This Jeep is only concept of the lot from this year's Easter Jeep Safari that is not a 2020 Gladiator dressed in pretty clothes. Moniker'd the 'Five-Quarter,' this concept truck is actually a resto-mod of the 1968 Kaiser Jeep M-715, Gladiator-based, military vehicle. This concept will surely draw a lot of attention from the die-hard fans and enthusiasts who have followed Jeep with loyalty. Let me stress on this again - this is a resto-mod operation, not a replica. This is the real deal. So, of the 30,000-odd vehicles that were built, and God knows how many have survived to this day, Jeep and Mopar have actually stripped apart a 50-year old truck and garnished it with loads with new parts!

Fun fact - Jeep actually picked this model up off of Craigslist before putting it through the wringer. If this doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what will.

Background

Talking about the 1968 M-715, this truck got the name 'Five-Quarter' because of its payload rating of 1 1/4 tons. The truck's design and development was initiated in 1965, and it was based on the civilian Jeep Gladiator. The Kaiser was built to replace the long-in-the-tooth Dodge M37. This led to the demise of the truck in 1969, and the U.S. military, which was using the M-715, replaced it with the Dodge M880 Series a few years later. In 2010, Mopar paid homage to the M-715 by introducing the Jeep NuKizer 715 concept. In fact, in 2016, Jeep again paid tribute to the M-715 at the 50th Annual Easter Jeep Safari through a concept called the Jeep Crew Chief 715.

Exterior

This beast looks nothing like the other concepts, and Jeep has made some significant changes to this Five Quarter. The original front sheet metal has been removed and replaced by carbon fiber. This one looks nothing like the modern Jeeps, either - there's no signature seven-slat grille, no removable doors, etc. Perhaps that's what makes it the most unique thing from Jeep's stable this year at the Safari. The blackout spots next to the headlights now have an orange LED lamp that looks real good when the truck is viewed up front. These spots used to have metal covers before this M-715 was given the carbon-fiber botox treatment. The bumper, same as the Gladiator Rubicon, comes with two tow hooks and a small bullbar that is there more for the aesthetics than function. The hood is muscular and wide, and it looks even more prominent because of the short windshield.

The profile of the Five Quarter is as busy as the front fascia. The wheel arches in the front intervene with the hood opening, and the one at the rear is almost in line with the bed's height. The John Lennon spectacles-like wing mirrors look fantastic. The roof has been dropped by 3.5-inches and is now a convertible soft-top, further enhancing its factory monster truck silhouette. The 20-inch Beadlock wheels are absolutely drool-worthy. New, functional rock rails replace the original rockers that run the length of the body. With all these mighty changes, one might wonder if there is anything that's left as it is from the original truck. Well, the frame, doors, windshield (although trimmed), and parts of the cab. Oh, and did you notice that the truck does not have wipers?

Move to the back, and you will be - what's the word I'm looking for - stupefied when you see the tailgate. The bumper sits flush with the tailgate, and it has two tow hooks, just like in the front. Original taillight buckets have been retained, albeit with LED halo lights installed in them. Jeep has used a six-foot custom-fabricated aluminum bed that has been perforated utilizing a mix of water jet cut panels and wood slats. It looks like a sheer dress when viewed from the side. All-in-all, Jeep has tried to make it look like the original M-715's tail and has done a reasonably decent job. By the way, the tailgate does not open!

Interior

Jeep has used bed liner in the Five Quarter, and there's no carpeting, which further enhances the essence of it being a military truck. The door and instrument panels use water-jetted aluminum components. The steering and the gear lever look like they are straight from the past. The Five Quarter features an 8-71 supercharger that houses the transmission and transfer case shift levers. Although unconventional in modern cars, it looks pretty darn cool! The dash plaque and the multiple dials look great and give a complete retro-vibe to the interior of the Five Quarter. As for the bed area, it is a six-foot bed made up of a mix of wood and machined aluminum which looks very classy.

Drivetrain

The original Kaiser Jeep M-715 came with a 3.8-liter, six-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed manual gearbox. The heavy, thick, solid axles were attached to 34-inch wheels. But this time, Jeep has decided to notch things up. The automaker plonked the Five Quarter with a 6.2-liter, supercharged, 'Hellcrate' V-8 engine that develops over 700 ponies. This engine is mated to an old-school, three-speed, Chrysler 727 gearbox, and a 'Rock-Trac' 241OR transfer case. This transfer case is present on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon as well.

Jeep has upped the ante in terms of off-road capabilities as well. The Five-Quarter concept’s original frame has been reinforced, and the stock leaf springs have been replaced with a heavy-duty coil suspension system. The front axle has been replaced with a Dynatrac Pro-rock 60 and the rear one with a Dynatrac Pro-rock 80 axle. This truck, out of all the concepts this year, is the only one that's not a Mopar-marketing object.

2020 Jeep Gladiator specifications

Final Thoughts

Even though I liked this concept, I can't digest the fact that Jeep ripped up an actual 1968 M-715 to basically pay tribute to the same vehicle! And, worse of all, there are very few components that have been retained. Try creating a replica next time, Jeep. But to give where credit is due, the M-715 Five Quarter concept certainly looks cool in its retro-avatar and Jeep has done a great job at restoring it.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Jeep Gladiator J6 Concept.

Read our full review on the 2019 Jeep Gladiator Flatbill Concept.

Read our full review on the 2019 Jeep Gladiator Wayout Concept.

Read our full review on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.