My second M715 build. What was I thinking?

[jeeper]

Not perfect by any standard but looks good enough for me.



And I decided to sweat it out and sand the entire side and shoot the first coat of paint.

[Flingarrows]

Nice progress. I am looking forward to some garage time today!

[jeeper]

I made a trip to Saginaw yesterday and purchased some parts from Spgirard30. I purchased a cab, windshield in a nice frame, core support, hood and doors. I didn't have enough project funds to buy all I wanted from him but hope to have some more saved up to purchase the rest soon.

Since the parts I got from him were nicer than the ones on my truck I will be swapping those on this truck. That will leave me with almost enough extra parts to build another truck.
I was talking to my son about it and he seems excited about the prospect.

I will likely be starting another build thread for that one so I will be finishing the floor install and other rocker in that thread as well when I get around to it.

I'd like to get this threads truck drivable this year still so I am probably just going to swap the better parts onto it and focus on getting brakes working and the engine running. Since I will be removing this cab I may be upgrading the brakes to hydro boost at the same time.

[jeeper]

Today I may have gotten a bit carried away.

After getting the cab off the frame my son starts talking about my plans for the truck. I told him I'd probably eventually be swapping the engine. He looked at me and then looked at the frame that was absent the entire cab and front end and said "Seems like now would be the best time for that."

So I pulled the engine and transmission out.

[jeeper]

Front of frame cleaned up. Old (not original) motor mounts removed.

I also cut the cross braces off and installed a power steering box.

[Subybaja]

Haha! Classic mission creep.

I hope you discarded the air tank idea?

It sounds as though you've got almost all the stuff to make an M715/other chassis hybrid, in addition to your real one...

[jeeper]

Haha! Classic mission creep.

I hope you discarded the air tank idea?

It sounds as though you've got almost all the stuff to make an M715/other chassis hybrid, in addition to your real one...

The air tank idea was 86'd.

I actually have a spare frame. In fact it is in better condition than the frame on this truck.


I picked up a bell housing yesterday. It came with a 465 transmission attached. I'm told it came out of a short bus. The input shaft is enormous. The shifter is extra long. I can believe it was in a bus. I haven't taken any pictures of it yet but plan to today.

I and am settled on installing my 6.2 diesel with a CH-465 (sm465) that I already had. This will leave me with a top speed of about 45 mph at about 2500 rpm. That is the same as my first M715. I will be using the stock transfer case so that top speed is fine for that case.

I am hoping I can get some progress on it today but am working outside and it is supposed to rain all day.

[Mikel]

The air tank idea was 86'd.

I actually have a spare frame. In fact it is in better condition than the frame on this truck.


I picked up a bell housing yesterday. It came with a 465 transmission attached. I'm told it came out of a short bus. The input shaft is enormous. The shifter is extra long. I can believe it was in a bus. I haven't taken any pictures of it yet but plan to today.

I and am settled on installing my 6.2 diesel with a CH-465 (sm465) that I already had. This will leave me with a top speed of about 45 mph at about 2500 rpm. That is the same as my first M715. I will be using the stock transfer case so that top speed is fine for that case.

I am hoping I can get some progress on it today but am working outside and it is supposed to rain all day.

2WD Chevy NV4500s can be had relatively cheap. I just bought one for $500 from http://www.car-part.com
That would raise your top speed to almost 60MPH

[jeeper]

2WD Chevy NV4500s can be had relatively cheap. I just bought one for $500 from http://www.car-part.com
That would raise your top speed to almost 60MPH

I actually considered that and may do that eventually if I ever swap the tcase for a 205.


Today was a big disappointment. Aside from the rain all day the bellhousing I picked up yesterday needs to be used with the transmission that it was attached to. The input shaft sticks out 8 inches from the tranny face. The 465 I already had has a much smaller input shaft diameter and only sticks out 6.5 inches. The input of my original 465 doesn't even come close to the crank.

The input shaft on the recently acquired tranny is 10 spline but looks to be closer to an inch and a half diameter. It has about 15/16" tip. I don't have a clutch to fit it.

I'm starting to think I may just go with an automatic now. I'm sick of fussing with this.

[jeeper]

Well I hope I don't regret it but I'm putting an automatic in. I have what I believe to be a good working 700R4 with a married 208. It came with a 6.2 that I bought several years ago.

I guess if I absolutely hate it I can change it out at some later date.

I have the transmission bolted to the engine and the whole setup sitting on 2x4's in the frame. I can now proceed with building up some motor mounts and a cross member for the transmission/case.