Given that the last Wagoneers exited the Toledo factory 24 years ago now, it’s not surprising that they’re becoming fairly rare, especially here in Rustopia. And so even though we’ve extensively profiled Wagoneers (and their Cherokee bretheren) here at Curbside Classic over the years (here and here and here and here and here, and that’s just for starters), it makes good sense to keep sharing the ones we find.
Because this one looked so good and rust-free from 20 feet away, I thought it might be one of the fully restored Grand Wagoneers that you can buy from a handful of suppliers. There’s quite a little cottage industry in restoring these big SUVs. Restorers seem to favor Wagoneers from the Chrysler years, probably part because they are the most available and also because they were the most luxurious.
Light rain started to fall as I walked up close. This hood damage made clear that this Grand Wagoneer is a survivor. How the heck does damage like this even happen?
The interior shows wear typical of such an aged vehicle, too.
I found this Grand Wagoneer at one recent morning as I was meeting someone for coffee. A morning coffee run seems like a worthy use for a Wagoneer in suburbia. Because at about 13 MPG, who wants to drive one of these on a long trip?
I always get a charge out of seeing an original GW. These throwback designs always kind of hit my automotive sweet spot, just like the IH Scout II and the later Studebakers. Flat floors, flat glass and flat sides – what else do you need in a car?
Is it too early (or late) to declare Brown Car Appreciation Day at CC? 🙂 I don’t recall seeing a lot of brown GWs, but this one wears the color well. Don’t I kind of remember President Reagan leading a modest resurgence of the color when he started wearing brown suits? This was a color that seemed ever-present on U.S. 80s cars (at least the more traditional ones), but in fairly small numbers.
Now that we’ve seen this, your brown Ford, and a Porsche that could well have been dark brown, I think we’re there, JP.
I’ve shown my old brown Ford before, but here it is again.
“Flat floors, flat glass and flat sides – what else do you need in a car?”
– I love this sentiment! I think the only cars currently in production with flat glass are the Jeep and the Mercedes G-Class. Can anyone else confirm this?
Awesome looking Grand Wagoneer. I’ve always liked this generation Grand Wagoneer.
These things are SO cool. I wonder why Jeep abandoned the full-size SUV market after cancelling the Wagoneer? Imagine if they built an updated full-size competitor to go head-to-head with the Tahoe and Expedition. They probably decided it was smarter to focus on the Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee rather than try and continue competing against the Chevy/Ford juggernaut. And if they were planning to continue aiming the big Wagoneer on the upscale market, they probably figured the Escalade/Navigator would steal most of those sales.
“I wonder why Jeep abandoned the full-size SUV market after cancelling the Wagoneer? ”
Exactly! Especially when GM was printing money with the Suburban and Tahoe. Chrysler could have made a fortune with a big SUV that could have been a Dodge 3 row Suburban competitor and a Jeep 2 row Tahoe alternative, both based on the 94 Ram pickup architecture.
I so agree. I’ve always preferred this full-sized version of the Grand Wagoneer over the later, smaller version. Although its styling is dated, it’s still attractive. If I could buy one, one thing I’d do is to install a turbo diesel engine. Possibly a Cummins 4BT, or something that’ll fit under the hood.
They were probably afraid such a car would cannibalize minivan sales, and didn’t realize just how popular these mega-SUVs would become until the the late-90s. By that time it was too late and Daimler had taken over. Also, unlike Ford or GM, Chrysler was still very dedicated to its passenger cars with its three classes of “cab forward” right up until the Daimler takeover. Given their smaller size and always shaky financial situation, they had to prioritize their resources a bit more.
I agree. Minivans have their place, but they shouldn’t be allowed to be the *only* vehicles being sold. There’s no such thing as a “One-Size-Fits-All” car market, and car makers need to realise that. Not everyone uses the same model for everything. Not everyone needs a full-sized SUV. Not everyone needs a compact SUV. Car companies need to offer everything for everyone. That way some people could buy a diesel-powered truck, while others may need a small car. Some might need a “Cab Forward” vehicle. Those have always been my favourite vehicles.
Agreed! My “Sweet Spot” is RWD traditional styled American Mid level (or near luxury) sedan, Right now there is exactly one on the market. but 42.5 billion versions of “crossovers”.
I totally agree. I’m rather old-school when it comes to cars and trucks. I don’t mind using computers and robots to build the cars, as long as there’s some human interaction in the building the car.
I doubt they were concerned about cannibalizing minivan sales. That’s an entirely different market. Minivan buyers don’t have the disposable income of full-size luxury SUV buyers. No one buys a minivan and expects to tow a 5000lb boat/trailer combo. Or plans to do a lot of heavy duty off-roading.
Based on the Grand Wagoneer 2000 concept from 1991, I think it was a really good miss that no successor actually ever went into production! Better to remember these fondly than to have some horrific abomination burst forth from the dark years.
Grand Wagoneer 2000 concept interior. The big center mounted TV screen (looks like a touchscreen straight from Tron) is a riot–and a sad precursor to the electronic touchscreen plague infesting modern cars.
Well that thing surely is an abomination!
Looks like a Pontiac Aztek’s big brother.
They tried to get back in much later on with the Commander, which was of course generally a failure. But I also am not quite sure why they didn’t try a replacment sooner–if not immediately upon the cancellation of these, then as soon as the new Dodge Ram debuted in ’95. There was even a Ramcharger SUV variant in the Mexican market, which we didn’t get here for reasons that are somewhat hazy (something about competing with Jeep, though it was a far larger vehicle). But I really don’t know why Dodge didn’t build a 4-door version to compete with Tahoe/Yukon, that *would* have sold here, and why they didn’t build one for Jeep. It could have had completely unique sheetmetal but shared engines and chassis with the Ram. A serious case of missed opportunity!
Well, they did have a “Grand Wagoneer” trim level on the Grand Cherokee for its first year (1993) only. It was more expensive than the other Grand Cherokees and was produced “in limited numbers” according to Wikipedia – by design or because buyers simply didn’t care for the fake wood or price?
Fake wood pretty much officially died with the small Grand Wagoneer. It was off the minivans about this time as well.
Jeep did field the Commander, I believe as a full size until it became a fatality of the recession and CAFE revisions. I do believe that Chrysler floated a full size SUV off the Ram a few times, but fears of the so called Asian financial crises around ’97 and just some general concerns about the long term market for a very large SUV competing with the established competition kept them out. The may have been right, the Commander, Expedition and Hummer all faded or died.
Making the Commander off of a midsized SUV platform was a huge mistake, it should have been full-sized and retro-styled.
Another stupid miscalculation from the DB era was the Chrysler Aspen – first, why was a Durango variant badged as a Chrysler and and not a Jeep and second, why was it called ‘Aspen’ with its AF connotations?
I’ve got a take on why Jeep abandoned the full-size SUV market after canceling the SJ Wagoneer. They didn’t. They were never in the full-size SUV market. These may have been big on the outside, but they had little more space than the XJ Cherokee did, let alone the Grand Cherokee. I recall riding in the back of one of these when I was 16. I had just grown to a bit over six feet, and the back seat of a new Grand Wagoneer was a penalty box. The seat cushion was too low. The roof was too low. Leg room was minimal. It was about like sitting in the third row of a Suburban, but the Wagoneer had no third row.
Quite true. It was never designed to be a “full sized” vehicle, with a wheelbase of only 110″. At that time, all the vehicles in that general class were well less than full-sized (Scout, Bronco, and the predecessor Jeep station wagon). They were all compact, which made them ideal for genuine off-road use.
True, the SJ Wagoneer suffered from 1960s era mechanical packaging, which compromised space efficiency, especially compared to the giant Tahoe/Expedition boxes on wheels. BUT, don’t forget that the “short” wheelbase 4-door Chevy Tahoe wasn’t introduced until 1995. The Expedition didn’t appear until ’97. This means your only choice for a big SUV was the XXL sized Suburban from ’92-’94, after the last Wagoneer rolled off the line in ’91. There HAD to be a market for a large, modern, SUV as opposed to a leviathan sized cruiser. And there was, of course, but GM beat everyone to the punch.
Back in the late 80s, when the Wagoneer was only extremely outdated, as opposed to hopelessly antiquated, I believe Chrysler had a chance keep the momentum rolling with a new, updated design. Except they didn’t have a modern full-size truck platform upon which to build a new Wagoneer, which is the industry practice. The Dodge Ram truck was already 10 years old, and without looking it up, I’m pretty sure it contained a lot of recycled bits from the 70s. Too bad, because according to Wiki, they were making about $5K profit on every Wagoneer. The tooling for that thing must have amortized sometime in the 70s, and model updates, while nice, were probably fairly cheap to design and produce.
I’ll bet right up until end, the same kinds of customers looking at Wagoneers were also looking at Suburbans. Clearly the Suburban offered about an extra acre of interior room, and once the Wagoneer was gone GM no doubt absorbed the annual demand. Then, the short wheelbase-full-sized SUV hit the streets in the mid-90s as oil prices plummeted to historic, inflation adjusted lows. And we partied like it was 1999, ironically until 1999.
I love these Grand Wagoneers. It’s amazing that they produced them for 29 years with minimal evolutionary changes. While they didn’t get much praise, I’ve also always had a soft spot for the 1993 ZJ Grand Cherokee-based Grand Wagoneers too.
Saw this one at a car show a few weeks back. Looks sharp in red. The beige interior was pristine!
Walter White’s wife Skylar had one just like this in Breaking Bad. It seemed pretty creaky and worn, which befitted their status as a couple of multi-millionaire meth makers trying to fly under the radar.
There are still a few survivors out here in the desert Southwest, a few stock originals from the 70s (non luxury) up through the cancellation as the 90s dawned.
The one I always got a laugh out of was one lifted, heavily modified, painted olive drab and had white lettering on the side that said “Genital Jostler”.
Just a few weeks ago, I saw a Grand Wagoneer towing a big travel trailer on I-70.
Since the few examples I’ve seen recently have either been ultra-restored (and expensive) examples in showroom-type condition, or beaters on their last legs, it was refreshing to see on in good, original condition and still working hard.
THIS is the true Trailblazer, the king of luxury SUV´s and not the Ranger Rover !
They could have hit the corner of a building or a tree or a something like the corner of a hay wagon could have hit it.
It appears like it has a generous layer of filler, so my guess is that it suffered a front end collision of some type and the hood was somewhat repaired while the grille was replaced. Then the excessive amount of filler eventually cracked allowing water in and rust to form.
Movie references I can think of off the top of my head. What About Bob, where Richard Dreyfus as the arrogant Dr. Marvin drove one. And in The Great Outdoors John Candy, playing the lovable slob Chet Ripley had a trusty Wagoneer to shuttle his family to the mountain cabin.
Always was interesting to me that two such different characters were both given Wagoneers to drive. I think that underscores what a versatile vehicle it was.
I’ve been a big fan of these ever since a classmate’s father had one when I was in elementary school. There’s just something so right about the looks. Even the various guises all seem to have their charms, from the early models with four round lamps to these last Chrysler-produced models. For many years I had hoped to buy one eventually as a utility vehicle, but the run-up in prices on good ones put an end to that hope. But I still enjoy seeing them, regardless. There’s one that I pass on the way home from work some days that is quite unlike this one–it’s probably early 80’s vintage, no wood, gold paint with primer spots, and a hefty lift with big tires. An interesing contrast…
Loved the one I had, a gift from my in-laws. Unfortunately, it had spent its entire life in Bangor, ME up to the day I took ownership and the rust monster started big time almost immediately. Ended up letting it go three years later, as the rust was getting ahead of my skills. Still miss the car.
I just watched the movie Baby Boom over the weekend and Diane Keaton buys an 87/88 white GW! I wonder what the upcoming GW will look like!
Richard Dreyfuss also drove one in “What About Bob?” – one of the funniest movies ever!
Yeah, I mentioned that too! I can still watch that movie 25 years later and laugh out loud. I also noted that John Candy drove one in The Great Outdoors. Hollywood deemed the Wagoneer fit for snobs and slobs. And Walter White’s wife in Breaking Bad.
Was this taken in the Traders Point Plaza on the northwest side of Indianapolis?
I work at Dow’s Indianapolis campus, which is behind the plaza! Does that count as the “CC effect?” 🙂
It was! I live in northwest Indy; the person I was meeting lives in Zionsville. This was more or less in the middle. My last employer and my next one (I’ve spent the summer looking for work) are in Northwest Technology Center just north of the Dow building. The Dow building, by the way, is remarkable. Driving by it on Zionsville Road in the morning, the rising sun really lights it up beautifully.
I already have one of these on my list of must have vehicles before I kick the bucket…love everything about it…becoming rather pricey for unmolested originals, as most up and coming collectables are sadly.
I love these vehicles and the chocolate brown looks really good with the wood sides.
Still see tons of SJs in Mexico, many from the AMC era.
That interior! – those door armrests are exactly the same ones AMC used on the concord D/L and Limited models from 1978-83 and the AMC Eagles 1980-88.
They really ladled on the luxury. But hey, I’ll bet the tooling costs for those door panels was fully amortized by 1980, at the latest! They would not have sold one more incremental Wagoneer if they’d redesigned the whole thing.
I agree completely. As a long time AMC fan/geek, I’ve always had a hard time reconciling the idea of a luxury SUV when I see Hornet interior parts like armrests, dash knobs etc. I can’t look at Grand Cherokee interior without remembering trying to re-assemble a 70’s AMC interior that refuses to align properly. I really get a kick out of these restored Grand Cherokees selling for $50 000+.
I’ve always liked AMC cars. I don’t know why, since my parents had one when I was a boy, and my mom hated our 74 Matador coupe.
The one person I knew who owned a Grand Wagoneer was my 12th grade history teacher. He was from a prominent family of attorneys in Houston who eschewed the family business for his true calling. Didn’t need the money but he did what he loved and was damn good at it.
It was dark blue with the obligatory tan leather. Quite stunning.
My neighbor across the street had several of these over the years, all of them maroon with the obligatory tan leather and corduroy interior, to pull her horse trailer. Her husband had a series of Cadillacs to travel in, because the Jeep rode like crap, but it was good for dragging the horses around.
I want one of these, but the thought of 13 MPG makes me a little queasy.
More than you think were sold in the UK with the wheel on our side at the back end of the 70s. For does who could afford a Range Rover, same mpg ,but wanted to be cowboy!.
My dad bought a grand wagoneer in the late 1980s. It was a disaster. Reliability was dismal, gas mileage was poor and build quality was bad too. I remember we were good on vacation one time and the back roll up window (in the tailgate) just crashed down into the internals. So we finished the trip with painters plastic taped over the window.
He ended up selling it and moved on to subarus. Much smaller but more reliable!
I loved these…so…phallic.