question about grill cover

hello guys, long time listener--first time caller. bought a m715 last year and just now getting around to getting it on the road. truck is in really good shape--belonged to a small city and i think they kept it inside from the looks. no rust anywhere except rockers---go figure. not real savvy on these trucks but the original wiring harness looks to be mostly intact. PO installed ford 360 v8 engine at which time i suppose it was converted to 12 volts. original ignition switch works--along with a push button in dash--dont know if the push button is correct. PO had installed a push pull switch on dash for lights. no bo lights on truck. original rotary light switch and turn signal switch intact. question #1--i know i can use the rotary light switch on 12 volts but how about the turn signals? i noticed the flasher under the hood on firewall and it says 24v. do i need to install a resister? question #2--original grille guard intact. is there a grille behind the guard to give the radiator more protection? been looking at internet pics but hard to tell. question #3--has anyone made a tailgate that looks somewhat similar to the original inicorn horn that came on these trucks? thinking about trying it. looks like flat metal and rectangle tubing. thought about getting metal shop cut "J**P" letters out on plazma cutter thingy. chrystler corp would like to know about that:lol:. any comments and especially suggestions appreciated. thanks, jody

There is no grill cover for the M715 other than the outer brush guard. Some people have made some out of expanded metal mesh and others have used the Rhino grill out of the 60's J-trucks. VPW used to sell a repro tailgate kit but I have no idea if they still do. It does not have the Jeep stamping in it though. And a few other members have made their own, It's not to hard if you can work with sheetmetal.

Used tailgates are nearly non-existant, they usually got tossed by fire departments and forest service but you might get lucky. You could make a grille guard out of heavy screen or something similar......lot of the dirt car guys use something like that in the front of the race cars. No, that relay box won't work on 12v.

If my turn signal controller checks out, can I replace the 24v signal flasher with a 12v flasher? Thanks, jody

On the turn signals...there were 2 factory styles...one doesnt work on 12 volt, the other does...if you have this box under the hood, they wont:
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/pages/man...t/convert2.jpg


If you have this one, they will:
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/pages/man...t/convert4.jpg

If you have something else, then someone installed a non military setup.

If you have the first one that doesnt work on 12 volts, you have 2 choices to convert and still stay military...

1. You can convert the internals of the large box to new relays and such to work on 12 volts...a bit complicated electrical process...heres how:
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/view.php?...istbox_convert

2. You can swap the first style above for the 2nd style above...heres how:
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/view.php?...signal_convert

For a radiator protection grill, I used stainless steel mesh, which I bought online. The wire width and the hole size of the mesh matters to a degree. This is what I chose:

sales@darbywiremesh.com

part #: 4304.063PL

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/412/Gk0dxk.jpg

Thanks guys for the input. Brute4c, my truck does not have the earlier distribution box in the first pic. It has the signal flasher labeled 24v. So all I have to do is plug and play. Is there any type of relay on the inside of the latter turn signal switch? It's the one with the green indicator light under the lever. Even tho my truck has had an engine conversion, the wiring is virtually intact. po had a push pull switch installed to operate running lights and tail lights only. He had wires running everywhere. They have all been removed. If I can get my rotary switch back together, i'l be ready to go. I wasn't getting any incoming power on light switch so I took it apart. Figured I had nothing to lose. When I got it apart, I found out the problem. The leaf spring under the lock had broken in half and had pushed the contactor for incoming power (pin f)off it's seat. When it came off, it bent but I straightened it . Problem is when I took it apart, springs and contractors went everywhere. Now it is a trial and error to try to get these little buggers back in the right position. Has anyone else ever had any luck getting these things together? Placer miner, good suggestion on the stainless screen. Will definitely look into that one. Thanks to all who have responded. I'm looking forward to getting her on the road. Jody

I tried to reassemble one once...disaster...

If your truck has the 2nd type of flasher unit, then it will work on 12 or 24 volt and it is all solid state so no relays inside...nothing to worry about.

There are several things in the Online Maintenance Manuals section with info on what original wire goes where and how power is routed...if you cant find something you need, please ask...I can find it...