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My current 20+ year project is to do a 1954 and since it was ex Marine I chose that color but before that I was thinking doing it as a Sea Bee. If I had been able to find a full size (20" or more) vynal stick on of the full color of the SB logo I would have been sorely tempted as I think the detail of the "Bee" with the wrench, hammer, etc in its legs with the yellow rope around it looks really neat. Unfortunately all I could find was a black shadow vynal (looks sort of dull) or an overly fancy color stick on in metalic colors (not something the military would have used). Then my oldest son snapped me back to reality when he said, "Dad it is just battle ship grey - boring". Then my wife got my attention when she said, "you always tell me to pick tile, carpet, paint, etc colors that don't show the dirt. Won't grey show the dirt?" Which now means ignorant people will continue to refer to my OD M37 as a Jeep - sigh ..............

All that to say, if you want something different colorwise then just don't think SB or OD, think Sea Bee?

Now I am wondering what other "odd" paint schemes are out there for military trucks? I have seen some checkboard "follow me" jeeps but never an M37. Red is not an option since many M37's were surplused to Fire Department. Anybody have sightings or pictures of "odd" paint color schemes? Please educate us all!

DAP

Yeah I used to get the "I like your big jeep" comments when I had my WC51. I take it as hey, at least they thought enough of your work to say something positive.

Not sure about "odd paint schemes" for the M37 but on the M151 forums that I post on, there was a thread about odd colored mutts in service. There were quite a few images of mutts in shades other than OD. Remember that flight line vehicles were often brightly colored (and color coded?) for visability reasons.
Matt

Yup, flight line trucks can be odd colored...Mine was SB to start. Then a really bright orange. (I've seen a few trucks that are a odd yellow too) Then I think it was transfered to army and given a coat of OD. Then touched up over the years in various shades of spray-can OD.

It's funny, when I looked at my truck to buy it I never saw the orange. Even though it was peeking out all over...Just SB and OD. I guess love is blind...

You can put on OD with a wet cat and it still looks ok, SB requires attention to detail.

The last time I put paint on with a wet cat and he didn't look so good when I was done. What kind of cat do you use?

m15256 wrote:You can put on OD with a wet cat and it still looks ok, SB requires attention to detail.

The last time I put paint on with a wet cat and he didn't look so good when I was done. What kind of cat do you use?

I like that "Wet Cat" application, might try it some day!

m15256 wrote:You can put on OD with a wet cat and it still looks ok, SB requires attention to detail.

The last time I put paint on with a wet cat and he didn't look so good when I was done. What kind of cat do you use?

Depends on the paint. With latex, I'd use a short hair but with oils you'll want to use a persian......

Matt

My first color option would be Strata Blue with yellow USAF markings.

My second choice would be white with the Air America logo on the doors.

Lifer wrote:
My second choice would be white with the Air America logo on the doors.

That would compliment the "Air America" challenge coin I have around here somewhere .

Matt

Captnsim wrote:Yup, flight line trucks can be odd colored...Mine was SB to start. Then a really bright orange. (I've seen a few trucks that are a odd yellow too) Then I think it was transfered to army and given a coat of OD. Then touched up over the years in various shades of spray-can OD.

It's funny, when I looked at my truck to buy it I never saw the orange. Even though it was peeking out all over...Just SB and OD. I guess love is blind...

Captnsim
My truck's current finish (exterior) is a combo of fire engine red and rust with silver accents (headlight and grill guards). The frame, axles and rims are black. The interior (cab) is orange with an old forrest service sticker on the dash. Underneith the orange paint, is OD (looks like AJP's "late WW II SG" shade) which is also the color under the hood & engine compartment. That shade of OD was what I was originally planing to go with.
With the SB, I've always liked that color and thought it would be cool to own an MV that wasn't OD,tan or camo. On the down side, someone might mistake my M37 for a civilian power wagon.
Matt

If they call it a Power Wagon there doing better then most.
I've heard my truck called a jeep so many times I'm almost convinced it is one.

Captnsim wrote:If they call it a Power Wagon there doing better then most.
I've heard my truck called a jeep so many times I'm almost convinced it is one.

Captnsim
Look at it this way, at least they think enough of your truck to say something positive (even if they don't know what it is) about it. I used to get "I like your big jeep" all the time from the general public when I had my WC51 (how I miss her). My reply was usually a "thanks, but it's a Dodge" I'd rather have that, then the following.....

I knew a fellow out in Washington state that used to get routinly flipped off by people when he was in his command car. They thought he was active duty!

Matt