The seventies had a number of creative and innovative design trends in addition to Brougham half-vinyl tops and stand up grilles. One of the more colorful ones was the lavish use of vinyl appliques, especially striping in multi-hues on pickups and vans. They’re hard to come by anymore, but one just has to keep the eyes open and be ready for…10-4. I did not know this CB radio craze-inspired scheme existed, on a Jeep Gladiator no less. Did anyone else? For all I know, this is the last one in the world. Let’s step back and take in the whole picture:
There it is. And never mind that dirt tracker back there; we’ll take that in another time. But it has a surprising connection to the Gladiator.
Even though I just discovered the 10-4 side of this Gladiator the other day, it’s been there prominently on a popular walking route, but one we usually take from the other direction. Here’s why I missed it before:
This rare 10-4 has been in this lot for a long time, and the shady north side has sprouted a nice coat of lichens, obscuring that brilliant yellow number. I need to change my walking routines more often; God knows what else I’ve missed.
My favorite vinyl job was the “Heavy Half” on Chevy pickups. A nieghbor (who was not known for being especially thrifty, so this move suprized me) bought a solid physically but thrashed in mechanicals, paint, and interior, Heavy Half. He then proceeded to pull it into his detached 2 car garage that sat on the back of his lot and began an extensive resoration. Small block Chevy, TH350 automatic, recovered bench seat, fresh coat of paint, and new vinyl “stickers.” It became his commuter vehicle to his job as a truck driver between the factory and warehouse for a very well known national soup canner. This was a good 60 mile daily commute.
I was suprized because he was normally the kind of guy who finished payments on one vehicle so he could go get another one. Always had to a have new and “keep up with the Jones.”
Followin’ you again, Dan!
The ‘Heavy half’ was actually the GMC version of Chevy’s ‘Big 10’
Basically a half ton pickup built up with a heavier GVWR closer to a 3/4 ton rating.
Ford followed by introducing the F150 which at the time was an upgrade to the F100…..The F150 nameplate eventually displaced the F100 nameplate for good.
I’ve written about this on TTAC some time ago, but since this is such a well-preserved example of the J-10, here goes: A friend back in Missouri owns two of these – one he bought new in 1980 and has been necessarily extensively re-worked due to time and rust. It is now a flat bed and the windshield overhang is now streamlined due to rust and a healthy application of fiberglas. I fear for my life every time I visit him when we’re in town, for he drives like he did in high school. Earnest prayer gets me through! His other J-10 is a Honcho, acquired a few years ago with a healthy crop of weeds growing in the bed, or what’s left of the bed, along with the rest of the body. We got it running last summer after we fought off all the mud dobbers living in, under, around and within the truck! It moved under its own power for 35 feet until the brakes locked up, so we let it sit and took a ride in his 1961 PV544, which was also a life-challenging experience! I’m gettin’ too old for this stuff, but it’s still fun!
This is the truck variant of my favorite SUV – the wood-sided Jeep Grand Wagoneer. It’s amazing that this design was in production from model-year 1963 through 1991. The pickup lasted through 1985, I believe.
I delivered pizzas in college. The owner of the shop had a red Gladiator 4X4 with a plow for the parking lot. I rode in it one time and remember it as pretty basic. I miss the days when in addition to Ford Chevy GMC and Dodge, you could also get a legitimate pickup from Jeep or International.
Nice find!
I think one of my favorite truck variants is the Dodge “The Dude” trim.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/4781983000/
The SJ Gladiator ’10-4′ might seem silly today (hell, the package didn’t even include a CB radio; that cost extra) but this was the during the days of the 55mph national speed limit, CW McCall, and Smokey and the Bandit.
So, goofy or not, it was a sign of the times to be able to get a big, vinyl ’10-4′ slathered on the side of a new Jeep pickup (even if it was for just one year).
“Hey Red Baron! You gotcha ears on? Yeah, I copy. Just pulled into the Pickle park next to the choke and puke on route 4. You’ll want to back off the hammer coming over the ridge. Them smokies got a bear in the grass and an eye in the sky. Catch ya on the flip flop. 10-4. Over and out.”
6! What do I win?
I have a real soft spot for 70s truck graphics packages in their earthy burnt color tones, Jeep ever the most adventurous had the broadest expanse of them; Honcho, Golden Eagle, of course they’d have a 10-4 in the post-smokey and the bandit late 70s. So fun.
In a semi CC effect I picked up some fast food earlier and was in line behind a late model Chevy pickup with a roof mounted CB antenna whipping and dragging against the overhang. Sound of the late 70s I imagine.
I don’t remember this one at all so had to look at old brochures to see what the 10-4 package entailed. All of them were this color scheme and included Goodyear Tracker A-T outline white letter tires, white styled wheels w/red pinstripe, roll bar, rear step bumper, and two-tone orange/black stripes. Astonishingly, what it didn’t include was a CB radio. That despite two new integrated CB radios gracing the options list for the first time that year. The model returned for ’79 now with a passenger assist strap, but still no CB radio. The 10-4 package didn’t make it into the ’80s, although you could order a CB radio at least through 1982. I’m pleased to report you can still get replacement 10-4 decals.
Wow, that’s gobsmacking! Could you possibly upload a photo of the brochure page? I cannot imagine what the copywriters said… that has to be the audio/visual equivalent of a “sport appearance” package.
1978 brochure: http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Jeep/1978_Jeep/1978_Jeep_Full_Line_Brochure/dirindex.html
(pic on pg.23, description on pg. 26)
1979 brochure:
https://lov2xlr8.no/brochures/jeep/79jp/79jp.html
(click on pages entitled “Jeep Pickup” and “Options”
This is a bit of a niche thing, but: As a guy who became a radio geek in the ’70s I remember CBs becoming available on many vehicles.
Were the built-in ones any good? Any CCers have first-hand experience?
From 2015 to last fall, I owned an ’80 Cadillac with a factory CB. When I first got the car, the CB worked, at least to listen. I can’t say how it worked to talk, because I didn’t hear anyone I wanted to engage in the slightest amount of conversation with. There was a fair amount of chatter on a few channels on the PA Turnpike, but nothing when I got onto local roads, or in my neighborhood. At some point the CB seemed to stop working and I didn’t invest time in trying to diagnose it.
You just couldn’t make it up !,a special edition to celebrate the CB radio with out the CB radio.. But wait.. There was the passenger assist strap to look forward to.
One for Dennis Collins .
The styling on this truck is like a pair of Levi’s. No need to improve it.
You just couldn’t make it up !,a special edition to celebrate the CB radio with out the CB radio.. But wait.. There was the passenger assist strap to look forward to.
One for Dennis Collins .