4 Door Concept

[spookymyo]

Hello fellas!

I'm brand new to the forums and I'm looking forward to benefiting from the collective knowledge and experience of all you ol' pros.

I've been wanting an M-37 for many years. I already have a M-151A2 and a Harley Davidson WLA with the sidecar.

Well I just added 2 M-37's to the collection, I'm not sure what year they are. My dad told me that his friend had 2 of them in his barn in Tennessee. They've been in there for years and they're pretty beat up. The engines don't run and the transmission in one is locked up and missing from the other. There's a lot of rust and dents. The tires are dry rotted too. He used them on his farm for a long time. I got them both for $700!!! Between the two of them there will probably be enough parts to get 1 looking ok. I haven't seen them in person yet because I'm in New Mexico but when I heard he wanted $700 for both I didn't need to see them I just told my dad to grab them for me.

I have modified both of my other military vehicles pretty heavily. I have kept the outside looking pretty stock but the guts are all modernized. My first M-151A2 was a daily driver and off roader but it got stolen. I wanted to do something similar with an M-37 if I ever got one. I've even kind of "photo shopped" what I'm looking to do. I am by NO means a wiz with photo editing and the only programs I used were power point and paint. Here's what I came up with, it's a 4 door concept:

The original photo is not mine, i just found it online and used it to edit it. I made these pictures before i ever got an M-37.

This is the drivers side. I'm planning on using some of the framing and doors from the other truck to make the better of the 2 into a 4 door variant. I'm thinking on calling it an M-37A4. I'm going to take off the spare tire carrier and put on another Jerry can holder. I'm also planning on changing out the axles with portal axles and disc brakes. I'll be putting on 39" tires. I'm going to beef up all the suspension parts with modern equipment. I'll have to move the rear axle back and relocate the wheel well too. The fuel tube will have to be moved also. I'm going to put a fording exhaust off of a humvee that I just have lying around. You'll notice a little door under the Jerry can; that's going to be a door to access a slave receptacle for jump starting. I'm going to make a selector switch for 6, 12, & 24 volts. I'll also be putting on a safari style roof rack that will still allow for the custom soft top to be removed. I'll maybe add some accessory straps over the rear fender.


This is the passenger side. I'll be adding the fording air intake on this side. On the rear I'll put a fire extinguisher. I'll be adding a hi lift jack over the rear fender. The door near the extinguisher is an access door to plug in an air hose to be able to use the onboard air tank I'll mount up underneath the frame some where. I'll be attaching dual 10,000 lb winches, front and rear. I'm thinking on a CTIS but I'm not sure if that's possible with portal axles. I'll extend the running boards all the way back an armor them up to act as my rock rails too. I'm thinking about putting a V-8 turbo diesel in it but I've not made up my mind yet. Probably go with an atlas 2 transfer case. Of course I'll have to have fully locking and selectable diffs. I'll be changeing all the lights out with HID lights and i'll install 360 degree perimeter lighting.I'll probably add a CB as well.


Well that's it for now. There's a lot of other stuff i plan on doing but i'll get to that later.

There will be A LOT of testing and trial and error I'm sure. There will probably be some things I want to do that may not be possible or practical. But I'm gonna give it a go. It's going to take me a while I'm sure and probably more money than I realize.

I would LOVE any ideas, input, advice, and any criticism you guys might have.

Thanks in advance for any help I might receive.

[SOTVEN]

WELCOME TO THE SITE FRIEND. I TOO ENTERTAINED THE FOUR DOOR IDEA ONCE, BUT I AM THROUGH IT NOW. IT HAS BEEN DONE HOWEVER. THERE IS A SUCH TRUCK IN OUR GALLERY, AND THIS SPECIFIC TRUCK WAS SOLD LAST YEAR ON EBAY. FROM THE PICTURES I HAD SEEN, I WOULD SAY THAT IT WAS TASTEFULLY DONE. CAN YOU DO IT? SURE, BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE MONEY AND TIME YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD FIND AN M43 CHASSIS TO START YOUR PROJECT WITH. ITS 14 INCHES LONGER WITHIN THE WHEELBASE. CTIS IS AVAILABLE WITH PORTAL AXLES. UNIMOG HAS IT. IT ALSO HAS DUAL CALIPER DISK BRAKES ON THOSE PORTALS. THE RECEPTICLE THAT YOU HAVE INCLUDED FOR JUMP CABLES, THE M37 HAS IT ALREADY A LITTLE LOWER THAN WHERE YOU HAVE IT. IT IS THE STANDARD MIL SPEC SLAVE RECEPTICLE THAT THEY HAD. IF YOU END UP GOING THE PATH YOU HAVE IN MIND, DO NOT FORGET WE LIKE PICTURES. GOOD LUCK.

[Cal_Gary]

Welcome aboard Spookymyo! 2 for $700 is a certain bargain-nice find! Your concept truck brought m376x6's truck to mind with it's twin rear axles-you'd definitely have the only one in your neighborhood.

I'd love to find an M151a2 as I drove one for 16 months at Ft Ord in ''77-'78....
Again, welcome!
Gary

[Tom @ Snake River]

Friends not let friends use Handy-man jacks.



How about a suicide door.

[spookymyo]

Welcome aboard Spookymyo! 2 for $700 is a certain bargain-nice find! Your concept truck brought m376x6's truck to mind with it's twin rear axles-you'd definitely have the only one in your neighborhood.

I'd love to find an M151a2 as I drove one for 16 months at Ft Ord in ''77-'78....
Again, welcome!
Gary

Here's a really nice M151A2 with a bunch of extras and the M-416 trailer for $18,000.

You should be able to talk him down though.

If i didn't already have one I would snag this one.

It's about the 5th entry down, the site is where i found the picture i used to photo shop my 4 door concept:
http://www.armyjeeps.net/vehicle1.htm

[spookymyo]

WELCOME TO THE SITE FRIEND. I TOO ENTERTAINED THE FOUR DOOR IDEA ONCE, BUT I AM THROUGH IT NOW. IT HAS BEEN DONE HOWEVER. THERE IS A SUCH TRUCK IN OUR GALLERY, AND THIS SPECIFIC TRUCK WAS SOLD LAST YEAR ON EBAY. FROM THE PICTURES I HAD SEEN, I WOULD SAY THAT IT WAS TASTEFULLY DONE. CAN YOU DO IT? SURE, BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE MONEY AND TIME YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD FIND AN M43 CHASSIS TO START YOUR PROJECT WITH. ITS 14 INCHES LONGER WITHIN THE WHEELBASE. CTIS IS AVAILABLE WITH PORTAL AXLES. UNIMOG HAS IT. IT ALSO HAS DUAL CALIPER DISK BRAKES ON THOSE PORTALS. THE RECEPTICLE THAT YOU HAVE INCLUDED FOR JUMP CABLES, THE M37 HAS IT ALREADY A LITTLE LOWER THAN WHERE YOU HAVE IT. IT IS THE STANDARD MIL SPEC SLAVE RECEPTICLE THAT THEY HAD. IF YOU END UP GOING THE PATH YOU HAVE IN MIND, DO NOT FORGET WE LIKE PICTURES. GOOD LUCK.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I new i couldn't have been the only one with this idea. I found the picture you were talking about, it looks pretty cool. Is there any way to get in touch with the guy who did it so i can get some pointers?

About the Mog, i thought they came with drum brakes? Kinda like Pinzgauer and Volvo C-303's.

I will definitely post pictures once i get them and start working on them.

[SOTVEN]

I HAVE NO IDEA WHO OWNED THE 4 DOOR M37. I REMEMBER THAT IT HAD AN INLINE 6 ISUZU DIESEL IN IT, AND THE LAST TIME I SAW IT, THE AUCTION WAS AT ABOUT $9,500. I HAVE NOT SEEN A UNIMOG WITH DRUM BRAKES. MAYBE BOTH STYLES ARE AVAILABLE?

[k8icu]

That's a neat concept you got there. The hardest part will be joing the two cabs together and getting the mounting points for them on the frame. Then the next hardest will be shortening the bed. Not impossible if you have the fabricating skills. The top will have to be custom made also. What motor would you have in there? With such a concept I would look at puting a 4BT diesel or a V8 gas motor in. Also think about an axle swap (which is a real PITA) but would give you more driveablilty. Good luck with your project.

[spookymyo]

That's a neat concept you got there. The hardest part will be joing the two cabs together and getting the mounting points for them on the frame. Then the next hardest will be shortening the bed. Not impossible if you have the fabricating skills. The top will have to be custom made also. What motor would you have in there? With such a concept I would look at puting a 4BT diesel or a V8 gas motor in. Also think about an axle swap (which is a real PITA) but would give you more driveablilty. Good luck with your project.

I'm already looking into getting a custom soft top...i think i'm going to just make a hard top for it. The cost of a custom soft top is WAY to hi, anywhere from $900 - $2400!!!

I'm still not sure on the motor but i was thinking on a Mopar 6.1L Hemi, GM HT502, or even an LS3.

I'll be going with portal axles front and rear.

[m-37Bruce]

Nice catch!! The 4-door has been done, but your concept seems well thought out, albeit a bit expensive and mod heavy. I can hardly wait to see it!

[spookymyo]

Nice catch!! The 4-door has been done, but your concept seems well thought out, albeit a bit expensive and mod heavy. I can hardly wait to see it!

It's not going to be as expensive as you might think, I have pretty much unlimited access to a good sized junk yard.

I've already scavenged the seats from a 2000 jeep grand cherokee that I'm going to put in the M-37. I think the seats will fit pretty well. The rear bench seat of the jeep is 53" wide. The cab is going to be in between the wheels so I won't have to worry about them getting in the way of the seats.

I can't wait to get started on this.

[k8icu]

I'm already looking into getting a custom soft top...i think i'm going to just make a hard top for it. The cost of a custom soft top is WAY to hi, anywhere from $900 - $2400!!!

I'm still not sure on the motor but i was thinking on a Mopar 6.1L Hemi, GM HT502, or even an LS3.

I'll be going with portal axles front and rear.

I'm not familiar with portal axles? I know that most rear axles will bolt in with out much problem, but any dana type front axle requires you to move the passinger side front spring outboard of the frame or cut the driver side axle and housing down to get the housing to fit under the springs.

[spookymyo]

I'm already looking into getting a custom soft top...i think i'm going to just make a hard top for it. The cost of a custom soft top is WAY to hi, anywhere from $900 - $2400!!!

I'm still not sure on the motor but i was thinking on a Mopar 6.1L Hemi, GM HT502, or even an LS3.

I'll be going with portal axles front and rear.

I'm not familiar with portal axles? I know that most rear axles will bolt in with out much problem, but any dana type front axle requires you to move the passinger side front spring outboard of the frame or cut the driver side axle and housing down to get the housing to fit under the springs.

Portal axles are the shiznit! They're on Humvee's, Pinzgaur's, Volvo C303/304's, and Unimogs plus a few other vehicles. Here's a wiki article on them:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_axle

And here's the company i've contacted and will probably be going with on purchasing mine:
http://www.axletech.com/na_en/products/ ... ?t=7&id=54

As far as the springs go, i'm pretty much going to gut the underside and put an all new suspension underneath...like i said, i have a junk yard at my disposal (hopefully my uncle will let me plunder it like i want ).

[spookymyo]

I HAVE NOT SEEN A UNIMOG WITH DRUM BRAKES. MAYBE BOTH STYLES ARE AVAILABLE?

When i was looking into getting a Mog i was looking at a 404 and they had drum brakes. Dynatrac shows them as having drum brakes also (look in the table):
http://www.dynatrac.com/products/axles/portals.html

I'll be going with custom portal axles from Axletech, they've quoted me a price of about $2000 a piece.

I looks like they're going to be one of the most expensive items i'll need to buy other than the engine . I have a budget of $15,000 so i think i'll be good; i've been saving for years for an M-37 and with the 2 that i got only costing $700 that leaves me with $14,300 to play with. And I'll probably be going with some Michelin R20 XL 39" tires.

[k8icu]

If your going to spend that much money for axles then maybe you should give thought to coil spring set up instead of leaf springs? Just a thought. My other question ...can you get parts for those axles, bearings, brake parts etc from the local parts store or will you have to order them from the company? Brakes wear out as do seals and bareings. 4K for axles is a large chunk of change that I would think could be better spent on other stuff. I'm not trying to discorage you it's your project and your money spend it anyway you want. I am just not sure that prortal axles are going to give you that much more of an advantage with this heavy truck.