1952 Dodge Power Wagon Military Spec 4x4 M37

[Grenade]

These are utilitarian. These are heavy. They are hard to own and harder to find parts for. They are noisy and underpowered.



They're old, full of rattles, leaks & creaks & groans. They only have a top speed of 55MPH.



They aren't stylish, they aren't pretty.



So who in their right mind would want one of these things?



Me, I do. Want to know why?



Because they are bada$$. They make a down low grunt that can haul an anti tank gun up a mountain.

They can pull a half track out of the mud in the middle of nowhere. They helped win wars, build bridges, save lives, put out fires and lots of these have survived all of this, only to sit in the back of buildings on an industrial estate, unused, retired and ignored.



Power Wagons, in the USA are going up in value. This is an M37, probably the least valuable, most unloved style of power wagon.

They have always spoken to me. Fully restored and updated power wagons of the right year range, can sell for 250K.



That's not what this is. It's a giant hunk of steel in the shape of a boxy looking old Jeep. It's 9 hours from where I am.



Sitting on ebay Motors, looking at cool old junk- I placed a "best offer" bid on something. When I woke up the next morning I found I was the proud new owner of this:



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/11.jpg



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/12.jpg



I still have to actually pay for the thing, but the required emails have been sent, waiting on telephone contact.

Until the shipper is on the way to pick it up and the title is in my hand, the deal isn't done- at least as far as I'm concerned.



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/13.jpg



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http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/17.jpg



The reason for this whole deal is because I found another cheap "engine makes a sound like a bag of hammers in a washing machine" AWD Hemi Truck.

I was just going to buy it, sit on it, leaving it parked until I needed it for another international. The current Hemi #4 international build has progressed just fine, it stalled out waiting on someone else to send me parts for the engine, but that should all be back on track this week. I can't wait to get back on that International build, I don't like waiting on anybody. Supposedly, there is another Hemi International build waiting in the wings AFTER #4, but Hemi #4, the green one- comes first.



Annnyywaaayyy....

I saw this Hemi truck online DIRT CHEAP and early Sunday morning, I made the deal and just like that- I owned a lovely black & gray storage shed for me to put parts into:

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/18.jpg



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/19.jpg



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/20.jpg



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/21.jpg



Meanwhile- My good buddy Chris (here in the UK) did some searching around and found this picture somewhere and I instantly became all fired up about this M37 Build;



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/22.jpg



Now that one, is big money. The yellow one you'll see in the pics down below, took the guy almost 4 years full time, and it's basically a more modern Dodge Cummins diesel 4x4 under it. Value? Yeah, way north of 50k GBP I'll bet. Mine? It might not even get paint.



http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/23.jpg



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http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/28.jpg



This gives you the story. What I bought, (or at least if the damn deal completes itself lol) and what I've got planned for it.

The yellow truck above, took over three years. I want Hemi #4 done and shipped out, and this M37 well on it's way to running in three months.



Really, both done in 3 months would be good, but I have other stuff to do besides these, that'll never happen.

But I'm on it.



To paint or not to paint....

[cdwood2010]

Today i refitted an engine lid and soldered a couple of resistors into a tacho.

So yeah, were all busy with projects.

lol. You're insane. Keep it up.

:)

[sketchy]

Quit yapping, get fixin.

As I go out to add to the 15000 Xmas lights....

[cdwood2010]

Hey Paul,

Here's the spec on that M37, it makes for an interesting read.....

http://car-from-uk.com/sale.php?id=61005

[Grenade]

That's cheap for what that is!

[Phaeton]

I used to have one of them when I was a kid, but mine had Tonka written down the side

[Grenade]

Me too, but this was 15yrs before I was born. It's a '53 Tonka. Mine were bright yellow and mostly dump trucks. :)

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2016/12/30.jpg

[Phaeton]

That's probably worth as much as a real one

[Goldy]

Awesome, fat tyres on it and paint it in military vehicle camouflage colours!

[Grenade]

It is getting big tires for sure. I think we're going to paint it matte white.

It's been paid for and the shipper has been contracted, so we should see it in a few days. :fingersx::booz:

[Grenade]

Son of a bitch.

This whole deal fell apart. I'm awaiting a refund from the seller for two reasons;
#1 The guy has NO PAPERWORK on the truck, when the listing clearly showed that he had a title.
#2 the pre paid shipper made me wait all week and never picked it up.

To be honest, it's a good thing that they never picked it up, but I could have handled the paperwork on this end- it would have been an enormous pain however. When it's not meant to be- it's not meant to be.
I'll find something else in the future, I've got enough to do anyway.
Looks like the power wagon isn't happening, let's hope the refunds get handled properly..

[sketchy]

Our system is a bit different. The nzta holds all the records of ownership...if you want, they can send it out.usually done on rego plates, but when its been off the road chassis/vin numbers

As far as servicing. That stays with owners