production numbers

[USAJon]

we have a M715 on ebay listed under ebay forums here, and was wondering if anyone knew the starting vin number. ours is a July, 1967. vin 13914.
Thank's for any help.

[MarknessMonster]

...the starting vin number...

I believe it is 10000.

[brute4c]

10001 I believe is actually the first VIN assigned. This is deduced from the -34 parts manuals use of that vin in statements such as:

ENGINE ASSEMBLY WITH GOVERNOR USED ON SERIAL NUMBERS FROM 13577 AMBULANCE, 28680 CARGO, 10001 MAINTENANCE

Where it is telling the VIN cut off for non governor models and those so equipped.

[USAJon]

thank you very much, I knew it was an early one , someone said they could tell by the air cleaner..

[brute4c]

The air cleaner changed from a mounted on the carb to a mounted to the underside of the hood type due to the use of the governor...but from the point where the governors started to be installed, the non governor models were still built...all the way to the end of production. So if it has a governor, it can be figured it isnt real early...but if it doesnt, it could be anywhere during production...

The same seems to be true for the change from the old style turn signals with the big distribution box to the modern solid state setup...once they started installing the new one, the old one was still used right up till the end of production.

[dave]

here's an odd question for you Jon, what are the reason for or advantages and disadvantages of the govenors or are there basic uses for stoping people from over reving them in service? I wonder if they had a lot of blown engines at the start of production from flooring them and taching them out?

[MarknessMonster]

here's an odd question for you Jon...

Which Jon?

[brute4c]

I would guess that the goverenor use was for 2 reasons:

1. Young, 18 year olds, with a vehicle and no mom or dad to watch or answer to...
2. Speed limit imposed by the design of the tcase...remember in the M37, they used a governor at 2700-2800 rpm...right about where we hit 50 mph which is the point where, if driven long distance, the tcase temps are at the upper limit...above that and its not good.

The engines may have blown but not due, in my opinion, to mechanical problems with the much maligned 230, but more due to #1 above. RPM limits exceeded by operator, especially in lower gears...very possible...at the first 2 FE's, often, we saw/heard drivers in too low a gear and too high an rpm level...when it isnt even your truck and no way you are gonna have to pay for it...I can see it then even more.