1968....

[LC619FR]

So I never went to JMU and the only reason I found out about this site is because of Jeff. Everybody seemed cool as hell and when I first joined up Jeff was balls deep in his XJ build and I had pretty much finished with my 07 JK (it was on 35's :bootyshake: )


Well at the end of 2010 my wife and I wanted to start a family which meant...the Jeep that I had poured more blood, sweat, tears, and cussing into had to go. Between no back seat 4" lift, 35's and 12 mpg it just wasn't practical for a DD/Baby carrier. So I went on the search for something that I could fit a family into, would last a while, and fit my size (6'4" 250lbs). I also planned on having another Jeep in the near future so I wanted something I could tow with for trips to Rausch Creek Pa and the OBX. I narrowed my search down to Dodge 3/4-1 tons with a Cummins power plant. On December 30th I bought a 2007 Inferno Red Dodge 2500 STL Crew Cab with the 6.7L Cummins and the 6spd A/T. Of course Jeff was not pleased that I didn't buy from him but the deal was to go to pass up and I walked out with a vehicle with 15K less miles and a whole lot more ass.
Last picture of the Jeep

New DD


I love this truck, IÔÇÖm averaging anywhere between 16-21.5 mpg I can fit in the driver seat and still have room for at least Anne to sit in the back seat. Plus I have a solid truck that should last me around 150K miles. There are no major plans for the truck at least till the warranty goes bye bye, and then it might get a breathing upgrade as well as some new programming to give her a little extra spunk.
Well soon after the search was on for another Jeep. I really had no idea what I wanted, but I didnÔÇÖt want the typical ÔÇ£universalÔÇØ Jeep. I was really looking into the old FSJ Cherokee Chiefs in the mid 70ÔÇÖs range. Then I was working overtime one day in Lovettsville Va. when I was informed that their old brush unit was going up for sealed bid. So for sh*ts and giggles I put in a low ball offer and forgot all about it. Then I received a phone call one night that I had the highest bid and that the unit was mine if I still wanted it.

[LC619FR]

So I made arrangements to take a quick peek around the unit and see if there were any major problems (holes in the frame motor tap ect.) Finding none, I borrowed a trailer and went to pick up my new ride. When I started paperwork on it I noticed a neat little addition. In the last 26 years the Fire Dept only put 4K miles on the truck to bring the grand total to 18K miles. ThatÔÇÖs less than 500 miles a year. hock:
Anyways with the trailer loaded up I took a couple of pictures before it left the fire house it had served proudly for 26 years and headed home.
This is Elizabeth, a 1968 Jeep-Kaiser M715 5/4 ton. ItÔÇÖs based on the Jeep Gladiator frame.


With in an hour of bringing home Elizabeth, I went to work removing old uneeded wiring, lettering, lights, and figuring out exactly what I had got myself into.



The ratÔÇÖs nest that was the battery box

A little better. Since this picture a good deal more of useless wires have been removed.



The most immediate plan is to get her running reliably, when I first brought her home she would not warm up AT ALL. I suspected a bad thermostat, bought a replacement and when I went to put it in I discovered there was no thermostat at all. I also seem to have a charging problem which isnÔÇÖt a big deal except that the alternator they used for the 24v-12v conversion apparently is about as easy to find as a flux capacitor (yes I know you can get it off OÔÇÖReillyÔÇÖs). IÔÇÖd also like to get it repainted to get rid of the go to hell slim lime, and the home made metal top will be replaced by an original canvas style top. I havenÔÇÖt had too much time to work on it. I do know that the water pump is bad as is the alternator. Hopefully by this time next week those problems will be resolved. The drive train is bone stock which equals strong and slow. ItÔÇÖs got a D60 front end with a D70 full float rear. The motor is a 230cu inline 6 matted to a Borg-Warner T-98 4spd. ItÔÇÖs got a divorced NP200 transfer case, itÔÇÖs rolling around on 37x10.50 DT tires with 16ÔÇØ split rims. SheÔÇÖs a tank and a blast to drive. ThereÔÇÖs no plans in the near future to restore it to itÔÇÖs full Military glory, just to get it running, look decent, have some fun with her and wheel it occasionally.
I hope to keep this thread as updated as possible, as I plan to shadow this with Nova Jeepers.

[JPolen01]

This thread is full of win. In for a sick project thread.

[CaptainHenreh]

This thread is full of win. In for a sick project thread.

qft

[Jeff]

It just hit me. We need to get a 5.9L 12v Cummins in that thing....LETS DO IT.

[PDenbigh]

That is really cool man! Good luck! I look forward to seeing this beast.

Just a thought, but it might be cool to somehow preserve - in some capacity - the truck's history. Be it a tribute to the department, leaving something unpainted that has history, leaving the ID numbers on it, etc. Your project of course, just offering an idea!

Peter

[V1GiLaNtE]

It just hit me. We need to get a 5.9L 12v Cummins in that thing....LETS DO IT.

This x infinity

[LC619FR]

It just hit me. We need to get a 5.9L 12v Cummins in that thing....LETS DO IT.

Find me one for cheap and we could make it happen...Alot of guys are actually doing that same thing with theirs.

That is really cool man! Good luck! I look forward to seeing this beast.

Just a thought, but it might be cool to somehow preserve - in some capacity - the truck's history. Be it a tribute to the department, leaving something unpainted that has history, leaving the ID numbers on it, etc. Your project of course, just offering an idea!

Peter

As far as this goes...I'm way ahead of you buddy. If you saw the pic of the interior on the drivers door you can see a yellow square, that's actually a little tribute to the Career fireman that gave it an update in 2001. That will be staying also on the tailgate is a place where it still says J12. It's unit designation...that will be staying. I will leave a couple items here and there as a reminder of it's past :thumbup:

[LC619FR]

Forgot I had this on my phone...I painted the front fenders over my 3 day. I think the came out alright...there's some over spray but it's getting painted soon hopefully :thumbup:

[Goodspeed]

Coolest project thread ever.

[Jake]

You've used that GIF before, Goodspeed

[Jeff]

Coolest project thread ever.

[TorinoCobra070]

[BLINGMW]

haha that's wild! :thumbup:

[Goodspeed]

Coolest project thread ever.

Motivation to prove me wrong Young Jeffery, now get at it! :lol:

[ScottyB]

this is one of the coolest projects i've ever seen :thumbup:

[Jeff]

BLING BLING OLD CHROME EDITION!

Come and get this shit. FREE.99

[Jeff]

Bueller?

[Mike]

Money.

I would have left the lights and lettering on her, though.

[LC619FR]

Well I've been slammed with work home projects and the like, 5 days working anywhere between 12-24 hour tours then home for a night and back at it, have really put a damper on the ol Kaiser project. I finally gave up on trying to find the water pump. The lack of voltage to the rig is being caused by a bad voltage regulator (hopefully). I did however find time these past couple days to get Elizabeth down to Jeff to get some paint on her. I have to give Jeff mad props as well as Phil the guy who shot the paint on the Jeep. They both did an exceptional job and gave me more dedication to the project then I at times was willing to give. :bow: This little endevour started thursday when I got home from work (after 3 hours of sleep) took a nap and started putting the truck back together to make the 30 mile trip to Woodstock. I'll say that's probably the most nerve racking drive I've had in a long time, between the constant worry of overheating (she never did) and never having driven this truck that distance. And I drive this...

Anyways thursday was a short night, I hadn't seen my wife since the previous Sunday and she was leaving town Friday morning, all we managed to do was come up with a game plan take some of the stripes off (which was a pain in our dick up until the very end) and took off all the trim. Friday night, however was very productive...We finished taking off the stripes then started the long process of sanding and removing the glue from the Scotch Light. It was apparent by 10 that the truck wasn't going to be painted in the morning though so we stopped at 10 to grab a beer and bullshit.