![]() 10/04/2018 at 14:30 • Filed to: M37 Dodge, Power Wagon | ![]() | ![]() |
So we are repairing the M37 tailgate and I have 1952 plates that are not the same dimensions /holes as the modern plates that came off it, plus they were military and never had plates to begin with sooo.... Anyway I have to decide where to put the rear plate since we have to change something, the tool rack is on there as well. I am kind of moving away from having it on the gate at all. thoughts? I still have to see if CA will require a light, or if it’s exempt since it never had one and it’s an old vehicle. Also the measurements for a 1951-54 plate are strange, they have holes at very odd places for US standard measurements. The plate is like 1/8 under 14" etc... why would they design it that way? Or they were made in a prison and just crude?
Here are some options I have seen:
Mine:
The previous owner put a light over it before he sold it to me.
![]() 10/04/2018 at 14:47 |
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I like the location you have it at.
Maybe the plate was 14 inches before it was stamped, and the holes are both 3 inches from the outside edge?
![]() 10/04/2018 at 14:52 |
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Well one is off quite a bit, wouldn’t fit something made for 3" unless it was a slot with wiggle room, but maybe hand made back then and didn’t care at all. I have just finished working on our biggest show of the year so maybe my brain is fried. We are putting a tool rack back on it and the plate was mounted without that in mind, so I think we have to drill new holes if it goes there.
![]() 10/04/2018 at 15:36 |
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I’d like to see it low and off center?
Maybe like one of these?
![]() 10/04/2018 at 16:38 |
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Yeah we may find that the easiest way, the military hitch is in the way for the middle, it swings down. I found a classic trailer plate mount that we might bolt on somewhere. I do want it secure since I have real 1950's plates and not an easily replaceable one. Plus I will probably put the number on the bottom of the gate.