If you’re in the market for a mid-sized pickup in 2019, you’re spoiled for choice. The Ford Ranger recently joined the fray, taking the fight to the Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado. Later this year, Jeep will hop in the ring with the hotly anticipated Gladiator. But, if you’ve been chomping at the bit for the new Jeep pickup and can’t stand to wait any longer, this 1984 Jeep J10 Pickup should hold you over.
Not only are mid-sized pickups coming back into fashion, but brands are putting energy into trims that focus less on work-truck aesthetics and performance and cater more toward off-road and adventure lifestyles. Back in ’84, however, the J10 pickup was already one hell of a workhorse – and the perfect canvas to make an open-bed overlander.
Even in stock trim, the J10 was a capable machine. But this modified example comes with custom bumpers with recovery points, an LED lightbar, roll bar and a suspension lift to provide room for massive 33-inch mud tires. The interior is also refurbished and comes with a modern Pioneer stereo.
One thing to keep in mind is that the five-digit odometer reads 91,000 miles, and it’s easy to assume this truck rolled past 99,999 at least once. The extensive list of replaced parts — distributor, spark plugs, and ignition wires, battery, and starter, valve covers and gaskets, belts and hoses, air cleaner, fuel and oil filters, brake master cylinder and steering box — seems to back up that assessment, too.
Even considering its list of new parts and unknown mileage, this J10 looks well taken care of from the photos. Sure, it’s a little dirty, and there’s some surface rust here and there, but the body is in fantastic condition, especially for an off-roader. If you need to scratch that Jeep pickup itch before the 2019 Gladiator lands this spring, this J10 will undoubtedly do the trick.