Greetings Gary and list,
From my own experience with the M-715, here's my opinion of it as related
to cost, parts availability, and usefulness.
Parts are pretty easy to get if you follow this list's advice as well as
join MVPA and scour supply line's advertisements. I have had to rebuild
the brakes, fuel system, cooling system, wheel bearings, and parts of the
ignition and electrical system on my truck. This series of trucks was part
of the COTS system (commercial off the shelf). You can get wheel
cylinders, internal engine components, and even body parts from commercial
civilian sources like NAPA. I have an '85 wagoneer and the hood and front
clip are from the same dies as the M-715. I had a cracked head (between
the valves on number 3) and the local auto parts store sent the head to a
place that welded and reworked it for something like $180. My regular
mechanic did the engine work and nobody had a problem with it. The biggest
parts problem I have come across is the break drums. They are unique and
no other drums will fit them. This is a problem in that nobody makes them
any more to my knowlege.
As for performance, it is not a speed demon but will do 50mph all day long
without any complaints and 55mph for short stretches. I drive it on
logging roads and in the piney woods here in North Florida without any
problems and it has handled everything I have taken it into. I did get
stuck once but it was "newbie driver errors" that caused that. With the
correct type of tires (not NDT's) it will take on sugar sand like it was
blacktop. For mud NDT's have it hands down. I get somewhere between 9-12
mpg on the pavement and god-knows-what off road. I can recommend the M-715
to anyone who wants a good and easy to support MV.
Be sure to get one with as little rust as possible. There are several
areas that are prone to the "rednbrown cancer". The rocker pannels and
floorboards are the first place to look. The door support posts on the
hinge side of the door is another. These are the most common failure
points that I have seen and the hardest to fix. A good truck will cost
about $3000 and a tired one as little as $800 around here.
If you are thinking of repowering it, there are lots of options available
(none cheap) due to the shaft driven transfer case. The 350 cuin
chevy is probably the most common and there are some diesel options
too. With a diesel that truck would be unstoppable!!! Anyway, sorry for
being so long winded but hopefully I have not forgotten too much.
Best of luck,
Jim
MVPA # 17216
At 09:30 01/21/2001 -0800, Gary Pavone wrote:
>Listers,
>
>Can I get the good points and any bad points of the Kaiser M715 truck?
>
>
>
>
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1967 M-715 Kaiser Jeep Cargo Truck
1983 M-101A1 Cargo Trailer (USMC)
MVPA #17216
My Amateur Radio Call is KB4IVH
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