The Gladiator’s great grandpa …
It would be tough to find a more American truck than this week’s spot.
The Kaiser Jeep M715 saw action in Vietnam, Korea, and on European bases. Unlike many who served in the military, it didn’t have a stellar service record. Entering service in 1965, the overhead-cam six-cylinder engines were not very reliable. So much so that the civilian version was dropped in 1968.
The Kaiser Jeeps sucked gas and had front winches that were dangerous in rough cross-country use because the winch driveshaft would sometimes separate from the winch and then foul the truck’s steering, causing loss of control. Ouch!
The picture doesn’t get any better because the 1968 models sent to Korea also had improperly welded frames causing them to break. This led to the vendor hiring a Korean company to repair several hundred trucks held in depot stocks.
RELATED Spot: See its little brother, the CJ-7
By 1970 most of the 1968 models in Korea were in cannibalization yards, being used as a source of parts, to keep the later models running. Not all the news is bad with this truck because if these look familiar, its relatives are the Jeep Cherokee, Wagoneer, and J10 Pickup.
RELATED Spot: It’s big, bad, and a Jeep!
Ok, so why would anybody want to buy one of these vehicles? I think I can hear Joe Isuzu doing the sales pitch. There are a couple reasons.
First, you gotta admit, they look cool. What on the road looks more rugged than this? OK, my Jeep side is showing through right now. Hardcore off-roaders are snapping these up because they are excellent at rock crawling and just about any adventure one can imagine. And they’re not cheap Jeeps either, selling for around $25,000.
Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check back next Friday for another one of my spots along with some history. Have a great weekend and be sure to tell your friends.
Savage On Wheels 
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