Words: Kristie Real
Photos: Dale Martin
The Jeep J10 is a storied vehicle – one that diehard Jeep fans admire for its rugged capabilities in a coveted truck form. The pickup truck was made by AMC spanning from 1974 to 1983 and featured in a variety of trim options, including the Honcho, Golden Eagle and 10-4 packages. It was touted as Jeep’s “performance truck” until its final days.
Getting your hands on one isn’t that hard these days, thanks to the Internet and social media. When it came down to choosing the base vehicle for a build, Taylor Sprayberry knew it had to be the J10 after he heard rumors of Jeep introducing another modernized pickup truck (which has now been named the Gladiator and was first unveiled at the 2018 LA Auto Show). “I thought it would be cool to emphasize the legendary Jeep pickup in honor of the new Gladiator JT,” he admits.
Originally, the thought process behind the build was to nix the truck bed and instead have “more of a tube-style chassis back half,” Taylor explains. But like any customizer who knows how things really go down, initial designs always changed. “Although this would have been an extremely cool aspect of the build, I decided to keep it a little more along the lines of its traditional appearance by keeping the bed on it.” However, he did shorten the bed and chassis by nearly two feet, which gave it a distinct look.
But one thing that didn’t change was the fact that Taylor wanted the J10 to have a modern MOPAR color scheme, considering it was an old-school Jeep. Desiring something that stood out, he went with a HEMI Orange Pearl as the main color, and Transparent Copper by Prismatic Powders for the accent color. “It’s not something you see paired with orange too often, but I thought the contrast between the two colors would work perfectly!”
And he was right! The final result draws the eyes thanks to the unique color combo, in addition to its various mods, such as the Jeep JL bumpers and sliders, link suspension with 14” coilovers and filled body lines. Taylor enlisted the help of his dad, and the two were quite busy doing all the work themselves, including the suspension fabrication, paint and body work in four month’s time. “This build was something I truly value due to the fact that we taught ourselves how to do everything, and that my father and I completed the build together in our own garage.”
Naming his creation “KAOS,” Taylor put more than $30,000 into his build that consisted of a total of three trucks to piece it all together. The J10 was officially unveiled at the 2017 Lifted Truck Nationals, but was slightly reworked to feature Bodyguard Bumpers for last year’s SEMA Show. “Everyone loved seeing another piece of history resurrected from the dead being displayed amongst all the newer model vehicles. The Jeep J10 is not an average build that you see everyday at shows, so people are always enthused by seeing something out of the box.”
As the public eagerly awaits the production of the new Gladiator truck, they can feast their eyes at its predecessor whenever Taylor showcases it at events, with the occasional joy ride here and there. “I’m beyond pleased with the outcome of the build, but it will never be truly done,” he admits. “I’m always looking at ways to improve the build and achieve ultimate functionality.
GEAR: 1982 JEEP J10 “KAOS”
WHEELS / TIRES
- 20×10 American Force EVO Beadlock wheels
- 38×13.50R20 Nitto Trail Grapplers M/T tires
PERFORMANCE
- Stoptech brake rotors
- AMC 360
- Comp Cams cam and lifter kit
- Hedman headers
- Edelbrock Performer AMC intake
- Holley carburetor
- Custom aluminum radiator with electric fans
- Taylor spark plug wires
- MSD distributor
- 3000 TCI stall converter
- 5.13 Yukon Gear and Axle gears
SUSPENSION
- Rough Country long arm control arms
- Rusty’s Offroad link tabs and shock hoops
- Artec Industries trusses
- FOA 14” coilovers
- Locked Offroad bumpstops
EXTERIOR
- BodyGuard Jeep JL front bumper
- BodyGuard Jeep JL rock sliders
- Custom fabricated rear bumper
- Shortened wheelbase 2 feet
- Bobbed and shortened factory bed
- Filled body lines
- Trimmed and modified factory fenders
- Custom bed cage to hold upper shock mounts and spare tire
- Tailgate delete
- Bed liner done by DB Kustoms
RECOVERY
- Rough Country Pro Series 9500 winch
LIGHTING
- (8) Rough Country rock lights
- 50” Rough Country single row rear mounted LED bar
- 12” Rough Country single row bumper LED bar
- Rough Country rocker switches
- TS Lighting retrofit factory side markers, taillights, and headlights
- Rough Country MLC-6 Light controller
ACCESSORIES
- (2) Optima batteries
- Evil Twin Fab offroad mirrors
- Decals by Back Country Signs
INTERIOR
- Custom center console and speaker box
- Paint-matched dash with custom switch panel
- Custom console for touchscreen radio
- Dakota Digital gauges
- PG Upholstery seats, dash pod and door panels
AUDIO
- Pioneer AVH 8400 7” screen
- Rockford Fosgate R400 amplifier
- Wetsounds 6” speakers
- (2) JL Audio 10” subwoofers
