An Ex-Military Truck 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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

“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!”

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.

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 UPGRADES

1967 Kaiser Jeep M715 “Baja Kaiser”

OWNER: 

Wade Geisler
St. Anthony, ID 

Chassis & Suspension: 

Rebuilt and reinforced 1967 Kaiser 715 frame; Eibach Off-Road front and rear springs; FOX front and rear coilover shocks with bypasses; PSC Motorsports steering box and stabilizer; Custom fuel tank

Wheels & Tires: 

17×8-inch TrailReady 844 Stealth wheels; Toyo Open Country A/T III tires with 4.5-inch backspacing front and rear

Engine & Drivetrain: 

2010 Chevrolet Performance supercharged 6.2L LSA marine V8; Custom motor mounts; 3-inch Novak Conversions headers; Custom 3-inch exhaust system; 2010 RV 4L80e automatic transmission; Transmission work done by Western Transmission of Idaho Falls, ID; TCI Automotive 63005BL shifter; Custom crossmember; Atlas transfer case; DynaTrac ProRock 80 front and rear drive axles; 4.56 gears front and rear; Front and rear lockers; 2008 Duramax brake booster and master cylinder

Body & Paint: 

ORACLE Lighting 5 ¾-inch 40W headlights; Rough Country LED rear cube lights; ORACLE Lighting underglow kit; Custom bumpers built by Straightedge Auto Restoration; Custom long-travel rear bed cage; Military Tan chip guard with military-inspired graphics by Matt Hollist

Interior & Sound: 

Black cloth Corbeau USA racing seats; Custom roll cage built by Straightedge Auto Restoration; Classic Instruments Moal Bomber Series gauges; Grant 689 racing steering wheel; Ididit steering column; Rough Country switch control panel; WOLFBOX rear camera; Rugged Radios communication systemVintage Air A/C

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Editor’s Note: A version of this article appeared in TREAD July/August 2024