serial numbers...

[EDM43]

Hi all...new member,with a question.
last year i picked up an M43cdn in winnipeg . had lots of fun getting it home. havn't worked on it much,because canadian prairie winter.-40*f isnt a fun time... she needs work...new brake lines await warm weather. wiring harness to follow.
iv'e spent some time trying to dig into the trucks history to almost no avail...the previous owners collected the truck from another owner they new personally,who passed away about 5 years ago.all they could tell me was that the truck had spent most of its life on the air base in winnipeg,before it was surplussed out in the late 70's or early 80's.base has since closed years ago.

i'd like to know if there's any other location on the vehicle (frame rail, cross member etc) where there may be a serial number to match the one on the data plate. i'm wanting to know if the data plate i have is a match to the truck...it looks original,but you never know.also the build date.

SER 91402496 (seems legit)
CD# 521275 ( can't find any data on this contract number at all)
delivery date 6-25-53 (wierd...see below)
the stenciled number on the trucks body is 53-68910...
i have since found some info,that only 2 m43cdn ambulances rolled off the Chrysler line in Windsor ONT in 1953...but we all know build dates and delivery dates are two different things.

my only other clue,so far is the paint...the outside has been slobbered over by several coats of whatever drab the series of previous owners could find...but the cab interior appears original.i could swear its a shade of gloss Insignia Blue...makes sense being a pre-unification RCAF truck.any help appreciated!

[RCrombie]

Hi, and welcome!

Its a little tricky finding any history on Canadian trucks of this vintage... from what I understand, the government dumped the records of all the vehicles from say.. pre1960. So that pretty much leaves it up to whatever you can find on the truck in the form of markings under the paint, and debris under the seats etc. (I found a few work order tags, a shoulder patch.. nothing terribly helpful in my case)
Data tags on the glove compartment aren't terribly reliable either. I have a M37CDN with data plate from an M43. You can confirm the serial number by checking on the driver's side frame rail, stamped on the outside just under the rear of the cab.
The number stenciled onto the truck also reflects the year that the truck was taken on strength, and not necessarily the year it was built. Ie. it could easily be a 1952 with a 53 registry. This number should match what is stamped into the top of the front driver's frame horn, just behind the bumper.
Do you have any pictures of the truck?? We love pictures!

Cheers,

Rob

[RCrombie]

Also, you may have seen this already, but this is another example of a truck similar to yours. In this case, it was a M43CDN loaned us the USAF in BC.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showt ... hp?t=20307

[EDM43]

thanks!...i'll go hunting for those numbers when it warms up a bit...-25*c today.last cold snap of the winter i hope...
as for pics,not sure if i can upload one right now,as i only have 1 post...also the files are to large. theres a patch on the front of the hood...says FGH on it. Fort Garry Horse perhaps?

it looks like any other m43...lol. got it running,and it starts better than any truck this old has a right to...almost no rust. just spots here and there in the usual m37/43 places.

currently working on refinishing the wheels. the tires it had were shot. got some used mich' xl's in storage,and some tubes , and a box of new brake parts on the living room floor...i have to pass an out of province inspection to get it plated.which will be fun...

[EDM43]

nothing visible...dosnt mean they are not there,as i'm going to have to dig through layers of paint and grime...and i 'm not sure if the m43 frame re-enforcement covers anything up. i'll get to it soon.

on a plus note...made contact with another local m37 owner! he has some minty mich xl's,that i'm purchasing monday or tuesday,with the wheels...so i'm now set for tires and rims. apparently he's got an m37 that was resto-modded by a previous owner and hes changing the tire size (going to 40's),and will be dropping the stock rims and 9.00-16's ...perhaps more bits in the future.

[RCrombie]

You’re probably right about the FGH being Fort Garry horse, at least it fits the story.

For the frame number... It should be there, but sometimes the stampings aren’t easily seen. I’ll see about getting you a picture of the location of mine so you know where to look.
The Michelin’s are nice tires. I have a set of the XML on my truck,but have not yet put any miles on them. Hope to do so soon though!

[EDM43]

just a little update...
took the headlight buckets off yesterday. interesting to find a production date on the lamps...April 21 - 1953
this dosnt mean that these are original lamps,or that this is the vehicle assembly date, but these things look suspiciously original.real close,and prior to, the delivery date of 6-25-53.
they were really hard to get apart.the right side behaved like it had never been apart...the drivers side may have been apart in the last 30 years...lol , but both lamps had the same production dates.
wierd...

sadly,the shoulder bolts that hold the buckets to the fender had been made one by years of corrosion.was only able to salvage 3 of 8.the rest snapped with a hint of torque. oh well...something else to buy.

[Argie1978]

I will recommend you to create an entry about your restoration in the Builder's blog section.
Makes sense if you want to keep us posted about the process and trigger questions that probably don't deserve their own thread.

Sebastian