my idea of a m725 camper

[wantapinz2]

Ok guys it's an amateurish photoshop job, but a flippac transplant and a couple
windows along with all the other amenities would be awesome. Of course it will take lots of cutting and fiber glass work but very doable . Add a cummins
4bt diesel with an overdrive tranny it should get 20 mpg.
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/3328/m725camper.png

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Looks sweet!

 

[alosix]

I keep tossing this idea around for mine and then keep tossing it out because I want to cover the top in solar panels, a Sat dish, and maybe an AC unit.

The only issue I see with doing this is that you'd need to build some sort of 'halo' to keep the box intact since you'd need to remove 2-3 of the roof supports going across the top. Def doable though.

I'm still trying to figure out how standing room is going to work in the back of mine.

I think the sleeping area is going to be a fold out bed off the back like some of the smaller travel trailers use.

jason

 

[Black Dog]

I always wanted to do the same thing but with an old retired hummer ambulance. Its not a jeep, but in the back of those things there is plenty of room, about as much room as any truck camper.

 

[alosix]

Is your 725 in the bay area somewhere? (that is if you have a 725).

If you do.. would you mind me showing up in a week or 2 to take some measurements? I'm probably about 2 months out of getting mine shipped out here and would like to start planning.

Thanks
Jason

 

[sojourner]

That really is interesting and opens up several possibilities.

Are your plans to keeps yours stock or do a drivetrain swap?

(btw I'm Panther on the zone')

 

[alosix]

Hey panther.. I'm the Hemi 725 guy on the zone So my is completely stock.. well for an 05 Dodge hemi


Jason

 

[sojourner]

Hi Jason,
Yes, I enjoyed watching your build and yours is still in MD right?
The M725 as an EV is gaining steam, including us 3 there are 5 going on now that I'm aware of. Mine is a 2 phase project, first upgrade all drivetrain and then the box. I'm curious to see what you guys do as well.
Leeland

 

[alosix]

Yup,
Mine is still in MD for another month or so. Its loosing its home there so I need to get it shipped out here. on the plus side, I just moved to where I'll have a place to stick it

Still working on a shipper. They are just a hair tall for 'normal' car haulers. Worse comes to worse I'll just drive it out

Jason

 

[geeze]

Willing to drive it! I need an adventure

Yup,
Mine is still in MD for another month or so. Its loosing its home there so I need to get it shipped out here. on the plus side, I just moved to where I'll have a place to stick it

Still working on a shipper. They are just a hair tall for 'normal' car haulers. Worse comes to worse I'll just drive it out

Jason

 

[alosix]

Willing to drive it! I need an adventure

You and me both


There's a list of things that I really need to do to it before I'd trust driving it that far right now. Gotta say its quite and experience finally getting that truck up to 70mph or so after originally getting a 45mph truck that didn't have any brakes.

FWIW. The E350 brake booster and 4 wheel disks on that truck now make it stop much better than my TJ does.

Main issue right now is getting it to shift to 5 gear normally. I've got it wired up in limp mode which only gets me 1-3
.

Jason

 

[geeze]

The one a friend has would do 60+ when he got it. But needless to say that motor is no longer with us. The replacement 230 he put in it is rather gutless so 45-50+ is about all it goes now. But last time I know he actually drove it was about 10 years ago.

But I remember driving it on the PA turnpike on the way to ohio. remember the floor getting rather hot from the transfer case. Was fun driving the big camo bread truck.

 

[alosix]

The one a friend has would do 60+ when he got it. But needless to say that motor is no longer with us. The replacement 230 he put in it is rather gutless so 45-50+ is about all it goes now. But last time I know he actually drove it was about 10 years ago.

But I remember driving it on the PA turnpike on the way to ohio. remember the floor getting rather hot from the transfer case. Was fun driving the big camo bread truck.

60+ Ha.. there's a reason that 2nd 230 only did 45.. it had the gov on it to keep you from doing 60+ and killing it

The hemi in this one makes it move pretty good. Seems ok on gas (for a 5/4 truck they are pretty light compared to todays trucks).

The 2500 Dodge 5 link front end with sway bars and things makes it pretty decent on the highway.

Jason

 

[geeze]

Do you have a build thread that shows the front end suspension or just pictures

think sometime i'd like to build a M715 with cummins, but interested in what this suspension looks like

 

[alosix]

Just pics for the most part. I don't think I really got around to posting up much about it during the progress.

If you've got any questions feel free to ask. I think I remember most of what it took.

The 6bt cummins is a tough fit though. The engine bay really isn't long enough for it and a decent radiator without cutting something up.

The 4bts aren't all that bad for fit, and are decent power/mpg for the trucks if they aren't being used to tow.

Both cummins have a height issue that I think still requires at least a SOA on the stock suspension. The weight shouldn't be much of an issue as the stock 230 weights a ton. Probably somewhere around what a 4bt does. Both also have harshness issues that might take a little time to workout.

The 5 link setup on the truck isn't that exciting. We discovered that the lower leaf hangers are in the same spot that dodge put its suspension mounts. It is literally using stock dodge lowers in the leaf hangers and that put the axle in the right place. The upper links have custom mounts, but are patterned off of dodge and TJ mounts.

The track bar mount is just a Ruff Stuff specialties adjustable TB mount. The track bar is custom, but I think an off the shelf dodge one might fit. Steering is stock dodge as well (including pitman arm) on a J-truck power steering box.

Jason