andreastropea: PickupTrucks.com gets first drive of Jeep JK-8 Pickup conversion kit

Friday, April 22, 2011

PickupTrucks.com gets first drive of Jeep JK-8 Pickup conversion kit

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 independence at Easter Jeep Safari

Jeep fans have long clamored for a Wrangler with a pickup bed (ever since the CJ-8 Scrambler, that is), and Mopar appears to have come through with the introduction of the JK-8 Pickup conversion kit. The kit comes in one of two flavors; a show car spec that needs plenty of welding and a high degree of technical acumen and a bolt-on kit for the weekend warrior.

The truck nuts at Pickuptrucks.com were pretty excited about taking a spin in the JK-8 Independence, so they headed to Moab for the annual Easter Jeep Safari. The modded-up Wrangler truck features the JK-8 kit, along with new wheels and tires, a 4.5-inch lift kit and a Dana 44 front axle. The truck site found the Independence to have some awkward proportions, and writer Mark Williams was a bit dismayed that the 50-inch pickup bed didn't feature stronger coil springs to accommodate additional payload capacity.

After some rock-crawling and other activities, Levine and company came away with the impression that the JK-8 Independence handles itself much the same as the Wrangler Unlimited. In other words, the bedded Wrangler acquitted itself off the beaten path just fine. Head over to Pickuptrucks.com to read the full account.

Gallery: Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck kit