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History Of Off Road Jeeps - What's In Your Jeep? - Jeeps 2003

A Breakdown Of Stock Options

Photography by Fred Williams, Verne Simons

Liberty KJ ('01-present) The Liberty showed up and pissed off the wheelers who looked under it for a front axle. But for those looking for a round-the-town sorority sister car it seems to satisfy. We are sure they are great little rigs, and would happily get one for dear old mom. Otherwise just give us the one to cut up. We'd either put portal axles and Swampers under it and chop the roof, or swipe the hood and grille and stick 'em on our rock buggy.

Liberty Engines Liberty Transmissions Liberty Transfer Cases Liberty Axles  
2.4L inline-four 45RFE auto ('01-present) NV231J Front Rear
3.7L V-6 ('02) NV3550 five-speed ('01-present) NV242 Dana 30 IFS Dana 35
  Chrysler 8.25

Trucks-Gladiators, J-Trucks, And ComancheGladiator ('70-'71) and J-trucks ('72-'87) Gladiators and J-Trucks were the last of the big pickups from the Jeep camp. With the options of big, bigger, and biggest V-8s, not to mention some stout axles, it's too bad they can't still be had new. Nothing says "farm truck" like one of these rigs. Give us the 401, a Dana 60 rear axle, and a set of old tires, and let the smoke show begin.

J-Truck Engines J-Truck Transmissions J-Truck Transfer Cases J-Truck Axles
232ci inline-six (’70) T-15 three-speed (’70-’79) Dana 20 (’70-’79) Front
350ci V-8 (’70, Buick engine) T-18 four-speed (’70-’87) NP208 (’80 -’87) Dana 44 (’70 -’87)
258ci inline-six (’70-’87) T-176 four-speed (’80-’86) NP229 (’83 -’86) Rear
304ci V-8 (’70-’72) TH400 automatic (’70-’79) NP228 (’85 -’87) Dana 44 (’70 -’87)
360ci V-8 (’70-’87) Chrysler 727 automatic (’80-’87) Borg-Warner 1339 (’71-’79) Dana 60 (’70 -’87)
401ci V-8 (’74-78)   NP219 (’80-’85)  

Comanche MJ ('86-'92) The Comanche came along with hopes of taking on the Asian minitruck market as well as the Ford Ranger. It did a good job with 113- and 120-inch wheelbase models. With their weird semi-unibody frame they may not seem like the sturdiest vehicles, but we have seen near-stock units take an undeserved beating and come back for more. Give us a shortbed with a four-banger and a five-speed. We'll lift it and trim the fenders until knobby 33s fit, then pile in the dog, cooler, and marshmallows, and go camping.

MJ Engines MJ Transmissions MJ Transfer Cases MJ Axles
151ci inline-four ('86-'92) AX-4 four-speed ('86-'89) NP208 ('86-'92) Front
126ci inline-four diesel ('86, export only) BA-10 five-speed ('87-'89) NP228 ('86-'87) Dana 30 ('86-'92)
173ci V-6 ('86) AX-5 five-speed ('89-'92) NP231J ('88-'92) Rear
242ci inline-six ('87-'92) Chrysler 904 auto ('86) NP242 ('88-'92) Dana 35 ('86-'92)
Aisin AW4 auto ('87-'92) Dana 44 ('86-'92, metric-ton model)
Chrysler 811/44

Illustrated Buyers Guide, Jeep by Jim AllenMBI Publishing

The StandardCatalog of 4x4's by Robert C. AkersoneKrause Publications

SOURCES
Collins Brothers
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