Feasiblity Input/Discussion

[Roy]

Okay heres my situation. I have a very nice '67 M715 and a '86 M1009/CUCV in good running condition, but bashed, crashed body.
Would you swap the diffs and driveline into the 715 frame and body or......put the 715 sheetmetal on the newer frame and driveline?

[ColHart]

I'm going with the M715 frame and body, new spring mounts/engine mounts and an '83 CUCV drive train. I'm looking for a manual trans to replace the TH400, but I have heard the tranys are good.

[randyscycle]

I'd keep the 715 frame. Its a lot heavier duty than the CUCV frame. Just swap in all the driveline.

[boondockster]

I'm actually about to do the exact same thing so I am very interested in this. I have a M715 with an OK body but no engine, trans, or fuel tank and a complete CUCV with a bad body.

I was planning on putting the M715 body on the chevy chassis and moving the rear axle forward to fit. The big benefit I see is not making or buying custom mounts for drivetrain or suspension components plus being able to use easy to find and relatively cheap Chevy suspension components and tricks (e.g. 52" front springs).

randyscycle:
I have heard people say that the 715 frame is heavier duty than the CUCV frame but no one ever says what this is based on. Do you or anyone else have more info? They are both 5/4 ton and the CUCV chassis is almost 20 years younger. Unfortunately, I haven't had them side by side yet to compare.

Thanks,
Mike

[wrecker]

Having to custom make all the body mounts seems like more work than modifying the axles to fit the 715 spring width. The rest of the drive train will fit with easy mods as well. But whatever floats your boat.

[randyscycle]

randyscycle:
I have heard people say that the 715 frame is heavier duty than the CUCV frame but no one ever says what this is based on. Do you or anyone else have more info? They are both 5/4 ton and the CUCV chassis is almost 20 years younger. Unfortunately, I haven't had them side by side yet to compare.

Thanks,
Mike

The CUCV frame was pretty much a production Chevy frame, not known for their strength anyway, (had problems breaking where the steering box was, cracking near the center crossmember) and then all the military contract did, was to add a few corner braces in the frame in the front and rear. Not much else was done. The adaptibility factor is a good one though, because all the mounts are already there. But the trade-off is a weaker more flexy frame.

The M715 frame however was a much different bird than the stock Gladiator frame. Fully boxed to just past the cab, and much heavier duty than a comparable GM frame. They don't tend to twist up much. As far as it goes, adaptibility is also pretty easy there too, because its a frame. You can add or take away pretty much any setup you want, as many here have done.

[ColHart]

Either way... I chose keeping the frame for several reasons.

1 - You see it. It doesn't hide very well under the body. Its part of the show.
2 - It is boxed in already, you should see the work some Cheby guys put in to box theirs.
3 - Body mounts are already there. You will most likely have to change body reinforcements.
4 - I like the wider frame, for fuel tanks, 2 gal. train horn air tank, bigger spares etc., Hiding my huge exhaust "ductwork".
5 - The frame is square compared to the Cheby which hanging new or longer springs can be tricky.
6 - If the CUCV body is wrecked then the frame is most likely tweeked, and needs to be straightened. Do-it-yourselfers don't have equipment for that.

[gimpyrobb]

I don't know I would do either. What is your reasoning for this? The 1009 is a blazer with 1/2 ton axles and something like 3.73 R&P.

[boondockster]

I see that Roy, the original poster, has a M1009. I have a M1008 so I would be using one ton running gear. I had not decided to use one chassis over the other yet which is why I wanted to jump in here along with Roy and get a discussion going.

Good info so far guys, thanks.

-Mike

[airborne]

If I had the ability, I'd mount new spring mounts under the Jeep frame at 32" c/c and use the chevy axles. (The eng is almost a bolt in now with all the info and work members here have posted).