Back in the saddle with truck number two

Well it has been about ten years since I sold my first truck. It is good to see many very familiar names still on this board. Hello to all.
I have missed my truck and hanging out here quite a bit. Lots of life happened, moved a few times, acquired a few projects and got rid of a few. I always wanted another M715. Well there is one outside now. Many years ago it started out with Snowball. A 1968 M715 serial number 30945 delivery of 11/68. I purchased Snowball from Jacks gov't surplus and after he cleaned it up, fixed the brakes, and got it road ready, I flew down with a friend and drove it all the way home to Portland Oregon. I spent the next several years locating original parts and making a beautiful stock well equipped truck. I sold it to a Seattle guy and he gave it to someone he knew who I believe is on this board. A year or so ago I spotted Snowball on craigslist about an hour from me where I currently live in an ad that was selling all the running gear for a modern drive train swap. What are the chances of that happening. I was really bummed. It goes to say that you absolutely cannot care what happens if you decide to part with something. Not everyone has the same vision. It was none of my business. I had fun with it and that's what counts.

Here is Snowball in FSJ magazine.

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Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. I saw a post on IFSJA about a Steel Soldiers free M715. I commented on the post and someone else posted a nice 68 for sale in California. I talked with them once and due to some major miscommunications lost access to the truck and it ended up on Ebay.
I was now pretty focused on obtaining another M715. I mentioned all this to Fisherman and he suggested contacting Saxon in the Seattle area. Another member on this board. Fisherman also knew another board member up north of Seattle that had what I might be looking for. I got a few pictures and started chomping at the bit. Overfiend had what I was looking for. And the price was in my ballpark. I dug the trailer out of the ice and snow and headed west. I stayed at Fishermans home for two days (thanks Todd) while getting the truck. It was a hoot and a great weekend. I want to do a modified build this time. Same as Fisherman did with his. A buick 350, modified T-98, divorced 202 or 205 and 8 lug axles. Overfiend sold me a dodge dana 70 for a great price and in the back it went. I am still looking for a 35 spline front dana 60 and transfer case. I am going to detune the truck's lift and tires. I may go spring under not sure. I am thinking somewhere around 38's also not sure. So after overfiend removed his big block we loaded the truck up. It was a wet day.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...psr0ikw6ry.jpg

Those tires are pretty big. :D The Dodgemahaul pulled it all home with authority and a little black smoke. This truck was made one month later with a serial number of 33479 and a delivery date of 12/68. This truck was made 2534 builds later from Snowball at 30945.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...psd0il71p2.jpg

And here we are. Left to right, Overfiend, Fisherman, and myself Kaiserjeeps

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Pretty cool. Many thanks to Overfiend for the great deal, the humor and all the help.
A week before getting the truck. I found a rare find. I drove 882 miles in one day into central Montana to Bozeman for these. A J truck T-18, a M715 T-98 and the rare two year bellhousing for putting a stick behind a Buick 350.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...psgvuf4du9.jpg

Fisherman had the equally rare flywheel for me. What a deal. Thank you Todd for the visit, the food, all the parts you gave me. All of it coming together so well.

I will post a build thread in the modified forum probably later this summer. I need to find a modern front axle and transfer case. Saxon in Seattle just might have a IH NP202 for me. Bigger than a NP205 and exactly what Fisherman did to his truck.

I am looking forward to the build. Thanks for listening. :D

Great to see you back, Al!!!

Welcome back Al, great to see you getting another M715 again.

Al it seems you are too short to get in that truck. Where is the portable ladder going to ride?



Feel back at home yet?

Sweet. I'm down in Post Falls if you need any help. There is a member in Spokane building a m715, another one in Helena and one in Missoula. I'm thinking we're going to need a M715 trail ride weekend the end of summer or next year.;)

We knew you would be back :)

Great to have you back!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barrman

Al it seems you are too short to get in that truck. Where is the portable ladder going to ride?



Feel back at home yet?

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Heck yes! Since I don't know how to do multiple quotes on one message, this will have to do. :D
Well Tim I am working on a telescoping swing up rocker ladder that has an illuminated LED hand rail, heated steps, and WIFI. I just got the truck so give me 10-12 years to perfect that. :happy10:

Glenn we will have to get together and say hello. Cody the FC nut is in Post Falls. Do you know him? And I bet the Spokane guy you mention is Adam? or 66stepsides. It is a small world and us Jeep guys stick together. ;)
I would like to meet the Montana guys. I just drove through there and back for the transmissions.

Gonz! Beast! Mikel! Barrman! Binford! And everybody else! This just great. I never stopped thinking about this place. I have told the story many times of flying back from the Kentucky FE stinking from to much alcohol, no shower (because they locked the bathrooms after the lightning knocked the power out) and finding that I was covered in ticks when I got home. THAT was good memories! Well I have been totally sober 12 years now. I see a lot of new members, That's great. I had a good hello to Jon right before he hit the road on a trucking job he need to go do.

I really enjoyed the old truck. But this one I wanted to do something different. There is no way I could have kept snowball clean here. I live 7 miles up a very dirty road that is either muddy as heck or super dusty.
So my wife Liz and I moved here and we found that there are hundreds of miles of little gravel forest roads right near the house. 2 fire look outs to go see and 6 loops that start and finish right here. While we do a lot in my cJ-5, I wanted a M715 again to go explore all day and have a good time with an open feeling. And be able to cut firewood. When it is 105 at home the ridge tops are 80 and have a nice breeze. About two years ago I started wanting another truck. Now look what happened....:)

I also see that the zone is alive and well. Looking at all the people browsing each forum is really something. I also trust that all of you guys are well including your families. I am glad to hear from each and every one of you.

I am a slow builder now. The last restoration was for my best bud I have known since 6th grade. It is a 70 wagoneer. I finished it last October and delivered it to Seattle for him. It took me ten years.:oops: I am pretty confident it is the nicest wagoneer on the west coast. It was all I did every day. I replated bolts, heat imprinted door panels, sewed headliners. My life's biggest accomplishment I guess. I'm hoping the M truck goes faster than that. I won't be so picky...

And guess what?..... I STILL hate fram filters :D

So great to be back. It makes me smile.

Don't know Cody the FC guy but I do know there seems to be FCs thst come up for sale in Post Falls quite often, at least it seems often for FCs. I owned 2 FC170s years ago, it was fun to drive.
66stepside is the member in Spokane I know of that is putting his M715 body on a Chevy sqaurebody frame.
Where are you in N ID? Do you need a grill guard for your new project? I have some extras, built by someone who fed you in your M715 recovery mission.:D

Speaking of that trip back in 2004. I told Jennifer you were back and all good. "You know, the guy who walked down the boat ramp with us so we could bathe?" We had another good laugh at that.

Great stuff AL!! Welcome back!!!!

Nice to have a truck again and a goal for it...looks like a good start!

Just got home from Cali and saw this...SWEET!!!!

Welcome back Al!!!

Now find a truck for Binford, hes waterlogged by now .

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by glenn

Don't know Cody the FC guy but I do know there seems to be FCs thst come up for sale in Post Falls quite often, at least it seems often for FCs. I owned 2 FC170s years ago, it was fun to drive.
66stepside is the member in Spokane I know of that is putting his M715 body on a Chevy sqaurebody frame.
Where are you in N ID? Do you need a grill guard for your new project? I have some extras, built by someone who fed you in your M715 recovery mission.:D

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Adam and I went on a few road trips to go look at full size jeeps. a couple years ago. I have bought a couple small things from him. We don't talk much. He is a busy guy and once in awhile I check his project happening's.

Todd gave me one of his very nicely made grill guards. It was supposed to go to a member here years ago and he never heard back. So it sat in a corner waiting for me to come along. :D But thank you Glenn.

I live up 57 towards Priest Lake. We moved as far north as we could afford. Seems the closer to the lake you get the farther to the left the decimal is in your bank account. ;) I love living here. The wildlife is insane and it is wise to look both directions when stepping off the porch. Twice I have unknowingly walked dangerously close to a bull moose. They are stupid and fast. We also have a cougar that has been here for a couple years now. She bags good sized buck deer just past my shop which is a good hunting spot. I can tell when she is successful because it pretty much stinks to high heaven for a while. 1 bear every square mile etc. I can say that this sure beats my old meth head drugged out neighbors in Oregon. We are super grateful to be here.
I will PM you my phone #...

Well Jon, DP it is good to hear from you guys. I see you made the trip safely Jon. Thanks for keeping this site alive.

Actually Binford is coming to visit. I am super happy he is coming. I think he might be bring his smaller boat. Nick his son will be here also. Last time I saw his kids they were about two feet shorter. :D

And Fisherman has plans to come hang out. I can't wait till he gets here also. I could talk to him all night. We had a couple late night chats trying to stay awake.
I plan on taking them to see the fire look out's and get out on the lake. We have visitors coming all summer. Hopefully with the corona virus and all. According to the news, we will all be dead by Sunday. :D

Barrman, thats funny. Nothing like being clean. I remember when I helped one of the guys on the trail with a strap by putting it around a big tree for a winch pull. I got it all hooked up and realized I was reaching through a large clump of poision ivy!:eek: Very allergic to all things like that, someone loaned me a gas can while I rinsed off with gasoline. Yuk, that was just gross but a win compared to festering weeping rashes for three weeks. Ah, the memories.
Remember Will? Look at Al in his picher takin shorts... LOL.
What a deal.... A regular hoot.:lol: I see Sisson has not been on here since 2012. That guy was a card.

So I might have a lead on a 8 lug front dana 60 in Post Falls down where Glenn is. A 1991 dodge 250 I stayed up late reading up on dana 60's. This axle could be a dana 61 and there are no decent gear sets for those. I replied that as long as it was not a dana 61 I was very interested. The ad was up for 18 days and the price seemed fair. Front dana 60's don't last 18 days here. I suspect he has a 61 and hopes a buyer does not know the difference. Dana 61's have 3.5 diameter axle tubes. Dana 60's have 3.125 tubes. The BOM number for a 61 is typically (for 91ish) 610358* where dana 60's the BOM number is 610357-* *=gear ratio by number This is for the 91 model year dodge. The axle tubes and BOM number are just about the only way to tell.
I have not heard back from him on the second reply. The day is young though.

I had better get to work. I am currently reproducing tool tray sets for JD bulldozers. Everybody's waiting...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kaiser715

Welcome back Al!!!

Now find a truck for Binford, hes waterlogged by now .

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

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Yes! He has more than one boat. A very damp disease...:D:D:D

So much for the 91 dodge front end. Looks like it was only 67.5 inches wide. Stock Dana 60 is 73.5 wide. I read the entire axle swap thread and all of Randyscycle's (Hi Randy!) work on Grantshires truck. All Randy's pictures were gone. So still partially confused I see I need to find a GM K30 60 with a width of 69 inches. Billavista's complete Dana 60 guide for the all unknowing is incredible. Also Thanks Jon for posting all the good info on our trucks. 21 degrees and one heck of a blizzard going on. Can't believe we still have power with all the high winds. Knock on wood...:D

Hi Al,
I made 2" steel spacers for my Chevy D60 front. That puts me at roughly the same width as the stock axles. And the spacers allowed me to run stock M715 rims, just to confuse people :)

Keep em guessing...:D I am finding the stock axles are pretty wide compared to everything else. I never cared before because the first truck was stock and staying that way. This new rig is an open slate. I am just trying to make the right choices. I have plenty of time. I will try to be patient. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps

Keep em guessing...:D I am finding the stock axles are pretty wide compared to everything else. I never cared before because the first truck was stock and staying that way. This new rig is an open slate. I am just trying to make the right choices. I have plenty of time. I will try to be patient. ;)

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Beware of running dually hubs with non-dually rims. Scrub radius will be terrible.

I must be getting lazy because I am looking for less work and expense than that Mikel. My cats meow is a K30 or cucv dana 60 front with 4:56 gears. And I found I already have a 96 Dodge dana 70 with 3:54's. They make a thick set of 4:56's to swap to the 3 series carrier in the dodge 70. It has a Powr-Loc already. I will have to move the spring pads and that is easy. Unfortunately I found it is a 32 spline rear shaft and not 35 as I hoped. So I don't hear of them breaking so I will run it for the 8 lug pattern and wheel choices. It is 70 inches wms to wms and the minor difference from the stock 70 can be made up with backspacing on the wheels. Now to find a 35 spline inner dana 60 from a K30 that is not 1800 bucks. Boy stuff has gotten expensive. Saxon in Seattle has a IH NP202 for me. Bigger gears than a NP205. With a mild Buick 350 I will never break anything (knocking on grounded wood).
I have some extensive sheetmetal restoration work to do. I will probably start a build thread then. I have the 70 J truck for it. The stamping should be the same.
10 inches of snow yesterday. Currently 1.4 degrees above zero. Brrrr. The 50's temps and melting snow was just a teaser. It is the most beautiful clear day out. I shall not paint anything today. :lol:

Hahaha, I can hear Disney’s “It’s a small world after all...” playing in the background of this thread.

Welcome back Al- It looks like you found a keeper!


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Ha Hi Adam! :lol:
Yes the joys of a new project. Liz and I road tripped yesterday to Omak for a K30 dana 60 and 14 bolt. It was a dually and I don't have any use for the narrow 14 bolt. But 4.56 gears in both and only 44 K miles on the fire truck.
That means it's probably all wore out like a low mile military truck. :D
I kept telling Liz it was such a great find and a sort of fair price. Then realized I need to change bearing hubs and rotors. The seller never showed the outers in the pictures and I was just glad to find the only K30 front end within 800 miles. So it made sense it was a dually front end, but I was blinded by obtaining fun greasy heavy parts.
Glad to hear from you. I see you are one busy fella....:)

I have created a build thread for a more appropriate place for this build. Titled
The longest build thread ever. I anticipate it taking me a while. I am not fast.

welcome back to the fleet! looking forward to watching the progress.

As others have said, "Welcome Home!"

Thank you guys. I have some very good memories from this forum. It feels great to be back. I can't speak highly enough of the guys found around here. A genuinely good bunch. :D