Looking back, it is staggering to think about how much the United States spent on the military during the Cold War. To keep communism at bay, we needed everything from jungle boots to fleets of nuclear bombers. Somewhere in between was the requirement for reliable and efficient trucks. To answer that need, Dodge produced over 115,000 M37s like this 1953 model, found for us on craigslist by reader Patrick S. This rugged truck, located in Fort Myers, Florida, is a low mileage example of what the military used for hauling smaller loads in the postwar period. At a price of $9,000, is this the perfect vehicle to have as a rolling reminder of this eventful time in our history?
After World War II, it was obvious that any serious military force had to be mechanized to survive. The German Wehrmacht’s reliance on horses and wagons was one of many reasons for their downfall. Modern warfare would require tremendous numbers of trucks to move supplies to the front lines and bring wounded or killed troops back from the battlefield. Dodge answered the call by providing the M37 3/4 ton truck to the military between 1951 and 1968. Powered by the same L-head (flathead) inline six cylinder that was used in Plymouth and Dodge cars of the time, these trucks were definitely reliable. The only problem was that these engines didn’t like to be run at high RPMs.
Gearing on these trucks was low by necessity, making them rather slow even when unloaded. As the Cold War wore on, the tempo of the battlefield sped up as each side looked for an edge in what everyone thought would be the inevitable fight for Europe. Thankfully that conflict never came, but it became obvious that M37 trucks were becoming outdated. Driving the flathead six engines flat out, no matter if doing so was needed to keep up in training or the preferred speed of the often young and destructive driver, often resulted in connecting rod damage.
I knew a fellow that had one of these that he restored back to as-delivered condition. He said that the engine was comfortable around 35-40 miles per hour, and that the stiff suspension made long trips painful. None of this is the fault of the truck or its designers. It was perfect for the period in which it was born into. Sadly, the world changed quickly. When the eventual changeover began, trucks like this one were sold as surplus or donated to municipalities. Many found themselves serving second lives as brush trucks for volunteer fire departments. This is why it is fairly common to see them with low mileage. This one has just 6,800 miles on the odometer. Too bad the ad doesn’t reveal any history behind the truck. It only reveals that the truck was running just two short years ago.
Today, trucks like this one are quite collectible. The website Steel Soldiers is the home base for military vehicle lovers of every stripe. Owners of M37s and other military vehicles can network with other owners on this site, and these folks have numerous shows and driving opportunities for you to enjoy. Parts are also not a problem. Businesses like Vintage Power Wagons have both new old stock parts and acres of similar trucks they are parting out to keep customers trucks on the road.
As long as you know their limitations, an M37 is about as tough a truck as you can find. Do you have a place for such a vehicle in your collection?
I love M37s. They are great trail toys. This one looks to be in pretty good condition. The 9K price is about 2K too much. I’ve been seeing them, fully restored, for about 7K.
Great looking trucks we need to do everything we can to keep trucks like these alive
Great truck for running a paper route we have here in Auburndale, Fl.
Known as 2859, this route has little, or any paved roads on it. This truck
would go a long way to helping me make over $1K a week. In order to
work this route, you must own a very capable 4X4 to tackle the challenges that the terrain will give you there. This truck would
fill the bill nicely. Just put your papers in plastic tubs, add a lawn
chair to the bed, and toss both sides while someone else drives
the truck. Great truck! Just wish I had the cash to buy it!
Bartow guy here. 1k per week? The Ledger? Wow.
Good trucks. They’re still around and quite enjoyable. Some even make it to the local show-N-shine. And who says they have to be shiny to look good?
Low gears would only limit the top end speed. A 4.11 rear axle is going to get off the line a lot quicker than the same one with, say, a 3.00 axle. But it won’t, generally speaking, achieve as high a top end speed.
What Mike said….looked at one around 6 grand with brakes and all ready to roll and stop ! Still just have toooo many now……
Love the 9:00-16 military tires.
The earlier model looks the same to a non-collector and was produced from 1942. I know, I drove a 1943 in Viet Nam. As far as i know, the milage does not mean a lot, as the odometer may have been reset during “refurbishing” Also in Nam, the 5 ton dumps were sent to Guam for “rebuilding”, and came back missing fenders, and/or doors with only six used tires. The odometers I saw were reset to zero.
like the WC-A, B, C, D types the best (butterfly style hood) but get lost (just like MB’n other co.s) when models R cited by other designations. As a ford guy liked it when a buddy (on a bronk site) in NV put an FE into his M37 to wheel out there.
Cumins diesel, modern trans/case, and axles then you’d have something it wouldn’t hurt to put a softer suspension under there too, which would probably mean a few less leaves in the spring packs. Then I’d paint it red with black bumpers, wheels, and fenders just because I like red trucks. What a cool truck these were.
I have owned 5 different M37 pickups they are fairly bullet proof I am just getting ready to sell my last one it’s in very nice original condition and the market is ranging in the 9 to 12k for a good driver with very little rust!!
I love these old beasts. We had them when I was in an armoured reserve squadron starting in 1958. Very slow, but bullet proof ( mechanically, not the real bullets). I loved the sound of these trucks. I had a chance to buy one, winch and all, for $3,000 Cdn, but I have a 4×4 that is also good on the highway, and have too many projects right now.
When I was a kid, I used to swamp for my uncle, who was a welder that did a lot of work in the logging industry. With a beast like this one, with a monster Lincoln welder on the back, He would negotiate logging roads with ease that would tear a modern truck apart.
Great memories.
Bob
If I could buy this truck, I would just leave it like it is and use it as a logging road crawler.
Had one that I bought from the second owner, first was US ARMY. IT WAS A BEAST ON THE ROAD.. Top speed was 45 MPH.. I tried to go faster, it was having none of that.. Hahahahaha…
I just found the Ambulance version here – it runs and drives very well – I was surprised!! Any interest in these??
Chinga if the truck runs, drives and stops it’s worth 8k just as it sits. Do not put it on a military website like Steel Soldiers great website beyond words but we have the choice of every truck for sale virtually on the planet and these guys won’t pay much. I would go CL or EB and you will sell it!
Thank you