Nickathome
09-08-2003, 12:33 PM
Hello;
I'm new to this game, but have had an interest in military vehicles since I was a kid. I have long been wanting to restore an antique vehicle to use as more of a deer hunting ride than anything else. Trouble was, I didn't really know what kind I wanted. I was leaning toward the old willy's wagons there for a while. I truly can't remember exactly what got me into military powerwagons, but I know it started about the time I first subscribed to Military Vehicles Magazine. Up until then, I had really never seen an M37, nor know what one was(or pretty much anything beyond a deuce and a half for that matter). I started checking their classified ads and knew I didn't want a Jeep. 1. I already owned a civilian version(Wrangler), and 2. couldn't afford one anyway. I kept eyeing up the funny looking pickups with the straight windshields, and decided thats what I would buy some day.
I bought a winch model M37 about 5 years ago, but looking back I wasn't really ready to take the step then. I got overwhelmed with the amount of work that needed to be done, and quickly sold the thing. I said, "well thats the end of that", and washed my hands of the whole thing, although I regretted it(I felt like a quitter, which I'm not). I stopped my subscription to my magazine and everything. I felt bad about that decision because I felt as if I didn't give it a chance. The wife was happy though because now I got rid of that "piece of junk out of the back yard"(didn't have a garage then).
About two months later something just brought my attention once again back to military trucks. I don't know why, but I knew I had to try again. I resubscribed to my magazine, and began an impromptu/halfhearted search for another truck. To make a long story shorter, I found another truck at this year's East Coast Rally in Md, and even though I don't really like buying things from these "shows", I made the guy an offer and the rest is history. I now own a battered M37B1 with a missing winch, and a flathead 230 engine that came out of a towmotor(its a military engine though, and have been told these engines were used in many applications, so for all intents and purposes, its an original engine), and I'm loving it. I actually got the thing running about a month ago, and I'm now in parts buying mode. Its going to take me a long time to get this thing on the road(I'm doing as much as I am able myself to keep the costs down), but I'm in no hurry. I even have it neatly stored out of the weather in my half of our two car garage(new house, more space). I am going to see this one through to the end.
I'm new to this game, but have had an interest in military vehicles since I was a kid. I have long been wanting to restore an antique vehicle to use as more of a deer hunting ride than anything else. Trouble was, I didn't really know what kind I wanted. I was leaning toward the old willy's wagons there for a while. I truly can't remember exactly what got me into military powerwagons, but I know it started about the time I first subscribed to Military Vehicles Magazine. Up until then, I had really never seen an M37, nor know what one was(or pretty much anything beyond a deuce and a half for that matter). I started checking their classified ads and knew I didn't want a Jeep. 1. I already owned a civilian version(Wrangler), and 2. couldn't afford one anyway. I kept eyeing up the funny looking pickups with the straight windshields, and decided thats what I would buy some day.
I bought a winch model M37 about 5 years ago, but looking back I wasn't really ready to take the step then. I got overwhelmed with the amount of work that needed to be done, and quickly sold the thing. I said, "well thats the end of that", and washed my hands of the whole thing, although I regretted it(I felt like a quitter, which I'm not). I stopped my subscription to my magazine and everything. I felt bad about that decision because I felt as if I didn't give it a chance. The wife was happy though because now I got rid of that "piece of junk out of the back yard"(didn't have a garage then).
About two months later something just brought my attention once again back to military trucks. I don't know why, but I knew I had to try again. I resubscribed to my magazine, and began an impromptu/halfhearted search for another truck. To make a long story shorter, I found another truck at this year's East Coast Rally in Md, and even though I don't really like buying things from these "shows", I made the guy an offer and the rest is history. I now own a battered M37B1 with a missing winch, and a flathead 230 engine that came out of a towmotor(its a military engine though, and have been told these engines were used in many applications, so for all intents and purposes, its an original engine), and I'm loving it. I actually got the thing running about a month ago, and I'm now in parts buying mode. Its going to take me a long time to get this thing on the road(I'm doing as much as I am able myself to keep the costs down), but I'm in no hurry. I even have it neatly stored out of the weather in my half of our two car garage(new house, more space). I am going to see this one through to the end.