Repower & upgrade cost

[randyscycle]

$15-20K wouldn't be out of line if you dropped it off, handed them the truck and said find the parts and build it. If you get really elaborate, $30K could easily be reached as well.

Let's just say it ain't cheap. The major factor will be labor. Labor to build, labor to locate parts, labor to get said parts to work together, etc, etc, etc.

[fisherman]

If you already have the 4bt and auto trans, the cost would be for installation of such and the fabrication involved to do it correctly. Add the cost of any rebuilds of engine and or trans prior to installation. The disc. brake stuff for stock axles is a little spendy but well worth it if your going to keep the stock axles. The installation of the disc. brake stuff is straight forward. Now on the the reagearing to 4.10, that may be difficult finding the correct stuff. Now a regear to 4.56 is much easier and would probably be better IMO if your running larger than stock tires. I would say around 10 grand or so for installation and fab work should cover it. Rebuilding, disc. brake parts, new gears will add to that cost. Oh yes do you want everything degreased, cleaned and painted to look new prior to installation? You will then add a bunch more. To do a nice clean and proper installation I'd guess on the low side for parts and labor about $15,000.00 if your paying someone. That price will most likely go up a bunch for adding in painting, electrical and anything else you would want. My out of pocket costs are around $12 to 15 grand. I did most all the work myself. There were a few involved helping on things I didn't have all the knowledge to do myself. These were rebuilding the heads, transmission and transfer case rebuilding, and electrical. Everything else I managed myself with a hand or two along the way. Boy what fun. Drop it off here with a blank check and a laundry list so I can get started.

[ChalkOutline]

I am with you guys an the estimate of $15-25k to HAVE it done.

Well I sent the same question to M Series Rebuild (.com). From the pictures and reviews they appear to do really good work.
Their reply..........I would guesstimate around the $40,000 to $50,000 range

To me that was $15k MORE than I could justify for anything short of a very custom show-driver. I know that show quality cars and trucks can run into the 6 figure world. But a really good looking driver should (IMO) be easily less than half that. Thanks for the input, I just wanted to make sure that I was not totally of my rocker.

Ryan, there is a kit for the rear disc conversion.

Thanks Again,
Jeff

[glenn]

You could save some money if you did some of the grunt work yourself, like pull the drivelines, engine/trans, cleaning and degreasing everything under the vehicle. If you do find a auto shop that you trust to do the work and do it right you can get a little bit of a deal on labor if you let them take their time and only work on it when business is slow. Just get everything in writing and get them to commit to some type of time line on completion. Right now where I work I am converting a 65 Buick G/S from an auto to a munice M-22. I have been working on it for 2 months now but only when I have a slow day and we won't be charging them our full shop rate for every hour I have in it. Most shop like having one or two long term project like this to use as filler when business slows down like it does around the holidays. I should think you could be able to get your ride built like the way you want it for 15-20k espcially if you buy the parts yourself and do some smart bargain shopping.

[k8icu]

I've conversed with Charles from M serries rebuild....he claims that he uses a new in the crate cummins 4BT motor. Not a take out or rebuild. He is also quoating you for the time and labor for his crew do the work....and I think his cost is high, but then again he is trying to make a living like everyone else. If you do the work yourself then your looking in the price range you were talking, unless you find the parts for next to nothing or free. With this truck it would almost be cheeper to do an axle swap and get a disk kit for the rears than to buy the disk kits from ugly truckling...unless you wanted to take the time to fab your own disk brake kits..... I guess I'm trying to say that if your a smart shopper and wait for deals to happen for you...then your cost will be a lot less.

[ChalkOutline]

I've conversed with Charles from M series rebuild....he claims that he uses a new in the crate cummins 4BT motor. Not a take out or rebuild. He is also quoting you for the time and labor for his crew do the work....and I think his cost is high, but then again he is trying to make a living like everyone else. If you do the work yourself then your looking in the price range you were talking, unless you find the parts for next to nothing or free. With this truck it would almost be cheaper to do an axle swap and get a disk kit for the rears than to buy the disk kits from ugly truckling...unless you wanted to take the time to fab your own disk brake kits..... I guess I'm trying to say that if your a smart shopper and wait for deals to happen for you...then your cost will be a lot less.

If it sounded like I was bashing or slamming them, I apologize. I meant no disrespect to them or their work.
I have only done 1 major rebuild so I am by no stretch an expert or pro. I get that they are trying to make a living and time IS money.
But a NEW 1 ton 4x4 diesel (Dodge,Chevy,or Ford) with ALL the trimmings is $40-50K. Granted they are not Near as cool and will not hold the value like a custom, but they are all new.
Yes, they are everywhere and a custom is, by definition, not.

I am surprised that there are enough people with the $$$$ and desire to have a custom M to keep a business in business. I wish them all the work that they can handle.
I have seen pics of the work you all have done and think it's fabulous, but do any of you have that kind of coin in your ride? I personally am WAY more impressed with what you all have done. And if anyone inferred that I was thinking about having my M redone by someone else was mistaken. I don't have that kind of money and I like doing the work.

Again, sorry if I hurt any feelings or stepped on toes.

Also, thanks for all the replies.
Jeff

[Mikel]

I don´t think you can compare a new truck to one of ours that is modified.

That new truck is a mass produced vehicle in which everything is optimized to reduce cost. A conversion on one of ours is a prototype, which is always vastly more expensive.

My ´63 Jeep J300 is close to what the originator of this thread wanted - FSJ with 4BT, OD trans (NV4500) and disk brakes (D60/D70 from later Dodge truck).

I had to redo the front and rear suspension (springs and perches), steering, brakes, new axles, transmission, T/C, engine, intercooler, wiring... I haven´t kept count of how much I spent, but the labor was the killer, as this was the first time I did this, and there was a lot of trial and error. I paid $700 for the engine, $700 for the NV4500, got the NP200 for free (my M715), axles for free (parted a Cummins CTD dodge truck). But there is a LOT of effort (and time is $) going into those free items. They didn´t just show up in my garage ready to use.

The end result is a vehicle that will carry over a ton, with great brakes and steering that gets 25MPG and will do 85MPH all day long.

If it sounded like I was bashing or slamming them, I apologize. I meant no disrespect to them or their work.
I have only done 1 major rebuild so I am by no stretch an expert or pro. I get that they are trying to make a living and time IS money.
But a NEW 1 ton 4x4 diesel (Dodge,Chevy,or Ford) with ALL the trimmings is $40-50K. Granted they are not Near as cool and will not hold the value like a custom, but they are all new.
Yes, they are everywhere and a custom is, by definition, not.

I am surprised that there are enough people with the $$$$ and desire to have a custom M to keep a business in business. I wish them all the work that they can handle.
I have seen pics of the work you all have done and think it's fabulous, but do any of you have that kind of coin in your ride? I personally am WAY more impressed with what you all have done. And if anyone inferred that I was thinking about having my M redone by someone else was mistaken. I don't have that kind of money and I like doing the work.

Again, sorry if I hurt any feelings or stepped on toes.

Also, thanks for all the replies.
Jeff

[randyscycle]

I have seen pics of the work you all have done and think it's fabulous, but do any of you have that kind of coin in your ride?

I probably have nearly $20K in mine just in parts. That isn't counting the year it took to build it, and I am still running the stock axles and brakes. Essentially I rebuilt everything front to rear, transplanted a Big Block Chevy, TH400, added fuel injection, and rewired the truck. All new canvas, paint, some bodywork, lots of accessories. It doesn't take long to add up.

As a side note, we restore motorcycles, and an average, run-of-the-mill Triumph T120R Bonneville (a pretty plentiful and popular bike) can run around $15K to restore completely parts and labor. Now, try restoring a rare bike like a Velocette, or the like and you can double that figure. Keep in mind this is a stock restoration too, and not a modification where parts have to be fabricated, or sourced from who knows where.