Here’s a machine I haven’t seen in years, a full-size Jeep pickup. It seems like the few I’ve seen always have a wooden or otherwise non-original bed, and with this example, it only adds to its somewhat whimsical charm.
A macho truck like the J10 is out of place in such a purportedly touchy-feely town, and after meeting its owner, I can’t say he exactly matches the profile of the burly type I’d expect to be driving it. This is also reflected in the hood ornament, which I am told belonged to a Packard and whose placement here is charmingly irreverent.
The J10’s outsider status compared to the likes of Chevy and Ford mirror this truck’s current context in a hippie-ish town. Buyers in the ’70s were after trucks which could cross over into family living and serve as domestic conveyances or even muscle cars. While dropping the overtly masculine Gladiator model name expressed a desire to follow that trend, the limited development budget was unable to back it up. In the days when so many trucks were sold with two-wheel-drive, the evergreen, 4WD-centric Jeep was a different animal.
The severe shape of the cab is especially noticeable when viewed from behind and pretty much says everything else about how the J10 compared to the more popular trucks, especially those from GM, which were the most car-like of its rivals. The best analogy I can think of is to say that comparing this full-sizer from Jeep to a Chevy C10 or Ford F100 is like comparing the Subaru Loyale to the Accord or Camry of the late ’80s. Unfortunately, no money and a takeover by Chrysler meant Jeep was be unable to come up with a refined replacement as Subaru managed when replacing its lumpy staple with the Legacy and Impreza.
Thus, the J10 would meet a dead end while Auburn Hills profited from Jeep’s brand reputation. It’s ironic, when one considers how much more cachet the related Grand Wagoneer had as a domestic hauler than the Suburban, itself a highly regarded, capable machine. It just goes to show you how fickle the buying public is and what a nightmare product planning can be. If Iacocca truly was a visionary salesman, then axing these big trucks (and the Comanche) while parlaying their square shouldered, classic image into a high-end line-up of SUVs is another smart move for which he can be credited.
I wish I could get one that’s about 10 years older with the 350 Dauntless engine. I’ve been searching for years and I have just seen one locally that was in poor condition.
The V6 was the Dauntless; the AMC 327 and Buick 350 were the “Vigilante V8”.
The Vigilante V8 was the AMC 327. Both the Buick 225 V6 and Buick 350 V8 were named “Dauntless” in Jeeps.
Here’s a “Dauntless 350”.
I stand corrected, sir.
i literally just bought the truck this article was written about
These trucks I have always found uniquely attractive, due to their military style, although they were slightly smaller than a full-size pickup, sort of like the Toyota T-100 of years past.
My friend bought one of these brand-new in 1980, a 1980 model, of course. Tan, stick shift, vinyl seat, no A/C, can’t recall whether a V8 or six, but I think it was the 258.
Over the years:
The bed rusted out – he converted it into a flat-bed.
The roof overhang rusted out – he fixed it by removing the overhang.
The paint died – he repainted it.
A few accidents – he fixed them all, more-or-less.
Several vital suspension brackets attached to the frame cracked due to rust – he fixed those, too.
The engine & tranny died – he replaced both, more than once, too.
Only recently, he was seriously considering sending it to the crusher, as it has finally had it! I don’t think it’s run in a couple of years, now.
I asked why he kept that piece of junk so long. His answer? He wanted something different. Well, he got that in spades, but probably spent thousands of hours fixing the thing over and over. I guess he regarded it as therapy or something, ’cause I would never tolerate that, but my fixing skills are quite limited, especially for the last almost 11 years.
Some years ago, he picked up an orphan 1986 J-10, loaded, with a V-8 automatic. The thing had corn growing in what was left of the bed! One year while visiting in Missouri, he and I worked on starting it. The thing had wasp nests in the air cleaner and various places under the hood! That was enjoyable!
After some beer, sweat, laughing, interesting conversation and hours of fiddling around, we finally got it going.
It sure felt good actually getting filthy dirty working on an old bomb again!
I was never aware these were made as late as ’86–Wikipedia says until ’88. Must have been very slow sellers their last few years! Very cool trucks though. Considering the Grand Wagoneer versions are quickly reaching classic status, I’m surprised these J10/J20 versions haven’t shared in some of that love.
They came with metal beds. Maybe the crappy roads up there in the winter rusted them all out. But I’d think the cab would rust too.
I had a 63 that my daddy bought new. The thing just wouldn’t break. I wish I still had it but the last time I saw it, it was a cinder.
Always loved these trucks and have twice come close to buying one.
Don’t know if it’s a camera perspective thing, but this J10 must have very little rear travel given the puny and undamaged wood wheel well.
Leaf springs are not known for their “bounce.”
maybe not, but that doesn’t stop them from stretching some distance over uneven surfaces. Anyway, those wells are tiny. Looks like about 3″ of leeway.
During my brief college pizza delivery career, the owner of the shop had a red 70s Jeep pickup that had a plow on the front. I remember the V8 and the stick shift, and that it was very basic, but that was about it. The truck reminded me a bit of the Studebaker Champ that was once owned by a neighbor, both in size and in the way it never let you forget that it was made almost entirely of metal.
I’ve always been a bit surprised that these didn’t sell better as trucks. There are a lot of great elements to it, and of course its SUV brother became an ’80s icon.
Here in “no winter salt” country their lives are sometimes extended by converting them to dumpsters or storage rooms.
Tough-looking truck. I caught this one with owner’s permission in a coastal town. I remember him saying something about the extended wheelbase on his. Maybe factory, don’t want to misquote but the badge says J20.
That would be the 3/4 ton, then. But the wheelbase does look like it’s been extended past factory. Hard to tell at such an angle.
Geez, observed a red one of these yesterday in a McDonalds parking lot. Thought of CC and thought to take a photo. Alas…
Terrific pickups.
There were three of these in my extended family at one time or another. I remember riding in one that belonged to my grandfathers older brother – it cut through snow like there was no tomorrow.
I did see a very loaded one bombing through town last week. It’s bed was still intact.
One of my all time favorite pickups! I hate seeing a formerly rugged yet good looking badass all rusted out and defiled with a dopey hood ornament. But hell, at least its being enjoyed. These things have a look all their own….no other truck quite has that hard as nails old Jeep vibe.
Do you know if those swan ornaments were made after Packard died, by aftermarket companies? I remember seeing similar or the same swan ornaments on many old pickup trucks here in Chile, like Chevy C-10.
There is a 2007+ Avalanche running around here with one of those Packard hood ornaments!
There is currently one of those right down the street from me, the owner parked it several months ago and removed the license plates.
I own this exact truck
I Google image searched 1979 j10 to look for what the bed should have looked like and about the 6th picture was my truck.
I know the previous owner who’s house it’s parked in front of in these pictures in Bloomington Indiana