This 1953 Dodge ambulance may be familiar to some of you who have watched the television series M*A*S*H. The Korean war lasted from 1950 to 1953 and was the backdrop for the 1970’s and ’80’s television “dramedy.” This ambulance is similar to the ones featured in the show and can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $2,500. Located in Cornell, Illinois, there isn’t much information in the ad, but we can piece together some information based on the photos. Thanks to Adam C. for the tip on this truck!
I don’t know about you, but I feel a little humbled looking at the racks in this truck. Unfortunately, this truck has probably seen its fair share of wounded G.I.’s over the years. Hopefully, it did its job and saved some lives.
The cab interior has certainly seen better days. You can see some pretty severe rust near the gauges around the window frame. I can’t tell if the floors are dirty, rusty or both? It looks like this truck has probably sat outside for a while. It appears some of that water has made its way to the inside.
In my mind, there are two ways to go with this project. A faithful restoration would be pretty neat if you have a museum or other way to display it. Maybe use it in a few parades each year? How about a cool camping rig? Since the engine is stuck, maybe a modern Dodge diesel drivetrain swap? Let us know what you would do with it.
For me this would go the restoration route although I would refrain from installing the racks and use it more as a cool panel.
If you wanted to go the diesel route you won’t have enough room to install a Cummins 5.9; you would need to source out a 4B 3.9. To get the power you need a turbo and aftercooler. An engine like that will be considerably harder to find than a six. For me the flathead six will do everything I want it to…
I had a buddy in high school whose dad had one of these. We took it on Spring Break to Port Arnansas Tx once (or twice). It would do 55 mph downhill with a tail wind, so it took us about 3 hrs to make the trip that normally took 2 hrs by “normal” car, but it was a blast once we got there. We even made a few bucks for beer money pulling stuck cars out of the sand! He went off to college in Georgetown Tx and brought it up shortly after, and he sold it to someone around there shortly after. It was in much better shape than the one featured here (who knows the condition now, though!)
These were also used in VietNam. I worked in a medical unit motor pool there, ’68–’69, keeping them in shape. 24v electrical system, etc. I vote for modernizing and turning it into something new– nostalgia no.
there’s several around here, one sure remembers these after seeing. I like the butter fly hoods better (just a lill different WC; A, B, D. This one; “E” ’51 – ’68) than the flat hoods like this 1.
I’d keep the i6 unless wantin hi speed hiway travel.
Like all automotive Qs – the answer’s in the application.
Radar should bid on this, I’m sure he could use it on the farm in Iowa, he could always ask Zale the motor pool guy to get it back in shape.
I worked in the hospital when I was in the Air Force and drove one of these frequently, both in the states and Guam. Of course, they were painted Air Force Blue…. Great vehicles, started every time, served their purpose!
“Strato Blue”
I would definitely modify it to a more modern drivetrain engine back. Like Geotech state I don’t think the 5.9 or 6.7 Cummins will fit without a tremendous amount of modifications but I have a complete wrecked 1992 Dodge 2500 Cummins 4 x 4 I could use well as a 6.0 Chevy LQ9 6.0 V8 out of a 2007 hummer and some new rebuilt Rockwell deuce and a half axles. Make a cool rig to fix up and tool around in. I do a lot of prospecting out west and it might make a cool rig for that too. Probably all pie dreams tough.
Wow….looked at many over 40 plus years in which one should have been mine due to default….as the wrecking yard had someone destroy my Studebaker 2.5 ton with a factory V/8 and 2 speed read end getting it off the truck it was stored one…same yard I skipped on a lime green stolen/stripped 70 R/T Challenger convert……go figure…nice one here with all original equipment !
Seller’s Craigslist ad says it’s an M43. He’s wrong, it’s an M37. I own one, mine runs quite well with no significant rust issues.
The M43 is the ambulance version of tue M37. I have an M715 and the ambulance version is the M725 of I remember right. Each version has its own designation. Truck, ambulance,service vehicle, etc