Gorgeous 1971 Jeep J2000 Gladiator Pickup Restored With a 1980s Vibe
When a customer backed out of a restoration project on this 1971 Jeep J2000 the shop owner purchased the Jeep and restored it his way.
Sometimes you find a project Jeep and other times the project Jeep finds you. The 1971 Jeep J2000 Gladiator that you see here is an example of the latter. The Jeep was purchased by someone in Pennsylvania sight unseen. The buyer had the folks at Greg’s Restorations in Rutland, MA pick it up for a restoration project. However, the Jeep needed more work than the buyer had budgeted so at that point he wanted to cut his losses and donate the car. That is when Greg Ward the owner of Greg’s Restorations stepped in. He didn’t want to see the Jeep get scrapped, so he decided to buy it for himself and restore it to his taste. The idea was to give this Jeep a bit of a 1980s vibe. And why not? We can all agree the 1980s was the coolest decade ever, right?
A video was recently posted on the Greg’s Restorations YouTube channel with Ward explaining his thought process with saving and restoring this classic Jeep. At first glance you might think this is simply a J2000 Gladiator survivor. But upon closer inspection you see all the new equipment under the body. And you also see the little touches that Ward put on this Jeep to make it look like it came from the decade of greed.
Total Freedom
What is nice about this build is that Ward got to do pretty much whatever he wanted. Normally there are customer requirements and expectations to be met with a project like this. But since Ward bought the Jeep, he was free to do anything he wanted. It might not be what you like but that is the beauty of restoring a Jeep. The possibilities are endless, and you can go as mild or wild as you want. Ward wanted a 1980s touch to his Jeep. That is cool because most folks want to make a Jeep look original or more modern. But bringing a Jeep forward by just a decade is not something that you often see.
Totally Tubular
Tube bumper in the rear, a rollbar in the bed, and KC lights are a good start when going for a 1980s look. Under the Jeep you will find a very period appropriate set of Thrush mufflers. The inside of the Jeep was reupholstered in a distressed brown leather. It looks great and matches well with the exterior patina that is on the Jeep. And while that great patina remains the Jeep was fully mechanically restored. Underneath the Jeep looks brand new but on top it looks decades old.
Not for Show
Ward uses his 1971 Jeep J2000 Gladiator. That is something we respect most with these builds. Often people get done with the project and roll the Jeep in the garage to never be seen again. Ward puts his dog up front and snowmobile in the back and hits the trails. Life is about experiences. Having a nice Jeep sit in a garage is fine. But the real joy comes from taking it out and using it the way it was meant to be. We are happy to see this Jeep enjoying the good life.
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