Off Roading Any Kaiser guys out there?

[TWhetten]

I am beginning my project at the end of the month. Oo. I have two 1967 kaiser M-715 1-1/4 ton trucks. The one that I am tearing down was reconditioned about 20 years ago and converted to a 12volt system. The other on looks the same as it did when first built, down to the vacuum operated windshield wipers and blackout lights, and was used regularly until this spring. I am selling it, if anyone is interested.

The question I have is what is the biggest tire I can run on a stock height M-715, they sit up pretty high already. I am also picking up an ,89 cummins this weekend to put the swap the motor out. I plan on boxing the entire frame will it handle the weight of the cummins?

Sorry about the long post, and advice or recommendations are appreciated.



-Ty

 

[WDixon27]

i almost bought one to cumminsize, look on the cummins conversions page a couple years back and you'll find a very good build up using a 4bt, theres a video of it on the net pulling a jeep and bronco out of a mud hole at the same time and dragging them around

 

[tgordon]

I did a web search on 4BT's and found a forum for the old Kaiser trucks. They were talking about dropping 4 & 6 BT's into them. Of course knowing the military ratings, if it was rated 1 ton is is probably capable of 2 if not more.



Cummins 4BT Forums - Powered by vBulletin



Welcome to Power Wagon Advertiser



There you go, I found a couple for you to look at.



Good luck and have fun beating it up.



Troy

 

[TWhetten]

Thanks for the replies and the links. I thought I would be original by dropping a cummins into a kaiser, but I guess it has already been done. What hasn't a cummins been put in.



I want to run at least 40" tires on it, it currently runs just regular sized pickup tires on 16" two piece rims. I plan to do just about anything I want to in it, from rocks to mud. I haven't decided weather I want an auto or a stick yet though. As soon as I pick it up I will post some pics. This will probably be a long drawn out project but I will also post pics of my progress.

 

[TWhetten]

i almost bought one to cumminsize, look on the cummins conversions page a couple years back and you'll find a very good build up using a 4bt, theres a video of it on the net pulling a jeep and bronco out of a mud hole at the same time and dragging them around

:-laf I saw that video, it had "FRV" (ford recovery vehicle) painted on the side.

 

[Andres]

Well, as stated I like the military look.



That said, I put an ISB305 (2003 HPCR) in my Hummer H1. I have an independant suspension, lockers and beadlocked 42's and a Smarty. I wouldn't want to turn 40's with a 4bt, unless you have gear reduction hubs. So go with a 6 cyl.

 

[WDixon27]

a few years ago there was a kaiser on trucks that somebody had built and let the show show it off that was pretty cool, had a big healthy gasser in it and some real big wheels but the coolest part was rear steering, stacy thrashed it pretty good and it came back for more, doughnuts with rear steering looked fun

 

[6BT-Dakota]

I dont know that id be too concerned with boxing the frame. I think the OEM frame is more than capable of holding the power of the 6BT. We did a 6BT in my Dakota and didnt box the frame and I have yet to have a problem.

 

[TWhetten]

I dont know that id be too concerned with boxing the frame. I think the OEM frame is more than capable of holding the power of the 6BT. We did a 6BT in my Dakota and didnt box the frame and I have yet to have a problem.

I definitely want to put the six cylinder in it, I also wanted to box at least the front half because I cracked the frame above the front axle about ten years age playing dukes of hazard.

 

[RJMurphy]

Good luck, the engine compartment is not anywhere near big as you would think. The Cummins powered one I have seen, the back of the cylinder head is ~ 1" in front of the dash board.



I had a M-715, and swapped in a 440 Dodge motor with a 727 trans and a 203/205 double transfer case. It was a beast, went anywhere you pointed it, at least after I added Detroit lockers front and rear, and softend up the springs. I had 38x11. 50 Boggers on the stock wheels, no lift, Only got about 4MPG with the 5. 89 gears, but it was a LOT of fun.



I sold it to a friend of mine that was an Electrician and drove it daily to Downtown Chicago (right in the Loop!)~25 miles each way.



IMHO that truck is screaming for a 12V Cummins with a big naste plain steel (with a nice patina of rust) 5" stack belching some good black Smoke. IMHO, Id swap the entire driveline, 1st gen Dodge axles and 205 TC, a NV 4500 or 5600 and a Bombed P-Pump motor.

 

[TWhetten]

Since posting this I found a forum dedicated to M715s, they have quite a following. There are several guys on there that have done a cummins swap so that helped out alot. I gave the '89 to brother so he could rebuild it, so I just picked up a 180hp p-pumped engine. I think it will be better anyway. I plan on putting a NV4500 and a Np205 in it. I also plan on swapping the axles to a dana 60 front and a corp 14 rear with higher gears than the 5. 89, I think those are a little low for the cummins. I will post some pics once I start putting it in, and a pic of it bellowing black smoke once it is running

 

[steved]

I thought the 715 already had a D60/D70 combo???

I have an '53 M37 that I will hopefully get to one of these days.

steved

 

[TWhetten]

It is a D60/D70 combo but the gears offered for these particular ones are limited to the stock 5. 89 and 4. 56 due to having 23 spline shafts. The front axle has drum brakes and the bolt pattern is unique to the M715 limiting what kind of rims you can use, unless you have custom ones made. So for the cost of swapping gears and having rims made I can swap out newer stronger axles, have disc brakes, and a wide variety of rims.



That M37 will be a cool project, what are you going to do to it?

 

[steved]

That M37 will be a cool project, what are you going to do to it?

Hopefully drive it... oh, oh... you mean what I intend to do to it!



I'm going to put it back to stock, hopefully use it as a driver/toy. I don't intend to destroy it, but I'd like to be able to enjoy it.



I see why you were talking a swap... you looking at a 91-93 Cummins drivetrain?



steved

 

[TWhetten]

A 91-93 drivetrain would work perfect, the axles and tc anyway, I want a NV4500 instead of the getrag. What does it take to mount the 91-93 tc to a NV4500? I haven't looked into that yet.

 

[steved]

At least one company offers a NV4500 conversion for the getrag trucks, so it is possible...



steved