#37 build

[FlatlinesUp]

This thread will document my '68 M715/Firetruck build.

I'll post up pics along the way and discuss plans etc.
Posts/comments/ideas/help etc are encouraged and greatly appreciated.

First pics as I g#37 (from East Providence FD) home:














Plans:
Pull/sell/replace:
snow plow
drivetrain (sold)
Seats
Axles/wheels/tires

Just today I bought a M1031 (cucv w/work bed) which will supply the Dana 60 front (w/limited slip), 14 bolt rear (w/detroit locker), Xfer case (w/pto) and other small assundries

I'll part out the rest of the cucv to help finance the project along as well. I'd consdered briefly keeping the diesel, and doing the swap over, but I've got a fairly well built Big Block Chevy that will go in there and make life much more fun.

I tend to make things a little over the top, and this truck is going to be one of those type projects> The PTO on the xfer case will allow me to more easily power the water cannon (monitor) in the bed that I plan on putting in and I am also planning on running dual exhaust stacks w/flame throwers in them, I mean it's a firetruck, so it ought to have some fire right?

The 60/14b should have 4.56 gearing in them as well as allow easy brake conversion and 8 lug wheels. I'm going to do a spring over when I install them and run 46-49" military tires of some type yet to be decided.

More pics etc soon...

[FlatlinesUp]

New MRAP seats from dm22630 :

Daniel is awsome to deal with. I traded for these seats and his communications etc were great and he was very easy to deal with. The seats are flat out awsome. I can't imagine having a better set for what I have planned for #37.



In the pic, driver side is sitting on m715 frame (too high) and passengers side is stitting on the floorboard (too low lol). I plan on making some frame mounts that are inbetween the two.

Thanks again Daniel!

[webstercj8]

Looks nice and sounds like a good plan. Seats look to be a nice upgrade. Are you putting in a roll cage of sorts and using the 5 point harness? You keeping the fire engine look of #37?

[FlatlinesUp]

Yup, keeping the firetruck paint/feel, but going to go kinda "medium" size w/it, so it'll be a slightly monstered firetruck

Prob will put in a cage of sorts, but prob not a full on rock crawling cage. The beauty of the seats is the 5pt harness is built into the heavily built seat structure, so once the seats are mounted, so are the belts. also if I build the bases as suspension bases, the belts and seats move as one saving my back on washboards

[SVENG52]

Sweet seats they look good

[FlatlinesUp]

more pics to document 'ol #37

Very little "work" done, but did drag home the donor CUCV yesterday. Hubs hit the towdolly, took it back, hooked up to the 10k equip trailer. Hubs hit the rails on the sides of the trailer several times goin on and off... 1/2" clearence... arrrgghhh....


Once upon a time, someone decided to weld the drivers seat frame (not the passengers) to the floor on three of the legs (not four). Love me some hackers. It was welded well enough, which leaves me wondering, if you can weld it, why can't you fix it right?



So, I drug out the grinder and the child labor to cut it out*:



*notice grinder plug hanging from the door. No small children were hurt in this staged photo op.

On to the pics of the donor:

[FlatlinesUp]

Testing the back end for strength:



PO had a "confusion" on doing a 12v conversion and decide EVERYTHING that had a wire attached to it had to be pulled/replaced....



notice a trend in the following pics? this is a LOW miles truck and earned all it's rust from sitting...





I fully believe the milage (I'm holding the needle up for clarity):

[FlatlinesUp]

decent tires, except for the dry rot:



Testing the front end for strength:





If I stack these on top of my M715 springs, will I get a foot of lift and a 2.5 ton truck?



Holy brakes batman!



Alex is my helper and he's a great little hand to have around. He's excited about having both an army truck and a fire truck:



That's it for this edition...

[4x4fun]

one question sorry of you already answered the question but how are you going to fit the 46 to 49 tires?
thanks

[FlatlinesUp]

one question sorry of you already answered the question but how are you going to fit the 46 to 49 tires?
thanks

Spring over + a little "love"