Jeep Crew Chief 715

Jeep Crew Chief 715 Concept

The Jeep Crew Chief 715 Concept was fashioned to resemble the old military Kaiser M175 truck used by the armies from 1967-1969. The idea was to mix dependable utility and rugged 4x4 versatility while keeping the Jeep image and construction. The Kaiser M175 Jeep was what we typically envision when we think of soldiers and supplies bouncing over rocks and roots in the jungles of Vietnam and then screeching to a stop in a plume of dust and sand to quickly off-load its occupants to engage in battle. That jeep only survived a couple of years because the military did not know much about its 6 cyl overhead cam engine or how to properly service it. But the vehicle itself was not forgotten. Jeep folks are loyal to the brand and were excited about the new Crew Chief 715 Concept. This vehicle had updated stout construction, with added passenger seating and extra doors while still keeping the military truck bed and no-nonsense look. The front and rear bumpers were made of steel sporting a tow winch from both, and the stretched Wrangler Unlimited undercarriage sat high on 40-inch NDT military tires mounted on 20-inch bead lock wheels. Of course, this vehicle was painted Tactical Green and to complete the military-ish package were the leather bucket seats and cockpit control switches and a mounted compass. The 6 cyl overhead cam engine was replaced by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 with a 5-speed automatic transmission and all sorts of cool motor, air stuff, and braking things that I will never get straight. To die-hard Jeep enthusiasts and nearly everyone who enjoys off-road fun the disappointing end to this story is that this concept was never put into mass production. But that was in 2016. Maybe, someday…

-Janith Emm