Looking for your opinions!!! to build or rebuild?

[moosejr]

I have a 67 M715, mostly stock, with a 292 chevy 6. I also have a 350 chevy i picked up for it. Now, not by choice, I have ended up with a 90 dodge w350 diesel that is wrecked but complete, cab crushed. I am debating the idea of putting the dodge running gear into the 715. . ... the truck is complete, and all running gear in great shape. .. . .other option is to do the 350 in the 715, and find a cab for the dodge. ....hmmmmmm, ..what to do. I don't need it as a daily driver, it is a work truck, camping and tow rig.

Throw out your opinions and ideas, good or bad. I do have the facilities and ability to do most of the fabrication required, such as firewall mod, etc.

Thanks and look forward to the debate!!

[george walker]

The 350 is likely the eaisest fit into the 715, the cummins is heavy and has alot of tourque not so much for the drivetrain but for the mounts and frame of the 715 plus modifing the fuel lines and tank for diesel, and a proper size radiator and intercooler into the stock grille assy, however its proabably been done by someone. I imagine replacing the cab on the dodge is a bit of an undertaking as well so much to remove just to be able to get the cab off, that type of job can really drag out. Doing both jobs will take alot of time if the 715 still runs perhaps do your dodge first if you choose to keep it and later tackle the engine swap in the 715 so you dont get overwhelmed and loose interest in both. That 292 can be worth some money also if its running, they are hard to come by anymore.

[airborne]

Can you put the 715 sheetmetal on the Dodge frame? Sell everything else to get back some money. My,.02.

[m16ty]

If I lived closer to you I'd take that 292 off your hands. I've been looking for one to go in my truck for some time now.

[Calpyro]

I just pretty much finished the repower and restoration of my M715 which took about three years of nights and weekends. The job that you describe sounds quite a bit more than I did.

Now all I did is a SOA, Chevy 350 on stock T98 re-wire and frame-off paint. It's a lot of work. Now that it is pretty much all done, the fun is in driving it. In my opinion, you will have just as much fun driving it as a Chevy 350, as you will with the diesel, but sooner. Probably much sooner.

Now I admit, that a Cummins repower would be cool and you have the fabrication capability. But do you have the time? You will spend days and weeks just chasing parts and fabricating sub assemblies, for all of the drivetrain. It sounds like you have done fabrication, so you know the joy of numerous trips to the hardware store to complete basic fabrication tasks.
If you don't have the time, all you will have is a space robbing project, for potentially years.

In my opinion, a build like you describe can only be pulled off by #1 A retired guy with lots of time and skill. #2 A guy with a good fabrication shop with lots of money to hire help, or #3 a guy with no family and lots of time and skill.
Don't underestimate the Chevy 350 swap. It fits easily and it is cheap and provides good power. Add in power steering and power brakes and you have an easy to drive fun truck.

[tacoma]

The Cummins swap is not that difficult if : a. you can fab and b. you have the whole donor truck. That year should still be mostly mechanical, alleviating a lot of headaches right off the bat.

Cut the firewall, and put the engine where it needs to be. There is room. Mount the motor, and fab up some good mounts for it, and the trans. The fuel lines run down the driver side, so clean up your tank, and you should be golden.

Wiring is simple.

Your front springs will need some beefing up. A complete Cummins is like 1100# or something, compared to much less for the stocker. Then again, it might ride nice LOL just take a few out of the back and you're golden.

I don't think it's that hard a swap, if you're not afraid to cut and make some room to the rear. Otherwise, it is a VERY tight fit, and kind of unsatisfactory.

[randyscycle]

One thing I'm not crazy about with a Cummins swap is the huge amount of weight those things add. They are really heavy. (not sure of the exact weight) While they are a great powerplant, they wouldn't be any fun up front in a wheeling situation where you were really stuck deep.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

i,d go a 100% dodge change over. engine & trans,trans.case, axles, driveshafts etc.

[fng]

It would be hard to beat with an all new Dodge powertrain. And since you have access to it all, like my Dad used to say "If you're going to be a Bear, be a Grizzly!"

[moosejr]

Thanks guys for the feedback, . . I will throw a little more info in here to clarify things. A. I have a shop, and have have done swaps before i.e., 215 v-8 into a CJ-3A and 305GMC v-6 into a 65 J-300 pickup. My dodge is non-intercooled, mechanical injection, so that helps some there. I am thinking if I brought the firewall center back about to the back of the dash, I would have plenty of room for the engine. Then beef up the frame and start with the dodge axles. . . .

Now for the question in regards to putting the M-715 sheet metal on it, . . at what point is it NOT an M-715, and just a dodge truck with a jeep cab?. ..anybody have a spare cab?