Meet The War Wagon: 1953 Dodge M37 Military Truck

Look at this thing! It looks like it’s ready to go chase zee Germans around. Or zee Koreans, whatever. Really it’s the ideal vehicle to slowly crawl up hills and through (or over) trees if you ask me. We might just have to test that theory.
Heck, it’s probably the ideal zombie apocalypse vehicle too, now that I think of it. The flathead will practically run off of water, and you definitely won’t have any trouble running them over. Anyway… What was I talking about?

[@davidcurry9292]

I now own a 52 PW ,at one time I owned a blue 51 M37 24 volt truck that came from a city auction in Arkansas. Wished I kept it

[@urielgarcia4567]

Really enjoying the content thanks for the videos 😁

[@musclecarmitch908]

Those things are awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@whirlingsun]

The "4" in the yellow circle is not 4th Infantry. That is the weight class of the vehicle for going over bridges. A "bridge sergeant" would add up these dataplates and decide how many vehicles could safely cross a bridge based on what engineers tell him it can handle. The 4 means "potentially 4 tons"

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yes I’ve been schooled on this already. It’s a little late to go back and edit the video now. I was misinformed.

[@OldIron2188]

I love this channel...

[@explorer8888]

For a change, this was a great YT recommendation. They are awesome trucks! Thanks for the tip on the spark plugs wire cables for the 318. I didn’t know that and I need 2 sets. Mine is a little bit younger than yours. It’s the 1963 M37B1. I also have a 1955 flat fender Power Wagon. Love the simplicity of working on them with just basic tools. Keep the videos coming. Subscribed!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Awesome! I need to get back to work on my ‘48 Power Wagon. I’d really like to get the bed together. It would be huge motivation to finish the other projects on it. My first real Dead Dodge Garage video in December was starting a 12 volt conversion… haven’t finished that yet. Whoops.

[@dantupper1784]

Those trucks are so cool. When I look at my new-ish computer-everything Dodge 4x4 truck- compared to the 50's version- the simplicity is attractive.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

And it’ll take a whole bunch of single digit fuel economy to match the truck payment on a newish truck. But it’ll also be very uncomfortable. Haha.

[@dantupper1784]

On a 90°+ day in western WA- OK, newer-ish truck A/C is kinda nice!

[@415s30]

Well unless you change the gears you are not going anywhere fast, the gearbox is not great either. I'm putting a Cummins in mine.

[@joefrieson5100]

Very cool truck

[@dnfd737]

This was the first vehicle I ever drove

[@adamhoffman3687]

That looks like a nice original truck. I have a 1951 and a 1955 . 4th infantry is out of ft Louis Washington.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I was totally wrong on that number - it’s a bridge plate denoting the weight class of the truck. I’m not sure where I read or heard that it meant 4th infantry, but it doesn’t. It’s a pretty dang nice truck!

[@adamhoffman3687]

@DeadDodgeGarage I would agree. The carb,air cleaner and distributor are not original but other than that it looks pretty unmolested. Yep bridge weight. My 55 has a 251 ci engine being a Canada built truck.

[@CORSU2A126]

Dieu merci.... ENCORE une FOIS, un passionné de ces Sublimissimes véhicules militaire americain.... Va lui redonner "VIE" Un tres GRAND à ce magicien de la restauration !! 😍🙏

[@wallykaspars9700]

Cool truck! I was in the US Army stationed in Germany. Our unit had several M37B1 trucks. I see many modifications for civilian use on your truck. It's a good thing you don't have the spare tire mounted to the outside of the driver's door.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yes those always look like they would complicate things. Haha. I really like the M37. It rides so much better compared to my civilian Power Wagon.

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

A buddy and I just picked up his 1953 today. She’s a little rough, but for a war wagon, it looks perfect.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Awesome! I love these things. They’re so rugged. Overbuilt and hard to kill.

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

@@DeadDodgeGarage we were driving it around the yard after we got it back. What a tank. It would be nice to find some non-split rims for it though…. Those look pretty sketchy on my buddy’s truck.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Those should be a lock ring wheel instead of an actual “split rim.” But… still not the most ideal of things. My local tire shop was actually able to do an inner tube on one of mine. I was very surprised.

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Yea, it is a lock ring. But still not the safest setup on the books.

[@NathansMoparGarage]

Very cool truck. Let the mud fly.

[@frankdavidson9675]

the crankshaft pully has deg marks for and aft TDC set timming at 4 deg before TDC use a timming light on #6 plug wire to set timming 5 min easy rotate dist housing to adj timming re tighten dist if the points are pitted it has wrong condenser needs a 27 mfd condenser part #7374881 i got mine from vintage power wagon in Iowa on line

[@melvinyosten3776]

We have one. Think it was a forestry truck Still had sears in the back, side boards,, WINCH ALL THE Stuff

[@frankdavidson9675]

i have all paper work on my m37 when army took it and all down thru the years it was still running in 2007 last time it was reg in ga. i got it in 2011

[@Saugertieswebsites]

Entertaining video:) any chance I could trouble you for a part number for the wire and spark plugs? Super thank you.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I don’t know the numbers, but I got the plug number from O’Reilly, I think - and the wire set I used was the cheapest set available for a 1970 Dodge Dart with a 318. I used the six shortest wires and the coil wire.

[@Saugertieswebsites]

that,s great. thank you. great video too.@@DeadDodgeGarage

[@lindenday7046]

That’s sweet

[@frankdavidson9675]

that 4 stands for bridge wt limit (4 TONS ) loaded do not try to cross a 3 ton bridge it will cave in

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yes I’ve been schooled on this already. Someone had informed me incorrectly. Technically the 4 is weight class 4, which is roughly 4 tons / 8,000 pounds, but the different weight classes do not actually follow tonnage exactly.

[@whatchacookin1096]

I Like that truck.

[@frankdavidson9675]

i have one to sell 1953 m37

[@sgtfreyday]

What are your best parts sources? Any single source the mother ship for M37’s?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Vintage Power Wagons seems to have all of the goods, and at reasonable prices. I haven’t ordered from them yet but I plan to get a bunch of stuff for my ‘48 at some point.

[@jamesbarr7320]

At 6 mins 30, The number 4 on a yellow disc is the weight rating for bridges, IE 4 tons not any infantry division

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Thank you for correcting me. Whoever informed me the first time did so incorrectly and I hadn’t bothered to do any research on the subject. Learning that the 4th Infantry spent the 50s hanging out in Germany is something I also could’ve done sooner. Haha. The yellow marker is a ‘bridge plate,’ and the 4 denotes weight class 4 - the lowest weight class in the numbered system.

[@shawnfox8002]

Did you get to add a long breather tube on it and submerge it under water I hear they did a lot of maneuvers like that

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I wish… it wasn’t actually mine. I don’t know that I would’ve submerged it, but I really would’ve liked to have tested it off road.

[@2LaneTraveler]

4th Infantry Division, probably the 4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized), which was quartered in Frankfurt, Germany in support of NATO from 1951-56.

[@jamesbarr7320]

That's a 4 ton bridge rating not infantry or cavalry division !!!!!

[@Driewer]

James is correct, that’s not an infantry division marking, it’s a bridge plate, designating it’s weight class

[@shawnfox8002]

Any new video on this dodge military truck

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It was actually traded for a stepside Dodge a month or two after this. That guy is driving it!

[@philipthemechanic5782]

do you know if it say power wagon on the ownership title? or just dodge M37

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It isn’t a power wagon and wouldn’t say that. Even power wagon titles likely won’t say that. This varies by who typed up the registration, but often it may say “PU” or perhaps a truck model designation - on my ‘48, for example, it might say B-1-P, or PW-126. I can’t remember which mine actually says.

[@philipthemechanic5782]

thank you for the reply, i was asking because someone selling this truck said hes title was saying fargo on it so it must not be the real title.@@DeadDodgeGarage

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

@@philipthemechanic5782 Ah, that's a different matter altogether - Dodge trucks in Canada were sold as Fargos. I would expect to see Fargo on a Power Wagon or other pickup title there. I suppose it stands to reason that the M37 may also end up as a Fargo. Verify that the VIN / chassis number on the title matches the tag of the truck you are looking at and you're good.

[@philipthemechanic5782]

Oh i see, a big thank's, that was very informative and helpful. @@DeadDodgeGarage

[@dnfd737]

My grandfather had 2 or 3 of these but the beds were longer .....I think

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The only trucks of this type with longer beds would also have dual rear axles! But I’m actually pretty sure those only existed in the WWII trucks.

[@dnfd737]

I was young back then maybe I just remember it being larger than it was.@@DeadDodgeGarage

[@buuger]

Cool trucks, too bad the narrator talks exactly like Andy Bernard from the office.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It’s such a shame I was born this way

[@gordonloessl2822]

You need to feather the gas with the choke. Talk with experience.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Choke basically doesn’t work now unless closed manually at carb. Flathead hates starting without choke in my experience. I know this… but am stubborn

[@AMCguy]

Are you looking to sell it?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It was for sale for a time, and was finally traded for another Dodge truck.

[@p38kris]

Damn now I want one. Only one in 1k miles is 36k tho. Smh

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Damn. They tend to be much more reasonable than that around here, but they also don’t often pop up in original shape like this one. Other than the few little things this one is pretty much operational, and not messed with. It would probably cost around half that.

[@frankdavidson9675]

i have one in south carolina been work ing on 11 yrs replaced everthing that needed replacings from gd up ive add 50 more yrs to it it was reg in ga. 2007 i bought in 2011 put in new points got it running 24 volts system 5 new tires tubes and flaps new rings total new wiring new lights idiot light on oil pressure new brakes new wheel cylinders new gas tank new alternator new plugs and wires rebuild dist. 2 new batterysnew canvas cover on bed ---------braiden winch and 100 ft cable all gauges work will sell for right price.

[@frankdavidson9675]

these came out in 50s i was in korean war 52--out in 55 187th airborne mike co, i was in mptor pool ut we did have m37 hgd co had them we has jeeps and 2 1/2 to trks