possible M715 project (truck with pics)

I didn't find a place on here to introduce myself so I guess this is it. My name is Gregg, I love jeeps and have a two, one is a lifted trail truck on 35s and the other is for parts. I did a partial restoration on a 1975 CJ5 that had been sitting in a barn for twenty years and only had 30k on it. I take pictures for Hemmings Motor News abandoned auto calender and in my travels I found two M715s in the same place. Both were used as highway dept trucks then retired. I've always wanted a M715 and i think is green one with the help from the yellow one would make a very solid truck. I don't have much money but I wouldn't need to spend much on appearance because the way the green one looks now is just awesome, it looks rugged and almost like a rat rod.
I'm curious to see if you guys think this is a do-able project. These are the only pictures i have right now and I will be going back to get some more in the next couple weeks. I know the floor boards could be an issue since the truck was left open but the rest of the truck looks pretty solid.
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars117.jpg
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars119.jpg
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars073.jpg
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars075.jpg
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars076.jpg
and the yellow one
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars177.jpg
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars178.jpg
i guess the back tires were spinning?
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...armcars181.jpg

Welcome! Realistically, they would probably both be savable, but if money is an issue, then neither may be worth it.

The reason I say that is that at the very least looking at those pictures, those trucks have both been out of comission for a long time. Just off the top of my head, that means a complete brake system overhaul, and fuel system overhaul to just get running. Then you need to find out why they were parked in the first place. (i.e; bad clutch, electrical problem, etc, etc.) Running when parked doesn't generally satisfy me when I hear it. The plow truck has probably seen a hard life in that duty up in that neck of the woods, and also looks like it may have suffered some salt exposure too.

Now, you then will most likely deal on top of that with trucks that if handed off to a municipality after their service to Uncle Sam, which have hackneyed 12 volt conversions and other assorted "fixes" over the past 40 years. There is also the issue of compliance with safety inspections if that is a requirement in your area.

So to your original question: Yes they'd be projects and I've saved much worse, but not without a lot of time and a fair amount of money.

My first thought was to quote the other Randy's signature, but he beat me to it... "If it casts a shadow, it's restorable."

Both look fixable - I wouldn't want to strip either of those for parts unless it was proven to be a basket case - they're in too good of shape. The yellow one looks like it ran more recently than the green one, too.

If you can get both cheap, pick one to fix, then sell the other for some money to fix that one.

--Randy

I think you definately should restore the green one. The pine needles are scary because they like to hold moisture under them and rot the pizz out of metal, but it looks pretty good otherwise. The stock 7.5:1 compression motor is pretty forgiving and refreshing the brake/fuel system can be done without breaking the bank. Mild or wild it is only limited to your desire and pocketbook.

As for the yellow one - that looks really bad. So bad that you really should send it to me here in MI :D lol

I'd say both are restoreable if you can pick them up cheaply enough. Go for it!

And welcome to the madness.

i'm considering this project because I do believe I could pick both up real cheap and I have enough money to make one road worthy but it definately wouldn't fit the show n shine category

Even properly restored like Beast did these trucks aren't really a show N shine kind of thing. They are more of an everybody stop and gawk kind of thing.

If you can get them both for cheap, go for it. Pick the better truck to start the resto on, not just the one you like the color of right now. Chances are that somewhere down the road you will return it to OD green anyway.

To be honest, if you get a smoking deal on the pair and they were about the same rust/body wise I'd do the green one (less non-original stuff to cut off) and get it running. I'd then return any parts you robbed from the other and put them back (well, switch them out I mean) and then sell the off truck for another enthusiast to work on. There aren't too many of these out there. I know I've been looking for a spare truck on the cheap for a while.

Things you are going to want to do (unless you are doing a Restoration) are to look up the part number for the brake cylinders at the wheels (all 4), replace the brake line (easy), replace the master cylinder with a dual circuit (part #'s here too), and also pull the square plug from the bottom of the fuel tank and rinse the heck out of it! Personally I'd drop the tank (also easy) to do a really good clean out job and replace the fuel line too.
I bet you could do all that for about $100 - $200 tops. Extra will be getting the drums turned and rebuilding the carburetor. You can try just cleaning it but if they have sat that long I bet the gaskets are toast - same story for the fuel pump too. Not too much $$ and if you are lucky you might be able to go without those two for a while.
And since this is the Interweb I'll go ahead and state the obvious and say that all the motor/gear oil should be replaced and everything greased up too.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions. Might want to use the search button for the more obvious ones that we have beat to death here, but even if you don't we usually don't shoot people :D

thanks for your opinions guys, I think I would take the tank out clean and coat the inside, do the fuel lines, fuel pump and clean the carb out first. all of this looks very very similar to the CJ5 I worked on and I could probably do all that in a weekend, easily. given that cleaning the crap and pine needles off and out of it would take all week.

Write down the hood numbers...and any other military numbers or lettering...if you get them...there is no where else on the planet to get that info!

The green one also has the 100 amp alternator. At least it has the cooler for it in front of the radiator. Kind of rare, but no real use unless you plan to add a bunch of military radios. Not much demand for the parts either unless you are stuck in the middle of nowhere Colorado at a national gathering of M715's like the other Tim was 2 years ago when his broke.

My only suggestion is that you make any mods so they can be removed. My truck has gone from "I just want it to move under its own power so I can use it around the property for fence building and such" Then it was running and the thought was "this thing will go anywhere. I need more power and some shiny paint on it." I went to an National FE and "I need to have more power and make it all green." Now it is all green, has a 396 V8/NV4500 under the hood and the thought is "Hmm, I need to go diesel so I can afford to drive this thing."

For some reason, I also have 5 stock 230 engines/transmissions in my shop and no truck to put them in. Someday.....

Just pointing out that these trucks are pretty neat and can fit a lot of uses. Don't go one direction burning all your bridges until you actually get to use the thing.

They both look great to me. The fun has just started! Enjoy and listen to the guys here as they are GREAT! Welcome...Ken

Ah the great problem getting time and money to play nice together... :)

Like everyone said both trucks are restorable. If you want a restored military truck you have the makings in both. If you want a mod truck like many have here you have a good platform with both. Get one and restore it and modify the other one...best of both worlds... :)

Good luck and keep us posted. Take lots of pictures!

Now I know on some forums asking a price is a no no, but I didn't think I saw it in the rules. I've been cruising ebay and c list and I can't really find a comparision, I was thinking 500 a piece maybe based on what I've found for prices looking around, since neither have ran in ages and both are rather rough and need alot work. The others I've seen are running and better shape "project trucks" with interiors which are going for around 1000 to 1500 or so. I don't want to throw a low baller number out there and have this guy not even want to deal with me.

I think we all kick numbers around here. It's like bragging about your highschool prom date, lol.
Free is preferable and Doug likes them on fire. I bought my running truck for $1600, and a parts truck for around $950 back in the day. I'd probably offer $750 for both and see where you get, but the plow alone could be worth that much. Others will feel that may be too high, and others too low. If they are titled is another factor to consider. Good luck on the negotiations!

Go low. Those trucks are pretty close to scrap value which is why they are sitting neglected.

I think I'll get a more accurate number when I go back and look them over again and take more pictures

If they are together (owned by the same person) I'd start with $750 for the pair. If seperate $400 or so.
To be honest, if it was me I'd ask the owner if he wanted me to remove the junk for him. Might make a little more work to take them with some other stuff, but for me it would be worth it. You'd be suprised what treasures people will give away just to get rid of them.

its way past the point of give aways at that place. There is sooooooooo many junkers there. This place is very hidden and if they didn't tell me it was there I would never know. Be prepared to cry..... along with the two M715s there is a M37 soft top in nice shape, a GMC G506 in nice shape, a M35 6x6, two gmc M135 6x6s. To add to that about ten 50s and 60s dump trucks, a few diamond Ts, 1948 gmc coach bus, dozen or so international pick ups, half dozen late 40s ford trucks including a 3/4 ton panel van, 55 dodge COE, 77 t bird, kaiser traveler, 37 buick convert, 39 olds and a handful of other junkers. I hoping that they'll be able to part with these two for the right price

heres the complete list of junkers

-early 60s dodge dump truck
-37 buick convert
-39 olds sedan
-41-46 chevy truck
-gmc g506
-46-47 ford 3/4 ton panel van
-two 46-47 ford trucks
-48 gmc coach bus
-50-52 international pickup
-51-53 dodge truck
-51 diamond T model 420
-55 dodge COE
-56 ford F700 big job
-56 international dump truck
-two M715s
-76-77 F100
-77 t bird
-a gen 1 escort coupe
-mid 70s caprice sedan
-some sort of diamond T cab over
-international metrovan from 60s?
-early 30s chevy jitterbug
-M35
-kaiser traveler
-two M135s
-something that resembles a model T school bus
-M37
-early 80s olds delta 88
-two 72-77 ford f100
-78 F250
-78 F350
-82-85 F350
-64 ford pickup with another in bed....picture it and thats what it looks like
-1970 ford dually
-70ish chevy c10
-big 60 IH dump truck
-couple really old streetsweepers
-55 chevy dump truck
-another really big IH dumptruck
-50s IH dumptruck
-couple half a cars and jitterbugs

andddddd........

-a 76 or 77 ford F series

keep in mind this is on like 20-30 acres of land

I'd like that list to be my inventory, ha ha. How 'bout the two M715's instead. Sounds like a fair price for those, $400 ea. it is above scrap value, and maybe the seller would be excited that you'll fix them up. At least you can see the hood number and data plates on the green one. Sell off that snowplow on the yellow one and you'll almost be even money.

Good luck on the negotiations.

Scott

Been to those places. Getting the owner to unload their stuff is usually an exercise in futility because: (insert proper answer here)

a) they think its worth a mint,

b) they think it will be worth a mint later,

c) they are going to restore it themselves someday,

d) it doesn't belong to them yet

e) they think you just want to resell it to make a profit

f) they think its worth anything to a prospective buyer

g) its old so it has to be a collectible

h) they think its not in nearly as bad a shape as it really is

Don't forget the newest one:

"Do you know how much scrap is selling for these days? That truck is worth two or three thousand scrapped out."

Mr. Positive told me that just about daily when I picked up my two Gassers M35's from him.

Then I got a call last Tuesday night at 2230 from an unknown number. The guy who I had never met or heard of before was calling to know what I would give for an "old military truck" in a field. I asked what it was? "one of those 6x6 trucks." I asked what shape it was in? "I supposedly ran when they parked it." Gas or diesel? "Has to be diesel because it has a round fuel tank like diesel trucks do." Then it isn't stock because they didn't have round fuel tanks "I don't know what it is. you want it or not?" How much do you want for it? "I was going to just scrap it, but I heard about you and thought you might want it." Ok, how much? "Well, I was going to scrap it out." I understand that, how much money do you want for it? "I don't know, I just want scrap value. I can send you some pictures" Great. I hang up.

5 minutes later as I was almost to sleep my phone dings. He had texted me 2 pictures of what looks like a 1951 or 1952 M35 or maybe M34 because it has no bed and the hubs are flipped. It has the M34 rims though singled. Both pictures are exactly side shots. All the tires are flat, hard top, no huge rust holes and the bumper is extended out but I can't see a winch because of the angle. Sure enough, it has a round fuel tank. He didn't send any text or price.

I wrote back that I had already bought 2 trucks of about the same vintage and condition. Since he hadn't given me a price, I offered $100 and that I could have the truck removed the next day. I sent the text. 30 seconds later he had written back a pretty angry reply to my low offer.

I wrote back that I had asked many times for a price. He didn't give me one and I was not a charity group that throws money around. How much do you want for it? (I was thinking of the speech in Joe Dirt when I wrote that to him.)

He wrote an even angrier reply back that he didn't need my money, he would get 10 to 20 times my offer from scrapping the truck out.

I wrote back that the truck might have a total weight of 9500 pounds as it looked in the pictures so even if he cut it all into little pieces, he wouldn't get more than $600 or so, aluminum was not used on that truck. Plus, he had to pay to cut it up, spend the time doing it and then take it to the scrap yard. He might make a few hundred profit more than my offer in a weeks time. He wrote back "leave me alone, I don't need you." I went to sleep.

Last night at our Scout meeting one of the adults came up to me and asked if I had bought the truck a guy they had given my number to owned. I just said no. Turns out the guy had bid and then paid cash up front to a ranch owner to clear all the scrap out of the place. The last the parent knew, he thought the guy had paid double scrap value for all the stuff and needed cash bad. I told him to tell the guy $101. I have been chuckling about it ever since.

The point here is nothing is as rare as people think. figure out what you can pay. If it isn't taken, just go play somewhere else.

I run into those types every day. It seems like the less informed someone is the more opinionated and dug in they become.

So true, Roy.

The really sad part to me, is that they won't let it go for anywhere near a reasonable and market value price, but are contented to hold on to it until it returns to the earth slowly. I've watched a number of very decent vehicles do that over the years at various places.

Oh,and my standard offer when someone says make an offer is $50-100. They may get insulted, but they said make an offer, so I do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randyscycle

Been to those places. Getting the owner to unload their stuff is usually an exercise in futility because: (insert proper answer here)

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It is so true in both the military radio market and the trucks. The guy who I wanted to by an 715 from had 4 in running condition but bad shape otherwise. He wants/wanted $9,000 each. He is near 70 years old and in bad health. He also has tons of M-715 parts, won't sell any, and I hope when thay have the estate sale, I find out about it. Same for radio stuff. These people think their ship is coming in but somehow did not notice it sailed years ago.

Every now and then a good deal will come about, like the shelter I just got, but even there the price asked was 3 times what I eventually paid.

There was a local "collector" who had 175 M-trucks in an old Greyhound bus garage. He was in his late 70s, 150 lbs overweight, major previous health issues, etc. He called me with an invitation to sell me some trucks.
I arrived and made a list. There were 3 Gamma Goats, 15 Dueces, 35 M37s and variations including Dumps and duallys. Numerous tracked vehicles, Ducks, PT Boats, etc.
Every single vehicle I wanted the answer was the same, I'm gonna restore and drive that one".......
After 2 hours of this I had had enough. I said, "John, no disrepect but this stuff has been here at least 25 years and never been touched, The pigeon poo is an inch thick at least. You are at least 70, even if you had 3 clones and an umlimited budget you would never get to these trucks."
'What are you willing to sell?" Turned out that all he would part with was the nastiest, most incomplete, trashed trucks....AND he wanted 10 times what a complete rig in excellent shape was worth.
I tried for 5 years, same results.
John died owing the IRS crazy amounts of money. The Feds came in, confiscated EVERYTHING. THe hired a crew to come in and SCRAP every thing in sight. They had a 10-man crew with torches cut everything up and haul it away. I tried everything I could(the new owner of the building was trying to help me), but the powers that be seemed to take some enjoyment out of the ruination of the trucks. Gave an attitude like "Look what happens when you dont pay your taxes." I tried to tell them that the trucks could be sold for more than scrap, I offered them 3 times the scrap value, but to no avail. It was a depressing situation. They would not even let me get small stuff like blackout lights or paperwork or anything.

Roy, that is depressing. If it is old, people think it is worth money. Like someday they will go on antique roadshow and be told that rusty M715 they have is worth $100k.

Same thing happened here, a guy had a yard full of stuff and owed uncle sam some back taxes so when he did'nt pony up the cash they sent a crew in and dragged everything out and sold it to an IRS approved "recycler" who then wanted 3 times what the stuff was worth, he had a few unimogs, M37's and deuce's couldn't make a deal with them once the recycler was involved.

A friend has a friend like that... the washing machines that have sunk halfway into the ground (or new ground has formed around them from all the leaf duff) are worth hundreds. So is the rotting lumber that can no longer be used for much of anything. So are the pier blocks with no centers. etc, etc, etc... all of it might have been worth a few dollars (but no more) at some point in history, but it's all trash now, yet he still thinks it's worth far more than it ever was.

--Randy

This is very timely:

Just a few minutes ago, my wife and I just returned from picking up two '69 BSA Rocket 3's from a horse stable. The owner, (or new owner now) just purchased them in an estate auction and wants to get them restored so he called us to extract them and give an estimate. We literally had to extract them.

I knew these bikes from about 15 years ago, and tried my darndest then to buy them when they were still in better condition. The owner refused to budge, and swore he'd restore them, they were valuable, etc, etc. He was foreclosed on last year and disappeared, and the rest of the remaining stuff was auctioned on the property. Fast forward to this morning, when the new owner and I were pulling these bikes out of the dirt floor horse stable where they'd been since I last saw them with no attention. The wheels are now so rusty where they sank into the floor, and one has sat with no spark plugs in it for who knows how long. The carbs to one bike were on the dirt floor partially buried in the hay, horse poop and who knows what else. There were various plastic tubs with the removed parts from both bikes scattered around inside the barn. The last inspection sticker on one bike was 1989, the other was unreadable.

Between the two, there could be one nice bike but now it will cost twice as much and diminish any idea of a return on them, simply because they have deteriorated so badly. The really sad part is that these first year bikes are pretty rare and desireable too. They were literally neglected out of stubborness, or the thought they'd be worth a ton someday. Now they are worth little in the present condition, but at least one may get saved now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by militarytrux

Same thing happened here, a guy had a yard full of stuff and owed uncle sam some back taxes so when he did'nt pony up the cash they sent a crew in and dragged everything out and sold it to an IRS approved "recycler" who then wanted 3 times what the stuff was worth, he had a few unimogs, M37's and deuce's couldn't make a deal with them once the recycler was involved.

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Usually when people have "a lot of stuff" is because they don't get rid of anything.

I have four old vehicles and I have reached my limit. I know I could not care for more, so I've had to pass on quite a few juicy deals. Maybe I still have some sense...

My rule of thumb is this:

Will I do anything with it realistically? Do I have the money to put into it after I get it to make it usable again?

Once those questions are answered, I usually try to set a timeline/deadline for getting it finished. I hate to be a "project starter." If I do have something, and I keep it more than a reasonable length of time without doing anything to it, or without a plan, I then try to pass it on to someone who will.

If I don't touch it in 1 year or I'm not saving it for spare parts, It's gone!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rboltz

If I don't touch it in 1 year or I'm not saving it for spare parts, It's gone!!!

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Good rule!

My friend John has about 8 cars that he is "going to restore" someday. Including his '70 White AAR Cuda. He did finally let someone buy his WC-53.

I have myself 3 projects. I switch from one to the other every couple months to stay motivated (I have a short attention span lol) One is semi-finished, but the Hemi Challenger is very long term and the M715 is going to be started soon. I do have drivers so I can still have fun in the mean time lol

Well I want to say welcome and good luck. I also want to say thank u for even considering the restore because so many others would have just looked at them as junck cars because they are so heavy they just take them to the scrap yard. There are also some other things you can look into when having two truck you can take all the parts you need to get the green one ready and sell the rest on this site craigs list or eBay. Then by the time your done with that you will have more money to sink into your pit (jeep). Thanks again and welcome. Rob

Hey They look pretty needy but if you get a good deal on both go for it. If you lose interest in them entirely I'd like to se them I don't live far. RBD