Been over ten years since I last posted

[JimC]

So I thought I'd check in.
I've got a 53 M37 that my brother gave me in 1962, and a 54 XM708 that I aquired in the late 60s or early 70s.

Both desparately need a total restoration. I think maybe it is about time to bring them back to life and give them to my grandkids.

[Cal_Gary]

Been way too long Jim-glad to have you back!
Gary

[T. Highway]

Glad your back Jim, we are looking forward to seeing updates from you.

Regards,
Bert

[ODAddict]

Yup, now's the time, Jim. Let us know how we can help!

[JimC]

Well, is there still a source for the 5.83 ring and pinion?
I should have bought several when they were more readily available. Need one for the XM708.

[just me]

Stock ratio is plentiful. Just find someone who axle swapped their resto mod. Often they will give you the axles. Only work you need to do is swap center sections. (I've got several sets here for spares as needed. Less than $400 in them and 2 were fully restored, including brakes, and then not used.)
MWM and VPW sell the gears and parts. VPW has highway ratio gears also

[JimC]

I moved the XM-708 to a contractor friend's construction yard so I'll have access to his repair shop.
The 708 is in much better shape than I expected, though I need a new passenger door and passenger running board. I need to go look at my parts trucks to see if I have spares. The door is rebuildable if I don't, but I may need to pull a mold off the passenger running board on my M37 and lay a new replacement up in fiberglass.

Anybody got a decent passenger side running board?

[JimC]

Digging through my parts pile, I found everything needed to switch the bumper on the 708 from one-piece to LU-4 winch.
Color me lucky.

[Cal_Gary]

Lucky indeed-the bumperettes were a decade-long search when I finally found a pair from geraldoM37 way back in the day.
Congratulations!
Gary

[Cal_Gary]

Lucky indeed-the bumperettes were a decade-long search when I finally found a pair from geraldoM37 way back in the day.
Congratulations!
Gary

[JimC]

I picked up a new 5.83 ring and pinion for the rear pumpkin yesterday.
Now looking for an equivalent to the old Detroit Automotive KS-22 locker to install with it.

[JimC]

Got these off the back porch and lugged them around to the front porch (about all I can go between stops). Need a bit of soap & water and a dab of paint, and they will be good to go.
I really dread reassembling the LU-4.

Screenshot_20250614-185256_Gallery.jpg (198.8 KiB) Viewed 23 times

[JimC]

I think I'm gonna convert this front bumper to another set of bumperettes.
Got a NOS tailgate for the 37 in the parts pile. Need to mount it.
I'm going to have to scratch build a tailgate for the 708.
I got the 37 in 1962; the 708 in 1972.

[PoW]

I've sen a lot worse come back to life. You have a rare one with that 708!

PoW

[JimC]

There are fourteen of them left, I think.
I'm not looking forward to duplicating the factory tailgate.