Because we still see them all over the roads today, the still-in-production (in China) XJ Cherokee is the best-known Jeep Cherokee. However, AMC made a two-door version of the original SJ Wagoneer, called it the Cherokee, and built it for the 1974 through 1983 model years (just to confuse things, a four-door SJ Cherokee was added to the mix a few years into production).
We saw an XJ Cherokee Junkyard Find a couple of weeks ago, and here’s a final-year-of-production SJ from the same Denver self-service yard.
You wouldn’t be wise to drive this big ol’ four-wheel-drive truck, with its primitive early-1960s suspension and 170-horse engine, at speeds exceeding 85 mph, but these Malaise Era 85 mph speedometers still irritate me when I see them. 154,887 miles on this truck, with its unusual-for-the-era six-digit odometer.
This truck has some nice custom fighting (or kissing) eagles etched on the side glass.
If you like an interior with every possible shade of brown, this is your truck.
There’s no serious body rot, but this CB antenna mount didn’t do the finish any favors.
Let’s try to imagine this truck when it was shiny and new… and about to be replaced by a much smaller and more modern successor.
Did someone just stick a Wagoneer grille onto this Cherokee? The part that surprises me is that you can see the original 1963 front tombstone-grille sheetmetal peeking out from behind the grille.
I think that is a 1980 Cherokee Chief grill to go with the 1980 stripe package.
I’m impressed they managed to get square headlights into a round hole
Good old AMC.
Don’t got no money? Put plastic over it to alter shape!
All of them are like that TonyOla. I’ve always thought it would have been neat to retrofit one of the final model year Grand Wagoneers with the 1963 front end.
I’d say it’s no surprise that AMC chose to leave the old front end sheetmetal and just slap a grill on it. They had to save every nickel they could competing with the Big Three.
And that sheet metal stayed there 20+ years. Amazing bit of automotive archeology.
I’ve always thought of the SJ Cherokee as the predecessor to the Grand Cherokee.
In 1984 and earlier, you had the Cherokee and Wagoneer.
In 1985, the Cherokee and Wagoneer split into two sizes: The small ones (S10-Blazer-sized trucklets) were the Cherokee and Wagoneer, and the large size got a “Grand” modifier (albeit without a Grand Cherokee)
In 1993, the ZJ replaced the SJ, still bearing the Grand Wagoneer name, and the Cherokee name came back on the larger model, this time with the “Grand” modifier.
I really hate the unleaded fuel only wording on the filler. Surely that could have been done more artfully. Other than that, I love charming old multi-brown and brougham Jeep/AMC things.
Look at the picture of the red one. Have you ever seen a more sturdy looking item with four wheels? I like how the running lamps are integrated into the (obviously added later) trim below the grille.
I love how the font for “Cherokee” never seemed to change.
I grew up skiing in western NY and the lots were full of these and Grand Wagoneers. Then one day they all changed into Suburbans. These have grown on me in recent years but I have no room for a second truck.
I remember driving 150+ miles across Wyoming in a late 70’s Wagoneer in 2nd gear because Drive went up in smoke half way through the trip home. We had 3 big coolers full of fresh moose meat in the back, it was a Saturday afternoon and everything was closed for the weekend so dad made the decision to keep driving until either we made it home or the trans gave up the ghost. We made it home, but that felt like the longest car ride home I’ve ever been on.
It’s a good thing it wasn’t 2nd gear on one of the new 8 speeds, you’d be going a lot slower.
I’ve had to do the same thing on a 4L60e.
Back when Jeep made something other than the trademark model you could be proud to own.
That interior looks a hell of a lot nicer than the status quo today.
They made a version of this (whose name escapes me) that had a screaming chicken on the hood a Trans Am would be proud of. In a dark red, with the bird, related side trim and white letter tires on spoked wheels, they were damned impressive looking machines. Particularly when plowing through white snow. In 1978, these were the only vehicles an AMC dealer could make a decent profit selling. Remember the line-up? Gremlin, Pacer, Concord and Matador? I had the misfortune of closing the store that was where Powell’s Books is located in 1979. As I went through the books, I noticed they sold their last 1978 Matador, with an invoice of around $7000 for $4400. Brand new. There had been an automobile agency there since 1913. With those numbers, even repeat business and the Jeep franchise couldn’t save them. I always admire these trucks when I see one in the wild.
The option package you speak of is the Golden Eagle
That would be the Golden Eagle Edition featured here over 3 years ago
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/02/junkyard-find-1979-jeep-cherokee-golden-eagle/
Thanks for refreshing my decrepit memory.
They made these all the way up to ’83? Now I want one.
They sold them as the Grand Wagoneer until 1992. In 1993, the Grand Wagoneer moved from the SJ to the ZJ (Grand Cherokee) chassis.
It looks so pathetic in the top picture. It’s like someone knocked its friggin glasses loose.
I had one of these as my first car. A 1978 in 1998, it was still shiny. Made me very popular around school but that’s also where someone hit it and it was totaled. After that I got a Dodge Shadow and was never cool again.
With “texas” tires it was worthless in the snow or mud. It had no low range but did have a center locker of sorts.
They were cobbled together; AMC engine, Ford carb, GM TH350, Dana axles, and so on.
It’d do 75, more probably, but at those speeds you could actually watch the fuel gauge drop down.
If you put at least 12 kids in one the inside front wheel will chirp during turns.