Dodge M37


The Dodge M37 was a -ton 4x4 truck developed for service in the United States military as a successor to the widely used Dodge-built WC Series introduced during World War II. Put into service in 1951, it served in a variety of configurations in frontline duty in the Korean War and Vietnam War before being replaced by two commercial off the shelf based -ton trucks: the Kaiser M715 and the Dodge M880/M890 series.
It bore the designation, and after its military phase-out was both put into domestic Federal government agency use and auctioned to civilians in the U.S., and adopted by foreign militaries.

History

Many of the components on the M37 are similar or identical to the Dodge-built World War II WC series vehicles, and many deficiencies of the WC series were corrected in the M37. Notably, a conventional pickup truck style bed replaced the platform on the World War II vehicle, simplifying production. There was significant drivetrain and powerplant commonality with the immediate postwar WDX series civilian Power Wagons, but no sheet metal was shared. Six WC-based prototype W37s were produced in early-to-mid 1950, with the first pre-production pilot vehicle rolling off the assembly line on 14 December 1950.
In total some 115,000 Dodge M37s were produced between 1951 and 1968. Manufacture of the M37 began in earnest in January 1951, with approximately 11,000 vehicles made by the end of that year. By mid-1954 63,000 of the vehicles had been produced. In 1958 a number of modifications to the design resulted in the new vehicles being designated as M37B1. From mid-1958 until the end of production 47,600 M37B1 vehicles were produced. Approximately 4,500 Canadian M37CDNs were also produced between 1951 and 1955. M37s continued in service worldwide in the Israeli and Greek militaries.
From 1968 onwards, the U.S. military replaced the M37 with the heavier-rated ton Kaiser Jeep manufactured M715 family of vehicles. Rather than purpose-built tactical vehicles, these "militarized" commercial off-the-shelf trucks were considered underpowered and fragile compared to the M37. After seeing service in the Vietnam War the M715 was replaced in 1976 by the similarly rated Dodge-built COTS M880 series.
In addition to those M37s that were sold or offered as military aid to allied foreign countries, many were transferred to civilian agencies or sold domestically at government auctions, becoming a not uncommon sight in government and private use in the 1970s and '80s; some are still seen today in rural areas.

Variants

  • M42 command truck
  • M43 ambulance
  • M53 cab-chassis
  • M56 tool truck, has a bumper-mounted winch
  • * MB2 Fire and Rescue Truck
  • * R2 air field rescue truck
  • M152 modified enclosed utility truck, Canadian variant
  • M201 / V41 telephone maintenance vehicle
  • M283 Long Wheel Base Cargo Truck
  • M506 truck, hydrogen peroxide servicer, PGM-11 Redstone
  • V126 truck – for AN/MPX-7 radar
experimental:
  • XM142 experimental bomb service truck
  • XM152 experimental enclosed utility truck used in small numbers by the USAF
  • XM195 experimental lighter, compact version of M37
  • XM708 experimental dump truck used mostly by airborne units
  • XM711 experimental wrecker truck
  • Cashuat armoured APC modification of El Salvador

    Specifications

Engine

The M37's flathead Chrysler Straight-6 engine was carried over from the World War II-era WC vehicle line, as was most of the drivetrain. Using an engine and drivetrain derived from a widely-produced 1930s era passenger vehicle was in line with a long-standing military procurement strategy that attempted to use commercially produced vehicle variants in military service.
  • Model: T245 Dodge
  • Type: "L" Head, 6 cylinder
  • Power: at 3200 rpm
  • Displacement:
  • Bore:, Stroke:
  • Oil capacity:
  • Radiator capacity:
  • Carter carburetor Model ETW-1 downdraft

    Driveline

Clutch
  • Borg & Beck Model 11828 single plate dry disc
Transmission
  • New Process Model 88950
  • 4-speed, Synchro-Shift in 3rd and 4th gear
Transfer Case
  • New Process 88845
  • Ratio: High 1:1, low 1.96:1
  • Twin lever operation, one for 4×4 or 4×2 selection, one for hi or low range
Drive Shaft
  • MFG Universal Products
Axles
  • Dodge Full Floating, ratio 5.83:1
  • Front Universal Drive New Process

    Chassis

Fuel tank
  • tank
Electrical
  • Ignition, starting, lights, 24 volts
Brakes
  • Wagner hydraulic drum
  • Parking—external contracting band, 48 square inches
Steering
Wheelbase
  • Cargo Model M37 and Command Model M42:
  • Ambulance Model M43 and Tele. Maint. Model V41:
Weight
  • M37 without winch:, M37 with winch
Tire Size
  • 9.00 × 16 - 8 ply non-directional military
Winch
  • Braden LU-4, PTO operated, capacity

    Aborted replacement competition

During the late 1960s a competition was initiated by the Army, which requested the leading U.S. automotive companies to submit proposals as a replacement for the M37. Several prototype vehicles passed through the preliminary examination, eventually leading the military to accept General Motors XM705 1-ton Truck and derivative XM737 Ambulance, which were supposed to replace the M37, instead of the militarized COTS M715 series of trucks. However, Congress cut funds for the program, and the XM705 never reached the assembly line.
Below table lists the comparative specifications of the vehicles involved.