Dec 31, 2024<\/time><\/p>\nLike any legendary automotive brand,\u00a0Jeep is steeped in heritage. Ever since the first Willys \u201cjeep\u201d military vehicles rolled into battle during World War II, consumers all over the world snapped up the little off-roaders in droves, inspiring imitations like the very first\u00a0Toyota Land Cruiser. In the decades between then and now, Jeep has become a broad SUV brand with a lineup that comprises the compact Renegade crossover and the family-sized\u00a0Grand Wagoneer\u2014plus, of course, the legendary Wrangler off-roader.<\/p>\n
And with so much history to pull from, there are dozens of Jeep vehicles out there for just about any prospective collector. The military-spec Willys MB and its \u201ccivilian Jeep\u201d CJ variants are among the most obvious, but there was also a variety of two-wheel-drive lifestyle vehicles, robust pickup trucks, and even some early\u00a0luxury SUVs\u00a0produced over the course of Jeep\u2019s 80-plus years of life (and counting). Here are some of the most collectible vintage Jeeps we think are due for appreciation\u2014in every sense of the word. Based on recent Mecum Auctions sales, these are reasonably priced vehicles from the company\u2019s history that still make for great investment pieces, or just plain fun toys for grown-ups.<\/p>\n
Several months before the U.S. entered World War II, the American government requested a light-duty, low-profile vehicle to help soldiers get around in\u2014vehicles that were more maneuverable and easier to drive and service than its existing fleet of heavy trucks. Three automakers submitted designs: American Bantam, Ford, and Willys. After a lengthy review process, the government selected a design that incorporated the best of each automaker\u2019s proposals into one unified vehicle. The military awarded the contract to Willys and Ford, owing to the latter\u2019s larger production capacities, and thus the \u201cJeep\u201d was born.<\/p>\n
Making use of the Willys \u201cGo Devil\u201d inline-four engine, American Bantam\u2019s commendably nimble suspension design, and Ford\u2019s easy-to-produce body structure, the military vehicle was a huge success with the troops. Postwar demand among returning GIs and other members of the public was so high that Willys continued production with the CJ, or \u201ccivilian Jeep.\u201d But the original military vehicle will always be the grandpappy of the brand, and as a result, it makes a great collector\u2019s item.<\/p>\n
Willys-Overland held onto the Jeep trademark after World War II and began producing a lineup of utilitarian vehicles in addition to the CJ. Among them was the Jeep Truck, which came out in 1947. Its slab-sided bodywork was similar to the CJ\u2019s, but the Truck was much larger, riding on a 118-inch wheelbase that eclipsed its kid brother by 38 inches. Its standard four-wheel drive and robust construction made it well-suited for forest service and municipal work crews, especially when outfitted with optional power take-off accessories or hydraulic dump beds.<\/p>\n
In the postwar boom economy, Willys-Overland suspected there might be demand for a stylish vehicle to bridge the gap between its utilitarian Jeep lineup and its more conventional passenger cars. The result was the\u00a0Jeepster, built on the same chassis as the Jeep station wagon and powered by the CJ\u2019s Go Devil four-cylinder engine, but with sleeker styling and available only with rear-wheel drive. It wasn\u2019t terribly popular, especially since Ford\u2019s V-8 was cheaper and sportier. The Jeepster did get some added power in 1950 from Willys\u2019 2.6-liter inline-six, but that wasn\u2019t enough to save it.<\/p>\n
Alongside the Willys Jeep Truck, the Forward Control (FC) offered lots of practicality and capability in a more maneuverable package. Essentially a\u00a0Jeep CJ-5\u00a0with the passenger area mounted above and forward of the engine, the Jeep FC had about as much cargo capacity as the Jeep truck, yet was more than 35 inches shorter from bumper to bumper. The unusual design was too esoteric for the general public, but the Jeep FC boasted available dual rear wheels, a variety of wheelbases, and even some factory-approved towing and dump-bed layouts that made it popular with municipal operations and small businesses. Today, the Forward Control\u2019s great visibility and nimble dimensions make it a popular base for rockcrawling vehicles.<\/p>\n
Big pickups are big business, and by the 1960s the Willys Jeep Truck and Forward Control models were looking a bit teensy in comparison to the Dodge D-Series, Ford F-Series, and Chevrolet C\/K. Based on the same SJ chassis as the Wagoneer, the 1963 Gladiator was quite a bit longer, wider, and more powerful than the Jeep Truck. The Gladiator came with a 140-horsepower Willys six-cylinder at first, though AMC I-6 and V-8 engine options soon followed, presaging that company\u2019s takeover of Kaiser-Willys in 1970. The Gladiator name disappeared in 1971, when the full-sizer was simply called the J-Truck. It lasted until 1988, when Jeep\u2019s new Chrysler Corporation parent company discontinued the line.<\/p>\n
Like the Jeep Truck, the Willys Jeep Station Wagon was looking pretty dated by the 1960s. So, alongside the Gladiator pickup, Jeep introduced the Wagoneer, codenamed SJ internally. The Wagoneer was one of the first civilian-oriented SUVs, with a wide and comfortable interior, all-weather capability, and available full-time four-wheel drive (called Quadra-Trac).<\/p>\n
It also blossomed into one of the most legendary luxury SUVs of all time, the Grand Wagoneer. By the time it was discontinued in 1991, the wood-paneled Grand Wagoneer was a fixture of upscale ski areas and resort communities, offering plenty of power and a cushy, leather-and-corduroy interior. Restorations of these late-model GWs can command six figures, but driver-quality examples have a lot more upside thanks to their lower cost of entry.<\/p>\n
From the 1940s to the 1970s, the Jeep CJ was small and pretty cramped for most average folks. But the 1976\u00a0Jeep CJ-7\u00a0was one of the most successful attempts to civilize the small off-roader, including wider doors, an optional leather interior, and chrome exterior trim. The CJ-7 offered a variety of models, including the V-8-powered Golden Eagle and Golden Hawk trims, the luxurious Laredo and Limited, and the low-volume 1982 Jamboree Commemorative Edition.<\/p>\n
Built on the same chassis as the CJ-7, the Jeep\u00a0CJ-8 Scrambler\u00a0rode on a 10.2-inch-longer wheelbase and had a small pickup bed, turning it into a compact truck that was just big enough for a couple of people and their camping gear or dirt bikes. Ronald Reagan even owned one on his California ranch (see above image). The Scrambler\u2019s rarity makes it a touch more valuable than the CJ-7, but it\u2019s undeniably cooler, too.<\/p>\n
Yet another compact truck based on an SUV, the\u00a0Jeep Comanche\u00a0had an unusual split frame. The front end shared its unibody construction with the compact Cherokee, but the rear section was more traditional, with a separately mounted cargo box above a robust, fully boxed frame. The Comanche, codenamed MJ, had the same engine options as the XJ Cherokee, including the legendary 4.0-liter inline-six and novel 2.1-liter Renault-designed diesel engine. The Comanche was available with a 7-foot bed and rear-wheel drive, and many versions were more utilitarian than the fun-loving Cherokee. Still, the short-wheelbase Comanche 4\u00d74 is a tempting proposition as a four-wheeler.<\/p>\n
The first-generation Jeep Wrangler Sahara gets a spot on the list thanks to a little-known action flick called\u00a0Jurassic Park<\/em>. Featuring a fancy audio system, body-color fender extensions, and a green-and-tan \u201ctrail cloth\u201d interior, the Sahara was as luxurious as YJ Wranglers could be. The Sahara\u2019s appearance in\u00a0Jurassic Park<\/em>\u00a0made an indelible mark on this writer\u2019s psyche, particularly when (spoiler alert) Dennis Nedry loses a fight with a Dilophosaurus in that distinctive, hunter green interior.<\/p>\nOkay, stay with us here. Although the first Jeep Wrangler YJ is a decently desirable vehicle, the rare Renegade variant is pretty polarizing. With molded body-color fenders, recessed lighting, and bulging rocker panels, the Renegade isn\u2019t attractive in Jeep\u2019s traditional utilitarian way. But get one in an interesting color like bright red or bronze and it becomes a snapshot of early 1990s style: big fenders to match your big hair. The Renegade has a price to match, exceeding regular YJ Wranglers by around $5,000.<\/p>\n
The Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ had the unenviable task of replacing the legendary SJ-generation Grand Wagoneer, but it filled those big shoes marvelously. With solid front and rear axles, the ZJ was beyond capable off-road, but it still boasted a comfortable freeway ride and cossetting interior. In 1998, Jeep decided to take things further by stuffing a massive 5.9-liter V-8 under the hood, enabling the Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited to hit 60 in just 6.8 seconds in our testing, and that muscle didn\u2019t hurt things off-road either. It won 1998 4\u00d74 of the Year from our sister title\u00a0Petersen\u2019s 4-Wheel and Off-Road<\/em>.<\/p>\nIn 2004, Jeep stretched the wheelbase of the TJ-generation Wrangler by 10 inches and called it the Wrangler Unlimited\u2014known internally as the LJ and by fans as the TJU. The first Wrangler Unlimited was still a two-door, so it looked a bit unusual, but it had a lot more cargo and rear-seat space. The Rubicon trim, introduced in 2005, added a ton of off-road capability to the Jeep LJ, and these days it\u2019s one of the most valuable 2000s Jeeps on the market. Even if you don\u2019t need the rugged Rubicon, the two-door Unlimited is still a bit pricey as Wranglers go, but whether for its rarity or added practicality, it might be worth it.<\/p>\n
With the advent of the Mercedes-Benz ML55 and ML63 AMG and the BMW X5 4.8is, SUVs with traditional capability and supercar-humbling on-road performance were no longer oxymoronic. Jeep decided to get in on the game with the 2006 Grand Cherokee, stuffing a 425-hp 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 under the hood to create the SRT-8. Based on the forgettable WK-generation Grand Cherokee, the SRT-8 demanded attention with a 4.4-second sprint to 60 miles per hour\u2014faster than any of the posh European super-SUVs in our 2007 comparison.<\/p>\n
In fact, the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 accelerated more quickly than the lower, lighter, equally powerful Dodge Magnum SRT-8 by virtue of its all-wheel-drive grip. A very nice Grand SRT is only about $20,000, so it\u2019s still a pretty good performance value today.<\/p>\n
When is a Jeep not a Jeep? When it\u2019s built by Mitsubishi. The Japanese automaker was one of many different outfits to manufacture Jeeps using knock-down kits in the 1940s and 1950s, and it continued to build a vehicle based on the CJ-3 well into the 1990s. The Mitsubishi Jeep had a few different variants\u2014roofless off-roader and two- and four-door wagon\u2014and it was offered with engines of both Willys and Mitsubishi design. The Japanese build had similar styling to the American Jeep, including round headlights, flat fenders, and a slatted grille, but the brand\u2019s three-diamond emblem was stamped into the steel. Weird.<\/p>\n
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From the battlefields of Europe to the backroads of America, these are the vehicles that define an icon. Brett T. EvansWriterMotor Trend ArchivePhotographerMecum AuctionsPhotographerAlan MuirIllustratorDec 31, 2024 Like any legendary automotive brand,\u00a0Jeep…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t
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