1979 J10

[7350life]

Hi from Southern Colorado,

I recently purchased a 1979 J10 from a younger guy who got this Jeep out of a Woodland Park CO barn. Combing through the original paperwork, it started it's new life at a Loveland CO dealership in Nov 1978 with a 258. It eventually made it's way to Woodland Park, ended up with a stock 304 (more power (?) possibly due to the high elevation) and 2 1/2" suspension lift, and then sat in a barn from 2001 to the end of 2018. The PO got it running (basic tune-up plus battery and starter), added new 33" tires, replaced the clutch, and replaced brakes front and rear. Mechanically it's ok. It needs attention, which is why I bought it. I needed something to tinker with on my time off.



I've owned 30+ vehicles including muscle cars, 4x4s, imports, and motorcycles. This my third Jeep. I owned a 1988 XJ and a 1985 CJ7, but that was decades ago. It was time for a FSJ in my life.

[Wagoneer Taylor]

Welcome!

Awesome to see a truck come back to life, love the roll bar in the back.

Looks like a good truck to start with.

Sounds like you know what your doing with all the vehicles you've had, but if you have questions there is a wealth of knowledge here that cant be beat!

[SOLSAKS]

welcome to the forum

you got a nice one there !!!

dave in NC

[7350life]

Thanks, gents. I'm very glad to be here.

[rang-a-stang]

Yyyeessss.... Another 79 and another pignose grill!!! Welcome to the group! Glad you're here. 304 is a good motor, don't just get rid of it. Drive it/enjoy it/fix what bugs you.

[7350life]

Yyyeessss.... Another 79 and another pignose grill!!!

Thanks! I'm enjoying the truck, but I struggle with keeping the stock grill. It was one thing for Jeep to ditch the round headlights for rectangles, it's another to move from away from vertical slot grills to horizontal. To me, Jeep abandoned their history and established design language. Sure, the egg crate and cheese grater grills combine both vertical and horizontal elements, but at least the vertical portions are there. Maybe it's the protruding snout of the pignose that bothers me more.

As a compromise, to keep the rectangle headlights, I though about swapping out the pignose to a muscle grill. In my eyes I would be correcting a wrong. It would also add the option to use the additional round cutouts that are blocked by the pignose grill for lights or something else.

In the end, the grill doesn't make the truck run better so it's low on the list of priorities.

[DarkMonohue]

Welcome! Always good to see another pick-em-up around here. Looks like a pretty solid start.

As a compromise, to keep the rectangle headlights, I though about swapping out the pignose to a muscle grill.

Good call. I have toyed with the idea of backdating to a rhino or a razor, but I do love my muscle grille.

[rang-a-stang]

Muscle grill is my favorite on a WT but they are pretty expensive these days. I love the pignose, too because it was so short lived and (IMHO) the most unique.

[7350life]

You're right, I shouldn't betray the '79 heritage and keep it stock, pignose grill and all.

I'm fortunate that I have FNJeep nearby, a Jeep salvage yard. I have a number of parts that I acquired with this truck that I have no intention of using or needing like the passenger side chrome trim. I'm hoping to take all of the unneeded parts and swap (or get me most of the way) for a used muscle grill. I need to talk to them first to see if my plan is grounded in reality. I may be way off base, the muscle grill may be too expensive, and I keep the pignose.

[77_Honcho]

Welcome! Nice looking Jeep! Looking forward to see what you do with it!

[FleetFox]

Awesome truck! You have a brow, the pignose looks right on it in my opinion. The drapes should match the carpet! my suggestion would be to find a brush bar or a nice meaty front bumper to beef up the look.

2 cents. no more, maybe less by the time you read this...

Fleet Fox

[rang-a-stang]

HAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Fleet Fox, again, with a some deep wisdom!

In the end, it is your truck and you will find none of us will judge you for swapping grills. Do what you want! I will say, I had a 78 front end and the bracketry is different between pignose and Razor grills. I don't think it would be as easy as unscrewing one grill and screwing on another.

The thing that is cool about these rigs, 7350life, is when Jeep/AMC built them, they were a conglomeration of parts from all the Big 3 and others. for instance, my 79 came from the factory with a GM TH400 transmission, but in 1980 the same rig would have come with a Chrysler Torqueflight trans. Full size Jeeps in 1979 came with Ford Carbs and ignition, GM steering systems, etc. What this means is, nothing is holy. You want to put a Nissan Diesel engine in it? Do it. You want to put a GM 14 bolt in it? Do it. You want to put a Razor grill on it? Do it. You want to lower it, paint it bass boat green with giant metal flakes, and really blingin wheels? ummm.... that was already done. Please don't do that again but you can if you want to.

[7350life]

Thanks guys.

Rang-a-stang,

Good point on the hodge-podge of parts on this things. I knew about the Ford distributor and carb and I thought the GM steering components looked familiar.

I've got a few other things to iron out first before I even drive it too far, let alone concern myself with the grill.

FleetFox,

Despite what I said above about fixing other things first so I can drive this thing safely I have been occasionally looking for a used beefy front winch bumper and an old Warn winch. Someday.

This project is turning out exactly as I hoped, a nice distraction from the world we find ourselves in lately.

[FleetFox]

totally ! Take your time, and have fun. I'm 2.5 years in and probably have another year of work before I feel like i can say "done." Besides, take some time and let it grow on you, then you'll have a vision of what you want the final product to look like.

Fleet Fox

[autonoob]

I am so excited about how you will work on modifying this truck. Keep us posted with the upgrade.