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Thread: To rebuild or upgrade, that is the question

  1. #1

    Default To rebuild or upgrade, that is the question

    Second post, stripped the bed this weekend, lost about 1200 lbs, and got it in the garage to start picking through and come up with a plan. My dad came out with his torch, that flat bed had to come apart in pieces, still have some clean up to do on the frame where it was welded!

    What I know, the motor is not seized, but cannot try to start it up as…. Distributor is questionable, wires and plugs need to be changed, and need to re-wire a few items too. Pricing out what I know we need to get a spark, we decided to do an engine swap. Thinking of dropping a 350 in and use a conversion kit to keep the transmission the same.

    Now, for the old motor question….better to sell the Tornado as a whole or part it out, clean up the parts and sell?

    Next up is the axles, planning to upgrade those to get a more common lug pattern and one piece wheels. Doing some research on here, so much to read up on. Once we get a plan together on those we will be posting the take offs at some point.

    He is tracking the progress on an Instagram/tiktok/you tube accounts at the moment. But had to include a progress shot here.

    The Instagram is 1967_m715 if you guys want to keep up.

    Thanks in advance and will try our best to pay it back, by documenting all our work!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
    7,729

    Default

    Stock engines normally are given away. If anyone can be found to take it. Stock engine parts however can be much sought after. Exhaust manifold without the crack, exhaust valves and a few other specific parts.

    If you are going to go small block Chevy. Have you thought about a married transmission and transfer case too? Much easier to fit and live with. Go automatic with a Lokar shifter and most people won’t even notice it is an automatic.
    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

  3. #3

    Default

    Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking it would be better to part it out….and give my son a chance to tear a motor down and learn more.

    He is adamant about keeping it as a manual transmission, so going to try and stick with the original transmission and transfer case. We are planning an axle swap, so that plan may change down the road once we start buying parts.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
    7,729

    Default

    Many people have done either option. I went 396 big block, NV4500. Then swapped a 6.2 for the 396 a few years later.
    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

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