CDN M37 markings

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Kirk Armitage

I'm doing a restoration on a 1952 CDN M37 that was surplused out of PET in 1977, CFR NO: 52-41058. I'm the second owner so it was pretty original ,untouched from when it left Petawawa, I know nothing about markings , there are a few, maybe someone can explain what they are.

Having had 25-years of service, your M37 would have been subject to full range of markings, from when the Army was organized as a Division, to the reorganization into Brigade Group and then into Combat Groups. Not to mention being transferred between individual units. So all the markings you can see might be from different eras.

The 91E is most likely the call sign for the vehicle. Without knowing the unit however, it may prove difficult to identify which call sign it is.

I don't believe the CSPA sticker would have been allowed on a military vehicle so may have been placed by the previous civilian owner.

No idea why a bumper would be painted yellow with white numbers. Maybe some one else would have knowledge of this.

The Canadian flag on the front hood lip? More than likely military from later in its career.

Hope this helps.

[Wayne Hingley]

The right side bumper would be where the yellow circle with a 4 bridge class would be located, but the traces of yellow on your bumper doesn't resemble a circular shape.

If there are more white numbers (ex: 2502 or 2503) that would be the ordinance code. M37 with winch is 2503 and without winch is 2502.

One thing I noticed while looking at many old photos and surviving original trucks to determine markings for my M37, is there was a lot of variety in markings, marking location, and paint patterns over the years, across the many different units and in different geographic regions of the country.

[Kirk Armitage]

Dan , Wayne , thanks for the info. I wasn't totally struck on this truck when I bought it in 1993 , but they grow on you. I've been plowing with another M37 for close to 30 yrs.
Regards K Armitage

[Kirk Armitage]

There is a stepped 1/8" plate mounted on the RHT front fender and head light guard , not sure what this mod was for.
Thanks K Armitage

[Wayne Hingley]

Hi Kirk. That would be the mounting plate for the PU-5008/U (chorehorse) generator.

[Kirk Armitage]

Little more sanding managed to pull the CFR# off both doors and Z 11 also on both. A couple letters /numbers in yellow on the passenger door popped up but unreadable. Either way the CFR and Z 11 can go back on after paint , got to get this stuff blasted while the nice weather is here.
K Armitage

[Ed Storey]

As both Dan and Wayne have stated in their previous posts, as you sand down through the various layers of paint history of your vehicle you are discovering a partial selection of markings from various Canadian Forces eras. While you are wise to document what you find, arbitraily selecting what markings to retain and which to leave off really does not add to the authenticity of your vehicle as it is the complete set of markings, from one specific era that tells the story of the vehicles' history. CF vehicle markings is a complicated and technical subject that cannot be explained in one or even two e-mails so I would suggest that you stick with just the CFR number or replicate the photograph that Wayne sent you. You have the CFR of your vehicle, what was it's SN?