J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

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Philip Parker
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:11 pm

J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by Philip Parker »

Hey ya'll - this is my first post here. I recently bought a 1970 (titled as such) J3000 3/4 ton (PO said it was a 1 ton) J3000 with an 8000 pound GVWR tag in door jamb. Through a little bit of research it seems like this was the "camper truck" sold by Kaiser Jeep right before AMC bought the company. Does this sound right or is the truck actually a 69? Did AMC just rebrand this truck a J4000 when they bought it? Truck is a 132" wheel base.

It's also got a number (26) hand written on the firewall that looks like it been there for quite some time. Curious if that is some sort of indicator from the factory.
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Kaiserman
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by Kaiserman »

Sounds like you've got your self a J3800 Camper Truck. It's its own model seperate from the Gladiator and Wagoneer, though it is still a Gladiator.

In late 70/71 AMC dropped the J3000 model and the 126" wheel base, and added the J4000 which was built on the Camper Trucks 132" wheel base. The Camper Truck then became the J4800.

I say that the 8,000ln GVW truck is Jeep's 1-ton. Jeep never rated their trucks like that, but if you figure the 5,000lb GVW is a 1/2 ton, the 6,000lb GVW is a HD 1/2 ton, the 7,000lb GVW is a 3/4 ton then is stands to reason that the 8,000lb GVW is a 1 ton.
1971 J2500 Gladiator Custom-Cab Platform Stake on 126" wb. B350/T18A/D20 D60/D60-3 w/locker 4.10's Ramsey 8klb PTO winch, Day-brook dump. 225/95R16's
1969 J3800 Gladiator 3407Z Camper Truck. B350/T18A/D20 D44/D60-3 w/4.10's
1968 Wagoneer Custom 327/TH400 Mostly Stock
1987 Cherokee Laredo 2-Door 4.0L/AW4 4" lift OEM swing out tire carrier and brushguard

Fast Eddie
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by Fast Eddie »

I bought a 1970 Jeep Gladiator J4000 Camper Truck about ten years ago. It was still badged as a Kaiser Jeep on the tag. It was a BEAST and it only came this way, 132" wheel base, Buick 350 engine, and T18A trans, D20. 4.10 gears. I got it running and collected parts, but never really got to drive it much. I sold it, along with spare 350 motor to a guy in Indiana who restored it! The thing that impressed me was the multi-leaf springs and all has grease fittings on the pivots. Not fast, but BOY could that truck would pull!!! Enjoy your truck, they are very cool!!!
1979 J20, 360 w/NV4500/D300 Twin Stick/3.73 SOLD
1978 Cherokee Chief W/T Levi interior, 360 Q/T. SCRAPPED
1970 Gladiator J4800 Camper Special, Buick 350, 4spd. SOLD
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mud89
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by mud89 »

It's a J3800 camper truck, "3407Z" in the VIN.
It was introduced by Kaiser Jeep in march 1969 and was the first Gladiator with a 132'' wheelbase instead of 126'', so before the J4000s introduction in January 1970. The camper truck got all the heavy duty options.
The J3800 camper truck became the J4800 camper truck in january 1970, same model name in the VIN : "3407Z"
If your truck don't have the black and yellow sticker with the production date and VIN on the driver door pillar, it means that your truck was built before august 1969 and is actually a '69. The sticker could also be lost..
J10 81, J10 77, CJ7 80, Gladiator 64, Wagoneer 65, ZJ 5.9
parts vehicles : wagoneer 63, cherokee Golden eagle
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fulsizjeep
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by fulsizjeep »

Welcome to the madness. The badging and features on 70-73 Jeep trucks were very confusing to many. I doubt Jeep ever thought 8000 GVW was classified as a 1 ton. Later, the J20 came in a 8400 GVW option and was still considered 3/4 ton. After all, the front axle was a D44.
Flint Boardman
88 GW, 401/727/208, 5" lift, D44s/4.10s/locked up, 35s
https://jubileejeeps.org/quadratrac
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mud89
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by mud89 »

I looked some time ago at some old NADA guides, and i noticed that the Gladiator duallies were classified as one-ton trucks
The criteria for a one ton classification were certainly different in the sixties compared to the eighties
I don't know for the camper truck, i'll look again at my NADA books
J10 81, J10 77, CJ7 80, Gladiator 64, Wagoneer 65, ZJ 5.9
parts vehicles : wagoneer 63, cherokee Golden eagle
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mud89
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by mud89 »

The camper truck is classified as a 3/4 ton truck in a 1970 NADA guide, but as said by others they are actually closer to a one ton than a 3/4
J10 81, J10 77, CJ7 80, Gladiator 64, Wagoneer 65, ZJ 5.9
parts vehicles : wagoneer 63, cherokee Golden eagle
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Kaiserman
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by Kaiserman »

fulsizjeep wrote:Welcome to the madness. The badging and features on 70-73 Jeep trucks were very confusing to many. I doubt Jeep ever thought 8000 GVW was classified as a 1 ton. Later, the J20 came in a 8400 GVW option and was still considered 3/4 ton. After all, the front axle was a D44.

And Ford sold 1-ton rated beefed up Model T's with toothpick sized front axles. Definitions have changed over time, but it's all bout carrying capacity, not what the components are. Look at the 1-ton Toyota duallys.
1971 J2500 Gladiator Custom-Cab Platform Stake on 126" wb. B350/T18A/D20 D60/D60-3 w/locker 4.10's Ramsey 8klb PTO winch, Day-brook dump. 225/95R16's
1969 J3800 Gladiator 3407Z Camper Truck. B350/T18A/D20 D44/D60-3 w/4.10's
1968 Wagoneer Custom 327/TH400 Mostly Stock
1987 Cherokee Laredo 2-Door 4.0L/AW4 4" lift OEM swing out tire carrier and brushguard
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fulsizjeep
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Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by fulsizjeep »

I totally see your point. I think it is fair to say that most 1 ton trucks in modern time have front axles that are beefier than a D44. Something more like a D60. I have never even noticed a 1 ton dually Toyota I guess. I do remember Toyota sporting the T100 with a 1 ton features and that made me laugh since the engine was around 150 hp.
Flint Boardman
88 GW, 401/727/208, 5" lift, D44s/4.10s/locked up, 35s
https://jubileejeeps.org/quadratrac

Topic author
Philip Parker
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:11 pm

Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by Philip Parker »

Thanks for clarifying the model for me, this makes it much easier to scour for parts.

Let me ask a specific question about this truck: what are the chances that it had a transmission cooler integrated into the bottom half of the radiator? I've got two lines attached to the bottom of the radiator that are very small and look like they have higher pressure fittings.

Topic author
Philip Parker
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:11 pm

Re: J3000 with 8000 GVWR?

Post by Philip Parker »

Fast Eddie wrote:The thing that impressed me was the multi-leaf springs and all has grease fittings on the pivots. Not fast, but BOY could that truck would pull!!!
The day I bought it I crawled under the truck to take a look around and saw these grease fitting on the leaf fittings. I actually chuckled because it seems like such a thoughtful feature.
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