Chrysler Forward control amphibious

[rob love]

Not my first love, but certainly my longest yearning. I was 19 when I drove my m38 jeep the 1200 miles to Borden in March when I transferred to the regular army as an army mechanic. Prior to that, I drove a dodge m37 to high school for a couple of years. I was already well hooked on military vehicles when I visited the museum in Borden, but something about this truck attracted me. The heart wants what the heart wants as they say.

[rob love]

So with a little more knowledge under my belt, I can offer the following rationalization on these 6 trucks.

Serial no 1: retained by Chrysler and used after the trials ended. Fate unknown
Serial no 2: Borden museum.
Serial no 3: currently with me.
Serial no 4: likely the one destroyed in testing by LETE
Serial no 5: converted to Cummins diesel and for sale out of Calgary. Tan in colour.
Serial no 6: swords and Ploughshares collection

[Wayne Hingley]

That summary really puts it in perspective, Rob. Truly a rare vehicle. Fortunately it has been looked after and preserved in good condition by Jack and others over the years. It certainly continues to remain in good hands.

[rob love]

As I went through the bins of the truck, I came across the waterproof distributor. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo, but I'll add one hopefully tomorrow. Anyway, the distributor was the same manufacture and style as the M38A1 jeep, and similar to the M37 and M151 vehicles. The difference was that the distributor cap has 8 terminals to work with the V8 engine. I have never seen an 8 cylinder distributor like this before, and after a bit of brain-wracking, figured out that the only 8 cylinder gas engine in an M-series vehicle that I could think of was the original M113 APC with the Chrysler 361 engine. Sure enough, it matches. I have to imagine the starter may also be from the M113.
I found one on ebay, but pricey.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/29307686051...3Avlp_homepage
So if I decide to revert back to the original distributor, there is some hope for spare parts. I also saw the original carb which appears to be a Holley similar to the old deuce. More research is needed.

[Bob Carriere]

Congrat Rob you have a real keeper.

I have driven that truck a few time ...... it out performed anything else int he 4x4 club.

On the Distributor caps...... I have seen early mid 50s hemi engines in USA Compressor and Generators and also on stationary engines for military pump/generators using 283 GM blocks..... they all had special waterproof carbs, plugs and dizzy........ all where located in a junk yard in Butler Penn. .....strange coincidence as Butler is the birth place of the early Jeeps. I was married to an American at the time and working for PPG and every trip was and excuse for loading up the back seat of the Camero........ they had stacks of NOS Cargo boxes for the Jeep Military pickups, cord wood stacks of NOS large Axles for the trending Monster trucks of the period........ plywood cased stacked to a dangerous heights as the lower levels were collapsing... for fording kits of M37 and Jeep Gladiators.... it was easy picking the bags of nuts and bolts from the sides of the bottom cases and quart containers of OD green putty for gumming up the waterproofing of batteries, cables, etc.......
....complete aircraft slide in air to air refueling system on skids including the flying tail booms, rubber tanks, pump hose reels,...... and a fleet of forward control Air Force jeeps all without engines...... the engines.... 3 cylinders Listers removed and sold to local Mennonites to power barn milking equipment and sawmills......

The store sign was an actual real space capsule used scarred and battered..... with blown hatch.

Use to belong to the "Independent Mountain Men of Pennsylvania" a black powder thing at the time.....amazing what you can bring back in a hard top camping trailer.

The good old days....... the yard is gone and so is the American wife!!!!!!! .......not sure which I missed the most or cost the most..

[Bob Carriere]

Rob the Industrial 361 was a de-stroked beefed up 383 block....some where used as replacement engines in International single axle tractors early 60s with an Adapter plate...... the Inter 348 C.I. had a bad run with engine problems and replaced with Chrysler engines so parts for a 361 may still be floating around..... they had mechanical RPM linked to the Civvy distributor..... not fast revving but real torkers!!!

........had pimples in them days!!!!!!

[super dave]

Originally Posted by rob love

As I went through the bins of the truck, I came across the waterproof distributor. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo, but I'll add one hopefully tomorrow. Anyway, the distributor was the same manufacture and style as the M38A1 jeep, and similar to the M37 and M151 vehicles. The difference was that the distributor cap has 8 terminals to work with the V8 engine. I have never seen an 8 cylinder distributor like this before, and after a bit of brain-wracking, figured out that the only 8 cylinder gas engine in an M-series vehicle that I could think of was the original M113 APC with the Chrysler 361 engine. Sure enough, it matches. I have to imagine the starter may also be from the M113.
I found one on ebay, but pricey.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/29307686051...3Avlp_homepage
So if I decide to revert back to the original distributor, there is some hope for spare parts. I also saw the original carb which appears to be a Holley similar to the old deuce. More research is needed.

Also the V100 Cadillac Gauge has the same 361 so more than likely the same waterproof ignition in it as well.

[rob love]

Right you are. I did see something about the v100 and Ontos having the same power plant. I suspect it is still going to be hard to find the 8 cylinder specific parts for this distributor. It looks like the top cover, the cap, and the rotor are all unique as will be the lobe section (including weights and springs). I'll have to see if there is an online parts manual for the commando or the early M113, or just as likely for that powerplant. I did just see the rotors on ebay so have a pair of those on order: let the hoarding begin. I also see an interesting cap for the M880 dodge which is basically a regular 318 cap inside a metal shell which has the threaded parts for the shielded wiring. That might also be an option.

I am in no rush though. The engine sounds good as is, and I'll be parking it away for the winter. I pulled the roof out of the back so I could view the spare parts stowed in the back as well as access the aux fuel tank to top it off

[Bob Carriere]

....do you have a picture???? I may have one, double barrel..... that I am not using. Came off a crate engine..... same yard.

[Paul Singleton]

I did some searching for the distributor cap on the parts sheet and found this:

https://www.veritableaerospace.com/n...15359/8722526/