1986 Jeep CJ10 Pickup Brute Gladiator FJ45 Scrambler CJ-10 pick up truck build

The illusive Jeep CJ-10 is one that even most die-hard Jeep enthusiasts have usually never heard of. It shares the doors with the Jeep Overlander (CJ-8 Scrambler with a full-steel hardtop… I’ve got one of those roofs, too). Both are in a category called the World Cab. Notice the upper corners of the door-glass frames are not rounded off like typical CJs we see here in the United States. Also, unlike a CJ-8 Scrambler, the CJ-10 has a stand-alone cab, and separate bed. These Jeeps were built in the U.S., but exclusively for export markets to compete with vehicles such as the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-45, and Land Rover Series pickups. The U.S. Military also commissioned AMC/Jeep to build a few CJ-10a Airport Tugs to tote aircraft around various bases throughout the world. They share the same World Cab with the pickup, but were built on an extremely short-wheelbase frame, 2-wheel-drive platform with a giant, heavy steel-plate weight placed directly behind the cab for traction on the tarmac. They are not very practical for anything other than their intended built-purpose, and only go about 25 miles per hour top speed (they’re more of a tractor than anything else). The CJ-10 pickups, however, were built on the full-size J-series Gladiator/Wagoneer frames, so in keeping with trying to build an authentic clone/replica of a CJ-10, here... I mounted this CJ-10a cab onto a J-series, 4-wheel-drive truck frame, had a custom bed fabricated by the fabulously talented Mr. Travis Forcier from Minnesota, and we built just what you see here. I personally don’t love the look of the factory grill or bed on the actual CJ-10 pickups, so I took a little bit of artist’s-liberty and changed a few details. I still wanted this to look as much like something that could’ve been a production, factory-built Jeep as possible, so we specked out the bed to have the same curvature as the rear tub of a CJ-5,7,8, and used an actual Jeep Wrangler grill & taillights. I went with the rectangular headlight version, because the CJ-10 has these rectangular lights in its fenders, and mixing/matching round with rectangular just didn’t look right to my eyes. I retained the original fender-bezels if a purist ever wants to put this thing back to stock, original… but found a 2nd set to modify and fill-in for what I felt was a cleaner look. Of course, an original, or round-headlight CJ grill could always be re-installed if you desire that look. BOTH sets are included with the vehicle. The way it’s set up now, a 1997-06 TJ grill could even be used (if you prefer round headlights, with a more modern look). Some people just despise the rectangular headlights in Jeeps, but this is a wild-animal (a unicorn, you might say). Any direction you go with it, it’s going to be unique and awesome. The paint-color I chose semi-closely approximates the 2018 Jeep color, Cosmos Blue.

The bed is completely hand-built from all brand-new thick-gauge steel. I etched, sanded & coated the inside of it with super-durable spray-in bedliner, as well as the entire cab-floor, for a true hose-out interior if you climb in with muddy boots or sink it in a swamp. I made a vinyl headliner for the roof which adds some degree of sound-proofing. The top comes off, as do the doors and the windshield folds forward for open-air driving if you like that sort of fun. The steering-linkage is all hooked up, and in working order, and both axles are fully attached with driveshafts running to the super heavy-duty divorced Twin-Stick 4x4 Transfer-Case. Practically any engine & transmission from any 2-wheel-drive vehicle could be dropped right into place, and mated to the drivetrain with a stubby driveshaft going to the transfer-case (I have the little driveshaft, and will include with the purchase of the vehicle). Currently it’s got heavy-duty Dana 60 & 70 axles with 5:87 ratio which is great for off-road or rock-crawling, but not for highway-cruising. The way it sits, a high-revving small-block V8 would be an ideal engine-choice… otherwise, my personal plan was to install a low-revving Cummins 4BT or 6AT diesel (both of which I have on hand) in it, and swap out the axles for some brand new 3:08 Blazer CUCV units that I picked up from a Military Surplus auction. I could certainly include those axles for an additional cost, but otherwise the vehicle comes exactly as you see it. The transfer case has a working hand-brake (parking-brake), but the rest of the brakes are not yet hooked up to the brake-pedal. There is a removable plate in the hump of the floorboard which could serve to either install a manual transmission, or delete for a column-shifted automatic (your choice).

Some years back, the aftermarket-company called “Brute” started building & selling a kit to turn Wranglers into pickups. I fell in love with their concept, but they were just so expensive, it was cost-prohibitive. Now, finally just this year Jeep came out with a Gladiator pickup (I believe the first one since the 1980s). I’ve got a super-rare factory turbo-diesel 1986 Comanche, as well, but people have been clamoring for Jeep to make a pickup truck once again for many years! Of course, a new Jeep pickup is still out of most folks’ price-range (including mine). Perhaps one day they’ll depreciate in value, and regular folks can afford one, but I predict that it’s gonna be a while... also, they're only available in 4-door crew-cab configuration, which not everybody needs.

In the mean time… if you want a build that you can finish YOUR way, I’ve really done the majority of the hard work here. This desirable truck is most of the way completed. All the body work is done, and it’s a roller with axles, driveshafts, and transfer-case already in place! It would not take much at all to put this rig on the road. The only thing I can possibly think of to apologize for is that the body-filler on the driver’s side of the bed surrounding the fuel-filler neck developed some cracks after I cut it in, and installed the spout-surround. I do have more paint to go with the vehicle, and that portion of the truck could certainly be re-done, and re-painted easily enough. Otherwise, everything has been done A#1 top quality with extreme attention-to-detail in every way. I built this truck with the idea that I was going to keep it for myself ‘til the day I die, but then life got busy, and things changed (I’ve accidentally got baby number 3 on the way now, so the family won’t fit in a single-cab pickup). I absolutely hate to see this thing go, but that’s where I’m at with life at this stage. My loss is your gain. I just hope to see this rig go to a real Jeep enthusiast who can truly appreciate it for what it is. I guarantee, you will have a lot of unintended conversations with strangers/admirers everywhere you go with it at gas-stations and such!

If you have any more questions, want more photos of the build as I progressed, or of any close-up areas specifically, feel free to message me through eBay. I’ve got a good, clean title, registered in my name for this truck, eBay rejected it's actual VIN# 3V0TA24XXFM001093, so I had to just put 00000000000000000. It says CJ-10 right on the title (not CJ-10a like the airport tractors). It was originally powered by a factory diesel engine, so it’s 50-state emissions exempt no matter what engine you put in it (even a big-block Gas V8), and reflects diesel right on the title. No diesel cars or pickups were regulated in 1986 in the U.S. for emissions. That leaves you a lot of freedom to finish it out however you like.

Thanks for looking, and if you have any further questions, please feel free to message me. By bidding on, or otherwise agreeing to purchase this vehicle, you acknowledge that it is being sold As Is with no warranty. If you intend on picking the truck up in person, I request cash for payment… otherwise if having it shipped, then a cashier’s check or bank wire-transfer is acceptable. Of course, funds need to be cleared by the bank before the vehicle will be available for pick-up/transport. I will release the title and vehicle upon confirmation of that transaction. I can provide photos of front/back sides of the title prior to payment if buyer wishes to see them, as well as photos of the matching VIN tags on the vehicle. I require a $500 deposit within 5 days of auctions end, and full payment within 10 days, whether it’s picked up yet or not. I can store for a reasonable amount of time if necessary, but please ask before bidding, and let me know what kind of timeframe you’re thinkin’. I try to be an easy-goin’ kind of guy, but must establish some sort of parameters. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.