M-715 Southeast TN build

Hey all. I recently dropped a deposit on a very solid M715 up in KY. I’m going this Sunday to pick it up and bring her to her new home in Tennessee.

Currently I plan on just getting her up and running and redoing the brakes. Once that is finished I will start doing body work while I drive it....and I’ll be collecting the parts I plan on upgrading.

I plan on eventually replacing the axles.....(thinking f350 axles)
Putting in a ZF S542 trans
Married Ford NP205
And a 6bt Cummings.

I’m wanting to make a very reliable Overlander/hauler

About me: I’m an army veteran with 2 tours in Iraq. I’m an engineer (I use solidworks for a living) I’m a fabricator and avid hot Rodder. This will be my 1st four wheel drive that I have built. Pictured below are the pics from the sale. I will post more after I get her home.

A few more pictures

1 more picture. This is basically the style I’m going for...if anyone has info on the the truck pictured below please share

Welcome to the Zone brother! Keep those pics coming as you progrsss. Good project truck.

Welcome home and thanks for your service. Look forward to seeing your progress. Looks like you got a good truck to start with.

Nice starting point-- that bed is in really nice shape!

Finally got her home. And have been looking her over real good. So far here is what I have found.

The Good:

The body is super solid. Only rust is in the rockers. And have a small repair on the top of the tub on back corners. Other than that just some dents and such to work out.

Bed is almost perfect.

The Bad:

Missing a few part. Generator, starter, fuel pump, dip stick, radiator, seats, coil.

Exhaust manifold is cracked.

And the Big Bad.....Maybe. The motor is stuck. I got the plugs out late this evening. Sprayed some PB blast in them. I’ll pour some ATF in them tomorrow and let them soak for a few days, maybe a week.

Hopefully I can get it unstuck and spinning freely.

I have already found a lot of the missing parts....just waiting to see if I can free the engine up before I get them.

Looks pretty nice, especially the bed and tail gate, for a fire truck. Welcome aboard.

Well....Bad news is the engine is still stuck.
Good news is I don’t think it’s anything catastrophic.

I drained the oil, dropped the pan, and pulled the valve cover. Every thing looks good and clean...what I can see of the cylinder walls looks good...so I am assuming the top of one of the cylinders has some light rust in it (probably from an open valve). I poured marvel mystery oil in all the cylinders and I’m letting them soak for a few days. Hopefully that will be enough to free her up.

Wish me luck. Lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kage

Well....Bad news is the engine is still stuck.
Good news is I don’t think it’s anything catastrophic.

I drained the oil, dropped the pan, and pulled the valve cover. Every thing looks good and clean...what I can see of the cylinder walls looks good...so I am assuming the top of one of the cylinders has some light rust in it (probably from an open valve). I poured marvel mystery oil in all the cylinders and I’m letting them soak for a few days. Hopefully that will be enough to free her up.

Wish me luck. Lol

---

I've read accounts of one-lung pump engines recovered from river beds and restored to running, and one takeaway was the amount of time freeing a stuck engine can take. Be prepared to let it soak for weeks, not days. The engine I read about took months to free up.