The Jeep Gladiator is an icon in its own sense. Folks have waited for a Jeep pickup truck for over three decades, and Jeep finally gave us one in the form of the 2020 Gladiator. We love the Jeep Gladiator through and through and have explained its versatility profusely. However, we would have preferred some retro and vintage touches for the old-school purists. Not in the mainstream variants, but perhaps, as an optional body and decal kit at the dealership level. It looks like a dealership based out of Wisconsin heard our wishes and has sent the Gladiator back to the 1970s for a makeover.

Three Cheers For The Jeep Gladiator Honcho!

The dealership, Sleepy Hollow Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Inc., has dressed this truck as a J-10 Honcho. It looks classy and has triggered nostalgia amongst many of us. This belongs to the J-Series, which carried a single generation design for 26 years! That is a perfect definition of timeless design. The dealership has disguised this Gladiator in the same clothes, and it still looks absolutely stunning. The J-Series was known as the Gladiator before the name change in 1971. Two years post this, the monikers of their models, J2000 and J4000 were also changed to J10 and J20 respectively.

What Makes This Particular Gladiator A Special One?

This trim package was a hit amongst customers at the time. It brought about aesthetic andsafety-related changes. On the outside, Jeep offered bold striping and decals on the Honcho package, and it was offered with factory add-ons like the Levi's denim interior or an anti-roll bar. Jeep made sure this package kept getting updated every year, but the most consistent thing about it, which became a signature Honcho feature, was the wide-track look of the Cherokee Chief.

The black crew cab Gladiator features classic "J-10" and "4-wheel-drive" badges on the body, a chrome-painted grille, and retro Jeep lettering on the tailgate. The dealership has also installed white, wagon-style wheels wrapped in 35-inch BFG all-terrain tires, and some mechanical features like a two-inch Mopar lift kit, Fox high performance shocks, and a roll bar equipped with happy face-covered KC Daylighter off-road lights, and a bed-mounted spare tire carrier. The bed is protected by a Line-X spray-on bed liner. On the inside, you can find tan inserts with Honcho logos, but the Levi's upholstery did not make its way into the future, unfortunately.

The Overland Trim Is The Best Of Both Worlds

Speaking of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland, this is the trim that we recommend, and it's a good thing that Felton's dealership has worked on it. It is the most practical trim if you have a mixed usage pattern comprising of tarmac drive as well as off-road adventures. In the stock avatar, the Gladiator Overland comes with the signature Jeep look, like the flared up fenders, round headlights, and the seven-slat grille. It rides on a set of 18-Inch Granite Crystal Aluminum Wheels wrapped in 32-inch tires that not only look stunning, but also drive well on tarmac and unknown terrains alike. The Overland trim also features automatic halogen headlamps and front fog lamps.

There is a seven-inch UConnect touchscreen system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, leather-trimmed seats, etc. All the lights inside are LEDs, thus making for a bright cabin. As for the engine specs, all Gladiators trims are powered by the same 3.6-liter, V-6 mill that churns out 285 horses and 260 pound-feet of torque. The mill is married to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, and an eight-speed automatic gearbox is optional. The maximum towing capacity in the Overland drops to 6,000 pounds, and the Payload capacity is rated at 1,140 pounds. Looks like the dealership has picked up the right vehicle to work on.

Isn't The Price A Little Too Steep?

All these mouth-watering features come at a steep price. The cost of the final package is $69,885. The truck has had a good start, and the dealership is preparing more of examples already. It took seven days to build the Honcho. The owner of the dealership is an entertaining man who goes by the name Lavon "Spanky" Felton. He says he was inspired by the J-10 Honcho that he used to have on his family farm. Felton spoke to Autoblog, and said that he was incredibly thrilled that his small town is getting some attention. He's planning to take the Honcho to a local event called the Stump Dodger Bash, and then to Jeep Fest in Toledo, Ohio, where the Gladiator was assembled. There's no word if the warranty will be retained or not. But seeing the looks of the truck, Jeep might be tempted to sell this truck through its own dealership channel, similar to what Ford does with Tuscany and Roush, and Chevy does with Callaway and SVE. Would you buy this particular offering if you were in the market for a Jeep Gladiator? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

2020 Jeep Gladiator specifications

Engine

3.6-LITER PENTASTAR V-6

Type and Description

60-degree, V-type, liquid-cooled

Displacement

(cu. in. / cc) 220 cu. in. (3,604 cu. cm)

Bore x Stroke

3.78 x 3.27 (96 x 83)

Valve System

Chain-driven DOHC, 24 valves and hydraulic end-pivot roller rockers

Fuel Injection

Sequential, multiport, electronic, returnless

Construction

Aluminum deep-skirt block, aluminum alloy heads

Compression Ratio

11.3:1

Power

285 HP @ 6,400 RPM

Torque

260 LB-FT @ 4,400 RPM


Further reading

Read our full review on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.