68' M715 AKA "Smokey", 8.1 engine on links, coils and 40's

Rearmost plates which are notched to reach the rear bumper

Frame plate.jpg

Frame plate(2).jpg

I’ll get the inner portion near the rear channel done with MIG, at this point I need one more plate to stiffen across the pintle

Frame plate(3).jpg

Both sides are done....and a big stretch after a long hard day

Frame plate(4).jpg

Frame plate(5).jpg
 
Awesome job documenting this. And envious of the mill for that shave. I did a 14b with a sawzall and angle grinder. Not so much fun.


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What a project. Great work. Fun to read about it and see the progress. Thanks for posting.


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Just finished reading the entire thread so far. Awesome job! Someday I hope to have the time to do a big project like this. Really great job! All the nut serts and simplistic detail. Can’t wait to see the results. Love the old Kaiser Jeeps. Would love to do an old school Power Wagon or Kaiser build.


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Well you Gents are too kind, thank you. I'm glad folks on enjoying this. M715's are sort of like unicorns now and if the body on this one didn't look like it had been bounced off trees, hit with rocks and backed into solid objects by some foolish Private 1st Class it likely never would have gone this route. I've got about a years worth of work now to catch up on posting and LOTS more work to go
 
Rear bumper inner reinforcement plate. I want to retain the factory pintle hook, hence the round hole in the center. 1/4" cold roll steel so no need to clean up nasty millscale prior to welding it

Rear frame plate.jpg

SWAG circle cutter. Simple and super handy

Rear frame plate(2).jpg

Clamped in place after trimming to fit

Rear frame plate(3).jpg

Filling in all the frame holes......because the frame is riddled with them. Along with mounting holes where the rivets went on the old brackets.

Rear frame holes.jpg

Used silicon bronze in the smaller mounting holes (since none of this is structural) and pre-fabbed tube caps on the larger ones

Rear frame holes(d2).jpg
 
TrailReady's are here :clap2: Almost too nice to want to mount them

TrailReady Wheel.jpg

Also swapped out to a different TIG machine. Older Miller Syncrowave but it welds AWESOME compared to the multipurpose machine I was using

Syncrowave.jpg

And this was a long time coming. Spent a full 7 hours in the shop welding out the rear axle truss and the link brackets. Slow, but likely worth it. The Syncrowave can sure lay down an awesome weld

15b truss.jpg
 
The following contains weld porn. So shoo your kids out of the room :shock:

15b truss(2).jpg

15b truss(3).jpg

15b truss(4).jpg

15b truss(5).jpg

So at least that is done. It’ll still need a few other brackets but those can come later. Truss is a mix of 3/8” and 1/4” plate. Max amperage was 175 and the water cooled torch was such an improvement over air cooled for this much welding

15b truss(6).jpg
 
Last one. Artec truss and Barnes4WD link brackets

15b truss(7).jpg

Burned through a TON of filler rod, ER70S2

15b truss(8).jpg
 
Lots and LOTS of frame plates and filling gaps/holes. Upper link bracket is welded in also
Frame plating.jpg

Frame plating(2).jpg

Also finished the bracing for the lower links. 2” 3/16 wall square tubing and fish plates on the frame. Should be plenty ridged and capable of handling the push/force of the lower links

Frame brace.jpg

Frame brace(2).jpg
 
Started welding the rear 4 link bungs in. Got some help to slowly spin the tube while welding so it’s one continuous weld bead. I figure that if that bung separates from the tube at some point, lots of other stuff is going to go well before it

Link welds(2).jpg

Link welds.jpg

Finished welding out all the rear 4 link bungs today. The lowers with the 3/8” wall tubing were a REAL chore.

Link welds(3).jpg
 
68' M715 AKA "Smokey", 8.1 engine on links, coils and 40's

TrailReady's are here :clap2: Almost too nice to want to mount them

View attachment 358761

Also swapped out to a different TIG machine. Older Miller Syncrowave but it welds AWESOME compared to the multipurpose machine I was using

View attachment 358762

And this was a long time coming. Spent a full 7 hours in the shop welding out the rear axle truss and the link brackets. Slow, but likely worth it. The Syncrowave can sure lay down an awesome weld

View attachment 358763

What is the load limit on the crouch jack[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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Got all 4 tires mounted and the rear links in. I was waiting on a set of left/right taps to chase the bungs after welding them

4 link tires.jpg

4 link tires(2).jpg

14” of clearance under the shaved 15B axle

4 link tires(3).jpg

And not ridiculously wide compared to the cab

4 link tires(4).jpg
 
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