m 37 resto in new brunswick

[pauljboudreau]

here is where i am at ...lol got enuf part and time just need money

allrigth , today i have had the cab off and started cleaning and removing stuff from the frame , i also started to cut off the wood carrying gizmo that where welded to the frame with the plasma cutter, did i tell everyone how much that tool is fun to use , ge i like my plasma cutter...lol
any how here are the pics, enjoy!!

cab less frame started to be cleaned


wood shit started to plasma off

the cab is in very nice shape found just a few hole to fix

[Michel D]

Hello i did my m37 last year, i think the 2 main beam on the cab were a little bit more damaged. But now thay are replaced by two 2x4-1/8 thick. Just need to make a little angle becaus the beam is not straight at the end.
I think your plasma cutter will be yousfull.

[pauljboudreau]

did more work on the m truck yesterday and this morning, pretty close to start restoring the frame , gt some sanding disc and the primer and paint today, gee that stuff is becoming expensive, oh well if i want a good job i have to get the good stuff i guess

any how here are the pics, enjoy

front frame view

rear frame view

some one did a poor welding job on a crack

another crak by the stearing box mount

transfert case crossmember had a hard life

power train awaiting restoration

striped the rear of the frame this morning

mask , tack cloth and filter for the paint

primer with etching primer in it

the paint formula from sherwin william



now it started raining so i stalled for the day

[pauljboudreau]

paint hardener and reducer, note the color, it is exactly the same as the paint on my nos gas cap, the rigth olive drab, cool

pre marked mixing cup for the paint wich goes 8-4-1, and the primer is 1 to 1

[super dave]

I will be interested in how the color comes out, Keep up the good work

[pauljboudreau]

nice day today had some more work done and started restoring the frame ouf hard labor but it will be worth it, i found some marking stamped in the frame including a serial number , but the number is to faint to show on the camera, you can also see all kind of tool marks on the frame proving it was bended cold or pressed

any how here are the pics enjoy!

crack ready to be welded

crak welded

where is the crack?

other crack fixing

original dodge black paint showing under the drab

1/3 sanded down

marking stamped in frame

[pauljboudreau]

been busy lately seling my daily driver and shoping for a new older one, then i sold the 54 and the 53 , so it was quite the running around, and the weather was kind of crappy , but i still managed to get some stuff done, i took the box off the 52 and salvaged wath i wanted under and in it , and then i started stripping axles to get to some decent gears, the first set i took out of the 55 was a bit slim at one point but not as bad as the set i took out of the rear of the 52, the pinion is almost paper thin , i looked in the setting intruction in my shop manual and all they talked about was bering preload and no mention of any pinion depth or gear mesh partern, i then understood why my gear where in such poor state lol, then i took the shaft out of the front axle the joint are an interesting concept compare to a u-joint kind of a constant velocity birfield, then i got the gear out and finally i had a decent set even if the pinon was set a little far from the crown and there was 30 thousand of back lash in the set, so i took all the best part appart and cleaned them, the carrier is a pain to take appart but i am happy i did because i had a trust washer that was fubared,

also my girlfriend sanded down some spot where some sticker had been painted , if you can identifie the unit or sticker let me know

anyhow here are all the pics! enjoy!

unknown sticker, on the door



we also found all sort of paper work in the dash from dnd and the rangers

[pauljboudreau]

more pics!
salvaged the rear bump stop and the shock mount of the 52

savaged the gas tank of the 52

salvaged the tail ligth and bracket of the 52

the paper thin pinion that was in the rear end of the 52

front shaft and joint view



front gear out of the 52 seted a little far but in good shape, they had 30 tou of backlash


the rest of the trust washer behind the spider gear ,show you do have to take everything appart and check everything to do a good job

[pauljboudreau]

and for the final picture of the day! all the part that will go back togheter tomorow in the third member, all cleaned and ready to go! reassembly begin tomorow yes!


paul

[pauljboudreau]

well today i got the reasembly started and at the end of this day i have one third member ready to go in the rear axle, the army did not shim their pinion but mine is shimed and my axle should be less noisy then one that hasn't been shimed, i also got some tire for the project, i wil have to try them on my bud rim as they seem a bit wide, they are 325/85R16, 38 incher!!!

any how here are the pics of the day, enjoy!

my new to me war tires

they are still in good shape

this is the patern i ended up with with the axle setted the way the army instruction said to set the gears up, i found that the pinion was a bit far from the crown

so i shimed the pinion bering 0.030,i used some shim i had left from a maser install kit from a rubi dana 44 and a dana 35 or 30, i put them here

and here

and i ended up with a more centered patern, its not perfect but much better


and now i have a ready to install third member with improved gear partern

[pauljboudreau]

well today i took both pionneer rack off and decided wich one i am going to keep and wich one is going for sale, then i started tearing the front axle apart to clean it and paint it so when i mixe my olive drab i use all the paint i mix, then i had to quit to bring the kid down to my ex wife....

here are the pics, enjoy!

pioneer rack i am going to sell

more pictures of the funny front joint


front axle appart partially

and the way i left it at quiting time

and them parts on the bench

[Speedy]

love seeing the progress. keep up the good work

[pauljboudreau]

well today the 53 got going to its new home, and one of the rear axle got in my yard, one of the shaft in it was twisted but the gear where in good shape, also on the twisted shaft all off the wheel stud are bent, so that side did take a heavy hit, then i finished taking the front axle appart , striped it and found some marking on it, a serie of number 12-20-51 dont know what they mean but hey , they are in a strange place behind the front axle looking at the rear one, then i got all of the paint off the housing , i just need to sand blast a few spot and she will be ready for primer

here are the pics enjoy!

twisted axle

markings



third member i started taking appart

and a almost clean housng almost ready for paint!


paul

[Lynn Eades]

12-20-51 = 20th December 1951. My guess.

[pauljboudreau]

today i got a few leaf spring derusted and i got the front axle and the bumperette and some leaf etched not much progress frigin on details




the olive drab is getting closer!

[pauljboudreau]

the work of the day consisted of painting part of the rims and the axle housing and fidling with detail while the paint was drying not much to show , the paint turn out a great color that look pretty close to the original color

any how here are the pics of the day

leaf spring all ready for prime

got 4 rims painted


the axle housing painted

and ran out of paint and i did not want to mix an other batch since i could not use it all


paul

[pauljboudreau]

today i painted the rear axle black out ligth white spot and frigged around trying to make a stencil for the front axle number with tape , but it did not work so i got the local sticker shop to make me a stencil, and voila my marking where that easy to paint,

here are the pics

paint i used, flat white

both axle togheter

close up of the markings


paul

[pauljboudreau]

well today i frigged around on my buddy's truck so i only had little time for the project , but i did get the rear bumpstop and two new leaf hand sandblasted and primed,

i got myself a new paint gun , it is much better then the other one, the old one had a 2.0 tip and was wasting way too much paint, the new one has a 1.4 tip and is much better and makes a lot less overspray

here is the only pic of the day ,enjoy!

[Lynn Eades]

Now that you've done it, I don't think you are supposed to paint the spring leaves where they rub on each other. Can someone remind me why?
I like your paint colour, and have enjoyed your thread, with its many photos.