What Did An M37 Cost New?

[BILL L]

Characteristics Data Response for NSN 2320-00-835-8323
Item Name: TRUCK,CARGO
Cost-$4487.00
MRC Requirement Statement Clear Text Reply
NAME ITEM NAME TRUCK,CARGO
AAFZ BODY MATERIAL STEEL AND WOOD
AAXZ CYLINDER QUANTITY 6
AEXR BATTERY QUANTITY 2
AGDH WHEEL QUANTITY 4
AGDJ DRIVE WHEEL QUANTITY 4
AGEA ENGINE/MOTOR MANUFACTURER 18113 T245
CODE AND MODEL NUMBER
AKDJ PRIME MOVER TYPE GASOLINE ENGINE
ALKK ENGINE BRAKE HORSEPOWER 94.0
ALKL ENGINE HORSEPOWER RATING 3400.0
SPEED IN RPM
ANLJ BATTERY VOLTAGE RATING IN 12.0
VOLTS
ATWQ REVERSE SPEED QUANTITY 1
AXJD TRANSMISSION TYPE MANUAL
AXJH FORWARD SPEED QUANTITY 4
AYTC HINGE LOCATION BOTTOM
AYXK MAXIMUM LOAD RATING 7500.0 POUNDS
BSWH STAKE TYPE LATTICE PANEL
BTLY SEATING CAPACITY 2
CBBL FEATURES PROVIDED TAILGATE AND TARPAULIN AND TOP
BOWS AND TOWING PINTLE HOOK AND
UNDERWATER FORDING SYSTEM
CHZB GYPSY HEAD NOT INCLUDED
CNTJ RATED LOAD CAPACITY 0.75 TONS
CNTK DRIVE AXLE LOCATION FRONT AND REAR
CNTL AXLE DRIVE TYPE CONVENTIONAL
CNTM AXLE SPEED QUANTITY 1
CNTP FRONT AXLE ENGAGING MANUAL
MECHANISM TYPE
CNTQ REAR WHEEL MOUNTING TYPE SINGLE
CNTR NOMINAL WHEELBASE 112.00 INCHES
CNTS FRONT WHEEL TREAD NOMINAL 62.00 INCHES
WIDTH
CNTT REAR WHEEL TREAD NOMINAL 62.00 INCHES
WIDTH
CNTY TRANSMISSION ADJUNCT TYPE TRANSFER
CNTZ TRANSMISSION ADJUNCT SPEED 2
QUANTITY
CNWB WINCH LOCATION FRONT
CNWC WINCH TYPE SINGLE DRUM
CNYS CAB TYPE CONVENTIONAL
CNYT CAB ROOF TYPE OPEN
CNYW BRAKE ACTUATION METHOD HYDRAULIC
CNZD TAILGATE OPERATION METHOD MANUAL
CNZP CARGO AREA NOMINAL LENGTH 78.00 INCHES
CNZQ CARGO AREA NOMINAL WIDTH 64.00 INCHES
CNZR CARGO AREA NOMINAL HEIGHT 54.00 INCHES
CPJX CHASSIS MANUFACTURER CODE 19207 M53
AND MODEL NUMBER
CPKC VEHICLE CURB WEIGHT 5980.0 POUNDS
CPKD VEHICLE MAXIMUM GROSS 7800.00 POUNDS
WEIGHT
CPLG CAB DOOR QUANTITY 2

[w30bob]

Wow....when you guys answer a question.....you really answer a question!

Great info Bill! Don't know where you got it from....but it's very interesting.

thanks,
bob

[powerwagontim]

I have never heard of a transfer case called an adjunct transmission!
Cool!
Tim

[m37jarhead]

$4,500.00 give or take in the 1950's seems pricey to me when you consider you could buy a civilian automobile for well
under $1500.00. I remember my Dad trying to buy a 1957 Chevrolet for $1957.00. AND, it came with a heater.
JB

[k8icu]

$4,500.00 give or take in the 1950's seems pricey to me when you consider you could buy a civilian automobile for well
under $1500.00. I remember my Dad trying to buy a 1957 Chevrolet for $1957.00. AND, it came with a heater.
JB

You don't understand government spending... These are the same guys that pay $400.00 for a hammer and $15,000 for a toilet seat. That price makes sense to me because it was a military vehicle and not a civilian car. It was a 4X4 built to their specifications with special equipement. All the electrical was special to the truck. Motor even though was a civy motor, it had military items (Air cleaner, oil filter, etc.) that add up the price. Even the canvas tops and seats made the price go up. Plus there was special tooling involved in making the M37 since most of the body parts do not interchange between the M37 and the Power Wagon. You add all that up and you have a more expensive vehicle than the average civilian vehicle.

Joe

[ChrisC]

Bear in mind that the AMDF price includes all the BII that came with the truck when it was issued as well, plus it includes the surcharge, so that is not what the military paid to Dodge, it is what they "sold" it to a unit for. I am also not 100% sure when thet AMDF price was set, the records do not go back that far. But that $4500 minus 20% is as good as I can give based on the data I can locate. I agree with Joe, it does not seem unreasonable.

[nc_reb]

I had some of my students stripping the paint from the door of my '51 M37 and we found this stencil...too bad the price was already gone! I told them to go slow, if you have kids you know how that goes. I have 60 kids a day in my shop. I can't stand over the shoulder of each student while they are working. I wish I had caught this faster.