Hello all-- by way of intro, regret to say (and don't stop reading after this first paragraph, 'cause interesting things follow) that I sold my '06 Dodge 4x$CTD. Best vehicle I ever owned, in just about every way, except for the costs as my one and only daily driver (it was just too much of a good thing). So now my daily driver is a practical gasoline AWD wagon (first time in almost 20 years I haven't driven a pickup). Which has me realizing that even though the weird little wagon is great for low cost getting to and fro and small parking spaces, I want and will have use for a truck again. And I now am liberated to not have the truck even pretend to be a practical daily driver.

Which has me wishfully thinking whether I might someday run across something like a former Uncle Sam Dodge M-37 or Dodge M880 GI pickup, and, depending upon the condition of the OEM engine, then be on the lookout for something like a Cummins 4B from an old bread truck....

Any words of wisdom, encouragement, lessons learned the hard way that can help me repeating any of your mistakes... I do fully know that I am talking about rudely simple & simply rude technologies here-- and that's the entire appeal now that it wouldn't need to be a daily driver and I wouldn't need to care if it had a heater or not or might redline in top gear at 42 mph

Any tips on suggested sources or types of rigs or what (or who) to avoid?

Any tips on whether some of the relatively simple,low-cost DIY things that people do to the 6B 12V Cummins engines can be extrapolated to a 4B? Pointers in those directions to start me on ideas?

No bottomless wallet here (understatement) just an unexplainable appetite for projects involving some combination of restoration and _use_ of old stuff that at least in theory is worth the time and effort (no show stuff at my place, nor anything being built to cash out on E-Bay)

Thanks all!

pybyr in VT, USA

 

Yeah, and who would ever think I'd be using a V10 now as a daily driver, instead of my precious CTD's? I can't afford the price of the new fuel , and I can't raise the rates on my hauls , so I'm stuck.

 

Man, I hated those M880s with a passion. What piles of junk they were.

An M37 with a diesel could be cool. As would a WC ambulance or command car or a Kaiser M715. You could always buy an M35 2.5 ton or an M816 5 ton 6x6 to scratch the diesel itch as well.

 

There are several guys on here with 4BT's in old rigs, hopefully some of them will post in this thread.

Anything we do to the 6 cylinder version can be done to the 4 cylinder version. Expect 2/3rds the power out of 2/3rds the engine.

Most of the bread truck motors have VE pumps, so you'll probably be over in the 1st gen forum when you get ready to turn it up.

 

Get a dodge m37 they are beasts. I am in the process of swaping in a 318/nv 4500 into my 52 dodge m37 right now. Its going to be sitting on michelin 38's when its finished. They are quite the rig when properly equiped. There are quite a few guys that have swaped in the 4bt into the m37's plenty of information to be had over at www.powerwagonadvertiser.com
Evan

 

Ya gotta love those old WWII and Korea era trucks! Hunks of iron, steel and real rubber. At least when you go barrow ditch riding you won't hurt anything.

I tried using a VM engine from a junked Liberty, last year, but the vibration was worse than running on flat tires. A friend, in town has a couple of old Sweetheart trucks, maybe I can scavenge the engines. I just don't want anymore electronics to play with.

 

ive had a 4bt powered m715, helped build a 4bt powered blazer, and here is my next 4bt project is a 1942 DODGE 3/4ton. seats EIGHT and your knees dont hit the seat in front of you.

 

http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/auctsctrl


this auction has a bunch of vehicles like you mention up for sale...and fairly cheap too

 

I really liked my M880, except for the mileage. Due to the full time 4WD, I only got 9mpg, everywhere, all the time.

But the full time transfer case was actually really cool to have a few times.

 

Which model was the multi-fueler?