Jeep Gladiator (classic SJ) History

The original Gladiator (SJ) was Jeep's full-size pickup, introduced for 1963 on the same new platform as the Wagoneer wagon. It offered four-wheel drive and a range of bed and cab configurations for work and recreation.

The Gladiator name was used through 1971, after which the trucks continued as the 'J-series' pickups into the 1980s. The name was revived decades later on the unrelated modern Wrangler-based Gladiator. // Source: Wikipedia "Jeep Gladiator (SJ)" — Gladiator name dropped after MY1971; trucks became J-series (J2000/J4000, then J10/J20) from 1972 through 1987–88.