We’ve given the Jeep Gladiator pickup some serious love here at CC (links below), but when we spotted this on a bike ride recently, sitting in front of one of the many new student apartment buildings that have sprouted here lately, I just had to shoot it and share it. It’s got some very vintage late 70s graphics; the only question is what exact vintage, as these trucks are pretty hard to pin down the exact year.
It’s all in the grille, meaning the little variations that Jeep made from time to time. I’ll leave it to someone here to tell us the exact year, but I’ll guess…1978?
The graphics have faded some, which only makes them more…compelling. But this is a very well preserved truck. And if it belongs to a student, he/she has a highly distinctive ride.
And that goes for the interior. The Laredo trim is pretty snazzy for one of these, but by the late 70s, sport trucks were all the rage, and Jeep was trying hard to keep the J10 relevant. Quadratrac full-time AWD explains the lack of any lever protruding from the floor. Power could have been anything from the 258 six all the way to the AMC 401 V8.
Hi Stephanie! She tries hard to stay out of my shots, but sometimes it just can’t be helped; or noticed until I look at my shots on a big monitor.
Here’s another look at that graphics applique. Good luck replacing that for a restoration.
Whoever it belongs to, they’ve got themselves a mighty cool ride. And one that will have a ticket on the windshield soon, given the two hour parking maximum and the chalk line on the rear wheel.
More Gladiator Love:
CC: 1965 Jeep Gladiator – Holy Toledo!