Dodge M1918 light repair truck
Series: Other models
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Dodge M1918 Light Repair Truck – key facts: four-cylinder US Army workshop truck from the First World War with about 24 hp, magneto ignition and hand-crank starting, roughly 1,012 units built
During the First World War, Dodge Brothers built light military vehicles for the US Army, including workshop trucks for repairing vehicles in the field. The M1918 Light Repair Truck belonged to this category of military vehicle; the Dodge marque is now part of the Chrysler group.
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The M1918 carried a pickup-truck body, powered by a four-cylinder side-valve (L-head) petrol engine with magneto ignition and hand-crank starting, producing around 24 hp. The vehicle weighed about half a ton, was 157 inches long and 72 inches wide, stood 78 inches tall, and reached a recorded top speed of 45 mph. About 1,012 units of this model were built.
Workshop trucks of this kind accompanied combat units to repair damaged vehicles close to the front rather than having to send them far to the rear. The simple technology of magneto rather than battery ignition and hand-crank starting made the vehicle independent of an intact electrical system, an important feature under the rough conditions of front-line service.
Surviving examples of these early military trucks are rare and are mostly kept in museum or collector settings rather than driven day to day. Assessment turns on the condition of the side-valve four-cylinder engine, the tightness of the fuel and cooling systems, the state of the wooden spoked wheels and cargo bed, and the completeness of military ancillary fittings, which are difficult to reproduce outside specialist restoration workshops.
Sources: SpecCodex-Register: Kennwerte des Modells M1918 light repair truck
Technical data
Engine
| Engine | Gasoline, L-head, 24HP. 4-cylinder with Magneto ignition and hand cranked starter.correct |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 157in.correct |
|---|---|
| Width | 72 in.correct |
| Height | 78 in.correct |
| Wheelbase | 4X2correct |
| Unladen weight | 1/2 Toncorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gearbox | 3correct |
|---|
Origin and approval
| Body | pickup truckcorrect |
|---|---|
| Vehicle class | AAcorrect |
| Parent company | Chryslercorrect |
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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