Wrecker Upgrades to the Vintage Off Road Wrecker

Today I upgrade the winch on the Dodge M37 to bring the wrecker up to a good working order.
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This Week With Cars - Episode 0367
#offroad #wrecker #dodge

[@stephenricketts7764]

There are some good and well thought out upgrades here. It will also be a lot safer to use with the new wire and the additions. All the lights look great too. Well done Steve. 👍👍

[@jonswinfield9336]

It just goes to show that with some minor upgrades and serving this old truck can do the job it was always meant to do I’d really like to see more videos on this please

[@lewisgeyer1440]

You're doing a great job with these videos, short and sweet with great content.

[@Follett2121]

Love that wrecker! So cool

[@regsparkes6507]

That off road wrecker is a dandy project in itself. I do enjoy watching the work being done on this one.

[@heckmacbuff]

What a lovely truck.

[@AndrewHCann]

Excellent Steve :) and very good information also bet be useful this weekend for sure on snow strom getting!

[@kwestak]

Very nice wrecker!

[@jebsails2837]

Perhaps a couple of work lights for the rear. Learned about those cable strands (aka fish hooks) while operating a wrecker in High school. To this day I keep a pair of leather gloves in the car. Thanks. Narragansett Bay

[@blacksquirrel4008]

Nicely thought out upgrades. Since you are prepared with a dune flag, painting Airport warning checkers on the doors would open up other opportunities, too.

[@rogerhector5885]

new up grades awesome

[@TL243]

Awesome

[@tracydoane4261]

Nice to know that I am not the only one still using a steel winch cable. Our 51 M37 sports a built Ford 300 inline & a ford granny 4 speed. M37 T case in the stock location. ARB frt & rear using stock M37 axles with 488's from vintage. What a Beast. I love seeing these still being used... Kudo's

[@bobmanzi7712]

great stuff thanks

[@rhemeon]

Love the truck. If I owned it, it would be my daily driver. G.H

[@chaseincats]

looks awesome

[@paulhall170]

I thought you would finish by driving the wrecker up over that big snow-drift LOL

[@markharrison9622]

Sorry, I didn't get to comment on the distributor video, but I've been brought up around these trucks and have a '54 now that I love. Just an fyi, if you're curious about the engine, look on the top of the block on the driver's side all the way forward. There will be a flat machined area, this is where the serial number for the engine is. There where many variations of this engine at the time. While upgrading your ignition is a great idea (cause I have done it) you should know what the "foundation" is. For example, if the engine is original to the truck, the serial number should start with "T245" then the number. Also there should be a star stamped in it also. If it starts with a P or D those are Plymouth , Doge-Desoto engines. The reason I mentioned this is that the T245 engine was an "industrial" engine. The military made the oil pump tang offset so you can only put the distributor in one way. This engine is only "statically" balanced and should not be run over 3400 rpm. That's why military vehicles have an "air velocity" governor on them. Plus, if I'm not sure, the T245 engine only has a 7:1 compression ratio. Please be careful, don't make a critical mistake. These are getting harder to find. I was lucky enough to find a NOS exhaust manifold (trust me, I paid for it!). Please enjoy your M37, they are so much fun and demanding for attention.👍

[@4418CARLOU]

Great flag design

[@julianwinn4502]

Looks great!

[@jberg8159]

The flag holder was a great idea

[@bbrut3332]

Much more functional with all your improvements. Hope you have added some very good seat cushions. My butt and thin cushions don't last long😅.

[@jimringo2569]

I really like that truck and your upgrades to it. Maybe some of the not so adroit off roaders will get it more chances to perform. Thanks!

[@mariogarza7796]

Kool video

[@stephensim5839]

Nice job on a great utility vehicle. Why didn't you go for a roller bearing on the pulley (I think you called it a shiv)?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

It’s a cable sheave I don’t think they make them that way a roller bearing might not be strong enough.

[@ourv9603]

If it was a really great truck they would still be building it. !

[@jcar1417]

So what you are saying is that you should still be using an outhouse? This thing is a classic that still has life left in it. Let see if you car is still functional 30,40, 50 years from now, they obviously built this truck right because it has lasted this long, but new technologies come along.

[@craigwiest772]

Very nice as always. Is there a reason you didn’t use a synthetic cable instead of steel?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Synthetic is damaged too easily for the things you would do with this. I might put synthetic on a front winch when I add one.

[@xmo552]

@@ThisWeekWithCars Tip from a tow man: those magnetic lights are going to get kicked off just from rolling down the road. Actual tow truck tow lights have very strong magnets and even those "sometimes" come off. The ones you have I guarantee will fly off. 👍😁 keep going Edit: in their place I recommend you put some 2 sides stud mount lights. Those would be era correct. All the old big trucks ran those on the front fenders also.

[@parrotraiser6541]

Flashy! :-)*

[@MrDunky48]

I’m not sure what we call a wrecker in the uk! I’d never heard the term before you bought this.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Maybe you call it a Tow Lorry??

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

BTW here is the definition from the Collins Dictionary: A wrecker is a motor vehicle that pulls broken or damaged vehicles to a place where they can be repaired or broken up, for example, after an accident.

[@julianwinn4502]

Recovery Vehicle I think or Tow Truck in the UK

[@parrotraiser6541]

Breakdown truck is another option.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Tow truck is another term in the USA

[@joe3973]

What happened to your water proof things on the truck do you have better performance with different air filter for your carburetor ?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

I didn’t have any of that stuff it was converted to 12 volts a long time ago.

[@RobertHall-mc7ob]

Where did you find those chain hooks that you welded on or did you just make them yourself

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

These are the ones I bought: amzn.to/48SE6p4

[@RobertHall-mc7ob]

Ok thanks for the reply and the trucks coming along nicely

[@nakedgoblin4090]

Is it diesel

[@stevedawson4781]

About time for a paint job!!