1970 J2000 Grill

[NewHorizon]

Hello everyone. I am new here and I think this is my first post. I am looking at a 1970 J2000 truck to buy.

Let me preface this by saying that I have had CJs all my life and just recently took a hankering to get a J truck. I do not know very much about them and am looking to learn!

In my research on this model J truck I have seen the smaller square type grill (Gladiator Style) in some pictures and the long style in some.

Did they use both grill types that year? Some have said that the earlier year production put out a few with the older style square grill but only a handful then changed to the longer type.

Any thoughts on this anyone?

[tgreese]

Grilles: http://jubileejeeps.org/faqs/fsjgrillesrevisedflint.jpg

A 1970 J-truck should have the "razor" grille.

Swapping grilles is easy in most cases.

[NewHorizon]

I saw that Jubilee site before. Like I said, most of the material I saw showed the razor grill but a select few showed the rhino grill.

I have talked to one other guy who has a '70 model and his has the rhino.

From what I can gather there was a handful that were produced first for that year that had the rhino then full production changed over to the razor.

My personal preference is for the razor type grills in most cases. I have seen a few that were lifted a litle bit (maybe 3 or 4 inches) that looked good with the rhino. I don't know what the lift has to do with it but they did look better.

Thanks for your reply tgreese. It is good to talk with you.

[joe]

1970 model year was when the previous small rhino grille was dropped and the trucks got the wide razor grilles. So far as I know all 70 trucks got the razor grille. Production of new models generally starts in July/Aug so they're at the dealers in Aug/Sep but back in the days before the model year was included in the VIN cars were registered according to date sold. So it's not unlikely you'll see a 69 truck w/small grille that wasn't sold till after 31 Dec 69 registered as a 70 or a 70 model with a wide grille sold prior to 01 Jan 70 registered as a 69. AMC didn't included a model year in the VIN till 72

[NewHorizon]

Thanks for your reply Joe. By golly, I think that may be the best explanation I have heard for this dillema!

I will bet that is what happened. That would also explain why there is a mere handful out there like this.

[mud89]

Originally Posted by NewHorizon

Thanks for your reply Joe. By golly, I think that may be the best explanation I have heard for this dillema!

X2

You can ask the other guy for the serial number or for the production month if the sticker is there
IIRC i have the serial numbers for the '70 trucks with a 6cyl
Maybe another member got the serial numbers for the '70 V8 models

[Tornado230]

Here is a scan from the color selection guide, dated 4/70

[Tornado230]

However, here is a scan of the dealer literature dated 12/69.
Obviously the changeover was made between December 1969 and April 1970.
Seems like if it has the "Gladiator" grille, it will have side reflectors. If it has the "Gladiator" grille with side marker lights, something has been changed.

[mud89]

I have another brochure from 12/69 where the razor grille for the gladiator is already there
Good point for the side reflectors, i think also that they were removed wih the rhino grille

[mud89]

I found on my computer some pics of a gladiator with an "october 1969" production date on the yellow VIN sticker (VIN 3406X19 303581), so i think it's a '70, which got the side reflectors on the front fenders.
So it seems that some early '70 gladiator got the side reflectors ? Can't say for the grille, since there is no pic of the front for this rig, but maybe some early '70 got also a Rhino
Jeep history is not simple
Maybe some lucky owners of 70 gladiators know more

[fulsizjeep]

Jeep often reused pictures from year to year in the brochures. I imagine them sending just about any mix of parts on hand down the assembly line.

[trickc]

You go ahead and buy that rhino grilled truck and I'll trade you everything you need to swap a razor grill in there.

[Tornado230]

Our Commando has a date of manufacture of November, 1969, and is as pictured--side reflectors. It is titled 1970.
In 1970 my father bought one new that had the side marker lights.
I don't remember the date of manufacture on that one.

[mud89]

Originally Posted by mud89

I found on my computer some pics of a gladiator with an "october 1969" production date on the yellow VIN sticker (VIN 3406X19 303581), so i think it's a '70, which got the side reflectors on the front fenders.
So it seems that some early '70 gladiator got the side reflectors ? Can't say for the grille, since there is no pic of the front for this rig, but maybe some early '70 got also a Rhino

The major event of '70 model year for the gladiators was the replacement of the J3000s by the J4000s, not at the beginning of the model year but later around the end of the 1969 calendar year (IIRCdealers were informed of the replacement in january 70)
I wonder if the grille change is actually correlated with this model replacement?
Do some members have a J3000 stock with a razor grille ?

[mud89]

I found a "parts and accessories bulletin" from the beginning of february 1970 about the parts for the grille change : the J3000 is not mentioned, so it seems to validate my guess
It seems also Tornado230 that you were right for the date estimation