M715 rebuild

[ryanroo]

I've been lurking here for a bit figured i may as well add something. I haven't done much on forums for years but i like the format so why not. I will get this up to date eventually(shouldn't take long) and try to update as i go.

What it is: 67 M715 FSJ. It's mostly a chevy truck with jeep skin at this point.

I built this years ago ('08-'09) when i was younger and had less hobby budget but worked at avalanche engineering. It's been good but the junkyard 454 is dead tired and it's been mothballed for 2-3 years.

back then i swapped gm one tons, rebuilt the front suspension for square body front springs on a SOA. Rear got a 3" block to match the front on stock springs. Swapped a tbi 454 nv4500 round 205 in it and planted some 39.5/15 mickeys on it. Built a quicky cage and blasted around in it.

current plan is to put a 427 bbc in it that's way more zesty than the turd 454. Th400/nwf ecobox/np205. The rear suspension is getting 63" springs. Cage is getting rebuilt and the front suspension is getting improved. Oh yea, 39.5/18-16.5 boggers!

Here's a few old pics. build stuff coming

 

[ryanroo]

On to some build pics.

The factory rear springs are short and very stiff. Also mounted outboard on the frame that is pretty wide in the rear.

the old mickeys would rub the spring when you drove fast through a curve. Not ideal. They also forced the front to do all the work. The truck did ok on the trails but it was really uncomfortable from the lack of rear suspension action.

I kicked around the coil over/links idea but settled on a SUA with 64s

Used hardware from ruffstuff and ORD to get the mock up springs in.

 

[D_JEEPER]

Love that truck!

 

[csutton7]

looking forward to the updates...

 

[ryanroo]

Thanks!

I ordered some rear springs from Alcan spring. Those have a few more weeks before they show up. Have some 1" spacers for the rear wheels on order as well to give a little space on the inner fenders. Hopefully with that I'll be able to finish the rear mock up and figure out the shock mounting and length.

Also waiting on billet retainers and a few other bits to finish the 205 rebuild but the NWF eco box is otherwise done. Military vehicle must have od paint...

The 427 that will live in here. it was in my gmc but got swapped for a 454 that's a little better suited for that truck

I need to decide what hardware i want for the th400 so i can get it cleaned up, painted and assembled. The drive train mounts are all gonna be different and i will try to flat belly it if i can. I need to find a th400 i can use for mock while i build on this one.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Wow, long time since I've seen this. Post this over on the M715zone too. I spent many hours drooling over your M715 build. Nice to see you still have it.

 

[ryanroo]

Wow, long time since I've seen this. Post this over on the M715zone too. I spent many hours drooling over your M715 build. Nice to see you still have it.

Is this kaiser jeeps? I think i may go over there and do some updating. M715 zone was one of my favorite places back in the forum dayz.

How do you like the id panhandle? My wife and i relocated to Iowa recently but plan on coming back west when our kids get a few years older. The coeur d'Alene area is on the top spot of our places right now.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Is this kaiser jeeps? I think i may go over there and do some updating. M715 zone was one of my favorite places back in the forum dayz.

How do you like the id panhandle? My wife and i relocated to Iowa recently but plan on coming back west when our kids get a few years older. The coeur d'Alene area is on the top spot of our places right now.

No, I'm glenn on the zone. Kaiserjeeps is about an hour north of me in the Priest Lake area. He just got back into M715s and got one this spring he is building. He's been down to my place a couple of times, he got a red cab from me as the one on his truck was a mess and it saved him weeks of firewall work. I just got back from a road trip back to NH over Labor Day week to get a "free" M725, saw a few zone members. Here's the thread, https://irate4x4.com/chit-chat/122555-road-trip-bitches

N ID is great though it is getting a little crowded. We moved up here 9 years ago from N CA, it was a move to a big city for us. When we first moved here it definitely had a laid back slower pace of life feel, still does but not as much. Wife said we aren't moving out of the area as she likes the 4 seasons. When you get ready to leave IA and want to come check it out here get a hold of me and I can show you around.

 

[ryanroo]

I've been stripping the old out of the way, getting ready to build the new cage.

If it wasn't for getting dead I'd almost prefer to run no cage, windshield down. Looks so cool!

 

[ryanroo]

My Alcan springs came in. They fit great and are just a little taller than my old ride height. They'll settle in no doubt and the truck is a little light for now so i bet they end up just right.

 

[DNL]

Great to see this! I used to lurk on the M715 zone back in the Tacoma and Brian? days. I always enjoy your posts and seeing the great work you do.