Last year of the flathead I/6

[james curl]

1953 M37 used by Tennessee Division of Forestry & volunteer fire department

Manufacturer Dodge

Parent company Chrysler

Production 110,838[1] (1951 - 1968)

Predecessor Dodge Power Wagon

Dodge WC54[2]

Successor Kaiser Jeep M715

Class Full-size pickup truck

Body style(s) Truck

Layout Four-wheel drive

Engine(s) Dodge T245 Flathead straight-6 230 CID

Transmission(s) 4-speed New Process NP420 manual

Wheelbase Cargo M37: 112 in (2.8 m)

Command M42: 112 in (2.8 m)

Ambulance M43: 126 in (3.2 m)

Tele. Maint. V41: 126 in (3.2 m)

Curb weight M37 without winch: 5,687 lb (2,580 kg)

M37 with winch 5,987 lb (2,716 kg)

Fuel capacit

I thought I would ad fuel to the fire by posting this. It is the specs for the M37 U.S. Military 3/4 ton by Dodge. Production 1951-1968, so the last Flathead was built in '68 not '59 as we all thought, do not know when Chrysler stopped making I/6 industrial engines for tugs, fork lifts, and grain combines.

[Plymouthy Adams]

industrial engines were still being cast through 1972 according to an article in Mopar Magazine years back..the article touted the fact that they were still available as crate NOS way up into the late 80's..not sure the availability now...most dealerships purged their shelf at 10 years to make room for current model parts..

[Flatie46]

Was the 218/230 style flathead in production longer than the small block chevy? I know the sbc was offered in 1955 but don't know when the cut off date was, seemed like it was early 90's. I knew about the flatheads being offered to the late 60's as industrial engines. Didn't know when they started building them.

[Don Coatney]

Vietnam 1966-1968. I was a (63B-20) wheeled vehicle mechanic and worked on all wheeled vehicles up to a duece and a half. I almost said duece and a quarter but Buick was not involved in Vietnam. All M-37 3/4 ton vehicles that I worked on in Vietnam had a mopar flathead 6.

[greg g]

I believe marine usemay have extended into the early 70's. Don't knowif they were still being made by Chrysler, or others using off the shelf stuff.

[BobT-47P15]

Plymouth cars, as I recall, used the flatead six thru 1959.

[JerseyHarold]

I've got a Chrysler Industrial Engine service manual from the 1970's, so they were making them at that point.

[TodFitch]

Was the 218/230 style flathead in production longer than the small block chevy? I know the sbc was offered in 1955 but don't know when the cut off date was, seemed like it was early 90's. I knew about the flatheads being offered to the late 60's as industrial engines. Didn't know when they started building them.

There were predecessor engines I think. At least I've read that the 1933 Plymouth engine was derived in some why from an earlier DeSoto engine. And the 1933 Plymouth engine had a number of running changes. The design stabilized in 1935.

So when do you want to call the first year for the L-6 engine? For Plymouth I'd say 1933. For Chrysler products in general? I don't know.

[B-Watson]

There were predecessor engines I think. At least I've read that the 1933 Plymouth engine was derived in some why from an earlier DeSoto engine. And the 1933 Plymouth engine had a number of running changes. The design stabilized in 1935.

So when do you want to call the first year for the L-6 engine? For Plymouth I'd say 1933. For Chrysler products in general? I don't know.

The first Chrysler in 1924 had a flathead six, but the flathead we all know and love started in 1933 and received full length cylinder water jackets in 1935. DeSoto had a flathead six in its first year, 1929 model K.

During the 1925 to 1932 era there were a number of flathead sixes, the largest being the 1926-30 Imperial six. Dodge Brothers also had two flathead sixes when Chrysler purchased DB in 1928, but they were replaced by Chrysler Corporation engines for 1930, the Senior Six actually being replaced by a straight eight.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[Robert Horne]

Read on the net, that Dodge had some very large flat 6 engines for heavy duty trucks. dual carbs, exhaust, etc.