The Dodge M37 was a 3⁄4-ton 4x4 truck developed for service in the United States military as a successor to the widely used Dodge-built WC Series introduced during World War II. Put into service in 1951, it served in a variety of configurations in frontline duty in the Korean War and War in Vietnam before being replaced by two commercial off the shelf (COTS) based 1+1⁄4-ton trucks: the Kaiser M715 (introduced in 1967 and supplied through 1969) and the Dodge M880/M890 series (in the 1970s).
It bore the designation (G741), and after its military phase-out was both put into domestic Federal government agency use and auctioned to civilians in the U.S., and adopted by foreign militaries.
History
Many of the components on the M37 are similar or identical to the Dodge-built World War II WC series vehicles, and many deficiencies of the WC series were corrected in the M37. Notably, a conventional pickup truck style bed replaced the platform on the World War II vehicle, simplifying production. There was significant drivetrain and powerplant commonality with the immediate postwar WDX series civilian Power Wagons, but no sheet metal was shared. Six WC-based prototype W37s were produced in early-to-mid 1950, with the first pre-production pilot vehicle rolling off the assembly line on 14 December 1950.[2]
In total some 115,000 Dodge M37s were produced between 1951 and 1968. Manufacture of the M37 began in earnest in January 1951, with approximately 11,000 vehicles made by the end of that year. By mid-1954 63,000 of the vehicles had been produced. In 1958 a number of modifications to the design resulted in the new vehicles being designated as M37B1. From mid-1958 until the end of production 47,600 M37B1 vehicles were produced. Approximately 4,500 Canadian M37CDNs were also produced between 1951 and 1955. M37s continued in service worldwide in the Israeli and Greek militaries.
From 1968 onwards, the U.S. military replaced the M37 with the heavier-rated 1+1⁄4 (or five-quarter) ton Kaiser Jeep manufactured M715 family of vehicles. Rather than purpose-built tactical vehicles, these "militarized" commercial off-the-shelf ('COTS') trucks were considered underpowered and fragile compared to the M37.[3] After seeing service in the Vietnam War the M715 was replaced in 1976 by the similarly rated Dodge-built COTS M880 series.
In addition to those M37s that were sold or offered as military aid to allied foreign countries, many were transferred to civilian agencies or sold domestically at government auctions, becoming a not uncommon sight in government and private use in the 1970s and '80s; some are still seen today in rural areas.
XM152 experimental enclosed utility truck used in small numbers by the USAF
XM195 experimental lighter, compact version of M37
XM708 experimental dump truck used mostly by airborne units
XM711 experimental wrecker truck
Specifications
Engine
The M37's flathead Chrysler Straight-6 engine was carried over from the World War II-era WC vehicle line, as was most of the drivetrain. Using an engine and drivetrain derived from a widely-produced 1930s era passenger vehicle was in line with a long-standing military procurement strategy that attempted to use commercially produced vehicle variants in military service.[citation needed]
Many deficiencies with aging design became apparent in the 1960s, including a tendency of the engine's connecting rods to fail at high rpms due to the long cylinder stroke of the undersquare engine. As the average speed of the vehicles in the military increased (overwhelmingly during peacetime, on sound roads) these engine failures became commonplace due to the low gear ratio of the vehicle, which was suited for a multipurpose vehicle capable of transporting heavy loads in rough terrain.
Model: T245 Dodge
Type: "L" Head, 6 cylinder
Power: 78 bhp (58.2 kW) at 3200 rpm
Displacement: 230 cubic inches (3.8 L) (Canadian version used the larger 250.6 cu in (4.1 L) engine)
Bore: 3+1⁄4 in (82.6 mm), Stroke: 4+5⁄8 in (117 mm)
Oil capacity: 6 U.S. quarts (5.7 L)
Radiator capacity: 25 U.S. quarts (24 L)
Carter carburetor Model ETW-1 downdraft
M37 B1 Standard specifications sheet (1968).
Driveline
Clutch
Borg & Beck Model 11828 10 in (250 mm) single plate dry disc (Borg & Beck 11 inch clutch on Canadian version.)
Transmission
New Process Model 88950 (or NP420)(Acme Model T-98 on Canadian version)
4-speed, Synchro-Shift in 3rd and 4th gear
Transfer Case
New Process 88845 (or NP200)
Ratio: High 1:1, low 1.96:1
Twin lever operation, one for 4×4 or 4×2 selection, one for hi or low range
Cargo Model M37 and Command Model M42: 112 in (2.8 m)
Ambulance Model M43 and Tele. Maint. Model V41: 126 in (3.2 m)
Weight
M37 without winch: 5,687 lb (2,580 kg), M37 with winch 5,987 lb (2,716 kg)
Tire Size
9.00 × 16 - 8 ply non-directional military
Winch
Braden LU-4, PTO operated, 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) capacity (250’ of 7/16" wire rope [75 m by 11 mm] – 10’ [3 m] chain with hook)
Aborted replacement competition
During the late 1960s a competition was initiated by the Army, which requested the leading U.S. automotive companies to submit proposals as a replacement for the M37. Several prototype vehicles passed through the preliminary examination, eventually leading the military to accept General Motors XM705 11⁄4-ton Truck and derivative XM737 Ambulance, which were supposed to replace the M37, instead of the militarized COTS M715 series of trucks. However, Congress cut funds for the program, and the XM705 never reached the assembly line.[4]
Below table lists the comparative specifications of the vehicles involved.[5]
![1953 M37 and 1953 M101 trailer[6]](File:1953_Dodge_M37_Display.jpg)
![M37 in front of a B-17G operated by the Experimental Aircraft Association.[7]](File:Side_view_M37.JPG)
