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1,000-mile $1,000 J-truck recovery

'73 Jeep J-20: The Long Road Home
By John Cappa
Photography by John Cappa, Christian Hazel
1973 Jeep J20 Front Driver Side
1973 Jeep J20 Rear Driver Side
If you look closely, you'll... 
   
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1973 Jeep J20 Rear Driver Side
If you look closely, you'll notice the misaligned bed and cab. We didn't catch it until the morning after the purchase. It looks as though the truck had been rearended pretty badly, causing the frame to bend. When we got home, we couldn't even give the ugly aluminum shell away, so the Sawzall and a big trashcan took care of it. Ol' George even gave us an unmatching blue tailgate without any hardware. Inside the shell is the monster auxiliary fuel tank.
1973 Jeep J20 Engine
Somehow, an AMC 304 mated... 
   
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1973 Jeep J20 Engine
Somehow, an AMC 304 mated to a T-18 and a Dana 20 replaced the 360, TH400 and Quadra-Trac that should have been in the '73 J-2000. The ad sounded as though the owner had spent some money on the engine. Unfortunately, it ran like a Brigs & Stratton with a gas tank full of water. We just tightened the belts and sputtered down the dirt road.
1973 Jeep J20 Front Passenger Side
Our first problem only 10... 
   
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1973 Jeep J20 Front Passenger Side
Our first problem only 10 miles into the trip home had us thinking we just blew $1,000. We were less than 100 yards from the hotel when it died. Luckily for us, it quit at the top of a hill. A quick push got us into the local restaurant parking lot.

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