As is the case of a little black dress and a good tailored suit, the classics never die. As such, we’ve taken our cues from an oldie but goodie and revamped the 2011 Jeep® Wrangler JK-8 Independence in the styling of our 1980’s Jeep Scrambler CJ-8. The Independence is a perfect match for you do-it-yourselfers out there—as Mopar has designed a kit that converts the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited into a pickup truck. The bed length provides a full 50-inches of storage and offers 44-inches of space between wheel wells. The Mopar team created body panels to cover the second-row entrance and removed all of the interior parts behind the front seats. The result: A sweet little two-seater (sorry kids) with just enough room for cargo inside. The idea? Keep the dirt out and leave room for the necessities inside.

We’re have the Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence with us to Moab this week to test out its capabilities. We’ve packed it with a Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and stock Dana 44 rear axle. The Independence also boasts a 4.5-inch long-arm suspension kit and 37-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tires, bed floor inner and outer body panels, a half hard top, and a new bulkhead. This, all combined with a fresh coat of yellow paint and Mopar’s off-road bumpers for the front and rear, make the Independence not only a perfect desert ride, but pretty nice to look at as well.

See you in Moab!