Vehicle Description
Looking to get behind the wheel of a wild 4x4 ride with maximum
visual impact? Look no further. Imagine the double takes you'll get
when you're seen coming over the horizon in this 1968 Jeep M715
Restomod. Its niche is all about transforming a vintage Jeep truck
into a no holds barred, one of a kind creation, and with a
surprisingly comfortable interior, an ever-reliable 6.0L Vortec V8
powertrain mated to a modern 4-speed automatic transmission, and a
beefed-up custom suspension, this uber-unique Military Jeep (if you
can still call it that) delivers as one of the coolest vintage
haulers that we've ever seen.
Starting life as a Kaiser-Jeep G-890 1 �-ton truck (based on the
Jeep Gladiator SJ production truck) back in 1968, this big mauler
was tabbed at the Toledo, Ohio factory to go into military service
for the United States in our 'M-Series' armed-services vehicle
program. Most of you have seen the M-Series Jeep CJs, the Chevrolet
K5 Blazers, and the vaunted HUMVEEs, but not many are aware of
these Jeep trucks that were sent to the corners of the world to
spread democracy, most notably Vietnam. That's exactly the life of
noble service this Jeep was built for, before it was converted into
a tactical fire truck for the Alverno Fire Department, with a
short, utility stepside bed, its imposing stance, and canvas cab
roof. A few years after it retired from the fire brigade, the
entire truck was frame-off restored (and we have a big book of
photographs that detail the entire build), and the previous Fire
Engine Red paint was replaced with that super-cool Olive Drab Green
you see today. It's a matte-style finish, but don't confuse it with
some bumpy rhino-liner that looks like it was applied with a shoe,
as it's rather smooth to the touch and uniform overall. Sure, it's
not a show-winner with miles-deep paint, but the finish is top
driver-quality, and for what this truck is, anyone can forgive any
minor imperfections. The overall looks captures the spirit of what
a military-grade was intended to be all along, with exterior
features like the big brush guard up front, the winch mounted atop
that industrial front bumper right underneath, oversized fender
flares over the wheels, and tough-as-nails bed that loaded to bear
with off-road tolls like shovels, axes, and Jerry cans. Yeah, this
sucker is Rambo on wheels. This beast also comes with aftermarket
stepbars at the sides, and they were powdercoated black to match
the front grille and bumpers (including the rear bumperettes),
while the heavy-duty canvas roof that protects the cab is original
military-spec that we are thrilled the builders left on. Out back,
the multi-purpose bed is battle-ready, where it includes a hidden
storage compartment up front and an interior surface that was
professionally lined with black spray-in bedliner that will
preserve it for decades to come.
Inside, it's part Jeep and part infantry grunt, and just like the
exterior, the completed work is super-cool and very well-executed.
High-back buckets provide comfort for two with durable vinyl and
cloth upholstery that's been well-cared for since it was installed
during the restoration, and a full black carpet set, a Tuffy box
middle console, and tweed door panels were installed to civilize
the cabin a bit, giving this rough-and-tumble fighter an air of
sophistication inside. A roll cage was added as well, because quite
frankly this Jeep wants to go to some very exotic places that may
include a little cliff rolling, cave spelunking, waterfall diving,
and general outdoor rough housing through the jungles of the world,
and having that safety feature is a welcomed site. The steel dash
was restored and painted to match the exterior, and in typical Jeep
style all the refreshed gauges are centralized inside a single
bezel, and even the aftermarket 3-spoke tilt steering wheel was
painted Olive Drab to match. Other options include a 12-volt charge
port in the glove box, a black Lokar shifter that manages the
automatic gearbox, and shoulder seatbelts. The inside of the canvas
roof is in great shape and keeps out the elements, and all the
glass was resealed and is crystal clear inside the cab.
A fuel-injected 6.0L Vortec V8 sits in full view inside the
compartment, swapped-in from a late-model vehicle and looking like
it always belonged. The modern transplanted heart pulls all that
heavy vintage livery with great aplomb, light years ahead of what
the diesels from 1968 could ever dream of, and even the
presentation of the Vortec engine cover and wide intake tube and
K&N style coned filter for the cold-air intake system made the
trip and looks great under the hood. With a modern drivetrain come
modern accessories, and this soldier comes equipped with a modern
alternator, heavy-duty Optima yellow-top battery, serpentine belt
system, power steering and power 4-wheel disc brakes. All those
great specs mean this former Gladiator is ready to hit today's
roads on a regular basis, as the power, torque, and even efficiency
is up to par with trucks from today's era. A 4L60E 4-speed
automatic transmission manages smooth shifts and provides the truck
with a highway-ready overdrive gear, spinning heavy duty axles fore
and aft, and the soundtrack has been upgraded thanks to a stainless
steel exhaust system with a throaty chambered muffler. Giant
Bilstein shocks are at the corners, all the bushings look new, as
do the leaf springs out back, and even a big steering stabilizer
was added up front to keep this mammoth on the road. Ground
clearance is epic - get ready to leap over mountains with this 4x4
monster as it sits on tough-looking 17-inch beadlock alloys wrapped
in rugged 42x14.50x17 Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires.
Sporting plenty of modern power, looks that will get all kinds of
attention, and a surprisingly comfortable interior, this
unbelievable Jeep M715 Restomod is a unique find that won't last
long. Call today!
