68' M715 AKA "Smokey", 8.1 engine on links, coils and 40's
- Thread starter Rock40
- Start date
Rock40
Active Member
Hammered out the main sway bar mounts today
Cardboard layout. This frame is SO fun to work on. Seems like nothing is “quite” the same side to side, not even the frame bends, oh well
Using 1/4” plate, decided to just notch it for the tubing like this, should be PLENTY of weld surface
Love the nice clean plasma cuts
Driver and passenger side complete
Bar and mounts sit in the frame like this. Still needs gussets, welding, etc but you get the idea where it’s going
Cardboard layout. This frame is SO fun to work on. Seems like nothing is “quite” the same side to side, not even the frame bends, oh well
Using 1/4” plate, decided to just notch it for the tubing like this, should be PLENTY of weld surface
Love the nice clean plasma cuts
Driver and passenger side complete
Bar and mounts sit in the frame like this. Still needs gussets, welding, etc but you get the idea where it’s going
Rock40
Active Member
Burned out the frame gussets for the sway bar
Ended up only using the shorter ones, looks cleaner
Burned the gussets in
Finished off the rear frame extensions. Stock were totally beat to hell and not usable, these were custom bent to match the factory frame dimensions
Using the oval LED instead of the round version
Cut and sanded for the LED’s and grommets
Ended up only using the shorter ones, looks cleaner
Burned the gussets in
Finished off the rear frame extensions. Stock were totally beat to hell and not usable, these were custom bent to match the factory frame dimensions
Using the oval LED instead of the round version
Cut and sanded for the LED’s and grommets
Rock40
Active Member
Little bits of progress
Upper radiator hose. The angle was terrible as you can see and from what I can tell, the 3 bolt thermostat flange is specific to the GM 8.1 engine. There are no aftermarket swivel housings or adapters available. So…
Chopped this little guy up
Rotated it clockwise and welded it back together
DUN. I was able to search through hoses at a local parts store and found Gates 22641 which fits a Cherokee with the 4.7 engine. Keeping it Jeep!! Haha!
Upper radiator hose. The angle was terrible as you can see and from what I can tell, the 3 bolt thermostat flange is specific to the GM 8.1 engine. There are no aftermarket swivel housings or adapters available. So…
Chopped this little guy up
Rotated it clockwise and welded it back together
DUN. I was able to search through hoses at a local parts store and found Gates 22641 which fits a Cherokee with the 4.7 engine. Keeping it Jeep!! Haha!
Rock40
Active Member
So the PSC box is in.
I thought I had the steering mount all done. Wrong
The PSC box is a larger casting with a larger end cap. Fought me every inch of the way fitting it. I pity the next 715 owner that wants to modify for power steering. UGH
Had to make some inner box spacers out of some 1018 solid bar which then got drilled out
It simply WOULD NOT fit up against the backside of the frame and the end cap on the box. So away it went…
Made two 3/16” plates and welded it back up
Here you can see the notch the box required
I thought I had the steering mount all done. Wrong
The PSC box is a larger casting with a larger end cap. Fought me every inch of the way fitting it. I pity the next 715 owner that wants to modify for power steering. UGH
Had to make some inner box spacers out of some 1018 solid bar which then got drilled out
It simply WOULD NOT fit up against the backside of the frame and the end cap on the box. So away it went…
Made two 3/16” plates and welded it back up
Here you can see the notch the box required
Could just be stubborn too
Rock40
Active Member
More welding repair tabs and nutserts today
Inside the under bed box that was used to hold military tent poles. The bed mount hole is all hogged out
Very sad bugger weld related to the clasp on the outer door
Made a reinforcing tab out of 1/8” plate and welded it in
1/2”-13 nutsert welded in the frame side
Fully bolted and the bugger tab is ground off. Going to use Destaco’s on these side doors and the tailgate
And finally the rearmost driver side bed mount. Again all out of round so I put an additional plate in along with a 1/2”-13 nutsert on the frame side
Inside the under bed box that was used to hold military tent poles. The bed mount hole is all hogged out
Very sad bugger weld related to the clasp on the outer door
Made a reinforcing tab out of 1/8” plate and welded it in
1/2”-13 nutsert welded in the frame side
Fully bolted and the bugger tab is ground off. Going to use Destaco’s on these side doors and the tailgate
And finally the rearmost driver side bed mount. Again all out of round so I put an additional plate in along with a 1/2”-13 nutsert on the frame side
Rock40
Active Member
The poor hammered bed…
Finished the bed mount repairs on the passenger side today so the bed is fully bolted up now
Addressed the 4 lift points on the upper rail of the bed. I believe they were in place to assist with lifting the truck into a cargo ship for transport. Every one of them was pretty bent and banged up
Cut out some 1/8” plate supports…
Hammered the stock supports back to vertical and welded them in. Done
Should add a fair bit of rigidity
Finished the bed mount repairs on the passenger side today so the bed is fully bolted up now
Addressed the 4 lift points on the upper rail of the bed. I believe they were in place to assist with lifting the truck into a cargo ship for transport. Every one of them was pretty bent and banged up
Cut out some 1/8” plate supports…
Hammered the stock supports back to vertical and welded them in. Done
Should add a fair bit of rigidity
Rock40
Active Member
Several more issues in the bed got addressed
This was a large jagged hole in the bottom of the bed and the two holes had been torched in the upper rail by the cab
Pulled out the old chunk of bed material left over from shortening it and cut a chunk out with the correct contour
Both areas got patched
This was a large jagged hole in the bottom of the bed and the two holes had been torched in the upper rail by the cab
Pulled out the old chunk of bed material left over from shortening it and cut a chunk out with the correct contour
Both areas got patched
Rock40
Active Member
Nearly done with the bed repair. Both front corners near the cab had cracked apart and split.
You can see the large vertical crack in the background. Pulled it back together with a strap, added a reinforcement plate and welded it up
Finished off the last rear fender brace. This is the rear passenger corner
You can see the large vertical crack in the background. Pulled it back together with a strap, added a reinforcement plate and welded it up
Finished off the last rear fender brace. This is the rear passenger corner
Rock40
Active Member
Welded and sanded on the bed just about all day, also finished out the driver side rear limit strap
Lower limit strap tab, added 1/2-13 weld nuts to each, makes assembly/disassembly much easier when you don’t need a backup wrench
Started welding in all the factory bed seams. I want to seal them up once and for all so grit and water doesn’t work it’s way in
Decided to fill in the raised corrugated bed slots.
There are 12 total. Plasma cut some filler bits out and got to work
Lower limit strap tab, added 1/2-13 weld nuts to each, makes assembly/disassembly much easier when you don’t need a backup wrench
Started welding in all the factory bed seams. I want to seal them up once and for all so grit and water doesn’t work it’s way in
Decided to fill in the raised corrugated bed slots.
There are 12 total. Plasma cut some filler bits out and got to work