Jeep concept pickups.....?

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 8:43 pm

This subject was touched on in a thread running over at the KJcountry discussion forum concerning Jeep's introduction in 2005 of the Gladiator pickup. For whatever reasons that confound me, Chrysler decided to not build or market this awesome looking vehicle.
I did a little digging on the internet to find out as much as I could about this Jeep concept pickup, and there's some information out there, but what intrigued me even more is the fact that since ending production of the Comanche, this isn't the only concept pickup that was entertained by the folks at Jeep / Chrysler.....

There was also a more basic design truck called the TJ, a more simple, rugged no frills pickup with Dana 44's front & rear, decent size tires on basic steel rims, but unlike the Gladiator it doesn't appear to accommodate a spare tire mount anywhere's as the photo's I saw showed it being carried in the truck's bed.

The Gladiator.....

The TJ.....

I'd like to hear what some of you guys think of these two vehicles, and your thoughts as to why Chrysler won't commit to building either one for the U.S. Market.....

Coliniksi · **Joined:** Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:49 am **Posts:** 242

I would take the TJ deffinetly :mrgreen:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:05 pm

The 2nd one,the J8, is in production and you can get one here in the US,though not through the dealership.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/J8/

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:37 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

The 2nd one,the J8, is in production and you can get one here in the US,though not through the dealership.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/J8/

The information I read indicated the "TJ" as an actual Chrysler / Jeep concept vehicle designed for the American market, it could very well be based on the J8 military vehicle being built in Egypt, but there was no mention of any after market company customizing a J8 into a pickup truck in the article I saw.

And, AEV shows a 4 door (Unlimited style) vehicle and not a fully enclosed cab pickup in any of their posted images, however I didn't surf their site very deeply so it might be in there some where's.....

Either way, thanks for the link, it brings up even more potential possibilities for us Jeep fans to drool over.....

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 11:45 pm

SurfGuitar141 wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

The 2nd one,the J8, is in production and you can get one here in the US,though not through the dealership.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/J8/

The information I read indicated the "TJ" as an actual Chrysler / Jeep concept vehicle designed for the American market, it could very well be based on the J8 military vehicle being built in Egypt, but there was no mention of any after market company customizing a J8 into a pickup truck in the article I saw.

And, AEV shows a 4 door (Unlimited style) vehicle and not a fully enclosed cab pickup in any of their posted images, however I didn't surf their site very deeply so it might be in there some where's.....

Either way, thanks for the link, it brings up even more potential possibilities for us Jeep fans to drool over.....

AEV is the only place in the US you can get a J8,they have to change some things to make them legal for the US,so yes they do look a bit different then the J8 prototype pics.Better have deep pockets,last I heard a J8 with no drivetrain(engine/trans) was about $55,000.

501 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 12:04 am

I'm not really a pickup fan but for some reason I really like The Gladiator.

VoodooMann · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 5:40 am

I think the spare tire mount looks stupid/poorly placed

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:07 pm

VoodooMann wrote:

I think the spare tire mount looks stupid/poorly placed

if you're referring to the Gladiator, that's a retro thing as Jeep pickups from the distant past had their spare tires mounted that way. It's all personal preference, I like it myself....

tjkj2002....
What I'm saying is.....the article I saw on the internet stated that the TJ was one of a few concept vehicles that Chrysler / Jeep was considering for the American market, it did not indicate that it was a J8, or had anything to do with the J8, but an American built pickup....(that obviously shares many of the J8's looks and features)

When I was 20 years old I would of gone for the TJ, but now that I'm closing in on 53 the Gladiator would be more my style..... :wink:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:38 pm

SurfGuitar141 wrote:

tjkj2002....
What I'm saying is.....the article I saw on the internet stated that the TJ was one of a few concept vehicles that Chrysler / Jeep was considering for the American market, it did not indicate that it was a J8, or had anything to do with the J8, but an American built pickup....(that obviously shares many of the J8's looks and features)

When I was 20 years old I would of gone for the TJ, but now that I'm closing in on 53 the Gladiator would be more my style..... :wink:

Side by side pic,they are the same.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:14 pm

SurfGuitar141 wrote:

VoodooMann wrote:

I think the spare tire mount looks stupid/poorly placed

if you're referring to the Gladiator, that's a retro thing as Jeep pickups from the distant past had their spare tires mounted that way. It's all personal preference, I like it myself....

tjkj2002....
What I'm saying is.....the article I saw on the internet stated that the TJ was one of a few concept vehicles that Chrysler / Jeep was considering for the American market, it did not indicate that it was a J8, or had anything to do with the J8, but an American built pickup....(that obviously shares many of the J8's looks and features)

When I was 20 years old I would of gone for the TJ, but now that I'm closing in on 53 the Gladiator would be more my style..... :wink:

FYI the 1997-2006 Wranglers are the TJ's. The 2007+ wranglers are the JKs. The 2002-2007 Liberty is the KJ.

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:15 am

Sir Sam wrote:

SurfGuitar141 wrote:

VoodooMann wrote:

I think the spare tire mount looks stupid/poorly placed

if you're referring to the Gladiator, that's a retro thing as Jeep pickups from the distant past had their spare tires mounted that way. It's all personal preference, I like it myself....

tjkj2002....
What I'm saying is.....the article I saw on the internet stated that the TJ was one of a few concept vehicles that Chrysler / Jeep was considering for the American market, it did not indicate that it was a J8, or had anything to do with the J8, but an American built pickup....(that obviously shares many of the J8's looks and features)

When I was 20 years old I would of gone for the TJ, but now that I'm closing in on 53 the Gladiator would be more my style..... :wink:

FYI the 1997-2006 Wranglers are the TJ's. The 2007+ wranglers are the JKs. The 2002-2007 Liberty is the KJ.

and you are correct Sir Sam, I do not know the actual date the pickup they referred to as the "TJ" was introduced, or why they called it the "TJ", the Gladiator was introduced at a 2005 car show, so it's been laying around for going on 5 years, the information I found on the other pickup....(that does look very much like the J8).....was sparse lacking any date of introduction, or possible production. What it did indicate though, was that Jeep / Chrysler scrapped both, in part out of fear it would dilute Dodge Dakota sales, and production costs.

It could very well be that TjKj is right, and that "TJ" is actually the J8 in pickup configuration, the similarities are too obvious for it not to be the same vehicle......

There's also the real possibility that the internet article I saw is not 100% accurate.......

With that said, I do believe there's a profitable market for Chrysler to put at least the Gladiator out....with a diesel & manual tranny...... :wink:

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:57 pm

The Italians aren't going to mass produce those and if they did, it would probably be an IFS mini-pick-up build on a PT Cruiser platform with bad window regulators.

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:29 pm

JL Rockies wrote:

The Italians aren't going to mass produce those and if they did, it would probably be an IFS mini-pick-up build on a PT Cruiser platform with bad window regulators.

The Italians don't quite understand the relationship we Americans have with Jeep, but they know we love our inefficient, hard riding off road vehicles, and they also know they should leave them well enough alone, at least for the foreseeable future....(especially when it comes to the Wrangler).....

If they are smart they will....(and this is obviously my personal opinion)....

Leave the Wrangler alone, beyond changing federal requirements, minor improvements, or adding the option of a diesel, leave it the way it is.

The Commander, Liberty, and Patriot all look the same, except for over all size, they look the same. As long as the market supports the Commander and Patriot, keep on building them, but the Liberty should be changed back to the 2002 to 2007 design, I just can't grasp the boxy look of them now.

The Commander and Liberty should both be offered in a Rubicon model, lifted, bigger A/T tires, full skids, rock rails, manual transmission, manual shift T-case, heavier axles, and lockers, plus the option of a diesel, and manual transmission for all models.

Build the Gladiator, God knows they'd sell the hell out of them in the first few years of production, and if the demand for them dies off down the road, do what Jeep has done to so many other great models....discontinue it....

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:37 pm

Oh and by the way the above is actually called the "JT",not the TJ. :google:

JT as in "Jeep Truck".

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 5:13 pm

Reading down through this and I keep thinking it's a JT NOT a TJ!!! :banghead:

But Troy beat me to it I see.

Also rumor has it that they are thinking about building them here in Toledo on the JK line and possibly doing away with assembling them in Egypt.

The JT would sell a whole lot better than the Gladiator,
plus way easier to build, they have everything going down the line right now.
The Gladiator was a one off built on a Dodge chassis etc and all custom. Lots of start up cost to build it. None to build the JT

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:34 pm

Please excuse my dyslexia.....or is it CRS I suffer from.....you're right Troy it is JT.... :oops:

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:44 pm

OK guys, I hit :google:

again and came up with some different information. An article from Offroaders.com about the "JT"........

Quote:

Jeep JT Wrangler Concept Truck, Reality?
Jeep JT

Could this be the one? Will Jeep finally start production of a much anticipated Jeep Pickup Truck? The Jeep JT may be closer to a relativity than any of the previous prototypes that Jeep fans have been drooling over. When Chrysler revealed the Jeep Gladiator at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show great applause resonated across the Jeep community as folks wondered if the Jeep Gladiator would be the return of a functional Jeep work-horse that could haul manure during the week and kick offroad butt over the weekend. But with Chryslers limited resources and the Gladiator very unique design, the Jeep Gladiator seemed destine for the archived pages of Jeep concept vehicles and nothing more. On the other hand, the Jeep JT is so close to the current breed of Wrangler Unlimited that is now in production that it seems to be a no brainer that Jeep could and should highly consider this for mass production.

The Jeep JT, a one-off Wrangler built by Jeep's legendary Skunk Werks team, is bases off of the model J8 Egyptian military that Jeep builds for the Egyptian government using many of the parts including the bed. Additionally the JT is based off of the JK body and is essentially a four door Unlimited with the 116-inch wheelbase and the rear doors and rear foot well removed. Just about every part used to build the JT is currently in the Jeep parts inventory.

According to Mark Allen, Jeep senior manager of the Product Design office, the JT was created from a chopped-up, two-door hardtop JK model with the addition of the steel bulkhead to divide the passenger compartment from the cargo area (from a Dakota pickup box). The JT is fitted with a five-foot truck bed cargo box measuring 47 inches wide by 61 inches long and sports a side opening tailgate as well as a removable top. The JT's pickup cab compartment retains the factory JK sport bar and the chassis uses the coil spring rear suspension of the civilian model JK (the military J8 has uses a Dana 60 and leaf spring suspension).

The JT truck prototype used the following:

* Stock 3.8L V-6
* Four-speed automatic transmission
* NV2414:1 Rock-Trac transfer case
* Front and rear Dana Model 44 axles with Tru-Lok electronic lockers
* BFGoodrich 35x12.50R-17 Mud Terrain T/A tires mounted on Custom 17x8-inch steel wheels from Stockton Wheel (the JT was lifted to accommodate 35-inch MT tires)
* American Expedition Vehicles new Heat Reduction hood
* Ramsey 9500 UT winch
* American Expedition Vehicles JK front winch mount
* Mopar rear bumper
* Paint color called Hearing Aid Beige (...really?)
* Aftermarket Hood
* Some in-cab components are from AEV (American Expedition Vehicles

The Jeep JT is the second Jeep truck concept in two years - with the first being the Jeep Gladiator seen at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, which was so custom that it would be a major undertaking to mass produce. On the JT side of the coin, the concept is so do-able that it seems Jeep may be planning to do something with this concept. According to Mark Allen, the JT is so feasible because it is basically the Egyptian military version (J8) with a different top. The Jeep JT Prototype appeared at Moab this year and the word is that the JT will be making its first formal appearance at this year's SEMA show in late October. If you have an interest in the JT, show Chrysler some feedback It's possible that if enough interest is shown in the JT, it will become reality.

Sources and Credits:
Jeep, DaimlerChrysler Company LLC
Mark Allen, Jeep senior manager of the Product Design office
JP Magazine
Aaron Gold, About.com Car Guide Reporter
Steve Siler, Car and Driver

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:04 am

Nothing really new in the article.
Just remember I toured the Jeep plant a little while back and heard things......
all I can say. :wink:

SurfGuitar141 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:00 pm

tommudd wrote:

Nothing really new in the article.
Just remember I toured the Jeep plant a little while back and heard things......
all I can say. :wink:

Well Tom, I won't be ready to replace the KJ Renny for another couple years, so by the time I'am ready this JT will have been out and all the bugs worked out.....one can only hope and dream....right....?

and if it does happen, I hope the after market comes up with a better idea for carrying that spare tire...... :wink:

Jeep concept pickups.....?

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