Builds ‘68 M715, AKA "Smokey" (Can I post this Jeep on MUD?)
- Thread starter Rock40
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #183
Painstaking measurements and cutting holes in the tunnel over the past 2 days
SWAG circle cutter has come in very handy
Shift plate for the Magnum. Added some threaded bits so a person won’t have to try and back up the but side with a wrench under the tunnel
SWAG circle cutter has come in very handy
Shift plate for the Magnum. Added some threaded bits so a person won’t have to try and back up the but side with a wrench under the tunnel
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- #184
The ORD twin sticks for the 205 were the worst and lots of things (465 and Magnum) are all vying for space
So I thought they were going here. And I was wrong. Cut the hole then realized I didn’t have enough throw to properly engage the 205 shift shafts
Cut the hole and realized I’d screwed the pooch.
So I had to weld it all back up and cut another one
So I thought they were going here. And I was wrong. Cut the hole then realized I didn’t have enough throw to properly engage the 205 shift shafts
Cut the hole and realized I’d screwed the pooch.
So I had to weld it all back up and cut another one
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- #185
Got it right on the 2nd round. This is where everything will sit. Along with cutting brakes somewhere...
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- #186
Transitioning over to working on the steering. The factory steering box mount only has 3 bolt holes for a manual box. I need 4 and the mount needs to be considerably reinforced/braced across the whole frame rail.
Start with a fresh fish plate to even out the exterior frame rail...
Mocking up the next mount in cardboard first. It hangs pretty low but that’s where the box needs to sit. I’ll make a pretty good slide/skid plate for it
Start with a fresh fish plate to even out the exterior frame rail...
Mocking up the next mount in cardboard first. It hangs pretty low but that’s where the box needs to sit. I’ll make a pretty good slide/skid plate for it
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- #187
Simple things sometimes take a LONG time. This is merely converting a 3 bolt manual box to a 4 bolt power steering box but good grief I’m still at it. Maybe this is common with the FSJ crowd but the 715 frame is quite a bit different is my guess
Made a plate:
This is the factory mount. Yeah, YUCK. This is looking inwards under the frame. Rear bolt has a sleeve which isn’t centered very well, front got nothing, just a big hole to pass a socket through
Inner factory plate. The lower holes are the 2 lower ones for the box. Upper right is the 3rd hole on the box. There’s no hole for the upper rear mount. Since this piece is stout and places the box right where it should go I’m leaving it. It’s everything else that needs to be reinforced
I’m using tube, passed through the mount and frame to make sure nothing crushes. Mounting bolts run through the tube
Made a plate:
This is the factory mount. Yeah, YUCK. This is looking inwards under the frame. Rear bolt has a sleeve which isn’t centered very well, front got nothing, just a big hole to pass a socket through
Inner factory plate. The lower holes are the 2 lower ones for the box. Upper right is the 3rd hole on the box. There’s no hole for the upper rear mount. Since this piece is stout and places the box right where it should go I’m leaving it. It’s everything else that needs to be reinforced
I’m using tube, passed through the mount and frame to make sure nothing crushes. Mounting bolts run through the tube
- Thread starter
- #188
I enlarged the factory holes to 5/8” so my sleeves would pass through.
Getting the holes centered and lined up correctly was a challenge. And I really wanted to get it right. Used the sleeves to assist in alignment then I marked the back side of the plate
Transferred to the plate. And of course, one hole just has to be half on it. The whole outer frame is getting plated so it’d not a big deal, more annoying
Drilled to 5/8”
And after checking the alignment about 3 more times, I marked and drilled through the outer frame rail. Used a high speed carbide to smooth them out
Getting the holes centered and lined up correctly was a challenge. And I really wanted to get it right. Used the sleeves to assist in alignment then I marked the back side of the plate
Transferred to the plate. And of course, one hole just has to be half on it. The whole outer frame is getting plated so it’d not a big deal, more annoying
Drilled to 5/8”
And after checking the alignment about 3 more times, I marked and drilled through the outer frame rail. Used a high speed carbide to smooth them out
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- #189
This. This is factory janky. The expectation was that you fish a bolt down in this void where I’m pointing with the awl. It’s for the upper, forward bolt. I think I’ll pass on that plan since this whole area is going to get sealed up
Now the tube sleeve goes through that void
And out the other side on the outer frame rail
After many more measurements, black arrow shows where the 4th hole needs to go
And here’s the outer plate with the sleeves mocked up. Getting much closer. It’s a bit goofy since the bolts and sleeves pass through at an angle. Plus the sleeves have to pass through both the inner and outer frame rails. I’ve got some round bar on order so I can make some wedges for the bolts to evenly snug against
Now the tube sleeve goes through that void
And out the other side on the outer frame rail
After many more measurements, black arrow shows where the 4th hole needs to go
And here’s the outer plate with the sleeves mocked up. Getting much closer. It’s a bit goofy since the bolts and sleeves pass through at an angle. Plus the sleeves have to pass through both the inner and outer frame rails. I’ve got some round bar on order so I can make some wedges for the bolts to evenly snug against
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- #190
Fish plate is on...
And verified by bolting up a donor box that the sleeves and holes are correct..
And verified by bolting up a donor box that the sleeves and holes are correct..
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- #192
Thanks! It continued today...
Boxing around the front frame rail.....
And starting to plate and box the entire factory mount so it ties into the exterior plate
Just using P&O .25” scraps to do this
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- #193
Finish the boxing.....then weld it. Which took a LONG time
This was extra fun since so much of it was overhead or really hard to get to
This was extra fun since so much of it was overhead or really hard to get to
Do you think you’ll need a weep hole at the base of the steering box?
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- #195
The steering box itself isn’t boxed in, it’s still out in the open on the inner frame rail. Only the mount is boxed.
When I’m all done with it, it should be totally sealed off. I may still do a weep hole just in case tho
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- #196
Steering box stuff is just about done.
I upgraded the internal sleeves to 4130 chromo then welded in both sides. Also used some 1018 round bar to make the appropriate “wedges” so the bolts are pulling straight against the box. Ignore the bolts with the stacked washers, that’s mock
The upper bolt here also needs the correct spacer. 20 degree wedge with the sane 1018 round bar drilled to 15/16”
I upgraded the internal sleeves to 4130 chromo then welded in both sides. Also used some 1018 round bar to make the appropriate “wedges” so the bolts are pulling straight against the box. Ignore the bolts with the stacked washers, that’s mock
The upper bolt here also needs the correct spacer. 20 degree wedge with the sane 1018 round bar drilled to 15/16”
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- #197
Moving forward on the frame now....
After quite a bit of debate, decided to incorporate some steering box armor/skid into the front frame. It’ll provide a nice ramp for obstacles.
It’s “Kaiser approved
After quite a bit of debate, decided to incorporate some steering box armor/skid into the front frame. It’ll provide a nice ramp for obstacles.
It’s “Kaiser approved
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- #198
Back to this mess, the passenger side firewall.
Weld it in
Backside is so full of holes it looks like it got hit with a shotgun blast
Weld it in
Backside is so full of holes it looks like it got hit with a shotgun blast
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- #199
Welded nutserts for the battery trays...
And fit the trays up. Plenty of space from the header do as not to cook the battery
And fit the trays up. Plenty of space from the header do as not to cook the battery
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- #200
Working on finding permanent dry homes for a few things. Made a template for the bulkhead connector for heater and AC hoses
And it’s in...
And it’s in...
