What's Different About Canadian Trucks

I'm thinking about buying a Canadian M152 Telephone Truck

The M152 resembles the M43 ambulance only with a single door in the back and three windows on each side.

I'm "very" familiar with the US versions of the M37 & M43 but outside of knowing the Canadian trucks have 251 long block engines and Acme versus New Process transmissions I lost.

Does anyone know if the ratio spread between 3rd and 4th gear is any different (closer) in the Canadian/Acme transmission compared with the New Process?

Will a US New Process transmission and transfer case interchange with the Cnd transmission and transfer case?

Are the front and read axle assemblies on the Cnd trucks interchangeable with the US version?

Any insight would be appreciated.

RE: What

Other than the differences to the engine and transmission, I've never heard of anything being different in the driveline. You should always be able to swap out components like transfer case and axles as complete assemblies... Since the 251 block has the same bolt pattern on the rear face, I would expect that you can swap out the transmissions - may have to swap the clutch disc as well, but I really don't know for sure.

I've got a photo or two of one Canadian M152 that was at the Aberdeen rally a few years back on my website. I think that the owner was a member of the hosting MV club...

Good luck.

RE: What

You nailed most of the differences that I know of.. I have been told that the input shaft on the ACME trans. is bigger? So this would mean different clutch,throw out bearing I think.. I will know more when I swap out a bad 251 for a temp 230 heart here real soon and post what I find.
The 251 is longer like you said so the radiator is pushed forward and another set of motor mount holes installed.. Also a different oil pump and distributor shaft. Longer shafts.
Oh reverse on the ACME is over and forward and most dont have shift plates for some reason? Another little change they did was a small cylinder shaped light in the back that pointed on the axle housing. This was so on trails at night you could tell who was in front of you.. Unit markings were painted on the axle.. Kind of cool..
I have lots of info on the Canadian trucks if you need it.. Does the one your looking at have a winch?
Many of them had window washers installed.. Little bags under the hood and hand pump in the cab.. Mine works good and comes in very handy..All weapons carrier versions are hard tops too..Drive line other than trans.. T case,ring and pinion are the same as US version on mine..

RE: What

I have heard the exhaust smells like maple syrup.

RE: What

Front cover of the maintenance manual states:

"Operator's, Organizational, Direct Support and General Support Maintenance Manual for Truck, Telephone Maintenance, 3/4-ton, 4x4, M152, eh?"

RE: What

Not a bad idea.. Bio Maple fuel??? CCattlet what do you think? (inside joke)...
eh..hoze... da dats ok eh...
Small hijack coming up..Sorry Sasquatch.. I am looking for a Cdn PTO , trans, and or rebuild kit for either. If anyone has one they would like to part with.. I so badly want to put a winch on my cdn truck.. Also Sasquatch.. Check the Intake and Exhaust manifold! They crack bad and are very scarce and exspensive.. I guess you can weld them but I have yet to see one hold up.. tricky process to get it right..

RE: What

We cannot export VT Maple Syrup to Canada so you will have to be content with the low test Canadian blend..they tap Elm Trees and Ice Floes.... ACE

RE: What

Does the one your looking at have a winch?

Click to expand...

No ... I wasn't aware that M43s or M152s were equipped with winches.

Thanks for the insight on everything.

I've wanted to build a 251 for an M37 for several years because I've always felt the difference in power is substantial. (I've always been told a 251 would handle 489 gears in an M37 but a 230 wouldn't ).

Having said this, does anyone know if a "fresh" 251 is capable of pulling 489 gears in the heavier M43 or M152.

Oh yes

They made winch versions of every truck.. I have the numbers of each out in the shop including the Canadian truck..
I would say yes on the 4:89's and the 251.. It is a much better engine and can take more R's. Its diffucult to go back to a 230 for a short time but I dont have a choice right now.. I posted some pictures of Canadian trucks for ya..
The first two are in Greenland..thats what those guys like to do to M37 vehicles..
Oops make that the last two...

RE: Oh yes

Did a little research.. They made 7- XM152's with winches.. 52- M43's with winches up to 1955
There was a total of 1038-M152CDN trucks made up to 1955 and 409-M43CDN trucks made and 672 of all models of these vehicles had winches.. Does not say which ones? but for a total of 4524 Canadian trucks made from October 1951 to October 1955

The boys in Greenland really know how to deck out their iron --- thks for sharing the pics.

I've got a line on a 265 flathead short block and would love to have the added power over a 251 but I'm concerned about being able to spin an engine with a 4-3/4 stroke up to (and over) 3,000 RPM.

A short story about another time another place:

When I was 4 to 5 years old (1948 - 1949) dad had a 1947 Dodge that he used to haul lumber from Northern Alabama to Southern Indiana. The truck originally came with a 230 engine but for some reason the crankshaft broke and Dad managed to scrape together enough to buy a new Spitfire engine. The Spitfire, I believe, was a 251 with a high compression head. I remember the head had "Spitfire" cast in the top and for it's day was considered a "runner". When we would stop at a truckstop dad would open the butterfly hood. He always said it was so it would cool off but I know it was so he could show it off. Lots of nights, dad would drive all night and I would sleep curled up on the seat. Nothing sounds any better than the throb of a Chrysler flathead laboring against the governer. Here is a picture of Sasquatch Santa washing Dad's Dodge in 1948

Yeah, off roading in Greenland and Iceland is a big deal. There's a lot of old iron up there that gets preserved, due to the lack of salt on the roads, and cold temps, and a lot of off-roaders heaavily customize their rigs to deal with the extreme temps and serious trails they navigate, much harder than most off-roading trails in USA. Four Wheeler magazine did a write up back in the early 1990s on a off-roading company called Bila Bud Benna (translates in Icelandic to Bud's Offroad Shop, or something close), and the trucks that the customers of this store drove. Lots of Power Wagons, a Soviet-built GAZ truck, old '60s and 70s rigs all over the place. An old iron lover's dream!

Sas.. That picture is awsome!! Just to cool.. So you of all people can appreciate the sound of a flathead..
Maddawg: Sounds like a fun place for a recovery operation! Maybey we can find some old Dodges or any OD iron frozen in the ice.. like they did with those P-38's that were under about 100' of ice.. You ever see that special? That was a awsome show.. Dug down with this giant auger, took the plane out piece by piece and put it back to new and flew it. Heck the 20mm cannon was still loaded and they fired it when they brought it to the surface..
Do I see a SS expedition squade in the future? "Send cash we recover old OD iron anywhere!"

I have a 1952 M37 CDN and I stroked out my 251 to a 265 and changed gears to 489s with a set of 1100x16 tires and it moves along the highway at 60-65 with no problem.

Man, thats purdy!

Yes that is very purdy!! Thanks for sharing them.. They are now in my Canadian truck file..Is the last one the same truck? Noticed a soft top and fording kit plus the 900/16 NDT's

Drool... I keep thinking that a 265 in my little dumptruck would be nice... I think the specs on a factory 265 from Dodge had them at 105hp... Plenty to move you down the road if a tad thirsty...

Thanks for sharing.

Yes the last picture was the same truck. I took it on a 2000 mile road trip to BC for there local freedom + 60 tour in 2005 and wanted to have it look all original. I found the parts to turn it into a soft top in the summer time. It was very easy to make it a 265 as all you have to do is swap out the crank and rods as the block shares the same bore/pistons for 237,251 and 265 CI.With the motor gears and the tire combo I average around the 13 MPG mark for fuel economy.

Some pics

Came across this one day.

RE: Some pics

Superdave ... That is one fine looking M37 Warwagon!

I've always wanted to go the 265 route but have been reluctant to do so for fear the aded stroke length, even in a balanced engine, might not lend itself well to the higher RPMs required to run 65 MPH --- even with w/4.89s.

The 13 MPG factor is also a pleasant surprise. I've never been able to get over 10 MPG with a 230 and 4.89s, even with an electric fan, no top and the windshield folded down. I guess that shows that the little 230 is simply working too hard to be optimized fuel economy wise.