Combine a silky British saloon with the practicality of a pickup truck bed, and you’ve got yourself a Jute, a Jaguar Utility vehicle! Someone clever crafted exactly that, and this one-off creation in Morgantown, Pennsylvania can be yours with an acceptable offer here on eBay. One bidder has dipped their toe in the waters of Jute ownership with a $500 commitment. If the British Racing Green pickup simply must grace your driveway, click Buy It Now for $29,000.
A low-effort listing featuring a copy-and-paste description of any 1998 Jaguar XJ8 makes no mention of the vision, effort, or practicality of the pickup truck conversion. Some Internet snooping and the Pennsylvania address suggests this creation sprang from the mind and garage of David Colvin, whose YouTube channel documents the evolution of this project over multiple chapters.
I helped my late father purchase a similar 2001 Jaguar XJ8 that became his last car. The MSRP was over $50,000, and we acquired an almost-perfect 102,000 mile specimen for $2400. Other than its timing chain tensioners, the 290 HP 4.0L (244 cid) V8 generally delivers years of reliable service, spending most of its life beneath 2000 RPM thanks to bountiful torque and aristocratically dignified shift logic. The five-speed automatic gearbox delivers nearly imperceptible shifts. Shift it manually to feel the power. One time to “charge the battery,” I switched off Traction Control and eased my Dad’s XJ8 into a glorious eyebrow-raising burnout. What better way to give your neighbors something to talk about at tea time?
Trading rear seats and the boot for a cargo area should perfectly serve suburban or country living that includes antique hunts, berry picking, wood cutting, and the occasional relocation of a lawn mower. Don’t get too adventurous off-road though; integral side panels (as opposed to a separate cab and bed) and lack of structure rear of the B pillar could crunch those custom side panels if the vehicle flexes significantly on uneven terrain.
Settle into the luxurious cockpit and leave any perception of truck-ness behind, quite literally in this case. The body-on-frame arrangement makes for a supple ride, and tall stock tires outperform modern low-profile rubber every time for comfort. Thick sound insulation shuts out the world when you close the vault-like doors. I can’t help but picture a similar project starting with the long-wheelbase Vanden Plas version. Use the rear doors of a conventional XJ8, then add a smaller bed behind. Maybe Barnfinds’ resident PhotoShop artist Scotty Gilbertson could conjure up a virtual Jute II. Will you make room in your fleet for this 1 of 1 Jute?
Great writeup,interesting car.
Looks well finished.You couldn’t have it built for that cheap
a price.
Take it off road? – Nobody seems to take pickup off-road
nowadays.
Hello angliagt. True! Maybe entering a steep driveway at a 45 degree angle would be a more realistic situation for the Jute owner to avoid. Not many newer truck owners are willing to hear that “Eeeeeee” sound of thorns carving up their shiny clearcoat as they punch through the brush. Off-roading is limited to pressing a button for “Mud” and another to lock the differential while leaving a slippery football tailgate field. “Hold onto your cheese dogs, kids!” Don’t forget the button for Descent Control!
Wait… they go off road? Since when?
Hey, Todd – how’s this?
Wow Scotty, a single Thumbs Up is not enough to show my appreciation for your talent. I may have to build one of those some day. For now you have definitely nailed my vision, even if it never comes to pass. Thanks, Buddy! What does everyone else think?
Ha, thanks, Todd! That’s nothin’, you should see me on Andy Griffith trivia night…
Me personally: why would anyone want a pickup “truck” with a tiny open bed? If I’m going to have a truck I want it to be at least able to haul a load of engines etc or 4X8′ sheets of plywood etc. The only thing I can think I’d use a 3′ deep bed would be to carry a refrigerator If a person can have and wants a Rolls, they can have a truck also for the messy stuff!
That’d be like a 3 foot bed?
Like this conversion…not really useable for much though.
No tie-down hooks
This one wold be good for tailgating . Line the rear with rubber then fill it with Ice and beer…
Like this conversion…not really useable for much though.
Brilliant 🇬🇧
I like it and I think it would be a great driver. Certainly would start a lot of conversations at the parts store. I think the price is fair, not a flipper, but when you get tired of it shouldn’t be very hard to sell to the next guy, who enjoys driving something a little out of the ordinary
Silly and fairly useless, especially for 29K.
Beautiful Jag.. but they should of put B pillar cuts and separated from the cab and have another panel behind the cab for better flexing. Otherwise I can see this in Westchester NY towns of Scarsdale, Bronxville etc. On weekends going to the big box stores for plants and trees etc. Weekend worker. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸🐻
Looks like a well done conversion. I’m not sure why someone that can afford a jag, and the conversion to a pick-up/JUTE needs this. They could afford hire someone with a pick-up a lot of times for the cost of conversion. Or they could afford to buy a pick-up – of course, maybe they don’t want a commercial pick-up.
Great. A car/truck that will leak oil and break down all the time. Nice looking yard art.
From the description in the fabricator’s first video about this conversion:
“This is a 1998 Jaguar XJ8 that was smashed by a tree. The roof, windshield, rear glass, trunk lid, and hood were all damaged.”
So that explains the “why”, pretty much what I’d suspected. Impeccable execution here, and to quote Ron Burgundy, “Heck, I’m not even mad; that’s amazing!”
I’d rather own this than any of the other current offerings of “pickups” by the major companies. Today’s pickups are a joke. Limited bed size, terrible mpg and just hideous to look at. No thanks.
I so agree….the last pickup I want to own is circa 2005 [rear steer GMC Denali] my buddy with a 2021 or so Chevy bitches at me constantly….but I say #sorryNOTsorry as I could care less for the current pickup trucks AND their sky high prices…Im sorry, but I paid less for my first house than a truck from the last few years sticker pricing …..no thanks
This appears to be a very well-executed conversion from the top, but I see no chassis reinforcements underneath. Anyone who attempts to use this as a truck will likely end up with a Jaguar taco.
Plenty of room for the Grey Poupon!
I would so love to be at the Home Depot when this pulls in for a load
I like it but not at that price
Functional tailgate! This has my attention…
Well, this old man realllllly likes it. This would be a great vehicle to just “tool around” in and generate conversations anywhere you stopped. This would be great for a lot of those minor trips to the hardware store. The best bet would be to drive up, get out dressed in overalls and a straw hat…lol. I would love to have this one !!!
1/4 ton payload?
Ask Lincoln how the luxury truck concept works. Personally I like this. I harbor no illusions that It can haul significant weight but the execution looks good.
As a shooting break it would have sold.
Be the first on your street…er, in your town…er, in your state…er, in the country…er, or in the world with a Jaguar XJ8 pickup!
reminds me ofa local co’s product Smyth
https://www.facebook.com/SmythPerformance/videos/smyth-car-to-truck-kits-3500/613905042372300/
but this is quality 1 off bya real builder.
Not something I could afford.
Would be very nice to have if in the market!
I want to buy this just to build a super pretentious, east coast rural, lifestyle around.
I like it, very nice finish work. I prefer the short cab rather than the extended cab model.
Builder had too much time on his hands or just started with no capital input and had free parts and labor. Price is too high for the build and certainly a travesty to the Jags elegant design. Different strokes for different folks….wish the new buyer and seller good luck!
why ??? & no !!!