Poor Man M37 Ultra4 4800 Build

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I'm a little over a year into my build of this 1953 Dodge M37 into a workable 4800 car. Being naive I thought I would have the time/money to finish it before KOH '25 but late last year it was obvious that wasn't going to happen. I have the desire to connect with people outside of Instagram in hopes that I can get some actual input besides the normal "do it this way" of passers by from my weak ass 200 "followers". I figured General4x4 would be an ok place to post since I see a couple other builds here and this really doesn't fit into any of the other categories. We're talking Dodge Military body, GM powertrain, and Ford axles so...

I'm not a professional at this, just a 40yr old washed up old school Toyota guy that's had a passion for building things since high school. Probably a little bit of mid life crisis going on. This is the first full on build that I decided I was going to just force myself to afford the time & money for because life goes by pretty fast.

Initially I envisioned this as a 4500 car. That's why you'll see me use the frame section from an '89 S10 Blazer.

I'll post a few pics then get to the details of where I'm at and some changes to the plan I made along the way.

Here's the day the M37 arrived at the house. My 80-something year old grandpa (badass) hauled it to me from northern California down to Arizona - because he wanted to. Also in this picture is the set of axles I'm using - graciously donated by my old high school bud who turned into my military brother - and eventually my co-dawg. 2012 F350 (D60/Sterling 10.5).

 

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As I mentioned the original plan was to build a 4500 car - which quickly turned into a 4800 car because of money and skills. 1 shock per corner and full hydro were big driving factors in switching to 4800. This is the chassis and powertrain we intended to use. '89 S10 Blazer - TBI 4.3/700R4/NP231C HD. Seemed like a good budget option and solid base to just get into this racing thing on a budget.

Over the next few weeks we got this thing pretty chopped down and the usable parts ripped out. Again a reminder that I'm still learning how to build something basically from the ground up. But the motto is "We'll continue not knowing what we're doing, until we know what we're doing".

 

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Summer 2024, getting the cab off on the old dinosaur. Part of me felt bad for dismantling this thing, but my grandpa wasn't concerned or giving us any stipulations on the terms of giving me the M37 so I just sucked it up and got to work.

We cut quite a bit out of the bottom of the cab. It had old school metal pedestal bench seats and battery box in there. In hindsight, and for future builds we're straight away going to just cut out the entire floor. It was and still is a pain in the ass to deal with building things around factory sheet metal. Just cut the **** out and build a floor when you're done!

 

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Fall 2024 was a blur of adding front & rear frame sections, learning how to set up a link suspension, learning some CAD, and building brackets. A good friend let me borrow his plasma table so we've built nearly all the parts you see going into this ourselves. Add in stripping the front D60 and prepping for truss and stuff - before I knew it it was November.

As you can see from the pics I went the standard double triangulated 4 link front and rear. No trailing arms for this guy, a decision I had made based on the time constraints I guess. Parts started showing up - I went with King 3.0/16's - non IBP because I'm poor. I had 4 older Cooper STT Pro's in 37" laying around so I bought 4 more and the cheapest aluminum bead lock wheels you can buy (Vision Manx).

In the front I wanted to try an maintain a 0 approach angle as much as possible, before adding a push bar of sorts of course.

 

[Frodo]

What did you do with the old chassis and powertrain?

 

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Coilover mounts in the front were a real challenge, mainly because I didn't want to cut holes in the hood.

The back turned out pretty nice, naturally there is a lot more tube work that needs to go back here but I am happy with it.

I took a ton of time off around the holidays 2024 to try and get this thing done. Christmas and New years week the wife and I had a major thrash session of tubing work, welding, fitment, etc. It was about new years day when I realized that it just was not going to get done no matter how much time I dedicated to it after work and on the weekends. Alas, after those two weeks we had a roller! Which was a great accomplishment but it was time to focus on the motorhome and our camping situation for Hammers.

 

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What did you do with the old chassis and powertrain?

The factory frame section from engine mounts to behind the seats (as the 4500 rulebook states) is still under the car.

I'll get to the powertrain in a couple posts!

 

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What did you do with the old chassis and powertrain?

Or do you mean from the M37? It's still sitting on the side of the shop where I rolled it after taking off the bed and cab, hah.

 

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Hammers came and went, we had a great time wheeling and spectating the race in the comfort of my buddy's trailer. Starlink livestream FTW. It was definitely a crazy year with the snow and subsequent mud. It was also the first time we had camped inside HT (since I had purchased an entry to the race). We dubbed our spot the "Hammertown Slums" because we were digging trenches to evacuate water out of the site. Much different than the guys at "Hammertown Heights" had it! It was a relaxing time and good reflection on what we wanted to accomplish for the year.

Campfire talk turned into the normal "why don't you put an LS in that stupid race car" that I had been getting for the last year anyway - and an idea was born.

 

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A month or so after Hammers my dad offered to sell me his old service truck. I had been looking around for another proper tow rig for a bit and I decided that was the best route to go. I did this crazy road/air trip where I flew to where my dad is in Idaho and got the truck running (had been sitting for almost 2 years), then road tripped it over to CA to my buddy's place who had some LS stuff for sale. A few days of work and I had a tow rig with 2 engines and 3 transmissions in the back headed back south to home. It was a pretty epic trip.

 

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I guess from hammers until about 3 weeks ago has felt like a blur as well, filled with a couple fun trips out of town and probably a bunch of excuses not to work on things. But we're back at it now - I'm not sure why I'm the most motivated when it's 110 degrees down here in Arizona but, here we are.

So what I had picked up for the race car was a LQ4 and a 4L80. Interesting turn of events from what was supposed to be "keep the v6 and race with it for a year". So that's come with all sorts of additional fab work and parts to buy. I just recently got the engine in and settled with new mounts in the frame.

I cut the firewall and pushed the engine back behind the front axle and down lower on the recommendation from a couple friends that have built these cars that it would help with driveshaft angles and such from all the travel. As it sits I'm finalizing the transmission mount and then need to get it torn apart to put a 4x4 output shaft in it.

 

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I'm also beginning to do some suspension cycling that I failed to do back in December since I was in a rush. I've decided to change a few things here and there. As the wheelbase sits now it's at 116". I think I will make new links and pull the rear axle back 4-5" which will help my rear driveshaft as well as some clearance issues with the rear coils.

 

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I'll post updates here frequently now that there is a thread dedicated toward the project. Will we make it to KOH 2026? I don't know, but I hope so. Last year was a lot of let-down with the deadline and admittedly not focusing as much as I should. I have a pile of parts for this thing that I have been collecting, so that will help this time around.

That being said I'm a poor guy with a lot of mouths to feed! I fund this build with my side hustle. I screen print merch and other swag for people in the garage. I've been doing that for about 6 years now. I may have some shirts or other swag for sale in the future. I did a few runs for local people and family last year and it was successful - but haven't decided on making any this year or not.

If you want to follow me on IG, username is the same over there. I post quite a bit on stories. Mainly the progress pics/videos that don't deserve full ass posts or reels.

Thanks for checking it out!

 

[Penetrode Offroad]

 

[06h3]

Cool thread! I like the story and dislike for IG. lol

I’ll be following along.

 

[azdirt3.0]

Cool build! Also in AZ and find myself with the most time right about this time of year when its 110+

 

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Cool build! Also in AZ and find myself with the most time right about this time of year when its 110+

Oh yeah, less distractions because no one wants to be outside in the heat! I jump in the kids little pool that I strategically place behind the shop and then get back to work when I’m getting overheated. Kind of makes the grinding dust and sand stick to you but it’s better than a heat stroke!

 

[06h3]

Did you ever run link #s on the suspension?

 

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Did you ever run link #s on the suspension?

I did, but admittedly I struggled a little with some of the measurements needed for the calculator. The front kind of had to go where things fit. I should try a little harder with the calculator before final welding everything. Cycling it showed no binding but obviously that's only one piece of the puzzle.

 

[posford]

Cool build

 

[bad zuki]

That's a face of determination. Love the build.

 

[crispins]

I have nothign to offer but do love the build, keep it up!

 

[06h3]

I did, but admittedly I struggled a little with some of the measurements needed for the calculator. The front kind of had to go where things fit. I should try a little harder with the calculator before final welding everything. Cycling it showed no binding but obviously that's only one piece of the puzzle.

Many many years ago I was in the camp of whatever the numbers are, they are but I have seen first hand that having a proper suspension does make a difference. It may be worth while, especially if you are racing, we have a "how's my numbers" thread that just talks about #'s

 

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Many many years ago I was in the camp of whatever the numbers are, they are but I have seen first hand that having a proper suspension does make a difference. It may be worth while, especially if you are racing, we have a "how's my numbers" thread that just talks about #'s

Awesome. Once I get the rear coilovers moved and everything clears at droop/bump I'll run the numbers again and post up over there.

Thanks!

 

[tribal4krawler]

Neat build, hope you finish it. When you redo the rear links are you going trailing arms? It’d make a pretty big difference in the go fast stuff.

 

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Neat build, hope you finish it. When you redo the rear links are you going trailing arms? It’d make a pretty big difference in the go fast stuff.

I have considered it. That would solve some clearance problems as well. I’ve been looking at a few of the builder kits and/or how I could cut them out on the plasma table. I guess there would be no real negative to it; especially if I’m going to build new lower links anyway.

 

[tribal4krawler]

I have considered it. That would solve some clearance problems as well. I’ve been looking at a few of the builder kits and/or how I could cut them out on the plasma table. I guess there would be no real negative to it; especially if I’m going to build new lower links anyway.

Yeah I agree. I think for a race car application especially 4800 there’s no reason not to go trailing arms. Obviously when you were building for 4500 you had to mount them to the axle but now you’ll get freed up for way more rear travel in the go fast.

 

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Alright, threw a tape measure on some things over the weekend and I think I'm sold on the trailing arms. I'm not sold on spending over $130ea on an anti-wobble joint on the frame end though. Considering I need a more rigid mount there I talked to a bud that has built arms for desert trucks and he's using Delrin bushings on the frame end. After some searching, if you want to run a 3/4 bolt there isn't **** available for a ready to go kit. Once you get up to a certain size bushing you just get pushed to a uni-ball/anti wobble. However I do think Dirt King does sells the right stuff - you just have to put it together. I'll be ordering these today. I'll use some 2"/.250 wall link material with this stuff.

 

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What's our opinion on the BKOR style trailing arms that do not have the coilover mounted below the bolt centerline?

1. This thing is pretty low to the ground already.

2. It sure seems like it would be nice and easy to mockup the location of the coilovers with a bracket that you can slide up and down the trailing arms to fine-tune the location.

I do think I will need to modify the rear "frame" section I built - but that probably should have been on the agenda anyway. It's just too bulky.

 

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Actual work done this weekend was sort of disappointing but that's how it goes. After I got all the shocks settled back to be able to put some weight on them and the car leveled out I really needed to start working on the trans/tcase mount before I go any further on suspension. If you've built a full rig you can understand how time consuming it can be to go from suspension cycling back to a roller. I'm definitely thankful to have the lift in the shop.

I cooked this up after looking around on the web and seeing what materials I had sitting around. No installed pictures as I need to cut out a couple gussets and finish weld both this and the tabs on the frame. I'll revisit all this when it comes time to make belly skids but for now I really wanted the powertrain set so I can move forward in other areas. Crazy how long **** just takes to make when you're not doing this for a living and only throw a couple hours at it at a time.