Latest Addition '79 J10 Shorty?

[HighlandJ10]

This is my latest addition to my "collection" The old farmer down the road wanted to buy the frame off my clapped out '80 J10. After some discussion he offered to trade me straight across this truck for my ragged out beater I was about to cut up for scrap. The '79 has 51,000 miles on it and is in even better shape than my '78 with only 39,000 on it. The truck was some kids failed 4 wheeler project before the old man got it. Now I've got it. here's my question. I have this newest one, my '78 and my '84 for parts. Looking for opinions and ideas from people who actually know something about these trucks. because neither me or anybody I associate with knows a lot about them. What would you do if they were yours. Don't be shy. Tell me what my options or best plan of attack would be.

[HighlandJ10]

Barn Critter

Where it sat for 10 years.

[HighlandJ10]

Drivers side:

[HighlandJ10]

Passenger Side:

[HighlandJ10]

My '78. 258/T-18 Dana's front and rear. All lights and electrical work. Can you believe it!

[HighlandJ10]

This is what I traded for it!

[HighlandJ10]

Rearview of the tradebait. He also gave me a nearly nos set of 3/4 ton Jeep hubcaps (1 had some damage)

[HighlandJ10]

Enough of the picture show. Let me hear what you guys would do with all this stuff. I'd really like to know! And thanks in advance for any info.

[Gambler68]

Well..you need a new front valance..and bed swap. That looks nice!!

Umm..what exactly does that farmer GROW?! Great deal!

[JPSwapMohn]

51k and 39k? What do you folks up in MI do, buy trucks and let them sit and rust away or something? 8^) Dang, My 88 GW has 218k on the clock.


I guess it depends on the frames, etc. I like the set up in the 78, but I always liked the look of the short box best. What is the drivetrain in the 79? Is it a short box as well?

What is your intended use? I would go for a really clean shortbox with the 258/4speed. But, I don't do a lot of heavy or large haulin'. I would eventually end up doing the 4.0 ho head and efi mod to the 258, but then i have never been good at leaving stuff alone.

[HighlandJ10]

Well..you need a new front valance..and bed swap. That looks nice!!

Umm..what exactly does that farmer GROW?! Great deal!

LOL this old boy ain't hip to those "crops" The '78 is a longbed. Hard to tell from the pic. One look at the blue truck and I said yes and did it before he changed his mind. I had to let a PERFECT running 360 go with the tan truck, (sucked) but figured the 79 body was worth that. Besides the tan truck had a ragged out front axle, barely functioning transmission and is so rusty I wouldn't dare go over a bump with it at more than 5-10 miles per hour. Keep the ideas coming. I need all the help I can get. Nobody around here deals with these or knows anything about them really.

[HighlandJ10]

51k and 39k? What do you folks up in MI do, buy trucks and let them sit and rust away or something? 8^) Dang, My 88 GW has 218k on the clock.


I guess it depends on the frames, etc. I like the set up in the 78, but I always liked the look of the short box best. What is the drivetrain in the 79? Is it a short box as well?

What is your intended use? I would go for a really clean shortbox with the 258/4speed. But, I don't do a lot of heavy or large haulin'. I would eventually end up doing the 4.0 ho head and efi mod to the 258, but then i have never been good at leaving stuff alone.

The '79 is a 360 4bbl, short box supposedly built, cam headers, blah, blah, blah, but the old man could never get it running right and took the carb for his J20. My intended use was rock hauler, wood hauler, snow plow for my property. But I hate to use the '79 because I tend to overload my trucks (yeah I know)And this one is to nice to abuse. That was what the '78 was for. I bought the '78 because it was a 6 cylinder 4 spd. ($500 for that one and they snapped at it so fast I had to ask twice, should have offered $300,oh well) Frames are solid on both trucks and the 84 I have (also a long bed) I do like your idea of the 6/4spd short box. What all would be involved to make that swap? Anybody need parts? I might have a bunch of them very soon! Anyways thanks for the input so far. Keep em coming.

[TexTJ209]

51k and 39k? What do you folks up in MI do, buy trucks and let them sit and rust away or something? 8^) Dang, My 88 GW has 218k on the clock.

Farm trucks. You don't put many miles on a truck just driving feed out to your cattle, but the miles are a lot harder.

[HighlandJ10]

Farm trucks. You don't put many miles on a truck just driving feed out to your cattle, but the miles are a lot harder.

The 78 was an old mans truck he kept at his lake home up here, The 79 was never driven by the farmer....so no farm duty!

[Gambler68]

Slap a stake bed on it and USE it. Don't get caught in the trap of liking them too much edit: I see, the 78 you already had. Yeah the one you traded for needs help but it'll make a nice work truck with little work. If it never ran right every vac hose, wire, tube, and bolt needs to be checked. Fun stuff

78-79 is a crossover year for some items for the record.