The History of Jeep Pickups
If you ask someone to lose their eyes and picture a Jeep, chances are the image that comes to mind is a rugged, boxy SUV, drawing from iconic vehicles like the Wrangler and the Cherokee. Some may remember, however, that before the modern SUV defined the brand, Jeep was also known for a line of capable pickups. Introduced in the early 60s, Jeep pickups were produced for about 30 years, and are still celebrated by Jeep enthusiasts.
Jeep introduced its first pickup-style truck in 1962, around the same time that their parent company, Willy’s Overland Motors, changed its name to the Kaiser Jeep Corporation. The original Jeep truck was called the Gladiator, and was built on the frame of the Jeep Wagoneer, a rugged and capable station wagon. The Wagoneer’s frame gave the Gladiator an innovative silhouette, with a low roof line despite its impressive ground clearance. This made the Gladiator an incredibly maneuverable vehicle, and more road and town friendly than many of its competitors.
In addition to the Gladiator’s unique body style, the original Jeep pickup stood out in the market because of its transmission. In an innovative move, Jeep offered the Gladiator with an automatic transmission, making it the first automatic four-wheel-drive tuck on the market. Four-speed manual and two-wheel-drive models were also produced, but the 4WD automatic was by far the most popular version of the truck, and revolutionized the pickup segment by making the power and utility of a pickup accessible and simple for all drivers.
While the modern Jeep is primarily a commuter SUV or an off-road recreational vehicle, the Gladiator pickup was ready to get to work. In addition to a more refined, street-friendly Townside model, the original Gladiator was offered in several variations of the work-ready Thriftside model. The Thriftside was a heavier-duty version of the Townside, able to take on more cargo and better navigate troublesome terrain. Single and dual-rear wheel models offered increasing levels of maneuverability and stability, and a Stake model replaced the regular truck bed with a fenced-in cargo bed perfect for farmers and ranchers. In addition to these hardworking pickup options, Jeep manufactured a Panel Delivery model on the Gladiator platform, with solid sides closing in the bed.
In 1970, the Kaiser Jeep Corporation was bought by AMC, and so ended the reign of the Gladiator. Jeep pickups continued to be manufactured, but were renamed the J-Series, and distinguished much in the way of modern pickups such as the Ford F-Series and Ram 1500, 2500 and so on. Full-size Jeep truck production continued until 1988, when ownership of the brand transferred to Chrysler and the Gladiator-style pickup was discontinued to avoid competition with Chrysler’s other line up pickups produced by Dodge. A smaller, more recreational Jeep pickup called the Comanche continued to be produced by Chrysler until 1992.
Today, many Jeep enthusiasts wonder if a Jeep pickup will ever return to the market. Rumors circulate throughout the Jeep community, particularly since the dawn of the internet and online forums. In the years since the Comanche was discontinued, Jeep has released multiple pickup and truck concepts, although mainly as marketing strategies and a way to gauge public interest (one of these concepts was a reimagining of the original Gladiator in 2005). However, just as it seemed that the Jeep truck might be fading into memory, Fiat Chrysler’s CEO announced the revival of the model with an all-new Wrangler-based pickup. Originally set to be released in 2017, the new Jeep pickup has been pushed back to 2019 to utilize the highly-anticipated Wrangler redesign (set to be released to the public in early 2018). With little additional information presented by the manufacturer, the rumor mill surrounding the return of the Jeep pickup is churning more than ever, and excitement for the new model is building as the release date approaches.