs. I was a field engineer for them and I worked on those card reader/punches in a past life! I can probably read the card by hand but the information is probably just a series of code letter/numbers and will be meaningless without the documentation as to what they meant. For example, in the 1960 and 70s, Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth all used two and three digit codes for the various options in their cars. These codes were printed on the "broadcast sheets" that were frequently left under the drivers and rear passenger's seats in many cars. The broadcast sheet was a large piece of paper that replaced the smaller punch cards and it contained the codes for all of the options that were included in that car, including it's serial number, exterior color, interior color and type of upholstery, engine and transmission type, radio type, axle and brake types, wheel and tire types and sizes, and optional equipment such as AC, PS, PW, etc. There was also a small metal tag on the left inside fender well that contained some but not all of the codes. I just happen to have had the factory Dealer's Manual for some of Chrysler's 1970 model cars and with it I was able to look up the codes and tell exactly what was on each car as it came from the factory. The problem with the M-37s is that you don't have anything similar to my Dealer's Manual. My point is that you may be able to read the codes from the card but without a book such as the dealer's manual you won't be able tell what they mean.

<soapbox on> This is a good example of why we need the registry to be filled out completely and accuarately for every M-37 out there. If we can get enough data then we can compare codes, production dates, contract numbers, etc to the features on the vehicles and begin to understand what the various codes mean, what was standard equipment for different time periods and what was included with the different contracts. I'm continually running across people that have access to M-37s that don't think it's worthwhile to fill out a registry form because the M-37 is only useful for scrap or for parts. But it is! To understand the history of the production of the M-37s we need as many entries as possible! <soapbox off>

[nutsfor59]

hi,i have tried to upload this card and it keeps saying file to large,soooooooo anyone who wishes send me your email via private message or what ever and i will send it to anyone interested in that way,really anxious to get opinions etc on this !!!

[m-37Bruce]

If Kevin Klause dosen't pipe in send it to me, I'll make sure he gets a copy of it?

[creinemann]

I posted Roberts Build Card on my site:
You can find it here http://m37.crwdesigns.com/Publications.html Towards the bottom of the page

[m-37Bruce]

Hey nutsfor59,
Where exactly did you find your Build Card? It looks a lot like mine,(FARGO) I'll try & post a link to it?
My card was folded in half twice & tucked in between the top of the fuel tank and the right top strap.