Not if it is engineered so it is fully restorable.


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Posted by Brian in Oregon on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 at 11:40AM :

In Reply to: putting in any other enginewill RUIN its value posted by dave on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 at 10:52AM :

Ray at Helitool makes a kit for putting smallblock MOPARs into the M37. Other than a slight eyebrow in the frame for exhaust clearance and a slight relief on a bellhousing mount pad, the conversion is reversible. Ditto his disc brake conversions, though a couple extra holes have to be drilled in a replacable bracket for the master cylinder. The hubs are modified and are not really reversible, but it's not like those are difficult to find.

Careful engineering can result in minimal or no irreversible modification to the vehicle.

I'm squirrling all the displaced parts away (flathead six, old drums, backing plates, etc.) in case I or my heirs sell my M37. The next owner will have the option of running the V-8 or fully restoring it. I've also squirreled an extra bracket and hubs from an M37 I scrapped.

As for make of upgraded engine, most folks here prefer to see Dodge engines in a Dodge, and it will have an easier resale than if it had a Chevy. But it's YOUR truck.

As for whether to alter it, you need to think about whether it is a primo candidate for original condition restoration. If it's not, then unless it is quite rare it wouldn't bother me. I do think you ought to check into whether a collector would like it, and maybe see about V-8'ing a more plentiful M43 Ambulance (brother of the M37). But that's just my opinion.



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