My nephew Eric ran across this customized Jeep in Florida. Someone obviously really wanted an open bed on their Cherokee.
The result is what has to be just about the world’s smallest open bed. And it doesn’t open either. But it’s been well done; I’ll give them that.
Well maybe this Cherokee got in a fight with a tree which resulted in something that looks like a jacked up Red Bull Mini, but why in tarnation did they paint this Jeep Black in Florida of all places? I do agree that is a teeny tiny bed, but hey, you can fit at least one piece of firewood, wonder if there is a drain hole somewhere?
I believe the accepted term is Cherokee-amino and I’ve seen 1 or 2 in Oregon, but not as nicely finished.
The -amino suffix is typically used for GM cars that got a pickup conversion. If it is a Ford then -chero is frequently used while a Chrysler product is sometimes called a -age or -page. In this case it is part Cherokee and sort of part Comanche and since the front is Cherokee I’d call it a Cheroche, or maybe a Cheropage.
I took the picture and the sticker/badge/whatever by the right tail light said “Tomahawk.” I have yet to do a google search on it, but perhaps they are an aftermarket company selling parts for this conversion or it’s something the owner made up. All speculation at this point.
I ran across this same vehicle yeterday in the Tampa Bay area. It appears to have some updated work done to it. The name on the back was Tomahawk.
Hopefully the spare is mounted under the “bed”. All it needs now is a roll up cover.
Seems like they were going for HUMMER H2 SUT with this.
http://mrtruck.net/s_pic/sut2.jpg
First thing I thought (and not in a complimentary way).
And the whole ‘Fake Allen Head Bolts on Plastic Fender Flares’ fad is well beyond stale.
Not sure they’re fake- They may actually hold on the flares.
If so, I respect the honest approach to fender flare attachment.
It would be a pretty good assumption that is the case for this sort of flare
Bizarro!
I remember reading on here about a crew cab conversion that was done on a Comanche. Now, that was a stunning truck that I would gladly drive.
As for this, I’d rather have the enclosed rear. That bed is just too short for anything (Other than one block of wood).
Looks like it’d hold ice and several cases of beer…. Though given a Cherokee’s stiff suspension, opening the cans might be exciting, especially if you used the 4×4 capabilities to get to the party.
http://www.bobanddoug.com/sounds/gwn/hoses_me.wav
I’ll still take the crew cab. I can get to the party after making a few 17-point turns, and can bring multiple kegs with me!
Now, lets party! 😉
Oh now that’s a proper-looking truck. Quite like it, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Comanche with the newer fenders/grille swap now that I think about it.
One wonders how much better the Comanche might have sold if it was offered in both extended cab and 4 door guises?
Personally, I’d prefer an extended cab pickup using the longer doors of the two door Cherokee. It would improve the cab size and legroom, without creating such a dachshund look.
One like this in my town, but let’s just say it’s a swazall special.
All the better for carrying muddy 4×4 recovery gear I suppose
Funny. I was just working on my 87 comanche all day today. I also have two Cherokees right now, a 97 4 door sport 4.0 and a 93 two door with the high output 4.0 and a lift and tires and a lot of work. My friend rolled his cherokee and did a Sawzall job to this effect. If I ever roll my 2 door I think it would look a lot better and actually be useful if I did something like this. This doesn’t even touch into my jeep history ha.
I’ve wanted to do this for years.
Saw a disemboweled Cherokee today I took my Minx for its WOF inspection and the guy who owns the garage had a jeep motor they were pulling the head off to check it over before installing it in a customers car, also present was the owners 327 4 speed 66 Marlin I got some shots of that they will appear on the cohort eventually
Only in Florida. I notice what looks like one (maybe two) tall, water-fording air snorkels in the front, too. I guess this guy plans on crossing lots of deep rivers with this thing (but for what reason, I have no idea).
Of course, with all the swamp land in Florida, the snorkel actually makes sense (at least more than the bed conversion).
Well with those tires and the snorkel this is obviously a vehicle meant to have fun in. So while the tiny box may not seem all that practical to a wide audience, it probably serves a purpose.
What I’m really trying to figure out though is that rack with the bar across the front but nothing in back.
Good point. Given the snorkel air intake, I’m guessing this is a vehicle taken to wet lands for fishing, and the bed (which appears to be water tight) is probably purpose built to hold caught fish. Considering the marshy swamps of Florida, it all makes sense.
Though I like Cherokees a lot, this is not my style. But it sure is well executed.
Its well executed, for sure. But seems kind of pointless. Seems like he might’ve fashioned a trunk lid for a kind of sedan utility. OR, just do it like most who do a roofectomy and have a soft tonneau cover and backlight for an open air rig. Still, if it works for this guy, then cool.
The easiest (and probably cheapest) thing to have done would simply find a used Hummer SUT or, barring that (they are somewhat rare), try and find an old Subaru Baja. Even easier and cheaper would be to buy a Chevy Avalanche. I can’t imagine any of those three not being able to do whatever job this was being asked to do.
Of course, none of those three would have garnered a fraction of the attention a Cherokee modified into a quasi-mini-pickup would.
Baja and Avalanche are not in the same league for off road use. Hummer is spendy and larger.
^THIS^.
Only the H3 SUT would match the off-roading ability of the Cherokee as this one seems to be very prepped for off-roading, and a H3 SUT would cost way way more.
As I mentioned before, I took the pictures of this truck. I saw it sitting in front of an LKQ junk yard in Clearwater so perhaps the owner needed some parts. Doubtful unless he’s working on the interior though. I wouldn’t agree with the off road ideas that some have offered up as the overall cleanliness of the vehicle (particularly in the wheel wells) don’t show much of a swamp donkey history and are more in keeping with the pavement pounder show truck.
Why is it doubtful that he would need parts, there are lots of mechancial parts that he could be looking for to fix or improve it, maybe an Explorer axle to stand up to those large, over-inflated rear tires. Or maybe he is getting parts for his other vehicle.
While most of these era Cherokees that are lifted are beat on the trail and never cleaned up I know some people who do fairly serious off-roading and then clean them to show or near show ready condition. So I wouldn’t rule out that this one sees some off-roading, just not serious regular hard core off-roading.
I like it…a lot. My 17 year old is a Jeep fanatic and I am sure he would go nuts over this truck.