6 Comments on “Unsual Prototype Photos on eBay”

1. Jim Allen April 12, 2013 at 12:16 pm

   This is not a Commando prototype. I’ll tell you what it is at a later date but I have a booklet about an eighth-inch thick on this rig.
2. deilers Post authorApril 12, 2013 at 12:42 pm

   Thanks Jim. I meant to put a question mark on that. I look forward to the answer!

   – Dave
3. Bob April 16, 2013 at 8:07 am

   Love all the FJ Vans in the background too.
4. Jim Allen April 16, 2013 at 8:31 am

   These are prototypes that came out of a study that began shortly before or after the introduction of the Wagoneer and Gladiator trucks. Kaiser Jeep wanted to jump into the export markets and was considering a CKD (Complete Knock Down) concept were complete rolling chassis would be sent to satellite “mini-factories” in other countries. It was called the “Export Low Investment Program.” Kaiser Jeep designed simple bodies that could be produced locally with minimal tooling. In a product planing booklet, they proposed vehicles based on a J200 Gladiator chassis and on CJ-5 and CJ-6 chassis. Several visual concepts were proposed that look similar to these, the main difference being the front end. There are images of a running J200 prototype but only artist’s renderings of the CJ-5 version. These appear to be based on a CJ-6. The J200 prototype utilized the Gladiator grill. These pics were taken in whatever facility was being used to produce the Fleetvan, a number of which are in the background ins some of these shots. It’s likely the prototype work was being done in the same facility.
5. deilers Post authorApril 16, 2013 at 10:41 am

   Thanks Jim!
6. Derek Redmond November 5, 2015 at 9:41 am

   The Low Investment Gladiators were built in at least one overseas plant — Tuzla Jeep in Turkey. See photos at:
   http://cj3b.info/World/TurkeyMilitary.html
   http://cj3b.info/World/TurkeyTuzlaTrucks.html

   Derek