Tom's Kaiser
Tom's Kaiser
The M715 is a great platform for a buildup because - thanks to its stout out-of-the-box design - most of the work is already done. Tom Lawlor has taken this M715 to an even higher level with a mind-boggling variety of mods, and he hopes that it'll help him reign victorious when dust has cleared from the TTC battlefield.
A massive front bumper/brushguard, a pair of Hi-Lift jacks and an auxiliary fuel can hint that this vehicle is more than at home on the trail. Inside, the cab is Spartan -- true to its military roots. It does, however, have a massive rollcage that's fabbed from 3x3x.250-inch tubing.
As if the Rockwell 2.5-ton axle isn't strong enough in stock form, Lawlor upgraded his with a Detroit Locker and Ouverson Engineering double-splined high-strength axleshafts with heat-treated drive flanges. To help turn the big 49-inch tires, there's a Rock Logic hydraulic ram assist.
Like the front axle, the rear sports a Detroit Locker and Ouverson Engineering axleshafts. The rear leaf-spring suspension features 2.5-inch tapered blocks, shackle reversal, and custom drop shackles.
Under the hood there's a 250hp 427ci V-8 engine. Built for grunt, the engine achieves its max 450 lb-ft of torque at only 2,500 rpm. This torque is sent through a Spicer 3053A five-speed overdrive transmission which has a three-speed PTO that powers the front winch. Power is split to the custom driveshafts by an NP205 transfer case with a PTO to power the rear winch.
Both the front and rear winches are 10,000-pound Garwood PTO units. The rear winch (shown) is powered by a PTO on the NP205 transfer case, while the front winch is powered by a PTO driven by the Spicer transmission.
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Owner/city: | Tom Lawlor/Dauphin, Pennsylvania |
| Vehicle: | 1967 Kaiser M715 |
| What he does when not 'wheeling: | Material handler |
| Engine/aspiration: | Chevy 427ci OHV V-8/ Holley 670-cfm Truck {{{Avenger}}} carb, custom 2.5-inch exhaust |
| Transmission: | Spicer 3053 five-speed overdrive with three-speed PTO |
| Transfer case(s): | NP205 with 1410 U-joints and PTO |
| Suspension (f/r): | Spring-over-axle conversion, low-buck shocks/leaf, 2.5-inch tapered blocks, shackle reversal, custom drop shackles, low-buck shocks |
| Axles (f/r): | Rockwell 2.5-ton, Detroit Locker, Ouverson Engineering axleshafts, disc brakes, Rock Logic hydraulic steering assist/ Rockwell 2.5-ton, Detroit Locker, Ouverson Engineering axleshafts, disc brakes |
| Axle ratio: | 6.72:1 |
| Wheels: | 20x10.5 double bead lock |
| Tires: | 46x16-20 Michelin XML |
