Most Practical Modification Thread

[Monkey Man]

This thread is dedicated to the most practical and cool modifications for an M37, be it a simple mod like grease zerks on your lower knuckle bearing plates or a wild mod like cramming an ex- 1/4 mile fire breathing Donovan engine in your truck, it all belongs here......
Have fun with this thread and remember to post pictures if you can

MM

[w30bob]

Now MM....."Practical" and "Cool" are worlds apart.

Practical would be;

Turn Signals
Heater/Defroster
Electric Wipers
Dual Chamber Master Cylinder and/or Power Brakes
Power Steering
Keyed Ignition Switch
Keyed Door Locks
Undercoating
Spray-on Bed Liner
Etc, Etc,

Cool...........is WIDE OPEN!!!

This should be a fun thread. Good idea!!

regards,
bob

[52 M-42]

I like the mods you did to your truck, MM!

While certainly "COOL" and I think they are very practical (Oh, let me count the ways......)

They are certainly NOT simple.

52 M-42

[Monkey Man]

Ah - Cool, AND Practical, I didn't mean the modification had to be both at the same time, just put your cool mods and your practical mods here, or do you want me to split this into 2 threads??

MM

[Wayne64]

1, 4:89 gears
2. 24V one wire alternator
3. Electric fuel pump
4. All weather solid cab top

All practical to me

[DAP]

11.00 X 16 radials
1 piece solid windshield (with insulated hard top) and rear view mirror
4 wheel disc brakes
RH mirror (mounted like on M43 ambulance)
Bed mounted spare tire on LH side behind driver so does not block looking back to the right (especially if you have 11.00 X 16 tires)
Longer uprights on the bed bow kits so you can stand up staight without whacking your head on the center ridge

[jimmy_stikx]

So far,

Corvette style dual M/C for the brakes
35.5 bias ply Interco TSLs

[milstencil]

1. Two (really 3) 31p batteries
2. Military 60 amp alternator
3. 12v alternator for snow plow
4. spin on oil filter and base
5. Racor fuel filter
6. Military electric fuel pump
7. LED tail and front turn signal lights, LED blackout light
8. Strobe lights-red and yellow
9. Siren for parades
10. 4:89 gears - took them out hated them, made the truck a "pig"
and probably more once I get some time and sort thru
all the stuff I have bought over the years.
Rick

[kelley]

Battery box and floorboards were all rotted out. made a new box for 2-850 amp batteries and a kill switch.

[Carter]

Modification that allows me to install/remove a snow plow in minutes without altering the truck in any way and use the winch to raise & lower the blade.

[k8icu]

I don't consider Disk Brakes and 4.89 gears a practical mod. Cool mod yes practical no. The cost of the disk brake kit, plus the hassle of getting the hubs modified does not led its self to being practical. Expensive and cool definitely.

Though my truck is far from being completed here are the cool mods I've done to mine.

Dodge M880 Dana 44F front and Dana 60 Rear axles with disk brakes front and rear disk kit in back. 4.10 gears standard and gotten for the cost of the stock axle disk brake kit less hub modification.

Chevy M1008 CUCV 6.2 diesel with 6.5 Turbocharger installed. And for a fraction of the cost of a Cummins 4BT.

[RMS]

hard to believe lock out hubs have not been mentioned they are probably the cheapest and easiest practical mod that can be done to improve the drive ability of the mighty m37.

bumped up compression via milling of the head did wonders for power and economy

non 40+ year old tires are also very practical

[Sal]

I would say that all the mod's I made were practical ones...

1- LED Headlights
2-Free Wheeling Front Axle Flanges
3- Electric Wipers
4- Replaced Incandescent bulbs in Stop light and Directional's with LED's
5- Electric fuel pump with 100 Micron filter before the pump and a 10 micron filter before the carb.
6- Gamma-Goat style tail light lens
7- Digital volt meter
8- Mechanical oil gauge
9- Replaced point and condenser with Petronix unit in the Distributor
10- Installed a tap before the PCV valve so I can use a vacuum gauge.
11- A conical shaped high-flow air filter... Taken from my son's Camaro...heheeh
12- 24 to 12 volt step down converter. If I want to run a radio or CB.
13- Passengers side mirror.
14- In cab rear view mirror.
15- Dome Light.

Sal

[ZGjethro]

I would say that all the mod's I made were practical ones...

1- LED Headlights
2-Free Wheeling Front Axle Flanges
3- Electric Wipers
4- Replaced Incandescent bulbs in Stop light and Directional's with LED's
5- Electric fuel pump with 100 Micron filter before the pump and a 10 micron filter before the carb.
6- Gamma-Goat style tail light lens
7- Digital volt meter
8- Mechanical oil gauge
9- Replaced point and condenser with Petronix unit in the Distributor
10- Installed a tap before the PCV valve so I can use a vacuum gauge.
11- A conical shaped high-flow air filter... Taken from my son's Camaro...heheeh
12- 24 to 12 volt step down converter. If I want to run a radio or CB.
Sal

I did 2,5(not sure of filter sizes), 6,9, and 11.

What wipers are you using? I need some as I ditched the vacuum ones, but I am tall and I look through the very top of the window.

What was your source for LED headlights? I have LED work lights to supplement the yellow dingy headlights

[Sal]

I bought the wiper from AB Linn. And the headlights I got off of Ebay, There the Truck-lite Military ones.

Sal