Builds 68' M715, AKA "Smokey" (Can I post this Jeep on MUD?) (5 Viewers)

[MrMikeyG]

This is for a "client" correct? Have they been speccing all of the bits and pieces? Purely curious on my end.

 

[Rock40]

This is for a "client" correct? Have they been speccing all of the bits and pieces? Purely curious on my end.

Well, it's for a very good friend actually. A guy I've known since grade school.

Yes, he's trying to locate most of the major parts and its a dual effort working out what will fit and all the little adapter type parts that are needed. We both spend quite a bit of time online researching stuff and revising the parts list.

 

[WesternCruiser]

This is for a "client" correct? Have they been speccing all of the bits and pieces? Purely curious on my end.

Hello. I thought I would hop on and give my two cents on this, as the good friend (thanks, Ross). Actually, how it worked, is I bought the old truck for $1,400 outside of Fairbanks, having loved them for decades. We talked about what we could do to it (we both own 1969 FJ40s and have for about half of our lives), and one thing just sort of led to another. As he and I have talked about, had we known it was going to be SO expensive and SO time-consuming, we may have sought out someone more practical than us to try to talk us out of it. As it were, it just snuck up on us...and I think it has been pretty great. We text and call about pretty much each detail and he keeps my modest income...spent.

I live in Anchorage where I daily-drive a 27 year old 2wd S-10 on summer tires because he spends my money before I can spend it on my daily needs. Priorities. I'm mid-life, I should know better, but he does such great work! I'm active duty military on my 11th assignment, which makes it a little tricky getting hands-on to help, but I go to his garage and get in the way when I can.

Maybe more than you cared to know, but Ross is a helluva guy and I felt his answer needed a bit more context. Thanks for the support!

 

[MrMikeyG]

@WesternCruiser Cool. Thanks for hopping in. I'd love to see this thing in person before it goes home with you. It's a really cool truck/project.

 

[Rock40]

Steering coolers from Howe. If Trophy Trucks run one then naturally the 715 needs to run TWO. Gross overkill

Tucked up nicely but plenty of airflow

 

[Rock40]

K&N filter

Made a support out of scrap stainless. Just enough to support the filter. Fits good

 

[Rock40]

Radiator from Entropy Radiator. Will ultimately be mounted on flex bushings but you get the idea. For a CJ. Pretty close to a direct fit

 

[WesternCruiser]

@WesternCruiser Cool. Thanks for hopping in. I'd love to see this thing in person before it goes home with you. It's a really cool truck/project.

I think that’s a great idea. It’s not coming up here to Alaska, so will pretty much always be in Snohomish (VERY likely), or Bellingham—always close by.

 

[mr jits]

Okay Ross, where are the updates?

 

[Grandlooser]

No kidding, wtf.

 

[Rock40]

Okay Ross, where are the updates?

Ha! Yeah it’s overdue. Had a major family crisis in February and I’m slogging through getting a shop built also. I’ll get back into it in a bit probably

 

[mr jits]

Ha! Yeah it’s overdue. Had a major family crisis in February and I’m slogging through getting a shop built also. I’ll get back into it in a bit probably

Hopefully, you all are okay. If you need anything like an extra hand, don't hesitate to say something. Road trip!

 

[Rock40]

Hopefully, you all are okay. If you need anything like an extra hand, don't hesitate to say something. Road trip!

Yeah, I'll fill you in at CTW this fall. Good for now, thx

 

[Rock40]

Time to get this updated.

Cutting up the driver side inner fender to clear the coil and tubing

Found this inscription in the upper portion of the fender. Looks like it was hand carved while the brass wasn’t watching, ha!

 

[Rock40]

Need to find a place for this 3 quart Accumulator and the engine bay is rapidly running short on room!

The only place is next to the radiator standing upright. However the inner fender is in the way….so cut this chunk out

Looking downward prior to making the cut. This is where the Accusump will go

 

[Rock40]

Rebuilding the inner fender to fit the Accusump, using 16g plate

Just tacking it in place for now. Lower clamp mount is installed, I’ll finish the upper mount portion tomorrow

 

[Rock40]

Hammered out the rest of the Accusump mount

Upper mount portion, fully boxed for rigidity.

Welded and sanded

 

[Rock40]

Fabbed up a quick mount for the Accusump solenoid out of some scrap aluminum. The solenoid will release up to 3 quarts of oil into the engine in the event of low oil pressure

Fully boxed and sanded

It tucks up between the coolant filter and clutch master

 

[Rock40]

And here’s the fully mounted Accusump. I’ve probably fitted the fender on/off 50+ times, hopefully won’t have to screw with it for a bit now.

It’s kind of a FrankenFender now, ha!

And here’s the pile of old bits. Quite a bit of original fender got chopped off

 

[Rock40]

This showed up along with the PCI radio It’ll be inset into the dash in the next few days.