Each year, Jeep rolls about a variety of project SUVs showcasing the latest Mopar parts and accessories for the Easter Jeep Safari. These are trail-ready machines built by professional engineers with a deep parts bin at their disposal, and the results are always enough to make enthusiasts grin like children in a toy store.
Among the many such vehicles this year is the JK-8 Independence, a pickup truck derived from a Wrangler Unlimited that owners can build themselves.
Some off-roaders have long craved a modern remake of the Jeep Scrambler CJ-8 from the 1980s, essentially a CJ with a small cargo bed. It looked cool and was prime for adventure, but the limited carrying and towing capacities made it a poor substitute for a traditional pickup truck. Jeep has played with the idea in recent years of bringing something like this back, producing concept vehicles for auto shows and even offering a version for foreign militaries, known as the J8.
For American civilian consumers, the closest Jeep is coming to offering a production pickup is a kit to convert a current-generation, four-door Wrangler. Jeep says a handy owner could do the conversion in a busy weekend; there also will be professional shops that can also do the work.
The upcoming kit includes bed floor, inner/outer body panels, half hard top (works with Freedom Top panels), and a new bulkhead. The bed measures 50 inches, with 44 inches between the wheel arches. Inside, a converted Wrangler is a two seater, with slim behind-the-seat storage.
The bright-yellow truck is outfitted with a Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and stock Dana 44 rear axle, both featuring 4.88 gears. Linking the axles to the frame is a 4.5-inch long-arm suspension kit, and 37-inch tires are at each corner.
This offering should satisfy the most hardcore enthusiasts, but it certainly isn’t turnkey for casual consumers. It will likely be expensive, especially given the cost for the donor vehicle that will be heavily stripped down. But, credit goes to Jeep for finding a way to make it possible. One thing is for sure: I’ll never look at the “Build my own” button on the Jeep website in quite the same way.
Jeep has explored creating a new pickup truck with several concept and project trucks in recent years, including the Gladiator show truck and the recent JK-8 Independence shown at the recent Easter Jeep Safari. Due to keen interest from enthusiasts, Jeep now offers a do-it-yourself conversion kit, available for $5,499.
The transformation is extensive, with a bed floor, inner/outer body panels, removable fiberglass hardtop with a sliding rear window, and a new bulkhead. The bed measures 50 inches, with 44 inches between the wheel arches. Inside, a converted Wrangler is a two seater, with slim behind-the-seat storage. Jeep says a handy owner could do the conversion in a busy weekend; professional shops or dealerships can also perform the work.
The real cost for a Wrangler pickup truck is significant, with the Wrangler Unlimited starting at about $26,000 and easily climbing to near $30,000 when popularly equipped. For a professionally installed kit on a new model, the total cost would easily be in the mid to upper $30s. But, it may be the only such Jeep in town or on your favorite trail.
As the prices of used Wrangler Unlimiteds come down , there may be more appeal in the future for creating a modern take on the classic Scrambler. For now, it remains a pricey novelty for well-heeled off roaders.
