(first posted 11/10/2014) It’s a bit late, but here’s a CC salute to all you veterans, in our typical fashion: a military vehicle CC. This gnarly adaptation of the Jeep Gladiator was called the M175, and built just between 1967 and 1969. And under its hood was something rather unexpected and seemingly much more European than American: a 3.8L SOHC alloy hemi-head inline six.
Yes, the (in)famous Tornado six, a rather ambitious update of the old Kaiser/Continental flathead 226 CID six, which quickly proved itself to be rather troublesome, at least in American hands. It was pulled from the Jeep line-up already in 1968, but the M175 soldiered on with it through its three-year production life. The Tornado was sent to Argentina, where it had a wonderfully long and successful life. I rather doubt there’s still a Tornado under this civilianized M715.
The M715 is a mashup of civilian and military parts, including the interior. The M715 was a 1 1/4 ton truck, and had the typical heavy duty axles by Dana (60/70) and a Warner T-89 four speed transmission. Tough stuff. Top speed was 55 mph. The M715 saw action in Vietnam, and was eventually replaced by the Dodge M-880 series of trucks.
The Tornado troubles did not endear the M715 to the military, mostly due to the unfamiliarity with maintenance and repair issues on something so exotic as an alloy OHC cylinder head. But it undoubtedly endears itself to those who have one now and appreciate it, most likely with an AMC V8 under the hood. Any of you ever drive one?
My mom was in the Army and she said the Dodge pick up of those times (late 1970s) was not that great. I think she mentioned traction issues on those narrow roads during her tour in Korea. They got the Checy Blazer in the earl 80s and those seemed loke a better set of wheels.
Not a box top, but quite similar.
Was just about to post that, that’s been my primary experience with one 😀
This is the truck they used in the movie Tremors.
It was a civilian-spec Gladiator: http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_2946-Jeep-Gladiator-J-300-1963.html
One of the biggest issues with the 230 Tornado was oil leaks at the timing chain cover. This issue was partially alleviated on the military versions. Seems the front engine mount on the civilian versions was attached to the front cover, and the casting was not strong enough to support the front of the engine. Not sure if it cracked or warped. The military 230 engine mounts bolted to the block. One very strange feature of the 230 Tornado was the 6 lobe camshaft, 1 lobe operated both the intake and exhaust cam followers.
It is always interesting when after all of the investment by both the manufacturer and the military, a project is abruptly cancelled after just a couple of years. These must have had some service issues that outweighed military inertia.
That’s mean. Why the bluff windscreen?
+1 – I initially thought it was a homemade repair after a rollover.
I think the rear section of the cab detaches and the windscreen folds down, like an old Jeep CJ. That explains why it’s flat, though not necessarily why it’s 90 degrees vertical.
Makes sense. Thanks.
Long time reader, first time response. Funny story, I found a late ’60’s Jeep J10 truck in a local junkyard that had had the roof smashed in and a homemade flat bed. If I would have had the money, I would have loved to cut off the smashed roof, add a m715 crowl and windshield, and turn it into one mean mud truck. Stinks being young and broke, huh?
I remember these ~
IIRC the only bad part was that engine , they failed in droves by 60,000 miles, ate cam shafts and blew head gaskets .
Good looking rigs IMO .
Nice to see one still out there .
-Nate
An unpleasant thing about driving these was the shift from 1-2 & 3-4, moving the gearshift back. The battery box was between the seats & waiting for an elbow to mangle.
They also tended to diesel for a few minutes after shutting off.
Overall, the Dodge M-37 felt a lot more solid.
Think they also made the box ambulances from these but am a lot more familiar with the Dodge.
Drove these in their troop carrier version, also the Dodge M-880, and the GM diesel CUCV and its Blazer version (M-1008/9). The CUCV was a much better driving truck – seemed to hold together better also.
This was taken at Vienna’s Hot Summer Nites American car meeting and the owner swore not to have had any issues with the engine. It was a later built one and came from Greek army surplus, so it might have had the modifications. Oh, it had leather seats…
Luxury M 715 (I think that’s the right designation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_Jeep_M715)
So that’s where Lamborghini got their inspiration.
Yes, I drove one of these on a TOD in Korea in the early 70s. We had canvass tent-like roofs over the cargo area, and fold-down wooden seats in the back. I drove on the highway and rural roads carrying things around. We were instructed not to exceed 50 MPH, but now I see they wouldn’t go much faster than that anyway.
Also, I now see, by these photos, that they had springs; this is other than what I believed at the time. 🙂
One of those would rock with a Cummins 4BT…
Only the government could afford to feed such an animal.
For only being built 3 years I see a fair number around. As a kid there was a girl in mt elementary school whose father owned one. Always parked in their driveway when she got off the bus. It burned into my memory for how much it didn’t fit in. Perfect white house white picket fence immaculate lawn and then this parked in the corner of the driveway.
Never driven one but I did have a lot of seat time in a couple of the Dodge M880 replacements at a museum I used to volunteer at. Pretty much like driving a regular dodge but with a weird electric system and 0 options (including no power steering).
These were still in service when I entered active duty in 1976. They were pretty miserable to drive – geared very low, hard to shift, and hitting your arm on the battery box as mentioned above. The Dodge M37, was generally preferred to the M715. The top of the cab (roof and back) on the M715 was canvas and the windshield folded down for the “tactical” configuration, The truck in the pictures appears to have a home made roof on the cab.
The Dodge M880s were issued shorty after I entered active duty. They drove much more like a civilian truck and had auto transmissions. The “LOC” notation on the transfer case controls confused a lot of GIs – they didn’t understand that “LOC” locked all four wheels together and driving on hard surfaces in “LOC” damaged a lot of M880 drive trains.