Some real progress today w pics!!

[randyscycle]

Today was devoted to repowering the 715. It ain't pretty yet, but at least some real progress was made:



Its on its own mounts now and free of any jacks or hoists:



I was surprised at how easy the removal of the front sheetmetal was. with only a handful of hardware and a few electrical connections, the whole front clip was removed in about 20 minutes. Makes a swap like this so much easier.

I think that I may also paint the engine OD too. The chrome valve covers are going, and of course all underhood areas will be painted while everything's apart.

Tomorrow, the connection to the transfer case will be made, and the install of the PS box, then some other little stuff..... Can't wait to drive it!!!

[Binford]

It really does open up the engine compartment, doesn't it?! Wow...

Gotta love that old iron that you can actually work on, unlike the modern stuff.

[Tomahawk715]

Pulled my clip as well--helps with all that nasty alignment later too. Cant beat the room. We had my drivetrain in and out a couple times for fit and painting. Not to mention the power steering swap, routing fuel lines and replacing the front brake lines. I should really post some new pics sometime eh?

[fasteddie]

The SBC that I dropped in mine was also orange, painted it the Cummins 4bt tan color, looked much better and blends well with the OD.

[randyscycle]

Just curious, I know that most of the 230's I've seen were painted OD, but what about the newer military stuff? Were the engines OD in them too?

Another really funny part: When I got everything set, and lowered the engine onto the mounts, I expected the truck to settle a little. It did. A whole 1/8"! These things have some serious springs up front. I think the BBC with the iron intake weighs around 600 lbs.

[Tomahawk715]

I painted mine black---like the newer motors---supposed to shed heat better. Dont know if thats BS or not. Plus it hides a multitude of sins--from oil leaks to casting marks.

[FSJGuy]

Just curious, I know that most of the 230's I've seen were painted OD, but what about the newer military stuff? Were the engines OD in them too?

Another really funny part: When I got everything set, and lowered the engine onto the mounts, I expected the truck to settle a little. It did. A whole 1/8"! These things have some serious springs up front. I think the BBC with the iron intake weighs around 600 lbs.

You'll also notice those springs when you drive it!

[randyscycle]

Got a little further today:

Here's my work for the coupling of the TH400 to the NP200:

URL=http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m715driveyokeassemblediu8.jpg][/URL]

And here it is installed:



Tomorrow will get the brackets built for mounting the T-case levers, then it all comes out for a freshening up and painting the firewall, and frame.

[randyscycle]

I painted mine black---like the newer motors---supposed to shed heat better. Dont know if thats BS or not. Plus it hides a multitude of sins--from oil leaks to casting marks.

You know, I have heard a lot of debate over the years about paint, or not, etc relating to temperature, but never really experimented to see. Chrome is reputed to hold heat in as well.

On older air cooled dirt bikes when we set them up for racing, we always used to bead blast the cylinders and heads and run them bare. This was supposed to help them dissapate heat better, but again, many didn't do it and never overheated, so who knows? It can't hurt to try and see though!

[Tomahawk715]

Yeah I wont run chrome stuff for that very reason-supposed to reflect heat back in. Dont think you can beat aluminum for bleeding off heat. On the cast stuff I paint black. The General switched to it for a reason--supposed to be the heat. Then again I still believe we landed on the moon.