A 1968 military truck and a 2026 Jeep Gladiator had a baby, and it costs $79,999. SoFlo Customs, out of Pompano Beach, Florida, introduced the Kaizer Edition back in May, and it is still the most unapologetically retro thing to happen to the Gladiator platform. No subtlety, no half measures. Just a squared-off, armor-plated face straight out of the Kaiser M715 playbook, bolted to hardware that can actually back it up.
This Gladiator wants to fight, not pose
SoFlo Customs has spent 15-plus years building widebody, armor-finished Jeeps, Broncos, Rams, F-150s, and G-Wagons out of its South Florida shops, and it is the exclusive retailer for Apocalypse Manufacturing. The Kaizer Edition is the newest addition to SoFlo's existing lineup of Gladiator specials, joining the Outrider, SoFlo, Spartan, and Bobbed Bed Editions, but it is the one that goes furthest back for its inspiration. Instead of chasing more aggression, it rebuilds the front end to channel the Kaiser Jeep M715.
The M715 was a real 1 1/4-ton military truck built from 1967 to 1969, used by the U.S. military as a cargo hauler, troop carrier, ambulance, and field-service rig. It was built on the civilian Gladiator/J-series platform of its era, and it earned its look honestly: an upright front end, a narrow grille, round headlights, squared fenders, and zero styling for styling's sake. SoFlo is careful to point out the Kaizer Edition is not a restored M715 or a former military vehicle. It is a brand-new Gladiator that borrows that truck's attitude and nothing else.
"The goal was to capture what people love about the M715: the stance, the simplicity and that unmistakable utility-truck face," said Joseph Ghattas, president, engineer, and head designer of SoFlo Customs. "But we didn't want to build something that only looked cool. With 5.13 gears and our suspension underneath it, this thing has enough torque to spin 40-inch tires, but it still glides down the highway at 80 with one finger on the wheel. That is the whole point of the Kaizer Edition. You get the old Kaiser attitude in something that feels modern, stable and easy to drive."
The spec sheet doesn't mess around
This isn't a decal package dressed up as a build. Every Kaizer Edition starts on the 2026 Jeep Gladiator platform and comes standard with:
- 40-inch tires. Forty. Yokohama Geolandars (37s and 38s also on the menu) wrapped around 17-inch black tactical wheels. These are tires you'd expect under a truck camper, not a mid-size pickup.
- The SoFlo Kaiser-inspired front end itself, with a center hood vent and a choice of gloss or Kevlar armor finish depending on how mean you want it to look.
- 5.13 gears for the torque to actually spin those 40s, backed by a cold air intake, a custom dual-tip exhaust, and 392 engine upgrade options for buyers who think stock still isn't enough truck.
- Apocalypse Manufacturing's full geometry-corrected suspension system: fully adjustable control arms and relocation brackets to correct caster and pinion angles, heavy-duty front and rear track bars, progressive-rate front and rear coil springs, and 2.5-inch sealed monotube shocks tuned for heat dissipation and high-speed control. This is engineered ride quality, not just lift for lift's sake.
- Armor that isn't cosmetic: an 8-piece Apocalypse overhead lightbar, a front bumper built around a 9,500-pound winch, SoFlo steel nerf steps, and a SoFlo aluminum roll cage.
Then you open the door and the whole story flips. Two-tone saddle-colored marine-grade leather with double diamond stitching, a 12-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rearview camera, power windows, power doors. A war truck outside, a lounge inside. That contradiction is the whole point, and it's what makes this build genuinely fun instead of just loud.
The damage: $79,999
Order through SoFloCustoms.com or walk into a SoFlo Customs showroom in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, or Dallas. Financing is available, and every build carries a 1-year, unlimited-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. No production cap has been announced, so this isn't a race against a countdown, at least not yet. SoFlo has also been inviting members of the press to schedule private walkthroughs, photo opportunities, and test drives.
Why this one actually matters
Every Jeep pickup owes something to the military trucks that came before it, but most builds nod to that history with a sticker and call it a tribute. Jeep itself went the factory route with the 2026 Gladiator Willys '41, a heritage edition that leans on the same lineage from the other direction. The Kaizer Edition rebuilds the whole face of the truck to earn the reference, then backs it up with hardware that could genuinely wheel instead of just posing for Instagram. Whether $80,000 for a retro Gladiator is a build you'd actually sign up for or one you just stop and stare at in a parking lot, it's proof of what a shop with real engineering chops can pull off on this platform. You can follow the build and see more of it on SoFlo's Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok channels.
Don't have $80K lying around but the retro-military look has you itching to do something to your own rig? Graphics and decals are the fastest, cheapest way to make a Gladiator or Wrangler look like nobody else's on the trail. And if you are a builder rather than a buyer, the artwork side is what we do all day: we design and cut our own graphics in house, so we can take a rough logo or a sketch and turn it into production-ready vector files for vinyl, apparel, or signage.
You can also browse the full Gladiator decals and graphics range or start a custom order if you already know exactly what you want.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kaizer Edition Jeep Gladiator?
It's a custom retro-military build from SoFlo Customs, based on the 2026 Jeep Gladiator platform and styled after the 1967-1969 Kaiser Jeep M715 military utility truck. It starts at $79,999. It is a new-build Gladiator, not a restored M715 or a former military vehicle.
Who builds the Kaizer Edition?
SoFlo Customs, a custom vehicle builder based in Pompano Beach, Florida, with over 15 years building Jeep, Ford Bronco, Ram, F-150, and G-Wagon platforms. It's also the exclusive retailer for Apocalypse Manufacturing. The Kaizer Edition joins SoFlo's existing Gladiator lineup alongside the Outrider, SoFlo, Spartan, and Bobbed Bed Editions.
What suspension and tire setup does it come with?
An Apocalypse Manufacturing geometry-corrected suspension system with fully adjustable control arms, control arm relocation brackets, heavy-duty track bars, progressive-rate coil springs, and 2.5-inch monotube shocks, riding on 37, 38, or 40-inch Yokohama Geolandar tires and 17-inch black tactical wheels.
Where can I order one?
Through SoFloCustoms.com or directly at SoFlo's Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, or Dallas locations. Financing is available, and it comes with a 1-year, unlimited-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.
Source: SoFlo Customs press release, PR Newswire, May 20, 2026: prnewswire.com.
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