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Ultimately, Jeep Gladiator fans owe their respect to the timeless Jeep J10. It’s a holy ancestor of the newly minted off-road truck and it carries with it all the key components—four-wheel-drive, rugged looks, and ultimate nostalgia. This 1978 J10 Golden Eagle headed for Mecum’s Glendale auction, for example, is one worth lusting after. And since it’s already in total desert-spec, it’s the one you’ll want if you actually plan on using your vintage 4×4.
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Most notable about this truck for collectors is the Golden Eagle package, which includes a brush guard, driving lamps, a roll bar in the bed, eight-inch wheels, Levi’s denim seats, accent stripes, and that beautiful decal on the Jeep’s hood. Then again, if you aren’t a collector and simply want a rough-and-tumble pickup to haul your dirtbikes in style, this works too.
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Under the hood is an AMC 401-cubic-inch V8, which sends power to all four wheels all the time via a period-correct Quadra-Trac system. A GM Turbo 400 automatic manages all that small-block grunt, which totaled 225 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque in stock form. This truck received upgraded aluminum heads and manifolds during a recent restoration, though, so expect that number to be a bit higher now.
![message-editor%2F1580926493086-jeepj10gallery1.jpg](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1580926493086-jeepj10gallery1.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
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![message-editor%2F1580926596849-jeepj10gallery2.jpg](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1580926596849-jeepj10gallery2.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
The interior looks to be in stellar condition and it even has the genuine Levi’s seats, buttons and all. Factory air conditioning provides a nice bit of relief when out in the dunes and the simplicity of everything means no distractions when driving this throwback piece of automobilia.
![message-editor%2F1580926681638-jeepj10gallery7.jpg](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1580926681638-jeepj10gallery7.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
There are a few modern modifications that help this ’78 stand out from the rest, however. The LED headlamps and roof-mounted light bar are new, as is the reversible tiregate. It benefits from modern 33-inch Cooper Discoverer MTP rubber and, aside from that, it’s pretty much standard. Even the brush guard and roll bar are original.
![message-editor%2F1580926645481-jeepj10gallery6.jpg](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1580926645481-jeepj10gallery6.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
Watch for this Jeep to cross the auction block in Glendale, Arizona during Mecum’s March 11-14 sale. No price estimates are mentioned on the listing, though we know it won’t be cheap. Stock, non-Golden Eagle J10s are known to fetch around $50,000 in similar condition.
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