Howdy all, Willys America got back to me. I have to ship them the balancer to be rebuilt. They said I should expect a 10-day turnaround time. When it's done they'll contact me for payment. Shipping it out today via USPS, flat-rate priority in a medium-sized box. Will update again soon...
Just got off the phone w/ Paul at Willys America, what a nice fellow he was. I didn't notice when I shipped him the balancer but it's cracked in the keyway. He said he can rebuild it (the rubber part) and put on a sleeve to keep the timing cover oil seal from leaking, and that repair would probably be enough to get the vehicle home. I sent him a pic of the crank keyway and we're going to chat again tomorrow evening.
He's also trying to talk me out of "frankensteining" the vehicle, saying he's more of a purist and that I actually am in two collectable camps, one for M715's and the other for antique fire trucks. He said fixing the issues w/ oil burning involve relatively simple modifications to the cylinder head to permit the oil to more easily flow back down to the crankcase and can be done w/ a die grinder. I'm not entirely convinced that keeping it stock is the right thing yet, but since this will probably be part of my daughters' inheritance, I am giving it some serious thought...
I'm definitely in the purest crowd as my M715 is a former MVPA Gold Medalist and was inducted into the Military Vehicle Magazine Hall of Fame in 2020. And my M725 is all original as well. For me it was about preserving history, as I do not use any of my military vehicles as daily drivers and have no desire to do so as well. Former military vehicles make horrible daily drivers as they were never designed for comfort or to travel at modern highway speeds and take quite a bit of work to get them there. I use my trucks for parades, displays and shows as well as a backroads cruiser on the weekends. Everywhere I go with them, I'm always amazed by the stories people and veterans recall when they see an old military vehicle. But I'm also a believer in that it's your truck and you can do with it whatever you want. I look at it as every time someone cuts up and mods one, that just makes my original one worth that much more. There were only 33K of all the variants build during a three year production and there are not very many left anymore.
[IMG][Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/umVxC0n.jpg)[/IMG]
Dave
Delta Team Decals: http://www.deltateamdecals.com/
Thanks @Beast for your thoughts, I originally wanted to use the truck to make back the money I've invested, and as a backup for my J20. You and Paul from Willys America have given me much to consider and mull over. My best friend from college will be heading out w/ me to pick up this vehicle once the balancer is ready and I think we'll spend the trip discussing all the options...
Talked to Paul at Willys America yesterday, the balancer I shipped him is cracked in the keyway and also wallered out by 0.015", so it can't be rebuilt as-is. I'll have to have a new one machined and the cost just went from $215 up to about $600. More than likely the crank snout is messed up as well. Probably going to switch to plan B and haul the truck home instead of trying to get it running and drive it.
Going to mull it over this weekend and make a decision Monday. Since I intend to use the truck as a backup work truck and for jobs the J20 can't handle, this development is not helping me decide to keep the Tornado engine. If parts were more easily accessible I'd consider it but this...well, if I were building something strictly for car shows and parades, maybe...
So the thoughts I'm having now are to continue down the road of a SBC 383 stroker but keep all the old parts. When I'm gone and my daughters inherit it, the new owner will have everything they need to put it back to original (except the balancer, I suppose).
Some of you may be wondering why I just didn't buy a F-350 and it's mostly b/c around here, they're mostly beat to hell and back and almost always rusted away. I'd still have to do a bunch of work to get something like that running and driving, and to pass inspection. And when I'm gone, it won't be worth much. But a well cared for M715? Even after I'm done using it it'll still be worth a lot more than a tired old F350.
Brah... dump the tornado and go with a modern engine and don't look back. You can drop in an LS and keep the stock tranny with a Novak kit. Or an old Gen I or II 350. If you actually plan on driving this truck you will rue the day you chose to keep it. I mean the truth is the military hated it as well. I have nothing against the purest hell I used to be one but let's be honest the tornado 230 is a POS.
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Last edited by teking; October 4th, 2021 at 06:02 PM.
Give me a call after you get it home, I would like to see it, as well as your J20
Dan
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