It doesn’t matter that Jeep is reluctant to make a pickup version of the Wrangler, because Mopar has a kit that does just that. And it only costs $5,499.

No to mention you have to have a Wrangler Unlimited at your disposal to begin with! Mopar JK-8 can be installed by skilled do-it-yourselfers, or you can ask the dealer to assemble it if you can’t be bothered. Good news is it comes with a three-year/36,000-mile warrant.

So, what’s in the Mopar-stamped wooden crate that JK-8 comes in? Major components include a spacious 44-inch by 50-inch steel bed, inner and outer bedsides constructed from stamped sheet metal, sport bar extensions, Freedom Panel assemblies, a removable fiberglass hardtop with a sliding rear window, two fixed side windows and a fiberglass bulkhead. A special badge is featured on the left rear quarter panel of each kit, celebrating the heritage of the Jeep Scrambler CJ-8, along with design implementations that were adopted from original J-8 military Jeep pickups.

If you are planning to do it yourself, then make sure you read this first:

Conversion Process

Two processes are involved in the conversion from a four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to a two-door pickup truck: disassembly and reassembly.

In disassembly, each rear door is removed. Next, the rear-bumper assembly, hard top and Freedom Panels are removed, followed by the rear portion of the interior, which includes seats and carpeting. Exterior trim parts are removed and preserved; inner and outer body panels are removed by drilling out the spot welds, which allows the panels to fall away and avoids having to cut into the sheet metal. The rear sport bar is cut away and removed along with B-pillars.

Reassembly into a two-door pickup truck begins with installation of the B-pillars, cross member, floor-pan assembly (truck bed), and the inner and outer quarter panels (welding is involved in assembly). Next to be installed is the bulkhead reinforcement assembly and sport bar extensions, and finally the installation of the fiberglass bulkhead itself. The kit, with components delivered e-coated, is then prepped for paint. Windows are installed to the hard top, which is then installed on the vehicle. Exterior trim parts are then reinstalled.

Following is information regarding some of the main components included in the Mopar JK-8 kit.

Mopar JK-8 Body Weld Kit Complete (All parts are sold together in one complete kit)

Freedom Panels: Fiberglass panels over front seats.

Hardtop: Made from fiberglass, the hard top may be removed and features a sliding rear window.

Bulkhead: The bulkhead for the kit is made of fiberglass and separates the cab from the bed of the truck, and permanently attaches to the vehicle.

Bed: The spacious 44-inch by 50-inch bed features strong steel construction.

Inner/Outer Bed Panels: Bed panels are stamped sheet metal and provide durability and functionality.

Sport Bar Extensions: New sport bar extensions replace the rear portion of the sport bar that is removed for the conversion. These bars complement the structure of the vehicle.

Mopar-First Features

Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:

• Camper trailers: first to introduce off-road camper trailers
• Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with consumers
• Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format
• Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to market with a new interactive vehicle tracking device that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on pre-set parameters
• 2011 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race package car
• Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• WiTECH: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network