IAN's recent M715 photos

[IAN_M715]

I bought my M715 November 11, 2006 and drove it 140 miles down to my house in massachusetts from maine. it rained the entire trip-the previous owner had never driven it in the rain. it was a brush truck for a fire department and still has some fire truck features which i plan to remove. the previous owner removed the wheels and put oversized mickey thompsons on. at some point in time a smaller steering wheel was installed, but he didnt have the original. anyway it has 18k miles on the original straight 6 230 tornado. there is some valve tapping going on but i plan to take care of that soon. i put the original tires (that the fire dept put on) back on which helps in handling and road noise. the front bumber has been modified to allow a water pump to be mounted where the winch would be. i am lacking a tailgate but have a line on one. i will remove the "walmart trailer light" style rear lights and install stock lenses. looks like i need a grill as well. the fire dept also installed the hella high intensity lights. im on the fence about them. let me hear your comments and criticisms.
thanks
ian

 

[HatAttacks]

RE: IAN

Hey Nice jeep. Looks solid. I also picked up a M715 in Maine. from the fire department. Dont look as good as yours. Is it converted to 12v or still 24v. Also may i ask how much you paid? I had to tow mine home. But I got it running at this time still having a few issue. anyway swelcome to the M715 world I'm new also but I have been getting a lot of good info from every one on the boards.
What part of mass Im from Lynn but I have moved to maine about 4 years ago.
HatAttacks

 

[clinto]

RE: IAN

I think it looks good-seems really solid.

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: IAN

I agree clinto. I am a function over form kind of guy. That being said, I would see how they help or hinder at night before taking the lights out. I don't think they look THAT bad either. Aside from the color, I really like your truck. Did you know the grills were left out on these in stock form?

 

[rizzo]

RE: IAN

I like the lights, but I would be using them all the time with the things I do. so......

 

[doghead]

RE: IAN

That's a great looking truck! I like the extra lights. Do you plan on repainting it or keeping it red. I like both colors. I like fire trucks too. Military and firetrucks are both cool and to see how fire departments converted military trucks is just another cool category of truck in my mind.

 

[Elwenil]

RE: IAN

I Like the lights, but I'm a big fan of quality auxilliary lighting anyway. I don't like where they are mounted as I think the military lamps are part of the M715s character, so I'd move them down on the bumper. I'd probably also chop the bumper back down and return it to stock. As Gimpy said, your grill opening is as it was stock, with nothing in there. You can add the civilian "rhino" grille, but to me that also takes away from the military character of the truck.

When you replace all you lamps, consider going with the later M35 style lamps which have larger lenses and are easier to see. It's a common swap and is still military.

Nice solid looking truck. Are you keeping the red or going OD? What are the goodies added to the cab behind the driver's door? Looks almost like a block heater plug. On board battery charger of some sort?

 

[maddawg308]

RE: IAN

AAAAHHHHH!! RED MV ALERT! IT'S THE TACTICAL TOMATO!

 

[IAN_M715]

RE: IAN

yes maddawg the tactical tomato has arrived! some electrical components are 24V while others are 12V. i have 2-12V batteries in paralell. there is a unit behind the pasenger seat that handles some conversions. i am investigating that system tomorrow. i paid 5800.00 for it on unclehenrys.com which is a great resource and alternative to craiglslist. i have managed to find a couple more trucks on craigslist around MA and northern new england that need more work than mine but certainly worth the effort. now for paint: i live near Glocuetser, Ma. so i am really concious of what the salt air is going to do to the underbody and body. where i am is pretty rural, but coastal. as far as color goes....i'm at a loss. the truck really does stick out because it is red and becaue it is what it is.(still has the air siren which the kids love when i pipe it off!) the purist in me says go OD. the firemen intown really hope i keep it red with the reflective striping. im going to mull it over for a while unless you guys twist my arm.

lanty as far as the lights go, i will stick with them for now see how they work in the snow and fog etc but i like what you had to say. there is a block heater plug, a jumper that the fire dpt put in as a battery charge unit and also an auxilary 120v converter so i can plug in to the house to keep it charged.

Im glad you guys told me about the grill issue. i was not sure what was going on with it. i like it without.

by the way- does anyone know if the gauges have fuses? the fuel and temp gauges are not working and i thought they were wired with the 24v system. the previous owner put in a new fuel tank and sender but...still figuring things out...

OD vs RED...whats the verdict?

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: IAN

O.D.! The trucks stock only have a circuit breaker in the 3 lever switch stock. If you find something else, its F.D. gear.

 

[clinto]

RE: IAN

unless you guys twist my arm.

Consider yourself twisted! We say OD!

 

[Elwenil]

OD for sure, this is a military vehicle site after all, lol. I'm going with the newer style 383 green that is in current use, but I like the older, more brown OD these trucks came with stock. Here's a pic of my 715 with it's sort of restored tail end and newer M35 lamps:

 

[Towman2277]

You have a really great looking truck in your hands there! Go OD!! (armtwist!)

 

[Flatlander]

I'd say keep it red...It's a good paint job, and represents a noble civil service. I think military vehicles utilized for fire departments still retain a high degree of respect.

You could at least keep it that color until you finish all other modifications you want to make, and then decide...

 

[EastCoastKaiser]

Congratulations on the new truck. I'm glad to see my spare tail gate is going to a good home. Somehow the civil defense blue just isn't gonna match the Fire Dept Red though. All the more reason to shoot it in OD green.

 

[IAN_M715]

Decisions, decisions. But i now have a tailgate! a good oppurtnity to test out colors on it.

 

[67Beast]

Let the green paint flow! They just look more at home with a good coat of OD if you ask me. It's a fine looking truck you have there, and it looks like you still most of the hard to find parts still on it, especially now if you have found a good tailgate for it. The hood mount for the BO driving light while not complicated to refab, is one of the next hardest to find. Luckily yours still has it. You can then just add the light and gaurd which is common to the m38's and m151's.

 

[BFR]

another vote for green.

 

[IAN_M715]

just need to get my hands on some hinges for that tailgate. no luck so far...

 

[gimpyrobb]

Fab some up!