My long overdue 6BT M715 build

[Qbert909]

this is my first thread (and real build) so bear with me here... this is a thread i have been meaning to start for more than 6 months now (when i started my build) so here we go, hope yall enjoy reading mine as much as i have enjoyed reading other peoples.

I bought my M715 a couple years ago on my way to buy another CJ5. I had never seen one in person before and had to have it - needless to say I passed up the CJ5 for the M715. some pictures below.





I drove the truck around on the road and in the mud and on some trails for a year or so until it eventually crapped out on me. The transmission decided to go with a full load of stuff in the bed while i was moving from one place to another.

I eventually bought a 1994 Cummins 6BT with a 2wd nv4500, radiator, inter cooler, wiring harness, and everything else needed for the power plant of the truck. (only got a picture of the engine before it was in the truck)

[Qbert909]

we started work late in the summer last year. Its me and a fraternity brother of mine working on it mainly (sometimes a couple other friends and brothers come to help wrench on it), were both in our early 20s with little money and no shop. so we rolled the truck out to an empty(ish) spot in his parents yard and started tearing it apart. we can only work on the weekends when the weather permits so this build has taken a long time.





The foreman for the job that I was working on was able to grab me some 2x4 tube steel 12-13' long that we used to build the frame for a hoist. took a couple weekends but we got it done and with a cheap 1 ton chain fall we can lift almost anything.

[Qbert909]

once we got the hoist built work got a little easier and we were able to start mocking up the Cummins.







we cut the stock motor mounts (and have been using them as wheel chocks) and built some new ones out of 4x4 tube steel and plate.

[Qbert909]

iv read about a lot of people having to cut the firewall and move the engine inches forward or back to fit the 6bt but we didnt have to do anything but make new mounts and it fits - we bolted the motor mounts to the frame in the exact same location as stock. theres not a ton of room but enough to fit electric fans and your hand between the engine and firewall. we will have to bang out the trans tunnel a bit to fit the bell housing though i think.






ill post more stuff tonight hopefully. (i got a lot of stuff to post if yall are interested) if anyone wants to know dimensions or product numbers for anything let me know, yall helped me out a lot (just reading your threads) in preparation for this build so id like to return the favor if i can.

[Mikel]

Looking really good!

[CRNA]

Good looking motor mounts! Good job

[Qbert909]

I forgot to credit my inspiration for the motor mounts by the way. The motor mounts design came from Sgt. Biscuit's build (i think that was it.. ill try and find the link later) and they work great! perfect fit and easy to make. he has a really awesome build that gave me inspiration for a couple bits of my own.

[Burritoboi5]

Looking good man, props to ya for putting in the time building outside

[Flingarrows]

Looks good man

[unbreakable]

Yep, great job and progress. Nice to see another way of installing a 6bt. Its all about how you want it.