Newbie needs some general Truck help: J-4000

[tooldawg99]

I am just learning about the Jeep pick-up trucks, and have always liked the Gladiator FSJ's with the dual headlights and Rhino grill. They seem to be hard to find, now that I am in the market to buy one! I have found a 1973 J4000, but the grill is not the same. Can someone point me to a source to learn about the makes/models/features of the full-size jeep trucks? I have tons of questions!

1. J10, J20, J2000, J4000? I assume these are 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc, but what do the number designations mean?

2. What years were the FSJ trucks made that had the Rhino grill with dual headlights? Most I found are 1960's, but on occasion, I see one much later.

3. I found a local Jeep, 1972 J4000 with 110K, but can I change the grill to a Rhino with dual headlights? Degree of difficulty?

Any other sources of info would be appreciated. I am going to try a post a few pics of the J4000: any tips to inspect, actual market value, etc. would also be appreciated...he is asking $4500, and seems to be in good shape.

[jaber]

First off, Welcome.

None of the Jeeps had a 4 light set up from the factory. The rhino grill had pie plates between the head lights and grill. The valance behind the grills are the same from '63 to '91, with the exception of different mounting tabs added for various styles of grills. That basically means with a little fabing it will swap.

[Tornado230]

The '73 has the closed-knuckle front end.
The J-4000 also has the hard-to-find 12" drums
First year of the double wall box.
It has to be very nice for that amount of money.

[jpcoutts]

Welcome. That's a nice looking truck. Price doesn't look so bad to me, just make sure there's no rust through hiding in the rockers, rear cab corners floorboards etc.

[tooldawg99]

Thanks for the replies so far:

If I am looking for a FSJ pick up, and really like the looks of the front end pictured below....

What should I be looking for? What years, and what model designations? I have seen J10, J20, and J4000...the numbers are greek to me. I am looking for a plain old 1/2 ton pickup that I can clean up and play with... suggestions?

I guess the J4000 I am looking at just means it has a double-wall bed? Any place I can find out what came with what models? I'd like to learn what the numbers mean, and find a good fun truck with the front end that looks like this:

[tooldawg99]

I think I see what you are calling pie plates...I always thot they were headlights! Do they serve any function? Do some ppl swap them out with working hi-beams, or are they just decorative?

I think some versions of the Rhino grill also are chromed?

Lastly, can someone post a pic or tell me the difference between boobies and razors?:o

[vintagetrks]

First off, Welcome.

None of the Jeeps had a 4 light set up from the factory. The rhino grill had pie plates between the head lights and grill. The valance behind the grills are the same from '63 to '91, with the exception of different mounting tabs added for various styles of grills. That basically means with a little fabing it will swap.
X2 thats a nice rig & welcome you can pull the exsisting grill and graft a rhino grill into that truck with some slight modifications. :thumbsup:

[vintagetrks]

I think I see what you are calling pie plates...I always thot they were headlights! Do they serve any function? Do some ppl swap them out with working hi-beams, or are they just decorative?

I think some versions of the Rhino grill also are chromed?

Lastly, can someone post a pic or tell me the difference between boobies and razors?:o

I have heard of some guys putting offroad lights in the pie plates. A Boobie grill has the turn signals in the grill and they are round and have little protrusions like nipples hense the Boobie designation. The razor grills are COOL they have verticle slices in the grill and almost looks like teeth.

Razor grill
http://jubileejeeps.org/09ouray.jpg

Boobie Grill
http://jubileejeeps.org/tech/facelift/facelift9.jpg

[newtojeeps]

the military version had blackout lights where the tin covers are I believe.
Someone step in and correct me if I'm wrong.

[jaber]

When you get one, there is a guy in the vendor section that sells a kit to put driving lights in place of the pie plates.

As far as the designations go, a J-10, J-200, and J-2000 are mostly 1/2 ton trucks. The J-20's, and other #'s are heavier duty setups. It usually means you have to look at the GVW to tell what it is.

I dont remember what years they changed to them, but the Hundred series was in the '60's, then they went to the Thousands and then they went to the tens. So the year of the truck is what determines the designation.

Hope this helps. I think theres more info on the first page of the forum.

[Chris P.]

'74 was the first year of the J10 and J20 designation.

[joe]

'74 was the first year of the J10 and J20 designation.
Just adding a bit to Chris' info.
The J10's are all 1/2 tons available in two wheelbase lengths. J-20's are all 3/4 tons, long WB only.
The earlier models J-200/300/2000/3000/4000 refer to whelbase lengths and any could be 1/2 or 3/4 tons depending on how they were ordered. The VIN will tell you what the GVWR is.

[Buick Boy]

I learned a lot before discovering this board (and learning more from the guys here) from the 'standard catalog of jeep- 1940-2003' from Krause publications. It breaks down changes in the entire line, year by year, (with a couple errors) very helpful.

J200 120" wheelbase (7 foot bed) 1963-65
J300 126" wheelbase (8 foot bed) same years

J2000 120" WB 1965-73 (7' bed)
J3000 126" WB 1965-70 (8' bed)
J4000 132" WB 1970-73 (8' bed) same as '69-'70 "Camper Truck" J3800

Look at the VIN # for a W, X, Y or Z, indicating 5,6,7,or 8,000 lb. GVW
W is a 1/2 Ton, X heavy-half, Y 3/4 ton and Z one ton truck.

Yes, through '70 or so you could get a 3/4 ton J2000, for instance, so look at the VIN plate on the driver's side A pillar when you open the door.

mid '68 through early '71 model years used a Buick 350 if equipped with a V8 (The ones I'm interested in :D)

Also, the Rhino grille you like appeared on J trucks 63 through mid 70 model years, and Waggys 63-65.

'72 and earlier with single wall box have the round taillights, and a smaller tailgate opening, I'm told....

[Carleysjeep]

I am just learning about the Jeep pick-up trucks, and have always liked the Gladiator FSJ's with the dual headlights and Rhino grill. They seem to be hard to find, now that I am in the market to buy one! I have found a 1973 J4000, but the grill is not the same. Can someone point me to a source to learn about the makes/models/features of the full-size jeep trucks? I have tons of questions!


I would not make finding a truck with the correct grill my first priority. The grills are easy to swap. I would find the best truck you can for the money, no rusted body, mechanical condition and so forth. After you get a solid truck if is muck easier to change the grill than to do body work or fix mechanicals. just my .02

[Buick Boy]

I agree with Dan (Lotta Dans on here..) The truck you looked at seems clean, but for $4500 it should be near perfect in my opinion, as these trucks just don't demand the coin of for instance, a '67-'72 chebbie 4x4 for whatever reason... crawl under the cab and look at the floors real closely, like Jim C. suggested earlier. Its hard to find one that hasn't been leaking for a while. Suspect heavy undercoating hiding shodddy repairs. If it rusted, the price just went down....

[joe]

The J-4000 also has the hard-to-find 12" drums
.
Frank I think only the J4600 and 4700's w/d-60-2 rear. The J4500's w/D44 still use the 11" drums.

[Elliott]

Hey, where's Bill on this... he'da told you that the truck also has a limited production large hub for the front axle. Something like '69-'73 IIRC. The larger hub... may or may not mean a different spindle was also used. Whether or not that all depends on the specific GVWR or was across the range I can't tell you. That truck is also the first year of the double wall bed, long/skinny taillights and latch type tailgate. It's gonna have post mount springs under it front and rear. It was the last year of the front post mount springs, the rears didn't change until '76. The only place making lift springs will be custom shops like Alcan or Hell Creek makes both 4 & 6" lift springs for it. The power steering box mounts to the frame via a heavy frame bracket that is removable, any of the later pumps will mount to the same bracket but the bracket was eliminated in ~'76 when they angled that frame corner to match the Saginaw box. :thumbsup: