Off-Road Beast: The Incredible Transformation of a Military Jeep M715

An Ex-Military Truck M715 Turned Bitchin’ Desert Bomber

Retired military-based vehicles have long been popular among off-road enthusiasts when it comes to building a rugged, dirt-worthy machine. From Humvees to 6x6s, go to any major off-road area on a busy weekend, and you’re apt to see at least one or two that’s been converted for civilian adventure use. But just like with any subcategory of the automotive world, there are a handful of ex-military vehicles you hardly ever see “in the wild,” or at least not built out like a prerunner ready to take on the Mexican desert. One such vehicle is the classic 1967 Kaiser Jeep M715 tactical military truck. When one is built in such fashion, man, it makes for one heck of a ride!

This gorgeous M715 is owned by Wade Geisler, owner of Straightedge Automotive Restoration in St. Anthony, Idaho. Now, if you know anything about St. Anthony, you probably know that it’s home to some of the most visited sand dunes in the country for off-roaders and adventure campers, outside of Glamis, California. As such, this M715 fits in well, having been built to bomb through the sand and silt of Baja California. Also fitting? Its name—Baja Kaiser.

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Military Beginnings

Based on the civilian Jeep Gladiator, the Kaiser Jeep M715 was originally produced starting in 1967 as a light, 1 ¼-ton military truck.

It was designed as a tactical troop and cargo carrier, but built with the use of mostly commercially available components as opposed to components made specifically for the production of military vehicles (like many of its predecessors and successors).

Other variants of the model included the M725 and M726, which were built for ambulatory and maintenance/utility work, respectively.

While the M715 was used in combat by the United States during the Vietnam War, the truck was considered subpar compared to its predecessor, the Dodge M37. Power, reliability and rigidity were all known downfalls of the truck as a military vehicle.

Therefore, the M715 model was completely replaced, at least in US military outfits, by the mid 1970s.

Hunt for a Replacement

As time wore on, the need to replace the aging Dodge M37 became clear. Several new prototypes were put forward in hopes of meeting the military’s needs, including fresh designs from both Chrysler and Chevrolet. However, these ambitious concepts came with a hefty price tag—almost double the cost per unit compared to the existing M37s rolling off the line.

Despite the promise of advanced features and the lure of updated technology, military decision-makers had their eyes set elsewhere. The much-anticipated M561 Gama Goat was already in development and billed as the next big leap in military trucks—a true “do-it-all” vehicle with capabilities beyond just troop and cargo transport. With high hopes pinned on the Gama Goat’s arrival, the new Chrysler and Chevy prototypes were ultimately sidelined in favor of a more practical, stop-gap solution that would keep operations rolling until the Gama Goat could steal the spotlight.

“While known to be underpowered with a sluggish 230ci inline-6 under the hood, the M715 made for a great base-model truck for anyone looking for a relatively cheap utility vehicle, albeit not being known for its strong platform.”

Once retired from military service, many M715s became available for civilian use. While known to be underpowered with a sluggish 230ci inline-6 under the hood, the M715 made for a great base-model truck for anyone looking for a relatively cheap utility vehicle, albeit not being known for its strong platform. Therefore, it wasn’t uncommon to see a discharged M715 variant on the streets in the 1970s and ’80s.

Unfortunately, fewer and fewer of the models can be found nowadays. While some continue to be fortunate enough to find owners willing to give them a new lease on life, countless others can be found rotting away in some farmer’s field.

Though a sad ending to some, it makes those relics that were saved that much cooler—especially when built like this one!

Military-Specific Features and Accessories

What really distinguishes the M715 series from your everyday civilian pickup are its military-centric features and the suite of accessories that came with (or could be added to) these rigs. The standard M715 cargo truck, for instance, came fitted out for field utility—think canvas tops for both the cab and the bed, troop seats in the back, and stowage compartments tucked into the bed’s flanks, reminiscent of the Dodge M37’s practical touches. If you were especially lucky, your rig might sport a burly front-mounted 8,000-pound PTO winch—perfect for getting out of sticky situations or lending a hand to a bogged-down buddy.

Specialized offshoots included models like the M724, set up for maintenance work with its own heavy-duty tool and equipment body, while the M725 took the classic Jeep front end and grafted it onto a full-blown ambulance body—complete with surgical lighting, ventilators, stretchers, and a partition to keep chaos in the back separate from your focus up front. The M726, meanwhile, was a telephone maintenance rig with a lower-profile utility box, making nimble work out of setting up field comms.

Across the lineup, you’d find staples like the military’s standard-issue pioneer tools and jerry cans. And if you were operating in extreme conditions, optional kits like an arctic hard cab with extra insulation and heaters, or a deep-water fording setup, meant these trucks could handle just about anything an enlisted adventure—or an Idaho sand dune—could throw at them.

Off-Road Ready

Wanting to get the most out of his M715, Wade made a point to outfit the Kaiser with beefy, off-road worthy components, starting with the chassis.

While the Kaiser maintains its original frame, it was rebuilt and beefed up in-house at Straightedge. The truck was then equipped with Eibach springs both front and rear, as well as FOX coilover shocks with bypasses.

This setup gave the Kaiser an incredible 17 inches of suspension travel in the front and 22 inches of travel in the rear!

Now, there’s no way you’re going to get the most out of a suspension system like that with a classic 3.8L I6 under the hood.

So Wade did the only thing he could—outfit his truck with a Chevrolet Performance supercharged 6.2L LSA marine V-8. Now if that isn’t enough to get your juices running, we don’t know what is!

Backing the LSA engine is a 4L80e automatic transmission built for an RV, which pushes the engine’s supercharged power through an Atlas transfer case to DynaTrac ProRock 80 front and rear drive axles before making contact with the ground by way of 4 ½-inch backspaced Toyo Open Country A/T III tires wrapped around TrailReady 844 Stealth wheels. Additionally, both the front and rear of the truck feature 4.56 gears and locking differentials for even more off-road readiness.

Looking the Part

Wade outfitted his ex-military truck with some pretty substantial performance upgrades, but it should look cool too, right? Well, Wade and his team at Straightedge Automotive Restoration didn’t disappoint there either!

“So Wade did the only thing he could—outfit his truck with a Chevrolet Performance supercharged 6.2L LSA marine V-8. Now if that isn’t enough to get your juices running, we don’t know what is!”

While the team wanted to maintain the classic look of the truck, they opted to upgrade it accordingly based on plans to bomb through the Mexican desert more than once.

These upgrades include custom bumpers and a custom long-travel bed cage, which showcases the FOX bypasses prominently.

The truck was also upgraded with 5 ¾-inch 40W headlights from ORACLE Lighting, as well as one of the company’s underglow kits, and rear-facing Rough Country LED cube lights for added visibility in any situation.

The painted finish of the truck is a Military Tan chip guard laid by Matt Hollist, and topped off with black classic military-inspired graphics.

Inside the truck is equally equipped featuring black cloth Corbeau USA racing seats, a Grant 689 racing steering wheel atop an Ididit steering column, and Classic Instruments Moal Bomber Series gauges.

Since The Baja Kaiser was built for high-speed desert driving, the interior of the truck also boasts a custom roll cage built by the team at Straightedge, a Rough Country switch control panel, and a Rugged Radios communication system.

Other niceties you’ll find in the truck include a WOLFBOX rear camera, and an air conditioning system from Vintage Airto help combat that desert heat as well as make driving around Idaho that much more comfortable.

Wade’s Kaiser Jeep M715 is such a cool and unique rig that we challenge you to find one just like it. Built to take on the Mexican desert like a boss, this ex-military vehicle is miles away from its 3.8L-powered, tactical beginnings, but as they say, with age comes wisdom, and there’s certainly plenty of genius in this build.