Air Force M37 Details

[w30bob]

My M37 was an Air Force truck. Just now I purchased a NOS taillight cover that is painted yellow and has a blue lens instead of red. The claim is this lens was specific to early Air Force M37s for use near runways. I also noticed when I was taking my seats out the other day that my seatbelt straps are black or dark blue, not green. And I also have a weird bracket attached to the windshield to hood bracket on the passenger side that I don't know its function.....so I don't know if that is Air Force specific or not, and there's a small metal loop clamp on the passenger side of the hood. So now I'm wondering what all the Air Force specific parts for a '52 M37??? Anybody know?



thanks,
bob

[neverfinished]

I'm currently restoring my 53 which was originally Air Force. Never heard of a blue lens-but if you drive on the street with it you will be pulled over. Blue lights are usually only allowed for police,etc. M-37's didn't come with seat belt, so whatever you find is an add-on. the windshield bracket should have a small rod about 6" long with 90 degree bends at each end. One end hooks into that hood bracket to prevent the hood from falling on you. I would recommend you get the M-37 cd from Military Media. It contains most of the manuals for the M and is full of good info-and it's only $20 or so.
Ted

[k8icu]

There was no Air Force specific contract as far as I have been able to tell. The trucks were shipped to them as US Army trucks. If you read the different posts on here you will see that early on the Trucks were OD with Army type markings, then OD with Air Force type markings, then they might have been painted strata blue then again maybe not. If the truck was used around flight lines and on Air bases then it could have been strata blue. If it was used by a "in the field" unit like Red Horses then they would have stayed OD. So when it comes to USAF trucks there isn't a diffiative all trucks were built this way under this USAF contract etc.

[w30bob]

Hi K8,

Not sure I'm following you. My M was build under contract #8615. The other M's in the registry made just before and just after mine were also built for the same contract (which was for 27 trucks) and they are also Air Force trucks. Makes me believe the entire contract was for Air Force vehicles, no?

I looked at my truck very carefully and the first coat of paint it ever got was definitely Air Force blue, not green. The frame was painted black. The second coat of paint the truck got as a sort of blue-green civilian color, definitely not an Army color. There are areas that were not painted the second time, such as in the glovebox and the back of the glovebox door, the underside of the hood, etc....and those areas are the original blue. And everywhere on the truck where the other layers of paint are chipped or peeling it's blue underneath. Much of the black repaint on the wheels has chipped off and they are blue underneath as well. And the original blue paint is not a flat paint, it has a shine to it. As soon as I figure out how to post pics in these posts I'll show you guys.

thanks,
bob

[w30bob]

Ted,

Thanks for the tip on the CD.....I just ordered it.

regards,
bob

[w30bob]

Talk about coincidences......in regards to the discussion we're having about my truck being originally painted blue.......I orderd a used PTO lever lock on eBay and it showed up today. But I didn't open the box until after my posts about my truck being painted blue originally. Wouldn't you know it......the lever lock was originally painted the same color blue and has some green overspray on it. So it came off a truck originally painted the same color as mine! I'd say we now have two data points indicating that some vehicles destined for Air Force duty were originally painted blue. )

regards,
bob

[neverfinished]

Bob, the paint history on mine matches yours-the first color on the body is blue,then OD,then FD yellow. The frame was black, then blue,etc. Also, no other color but blue in areas up under the dash,etc.
Ted

[Cal_Gary]

VPW sells those blue-lens runway lights....
Gary

[refit1701]

Some of the trucks were Army, then transfered to the AF, then transfered to the Army Reserve, and then finally to the FD. So you can have OD, SB, OD, Red and so on. My truck was Strata Blue first, then OD and then red, then some sort of wacky green.

It all had to come off anyway.

[k8icu]

We had a member on here who was in the Air Force for many year who said that the trucks came OD from the factory and then were painted blue. My truck is like that. OD green, then blue, then fire department red, then white, then brown. Maybe there was a contract for Strata Blue USAF trucks I don't know for sure. As for USAF Only parts there shouldn't be any parts that were put on the truck at the factory that were USAF only. Also things like canvas seats and top where OD green as shipped.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

Ted....now I understand that bracket to hold the hood from falling on you when it's up against the windshield. From your explanation and some pics I had I got it. Now I need to know what the "other" bracket is for. This one is thick steel and is attached to the passenger side windshield arm triange on the side of the cowl. It would be behind the jerry can if there was one. It attaches to the two bolts on the bottom of the triange and has a slot in it. I'd almost say it's for the gas can strap, but it's way too thick for just that. If someone can tell me how to post a pic in a topic I'll show you.

thanks,
bob

[Brett]

Bob,

It certainly sounds like your truck was born blue. My truck has a delivery date in Jan 52, and was under contract number 8615. But mine shows no signs of blue.

The bracket you describe sounds like the Jerry can strap bracket. It is pretty stout.

Posting pics is less troublesome if you have them online already in a pic gallery like webshots etc. I use the pic gallery on this site, but the process is the same for any gallery. I first put all my pics in my album in the G741 gallery. Then when I'm doing a post I open up my gallery in another window. Then when I'm ready for a pic I click the "Img" button above where you enter the text. Then this [img]-[/img] will show up with the curser in between the Img's. Then switch to your gallery window, and open the pic you want. Then right click on your pic. Then click on properties in the drop down menu that shows up. In the properties window the URL will be listed. Highlight the URL and copy it(Ctrl+C). Then switch back to your posting window and insert(Ctrl+V) it between the [img]andthe[/img]. It sounds complicated at first but its pretty easy once you do it a time or to. You can also press the preview button to check yourself first.

Brett

[neverfinished]

Doing some work this week and noticed a couple more details regarding this topic. The inside of the door window glass channels-the trough that the glass fits in-has blue paint. Also, cleaning on the fuel tank saw that on top of the tank, the area that was covered by the retaining straps is only primer color and the rest of the tank is blue. I think it's safe to say that this one was "born blue".
Ted

[w30bob]

Ted,

That's interesting about the fuel tank......means it was installed painted in primer and then painted blue when they painted the the chassis. I wasn't sure if the tank was painted blue or black, as my truck's tank was missing when I got it. Another good detail.......thanks!!

regards,
bob