New guy

[johnss]

Hi johnss new guy to the site and to m715's. Just finished a 56 willys pickup: chevy running gear, turbo 350, 350 bored 60 over on 38.5x11 boggers.



I had been driving by a M715 on my way home from work and after doing some research I stopped and talked to the guy and ended up picking it up for $1000. It's complete with a seized engine. Looks to me like body wise it needs two new partial rockers, Two small patches in the floorboards by the drain plugs, another small patch in the floorboard by the battery box hole, 3 of the 4 fender flairs need straitened.



Vin #20609, born on 2-68

My plan: sand blast, body work, small block chevy or 4bt, keep the tranny, transfer case and axles for now. Marsh racing wheels and 39.5 swampers.

My questions:
Does this sound like a reasonable short term plan that leaves me open to drivetrain upgrades down the road?
Whats the best way to straighten fender flairs back to round? Has anyone had any luck using a jig to reform?
Can you get a locker for the stock 70?

[glenn]

Nice to see another west coast M715. Small block chevy would work the best with the stock gearing and be the cheapest. BJ's Offroad has lockers and gears for the stock axles, check IFSJA website and sign up for BJ'S discount.

[Don Cavey]

Greetings and welcome to the M715 Zone. As mentioned above, it is great to see another member here no matter which coast you live on! I live on the east coast but it is still great to see yet another truck brought back to life. They are relatively easy to work on. For that matter, I usually am able to craw under the truck without jacking it up!

Please continue to send pictures and progress reports. Any question is not too small or too large. Most of the members here have had these trucks for years. Some of us even drove them whilst in the army! I drove one for two years, 1969-70 as an army guy. We have the trucks in Australia as well!

Cheers Mate.

[Troop ISP]

Nice find. I also really like the Willys truck. I had a completely restored and modded Willys wagon that I kick myself for ever selling.

As for your M715' there are lots of write ups for where you are wanting to go with the SBC conversion. My truck was there when I bought it: stock axles, 38 inch mud doers, stock transmission and transfer case, etc.

Even with 39 inch tires, you will be pushing the truck at highway speeds with the stock low gears. The firewall has to be massaged a bit to clear the SBC, which I don't like. The NP200 has been known to run hot under highway speeds. There are also several articles on that.

Good to have you on the zone. Everyone here is very helpful, and you won't get flamed like other web sites. By the way, we all like pictures. Welcome.

[Von]

Sweet Willys!

Tobcotton is doing a 350/stock trans mod and has a thread in the modified section. Novak adapters, very nice build.

And I think there were some Marsh wheels for sale in the classifieds, haven't looked lately. I was thinking about getting them but don't want to push my wife over the edge...

And you got a good deal on that truck.

Oh, I was going to buy a rear locker from BJ's last month and they don't list them on their site any more, just the 4.56 gear sets and open diff carrier...
So if you do find a source...

[Blitz]

Welcome to the Zone Johnss.

Yep, You got a good truck. No worries there.

I dont know if this will help, but here are the numbers off of the Locker for the Rear 70.

I think Detroit made it, but there is no MFG. Name anywhere.

I pulled it from a "blown" 70 and it will be going into the third axle I have to rebuild, back with the stock gears.

Then gotta do something for the front as well.

They do exist...
Hope this helps:

[IMG][/IMG]



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[Von]

They do exist...

Man... I am getting so scatter brained. And lockers have been covered in so many threads here...

The stock D70 is 23 spline and a .5 pinion offset, I remember that much. Is there anything else weird about it? As far as locker choices?

I kept thinking BJs was the only place that had a compatible locker... but if you aren't changing ring and pinion you should be able to google "dana 70 23 spline locker" and take your pick, right?
I hope so... because I just googled that, and there's plenty to choose from.

I've never busted a diff open... on purpose.. so.. *shrug*

[militarypotts]

Welcome. Questions and pics are what we like here on the Zone. I also like the Willy's.
Don't forget to register your vin# at the top of the page, if it hasn't been registered already. Good luck with both trucks.

[67smith]

My brother told me Spartan makes a locker for the front, looks like this might be the product
http://www.usastandardgear.com/Parts...D=147&CatID=36

Part number SLD60-30 (17003)

Rear is Detroit locker

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtl-225s14/overview/

Part number 225S14

[292farmer]

yes those are the lockers that fit and their "lunch boxes" ie. fit in the gear carriers in the truck, though pics show them being whole carrier style
if your gonna go with 36" plus tires id really consider the lockers front and rear keep all that rotating weight even side to side nothing will break any axle/spider quicker then a whole lotta mass spinning on just one side and being these are old axles and some parts are hard to come by/afford and a I assume from your willys build a high hp v8 will be in the works and that will add to the stress on the axles