troop seat finish color

[Gerry]

From what I have researched the troop seats in the bed were unpainted from factory. Does anyone know if the had a clear coating on them and if it was flat, semi-gloss etc...
Thanks,

[w30bob]

Hi Gerry,

I always assumed the boards were painted on the assembly line with the rest of the truck. What info did you find that said the boards were unpainted when it left the factory? Not doubting you in any way....just curious.

Thanks,
Bob

[Carter]

During the time I served M37s were in active army use and all troop seat wood was not unpainted but was the same color as the rest of the vehicle, where did you discover that the wood was left natural from the factory?

[Gerry]

Pretty sure here or other site. Left factory painted then got painted by military.

[Cal_Gary]

I checked my Army Motors 125 and my other reference materials but found nothing regarding the troop seat finish.
Sorry,
Gary

[Gerry]

Thanks Gary

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

Reason I thought the wood was painted on the assembly line was because of this pic (see below). Granted it's in black and white, but I believe that if the wood was unpainted it would appear lighter in color in this photo.

regards,
bob

[Carter]

It sure does appear to be painted Bob, does not seem logical for the Govt. to contract with Dodge to have the troops in the field to some of the work that would have been faster and easier done by the factory and the wood could not absorb moisture and warp before the GIs got their hands on buckets and brushes. At one time I had issue replacement seat bottom boards that were painted and banded together.

[Chris P]

This is off-topic, but it is interesting to see in the picture how they are attaching the cab and the bed to the frame as if they are one unit.

[w30bob]

Yeah, it's an interesting "assembly line" for sure. Looks like the guy is walking the body and cab backwards over the chassis, instead of having the chassis move down under the body/cab, or what we'd think of as a traditional assembly line.

Also interesting is the way the chassis is mounted to the floor........look in between the front wheels of the truck closest to you in the pic......looks like the chassis slides on a rail system perpendicular to the direction the body/cab slides. Too bad we can't find more pics of M's being assembled.

regards,
bob

[Gerry]

Bob,
Thanks for the picture. Looks like green is the way to go. Good thing is it will save me some money since 3/4 of my boards are good but was going to replace to make clear wood.

[Elwood]

Yeah, it's an interesting "assembly line" for sure. Looks like the guy is walking the body and cab backwards over the chassis, instead of having the chassis move down under the body/cab, or what we'd think of as a traditional assembly line.

Also interesting is the way the chassis is mounted to the floor........look in between the front wheels of the truck closest to you in the pic......looks like the chassis slides on a rail system perpendicular to the direction the body/cab slides. Too bad we can't find more pics of M's being assembled.

regards,
bob

There is a photo of the end of the G-741 final assembly line on page 71 of Bunn and Brownell's Dodge Pickups: History and Restoration Guide 1918 - 1971. It's in the same type of building - single story, steel construction, not an older, multi-story reinforced concrete factory - and it clearly shows that G-741 assembly was mixed on the same line as the Dodge Route Van.

Unlike the photo above, however, the trucks are arranged in a more typical assembly line fashion, end to end, instead of the unusual side by side as above.

Unfortunately, the first G-741 in line is a V-41 telephone maintenance truck, so there are no troop seat boards. The next two M37s in line aren't very visible, but I can't see any light colored (i.e. unpainted) boards in the cargo box areas of either one.

[Gerry]

Thanks Elwood, the more input the better.