M-37 vs M-37B1

[Tony]

Could anyone tell me the difference between the M-37 and the M-37B1.


Thank you

Tony

 

[AMGeneral]

Well,different transmission,but they will interchange,spare mounted on a frame outside of the drivers door,and the troop seat on the passenger side being the full length of the bed.

I also believe there were changes to the water pump and the rear tail lights were different as well.

Also,B1 trucks tend to rust more quicky than the earlier ones,maybe a different steel composition?

Also the M37s have a pintile with a swivel feature whereas the M37B1 is bolted directly to the rear frame crossmember.

 

[Capt.Marion]

M37 has the spare tire carrier moved to a hinged hanger on the driver's side door that has to be opened before the door itself can be opened. Mostly minor changes aside from that. A B1 can be distinguished even without the spare tire mount on the door by the bolts/bolt holes in a vertical line immediately forward of the driver's door.

 

[NDT]

Also,B1 trucks tend to rust more quicky than the earlier ones,maybe a different steel composition?

/quote]

I thought that too and wondered if others agreed.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Yes on the steel composition and I believe they knew it because the B1 came undercoated from the factory to where the 50's trucks were not.

Also boys, you cant ALWAYS go by the spare on the door. It was a MWO and could be field modified. My 1951 M37 had the spare moved to the door. Funny thing, it must have been a quickie because they never installed the spacer block on the left front spring assy.

 

[m376x6]

The engines were designated T245 and T245A respectively. Haven't really found any differences in the engines. The boxes were different in that the spare was mounted outside the drivers door so the troop seats were full length both sides on the B1. Also the bed tool boxes had tabs welded on to be able to lock the bed doors for the B1. I've not found any differences in the water pumps. There were also minor changes such as fuel filters mounted on the regulator bracket on the very early series. The very early series had current meters as opposed to volt gauges. But an early field mod replaced most of the current meters. Also many early series were upgraded at the depot with newer wiring harnesses. Eliminating an odd looking double connector light control switch. As mentioned earlier, the transmissions were different with no parts internally being interchangeable but both will mount up to any M37/M43 series. I've owned almost 30 37's and a few 43's and have never found where the B1 series is more prone to rust. Being that the earlier series ended production in 54 and to 55 for the Canadian version, they generally had more rust than the newer series which ran from 58 through 68. The early series and B1 truck used different pintle hooks and won't interchange. Don't shy away from either series, they are both tremendous trucks with a distinctive personality and style. They draw attention wherever they go. The shorter length and slightly narrower track from their WWII and civilian series make them ideal offroading vehicles. Parts are available as well as whole host of aftermarket neat things like air locking diffs, and freewheeling hubs. Some folks complain of weak axles but some of us have really abused these trucks and never broken an axle. I've lit up the rear end with 9.00-20 tires squealing big rubber with the V8 and not broken an axle. I've hauled well over 2,500 pounds out of mountain valleys and no problems. Then again some folks have simply compression slowed these trucks going downhill and broken a rear axle. I've only ever heard of one front axle breaking and it was related to use of a front locking diff. Best of Luck.

Regards,
M376X6

 

[shootiniron]

I thought that there was a wiring up-grade or change too.

 

[Capt.Marion]

I think they switched to a different style of connector, I'm probably wrong, though.

BTW the engine was T245 and T245A, not 215 (Yes, I'm being nitpicky, but that's just the way I am)

 

[m376x6]

I think they switched to a different style of connector, I'm probably wrong, though.

BTW the engine was T245 and T245A, not 215 (Yes, I'm being nitpicky, but that's just the way I am)

You're right, brain fart here. I was thinking 245 and typed 241. Thanks

 

[zak]

Didn't the B1 series go to the packard style connector?

 

[Bill W]

B1's got packards around 1963-4, B1's also had turn signals. I've read that Detroit went to a lower nickel higher iron type sheet metal in 1957 and this also affected the B1 production, however what I've seen of rusty B1's was more of bad ( post factory) painting/maintanence. A lot of early M-37's ( also as mentioned) were retro'ed with the door spare so don't assume just because there's holes there that its a B1, my 1954 didn't get the ( retro'ed ) door spare however it did have the spacers under both drivers side springs?? Also ( as mentioned) B1's had the upgraded NP420 tranny that also interchanged with the earlier 37's ( I had one in my 1954 model). Every part in the early 37's and the B1's interchanged ( except internal parts of the 2 trannies )

 

[FrankUSMC]

Bill, you beat me to my next post, the M37B1 had the spacers under the springs on the drivers side because of the wieght of the spare tire.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

 

[Bill W]

"Bill, you beat me to my next post"
Yeah my typing has inproved, I can now use two fingers when typing...as long as I don't chew gum at the same time
I thought it was weird that my 54, M-37 had the drivers side spring spacers but no ( retro'd) door mount however having the spacers came in handy as my frame had a slight twist to which I put a spacer on the right front and then left rear spring perch and it evened out perfect

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Bill, maybe your M37 got my spacers. My 51 had the spare on the door and all the drive line and powerplant have OVH tags dated 1974.

 

[m376x6]

I own 3 M37's made after 63 and have owned a few more over the years, none had packard type connectors. I've used several NOS harnesses manufactured in the early 70's and all connectors were Douglas. I've never seen an M37/M43 with packards though. We're pretty lucky out here because of the dry climate, not a lot of rust ususally.

 

[Bill W]

Bryan
There were a couple guys on the old Big E site that had packard connectors on their 37's. I know years ago there were a couple of venders that advertised both. I bought a nos harness from RAPCO that was made in 1971 for my 37, it was douglas connectors but also had the plug in's for the firewall mounted suppression filter which had been superceded to the dist base by the end of 1952 yet they were still making a harness for it in the 1970's????

 

[M-37Bruce]

All of the above !
Douglas was the metal shells, Packard was the rubber connector, both were considered water proof. Always a good argument on the Big E site between a couple of Bill's??

 

[m376x6]

Nobody's arguing here Bruce, especially between me and Bill W. Isn't it strange Bill, they were pretty much gone by 1973 from the active roll and yet they were still issuing contracts for all kinds of parts. I've found 2 different versions of inner wheel seals both out of france and both date from the early 70's. I wonder if the harnesses that were in the trucks you mention that used packards were actually M37 or perhaps some other truck that fit or maybe aftermarket made by one of the current or past wiring houses that advertise in Supply Line or MVM. The government was very conscious of making modifications to trucks once issued because upgrading to the packard style would have surely meant that they also had to replace an awful lot of gauges and electrical parts and to keep all trucks standard everyone in the inventory would have to be done. Probably cheaper to keep the Douglas style alive even though they were expensive and obsolete.

On another note, I have found the trucks both early and late styles that only had the spacer on the front axle. I have a 64 with them on both front and back and a 65 with only the front axle spacer or lift block.

 

[Bill W]

well did not the M-35 start out with douglas then get switched to packard?, As I ( and Bruce ) mentioned earlier we had this discussion on Big E qiute a few years ago it even crossed over to Joe's PW site and there were a couple of guys who insisted that their 64-5 models had packard but I'll agree with you that maybe they could have had another type of harness in their vehicles being these truck had a long service life, heck the first m-37's that rolled off the assembly line had left over 6volt guages from WWII WC's with resisters on them to work with the 24v system ( thats from the M-37 operators manual not from the internet )

Jeff
Its good to read/see you back on the forum
I hope your having a full recovery

 

[vtdeucedriver]

well did not the M-35 start out with douglas then get switched to packard?, As I ( and Bruce ) mentioned earlier we had this discussion on Big E qiute a few years ago it even crossed over to Joe's PW site and there were a couple of guys who insisted that their 64-5 models had packard but I'll agree with you that maybe they could have had another type of harness in their vehicles being these truck had a long service life, heck the first m-37's that rolled off the assembly line had left over 6volt guages from WWII WC's with resisters on them to work with the 24v system ( thats from the M-37 operators manual not from the internet )

Jeff
Its good to read/see you back on the forum
I hope your having a full recovery

Thanks bill, doin better every day.

Yes the M35 started out with douglas. I believe so did my 1953 M62. You should see that wiring mess. Its mostly packard now but I have douglas connectors still for the deck spot lights and my horn wire to the steering. Everything has been converted.............even to a alternator.

Military.......funny people. There is a rash of wire harnesses out there that were MFG in the 80's or 90's "I could go look as I have 2 of them" that were made for the M35A1!!!!!!! Its wired for the dam generator!!! There is a conversion kit out there now that will take that harness to the alternator. Who paid for that screw up???? Taxpayers