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Thread: Body Swap vs Drive Train Swap

  1. #1

    Default Body Swap vs Drive Train Swap

    After a search of body swap (only found a little info) I thought I would pose a question.

    What would be easier? Cost is a factor, but not a BIG factor so...
    Swap the M715 body and bed onto a "modern" diesel truck running gear or retrofit a modern drive train (full Monty: engine/tranny/t-fer case/and axles)?

    I know many of you have done the drive train swap, and few if any have done a body swap... but with all the knowledge you guys have, I think your informed opinions are worth their weight in gold.

    I want a very reliable, capable truck that I can drive whenever, highway, mild off road, and towing. Love the look of the M715, but want one that could be a daily driver (almost). I live in the sunny the Northern California Valley, gets in the 100's in the summer, only hits freezing a couple days of the year.

    If I could create a "perfect" diesel drive train, it would have a 3rd gen 5.9L Cummins, Allison automatic 6 speed tranny... and disc brakes at all 4 corners.

    Well lets hear it!
    Thanks,
    Jeff

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Rhoadesville, Virginia (five miles from no place)
    Posts
    5,125

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ChalkOutline View Post

    I want a very reliable, capable truck that I can drive whenever, highway, mild off road, and towing.
    I'd vote for a body swap then. By the time you switch out all the axles, engine, transmission, transfer case, have the driveshafts lenghtened or shortened, bend an exhaust system, and add all the necessary stuff like modern steering column, brake booster and master, electronics, fuel tank, and other assorted goodies, you'd be miles ahead by using the mdern frame with all the stuff in the the right places.

    Just fab up the mounts for the 715 body, swap out the interior parts you'd need and you'd be set with a fair amount less issues trying to hash out driveline angles and the like.

    You'd also be able to buy a trailer hitch off the shelf to bolt right to your frame of choice.

    Just my .02 though.
    "Free advice is worth what you pay for it."™

  3. #3

    Default

    There was a 05 Dodge cummins rollover in the Grants Pass Oregon craigslist a bit ago. It was a few thousand but would be the way to go. You could even have ABS.

  4. #4

    Default Body swap

    I would say go for the body swap hands down !!!!! Go with something like a 2000 yr up 3500 and just put your m715 body on top.
    You would have ac , cruise , abs brakes and a nice ride

  5. #5

    Default

    There's going to be fab work either way.

    I know the body swap can be done, but I question how "born there" it will look.

    An axle swap can be done be with perches and look stock. Motor, trans and transfer case mounts are relatively easy also.

    With the body swap this would be my initial list of concerns:

    What's the frame contour, is it going to look right, or look like it was just made to work?

    How are the front clip, cab, and box mounts going to work? Quite a bit of fab work there to do the 12 mounts.

    Wheelbase, it's not going to be the same. You will have to relocate the rear springs to put the axle where you want it, shock mounts and brake lines may have to move with it. Is the hump in the frame generous enough to accommodate the move? You will have to have the drive shaft length modified to work.

    Engine, time saved by not having to build mounts may all be lost due to it's current placement. Front axle will determine that, and will it be just the right fit between the radiator and firewall? A 6BT doesn't leave room for error in that regard. Move the engine and you move the trans and transfer case and the associated mounts. Not much different than just fabbing them to fit the original frame.

    Bumper, make some mounts for it to work with the new frame. Also will have to move or fab a rear cross member if you want it to resemble stock.


    In my opinion, I'd much rather keep the stock frame and move everything from the donor to it. Just makes more sense to me.
    This post is closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.

  6. #6

    Default

    We had a member (was it Rollie?) that swapped the body onto something else. I think it was a blue truck and he kept the original truck's firewall intact and made alot of holes in the 715 firewall. Will have to see what the other guys remember. Just did a search, it wasn't Rollie.
    "We are here for the meeting!"

  7. #7

    Default

    You sure Gimp? I thought he dropped a 715 body on a Suburban frame.

    Rollie help us out here
    भगवान तुम्हें प्यार करता है

  8. #8

    Default

    It was Rollie, burb frame as Ronner says, 6.2 diesel too.
    This post is closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Georgetown, CA
    Posts
    418

    Default

    I spent a lot of time looking at both options, and at this point, I am leaning toward putting the M715 body onto a 90 dodge W350 chassis. Several things i encountered talking with people who had done a lot of mechanical type fab work: Trying to set up the suspension mounts and get all that square is a challenge, all the electrical you have to build, depending on the vehicle, computers, etc. etc. Frame width vs. axle perches, steering linkage, drivelines, brakes, linkages, ..the more I scoped it out, . .the longer the list got with trying to put the running gear into the M715 frame. I am close to pulling the body off of the dodge frame, .. then we will see how close the M715 body work comes. Fortunately, I have a spare J-truck cab for a mockup pattern. . .Just my thoughts. ..

  10. #10

    Default

    Great thoughts from all of you.

    Randy, I am leaning to the body swap for all the things you mentioned. Either way there will be a lot of fab work.

    Glenn, thanks for the lead I will look into it.

    Doug, I know what you mean by looking if was "made to work/fit" or looking "born there". That is a concern, I don't want it to look like the love child of the M715 and whatever donor I might use. You make good points on which fab work I would have to do if I go with one vs the other. Frame contour can be changed, like a C-notch for an airbag drop, just inverted.

    unless Rollie has a better 6.2 than mine, I feel bad for him. If the 6.2 was the first or only diesel experience I had, I would HATE diesel. But I know better.

    Moose, please keep me up to speed, as I live close enough to you I could come by and see what you are doing, maybe even help out a little.

    I like the differing opinions, the debate on what route to take helps point out some of the (millions of things) I hadn't thought of.

    Thanks to all who put in there thoughts and ANY other input is strongly encouraged!

    Thanks guys,
    Jeff

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