Need help to see if m715 is worth buying.

[Kyle0137]

My name is Kyle Patrie,
I'm a student at the Texas Maritime Academy in Galveston Texas.
I was currently looking at a m715 for $6000.
It has a 1970 Chevy 402 AKA Turbo Jet 400
400+ HP 6.3L Big Block engine, rebuilt transmission, and new tires.
In order to make it street legal, it needs the blinker box rewired or replaced, and wind shield wipers put on.
It currently has 5:8 gears in the axles so I was wondering if I could just replace them with a set of 4.65s to give it a higher top speed.
It has a few minor rust spots on it but nothing too bad.
I want to turn this into m everyday vehicle so I was wondering if this sounded like a good deal to you all or not.
I'm also open to any good part sites and tips on how to make this thing more reliable and fun.

Thanks a lot guys,
Kyle Patrie.
Here it is:

 

[Warthog]

Welcome to the site.

Looks like a fun project. I owned a couple of the M715s.

You will not like the fuel mileage for a daily driver. The gearing limits the speed to a max of 50. Anything over 45 and the transfer case overheats.

Check out www.m715zone.com for more info on the axles, regearing them and what good replacements are.

 

[NDT]

I have seen that on CL for quite a while, what does that tell you? Check the rockers carefully for rust, I see some there. A patched up rustbucket is not worth 6K. As said, this thing will burn gas like crazy. Do you want to spend $3.50 to drive 10 miles? Also, with the TH400, the Braden winch will not be connected. Check out Vintage Power Wagons for parts. The axle gear swap is not cheap either and the gear shop will want the axles loose from the truck.

 

[Warthog]

With the big block the mileage will be in the 5-6mpg range (the stock engine wasn't much better).

Does the truck have the stock tranny or something else?

 

[gimpyrobb]

All that work to put in a different motor(looks like he really hacked the firewall) and he didn't even put on a dual chamber master cyl. I'm going to vote no on it being worth $6k.

 

[papabear]

I'd say it depends heavily on what you expect of the truck or how you want it to represent.

On the "coolness meter" I'd give it a 4 out of ten. Maybe pass it off as a rat-rod or something. But for 6K I bet you can do alot better elsewhere.

As far as a military collectible, the guy has pretty much ruined it in my opinion.. It would cost an arm and a leg to get it back to it's former glory and that's not counting the 6K purchase price.

I just don't see it...My best advice is "Run Forrest!!! Run"!!!

 

[dependable]

I don't see the point of all that horsepower on 5+/1 gears. Zero to 30 will be pretty fast, but your just dumping gasoline after that.

 

[Fishtail]

If you want something better for less money, try:

http://www.vintagemilitarytrucks.com/m715.htm

Scott

 

[smoothoperator]

Pass it up.