Chrysler M37 Engineering Photos

[Elwood]

When I received my factory build card (http://www.g741.org/PHPBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6071), someone at the Chrysler Historical archives generously thought to include a few photocopies of M37 photos from the Chrysler engineering collection. As reference material, or just for general interest, perhaps these will be of use. Here's the first one:



I wonder if "M37 CARGO CARRIER SIMPLIFICATION" in the original photo caption meant that the instrument cluster was a delete option?

Anyone else have some of these M37 Chrysler factory photos?

[W_A_Watson_II]

Other than the Light switch missing and the gauge cluster not installed, I don't see anything else missing.

[w30bob]

Hmmmm..........strange how the seats are covered in vinly and not canvas........and that the passenger door is installed but the driver's door is not.
Neat photo......keep them coming!!

regards,
bob

[w30bob]

Oh........and there's no hole in the dash between the throttle and choke pulls for the fording control pull.



bob

[lewisgrace]

What is the material on the seats? am I wrong in thinking that only canvas was used as seat covers on the M37.

[Elwood]

Okay, here's photo T-17955, of a new M37. I think this photo was taken at Warren Truck Assembly, looking north. The main truck plant would be to the left and behind the M37, the high-tension powerlines on the right would be next to the Michigan Central Railroad tracks. Eight Mile Road would be behind the photographer.

Unfortunately, this photo is undated, but it must have been taken sometime between 1951 and when production of the M37 ended in mid-1954. If Chrysler was using sequential negative numbers, then this photo T-17955 would be later than the first photo above, T-5752, which was taken in November 1951.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

The windshield locking latches are also missing.

As for the vinyl seat covers......the covers in the pic are definitely not canvas....they have a grain pattern and are shiny.
I've always had a sneaky suspicion that Air Force trucks were delivered with black vinyl seat covers, but haven't been able to prove it yet.

Very interesting photo!

regards,
bob

[w30bob]

The second pic is of an early truck.......it has the bead lock clips on the rims.

bob

[Elwood]

Keen eye there, Bob. I missed the bead lock clips on the M37.

That photo is taken in almost exactly the same spot as the M37 factory photo on page 9 of John Zentmyer's TM 9-1840C M37/M37B1 The Production Story 1949 - 1968, but the trucks are not the same, or at least they don't have the same registration number on the hood (USA 2406201). Unfortunately, the reproduction quality of the photo in Zentmyer's book is not good enough to see if that truck has bead clips, or to make out the Chrysler negative number in the lower right corner.

[Elwood]

Here's a V41 Telephone Maintenance Truck on the long wheelbase G741 chassis, also new at Warren Truck Assembly, negative No. T-17958. Note that what is likely to be the M37 from photo T-17955 in the left background. A photo of this same V41, but taken from the left front, appears on page 12 of Zentmyer's book.

This V41 also has the bead lock clips.

[Elwood]

And here's an M43B1 ambulance. Not sure of the location.

[w30bob]

Interesting that the M37 and the V41 say "U.S.A. ####" and the later M43 says "U.S. Army #####" on the hood. I thought they all had the word ARMY on the hood.

Great pics.

thanks,
bob

[Elwood]

And the last one. Although the hand written caption suggests "1953 Era", the M37 looks like it has a fuel filter mounted in front of the voltage regulator on the firewall, which would make it an early truck.

The flowers in the back of the stake bed B-series are a nice touch, but why didn't the M37 get prettied up too?

[Jim Branson]

Hey Bob, I think the B1's had ARMY on the hoods, Rick at milstencils would know.

Back in '07 when I put the M201 together I bought photos from Chrysler of it and the other variants. I would share them but wouldn't know how to put them on here, not sure if you can still buy them.

Jim

[w30bob]

Hi Jim,

I've been collecting pics of M37s, M38s, and M35s, with original paint (and markings), especially those used during the Korean War, to get a handle on what's "right" or "correct" for hood, bumper, and tailgate markings for that timeframe. I've also read the regs used at the time regarding how to mark Army vehicles.....and I gotta say.....not much of it makes much sense. I've got pics from during the Korean War that show M37s with hood markings "U.S. ARMY" as well as "US ARMY", and now Chrysler factory photos that just say "U.S.A.". Also, placement of the hood markings varies all over the place from everything on a single line to two lines, with different size letters, some placed on the side of the hood in front of where the hood would lay when folded down, others extending into that area.....it's totally hap-hazard considering there were specific rules for such. Also, on the bumper markings the regs say stencils could be used but the letters/numbers had to be solid....meaning after stenciling the unpainted parts of the letters/numbers that held the stencil together had to be gone over and filled in. But in the pics I have most are not.....but a few follow the rule. Again, there seems to be a wide variation in this area as well.

Since I don't have any "real world" pics showing just the "U.S.A" as in the Chrysler factory photo I tend to believe that was just a staged pic.......meaning the lone "U.S.A." on the hood was thrown on there for just for the photo op. But I'll keep looking and collecting pics.......this is interesting. Sort of.

The good news it seems is that when you get to the point in your restoration when it's time to put on the hood markings.......you really can't do it wrong unless you use the wrong font or make the letters too big or too small. Nothing like a little artistic freedom I guess.

regards,
bob