Jeep Gladiator
Encyclopedia
The Jeep
Gladiator (or Jeep Pickup) is a full-size pickup truck
based on the large SJ
(Jeep Wagoneer
) platform that was built under varying marques from 1962 to 1988. The Jeep pickup design was noteworthy for being in production for more than 26 years with only minor mechanical changes. There were also military versions contracted by a number of nations in addition to the United States.
First introduced in 1962, the Gladiator designations were J200 (short wheelbase trucks, up to mid-1965); J2000; J300 (long wheelbase trucks, up to mid-1965); J3000; and J4000, the first model with a longer 131 inches (3,327.4 mm) wheelbase.
Gladiators were available in RWD and 4WD
, and came either with a solid front axle, or independent front suspension
with optional dual rear wheels.
Gladiator trucks were available as: Cab and Chassis; Wrecker; Stake Bed; and chassis
-mounted campers with extended wheelbases. The load bed options were Townside, Thriftside (a "step-side"), and Stake Bed.
A new overhead cam
engine
, the "Tornado" 230 CID straight-six producing 140 hp was standard.
In early 1963, Willys Motors
changed its name to Kaiser Jeep Corporation
.
During 1965 the 327 CID AMC V8 engine
became available. It produced 250 hp and 340 lb.ft torque at 2600 rpm. The standard Tornado engine was replaced by American Motors' 232 CID OHV inline six
.
From 1968 to 1971 Jeep pickups offered the Buick
350 CID 230 hp Dauntless V8 as the optional engine.
American Motors Corporation
(AMC) purchased the Kaiser Jeep operations in 1970 when Kaiser Industries decided to leave the automobile business. The Jeep trucks moved to all AMC engines to improve performance and standardize production and servicing. The Buick engine was replaced by the 360 CID or 401 CID AMC V8
s.
In 1970, the Gladiator's front grille was changed to the same design as the Jeep Wagoneer SUV. This was the truck's first styling change since its introduction. An AMC badge was also added on the grille.
Chrysler
bought out AMC in 1987. The full-size Jeep Pickup line was not only an aging model, but also competed directly with the broader range of Dodge
trucks. Chrysler discontinued the full-size Jeep trucks, but continued to build the luxurious and highly profitable Grand Wagoneer
, which shared the chassis with the large pickups.
However, after the Chrysler buyout, the compact Jeep Comanche
pickup (based on the Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
platform) received only minor changes and its production continued until 1992.
and M725.
The Honcho was a trim package
on the J10 pickup, offered from 1976-1983. It consisted of bold striping and decals, and was offered with factory extras such as the Levi's interior or a roll bar
. It was one in a series of special decal packages offered for J-Series trucks in the mid to late 1970s, which included the Golden Eagle and the "10-4" which offered an optional Citizens' Band radio
along with the decals. The Honcho package was only available on the sportside (stepside) and short bed trucks. Between 1980 and 1983, only 1,264 of the sportside versions were produced.
Decal packages were available for many of Jeep's vehicles in the 1970s, including a package for the Jeep Cherokee
called the Cherokee Chief. The Golden Eagle package mentioned above was also available for both the CJ, TJ and the Cherokee.
In late 2004 a new Jeep Gladiator concept
was introduced. While not actually intended to be for sale, it was used as a demonstration "that a Jeep pickup was in the dark recesses of DaimlerChrysler's brain trust.
The Gladiator concept features an open-air canvas
roof, fold-down windshield
, removable doors, and has an expandable truck bed. The Gladiator has a 2.8-liter, 4-cylinder
common-rail turbo diesel engine
that provides 165 hp and 295 lb.ft of torque. The truck has a 6-speed manual transmission
. Ground clearance is 13.7 in (348 mm), with a break-over angle of 23.2 degrees and an approach angle of 47.6 and departure angle of 38.0 degrees. Front and rear tires are 34 in (864 mm) and are mounted on 18x8-inch wheels. The Jeep Gladiator has a 1,500-pound payload
.
However, a "midgate" made the concept Gladiator truck closer to an imitation of the Chevrolet Avalanche "than an attempt to revive the its namesake's glory."
Unlimited, and will come in single-cab configuration.
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
Gladiator (or Jeep Pickup) is a full-size pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
based on the large SJ
Jeep SJ
Jeep's SJ platform was part of the "FSJ" or full-size Jeep lineup. According to the , an "FSJ" is any vehicle produced in North America, carrying the "Jeep" nameplate, with 2 or 4 doors, in rear or four wheel drive, whose wheelbase does not exceed , nor is less than , and whose tread width is no...
(Jeep Wagoneer
Jeep Wagoneer
The Jeep Wagoneer was an early sport utility vehicle and the first luxury 4x4, produced under varying marques from 1963 to 1991. It was noteworthy for being in production for more than 28 years with only minor mechanical changes...
) platform that was built under varying marques from 1962 to 1988. The Jeep pickup design was noteworthy for being in production for more than 26 years with only minor mechanical changes. There were also military versions contracted by a number of nations in addition to the United States.
Gladiator 1962-1971
Gladiators were available in RWD and 4WD
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
, and came either with a solid front axle, or independent front suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
with optional dual rear wheels.
Gladiator trucks were available as: Cab and Chassis; Wrecker; Stake Bed; and chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
-mounted campers with extended wheelbases. The load bed options were Townside, Thriftside (a "step-side"), and Stake Bed.
A new overhead cam
Overhead camshaft
Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods...
engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
, the "Tornado" 230 CID straight-six producing 140 hp was standard.
In early 1963, Willys Motors
Willys
Willys was the brand name used by Willys-Overland Motors, an American automobile company best known for its design and production of military Jeeps and civilian versions during the 20th century.-Early History:In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company...
changed its name to Kaiser Jeep Corporation
Kaiser Jeep
Kaiser Jeep was the result of the merger between the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation, an independent automaker based in Willow Run, Michigan, and the Toledo, Ohio-based Willys-Overland Company....
.
During 1965 the 327 CID AMC V8 engine
AMC V8 engine
American Motors Corporation produced a series of widely-used V8 engines from the mid-1950s before being absorbed into Chrysler in 1987. Chrysler kept the AMC V8 in production until 1991 for the Jeep Grand Wagoneer....
became available. It produced 250 hp and 340 lb.ft torque at 2600 rpm. The standard Tornado engine was replaced by American Motors' 232 CID OHV inline six
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
.
From 1968 to 1971 Jeep pickups offered the Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
350 CID 230 hp Dauntless V8 as the optional engine.
American Motors Corporation
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
(AMC) purchased the Kaiser Jeep operations in 1970 when Kaiser Industries decided to leave the automobile business. The Jeep trucks moved to all AMC engines to improve performance and standardize production and servicing. The Buick engine was replaced by the 360 CID or 401 CID AMC V8
AMC V8 engine
American Motors Corporation produced a series of widely-used V8 engines from the mid-1950s before being absorbed into Chrysler in 1987. Chrysler kept the AMC V8 in production until 1991 for the Jeep Grand Wagoneer....
s.
In 1970, the Gladiator's front grille was changed to the same design as the Jeep Wagoneer SUV. This was the truck's first styling change since its introduction. An AMC badge was also added on the grille.
Jeep Truck 1971-1988
The Gladiator name was dropped after 1971, after which the line was known simply as the Jeep pickup. The pickups were designated as J2000 and J4000 models (the 3000 series was dropped in 1971) until 1973, then as J10 and J20 models from 1974 to 1988.Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
bought out AMC in 1987. The full-size Jeep Pickup line was not only an aging model, but also competed directly with the broader range of Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
trucks. Chrysler discontinued the full-size Jeep trucks, but continued to build the luxurious and highly profitable Grand Wagoneer
Jeep Wagoneer
The Jeep Wagoneer was an early sport utility vehicle and the first luxury 4x4, produced under varying marques from 1963 to 1991. It was noteworthy for being in production for more than 28 years with only minor mechanical changes...
, which shared the chassis with the large pickups.
However, after the Chrysler buyout, the compact Jeep Comanche
Jeep Comanche
The Jeep Comanche is a pickup truck version of the Cherokee compact SUV that was produced from 1985 to 1992. Rear wheel and four-wheel drive models were available, as well as two cargo box lengths of six-feet or seven-feet .-Introduction:During the mid-1980s, according to AMC Chairman W...
pickup (based on the Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
The Jeep Cherokee is a unibody compact SUV. It shared the name of the original full-size SJ model, but without a body-on-frame chassis, it set the stage for the modern SUV. Its innovative appearance and sales popularity spawned important imitators as other automakers began to notice that this...
platform) received only minor changes and its production continued until 1992.
Military versions
Military versions of the Jeep pickup included the M715Kaiser Jeep M715
The Kaiser Jeep M715 is an American wheeled military vehicle based upon the civilian Jeep Gladiator. In 1965 the design and developing for the M715 began. The U.S. Government purchased these trucks to replace the M37. Between 1967 and 1969 over 33,000 trucks were produced at the Toledo, Ohio...
and M725.
Jeep Honcho
Trim package
A trim package is an automotive package composed by a set of cosmetic embellishments to a vehicle. In some cases the trim package may include a specific model or ending name...
on the J10 pickup, offered from 1976-1983. It consisted of bold striping and decals, and was offered with factory extras such as the Levi's interior or a roll bar
Roll bar
Roll bar or rollbar may refer to:* Roll bar, also known as anti-roll bar or sway bar, a torsion spring bar that reduces vehicle roll* Roll cage, a vehicle frame designed to protect occupants in the event of a crash...
. It was one in a series of special decal packages offered for J-Series trucks in the mid to late 1970s, which included the Golden Eagle and the "10-4" which offered an optional Citizens' Band radio
Citizens' band radio
Citizens' Band radio is, in many countries, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27-MHz band. Citizens' Band is distinct from the FRS, GMRS, MURS and amateur radio...
along with the decals. The Honcho package was only available on the sportside (stepside) and short bed trucks. Between 1980 and 1983, only 1,264 of the sportside versions were produced.
Decal packages were available for many of Jeep's vehicles in the 1970s, including a package for the Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Cherokee (SJ)
The SJ series Jeep Cherokee was a full-size SUV produced from 1974 through 1983 by the Jeep division of the American Motors Corporation...
called the Cherokee Chief. The Golden Eagle package mentioned above was also available for both the CJ, TJ and the Cherokee.
2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept Vehicle
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
was introduced. While not actually intended to be for sale, it was used as a demonstration "that a Jeep pickup was in the dark recesses of DaimlerChrysler's brain trust.
The Gladiator concept features an open-air canvas
Canvas
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...
roof, fold-down windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
, removable doors, and has an expandable truck bed. The Gladiator has a 2.8-liter, 4-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
common-rail turbo diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
that provides 165 hp and 295 lb.ft of torque. The truck has a 6-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
. Ground clearance is 13.7 in (348 mm), with a break-over angle of 23.2 degrees and an approach angle of 47.6 and departure angle of 38.0 degrees. Front and rear tires are 34 in (864 mm) and are mounted on 18x8-inch wheels. The Jeep Gladiator has a 1,500-pound payload
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
.
However, a "midgate" made the concept Gladiator truck closer to an imitation of the Chevrolet Avalanche "than an attempt to revive the its namesake's glory."
2012 Jeep pickup truck
On September 16, 2010, a Jeep pickup truck concept, similar to the Gladiator concept of 2005, was shown to dealers and approved for production for model year 2012. The new pickup truck is, as-of-yet unnamed, but is speculated to re-use the Gladiator name. The truck is said to be based on the current Jeep WranglerJeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a subcompact four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle and an off-road vehicle manufactured by American automaker Chrysler, under its Jeep marque – and now in its fourth generation. It is a successor to the famous World War II 'Jeep' vehicle by way of the Willys civilian...
Unlimited, and will come in single-cab configuration.