Jeep ditched the Gladiator name for their full-sized pickup trucks the year today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe J2000 was built, but that doesn't mean you can't be Roman round in it. That is of course, if it doesn't cost an empire.
When you think of J-2000 what probably comes first to mind is the J-body Pontiac Sunbird, a car that inspired owners to rewrite the company's advertising slogan to We Build Excrement, Pon-ti-crap! Of course, should you need to either remove the name's bad connotation, or just haul crap around, then let me introduce you to another J2000, the 1971 Jeep J-2000 Pickup Truck.
The full sized Willys Jeep pickup debuted in 1962, based on the stout frame of the SJ Wagoneer. Originally anointed Gladiator, the truck could be had in short and long wheelbases, as well as a number of bed options including step and fender Thriftside, and fancy pants Townside. Drivetrain choices included the Tornado OHC straight six and Buick's 350 V8. Later engine options included AMC's family of eights, and that makes this a good point to bring up the Gladiator/J-Pickup's family tree.
As noted above, the Gladiator was introduced in '62 as a Willys. Not quite a full year later the company changed its name to Kaiser Jeep. Seven years after that the company became - lock stock and 4BBL - American Motors. AMC subsequently went through two parents - France's Renault and Lee Iacocca's Chrysler - before succumbing to the fate that befalls most redheaded stepchildren. And if you happen to be a ginger and take offense at that metaphor, take heart in the fact that it is attributed to none other the literary giant James Joyce. Plus, you have no soul.
All that family drama couldn't overshadow the Jeep's greatness, and this '71 short wheelbase edition looks to have survived nominally. It's appropriately optioned with the 360 CID V8 and an auto box - which I think would be GM's TH400. Power is sent to both front and back by a two-speed Dana 20 T-type Silent Transfer Case. The Gladiator had a torsion bar sprung IFS option, but that went away before this J2000 was conceived, and hence this one sports live axles at both ends.
The AMC 360 is the Gen-III tall-deck and depending on carburetor barrel count could have put out anywhere from 175 - 220-bhp in late '71. This engine proved to be the last V8 AMC ever produced, but parts shouldn't be a problem to source as there's a ton of Wagoneers rocking them, and even a handful of '74 Bricklin SV1s!
This truck sports what appears to be serviceable paint in a color rarely seen outside of a Brady Bunch-era appliance, complimented by white wheels and a front bumper that makes the truck look like it's had a stroke. There's also the cool neanderthal brow over the windshield to defy headwinds, and massive wing mirrors to facilitate your hindsight.
Overall the truck presents a patina of wear that's half-way to hipster. The seller's description of miner rust makes you wonder if you be getting shafted (see what I did there?), but it seems from the pictures to be confined to the rear-most section of the bed. Making up for that is the Road Runner horn, original bench seat, and what appears to be an automatic NRA membership entitling gun rack so you can stop driving that damn Volt.
The ad makes no mention of mileage but on something as legendarily robust as the Jeep Pickup, it probably matters less than the fact that it has clear title and can be bought with what amounts to pocket change. If considering it by the pound that $1,800 price tag seems pretty reasonable, but then when have we ever been considered reasonable?
What do you think about $1,800 for this J2000? Does that price put this Jeep on the top of the Nice Price heap? Or, is this a pickup with a price that's a hiccup?
You decide!
San Francisco Craigslist or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Rollo Grande for the hookup!
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