By Jay Hirsch
The venerable Jeep Wagoneer and the Grand Wagoneer have their roots in the Willys Utility Wagon that was first produced in 1947 and was made from 1947-1965. The Utility Wagon came as a two-door, steel-bodied wagon only and was the first SUV before the term became a catch phrase. It was also the first post-WWII wagon to have an all-steel body when station wagons at the time still had wooden bodies. The four-door Wagoneer introduced in 1963 became the flagship four- wheel-drive wagon of the Jeep line.
The wagon was intended as much for commuting to the office as it was for country drives and camping trips. Based on the company’s military Jeep, it was stylishly designed and comfortable. Over 300,000 Utility Wagons and its sibling pick-up truck were manufactured during its 19-year production. The Utility Wagon was styled by industrial designer Brooks Stevens, and featured removable rear seat and front passenger seat.
The four-wheel drive, four-door Wagoneer stayed in production for 29 model-years (1963–1991) with almost unchanged body-structure, making it the third longest-produced, single-generation car in U.S. automotive history.
The Wagoneer had a sophisticated station wagon body design, that was more car like than any other 4×4 on the market at the time. Compared with what was offered from GM, Ford, International Harvester, and Land Rover — which were producing utilitarian, work-oriented vehicles with spartan truck-like interiors — the Wagoneer’s “luxury” set it apart. Together with its sibling Gladiator Truck, the revolutionary Wagoneer sported an advanced overhead cam straight-six engine, and offered features unheard of at the time in any other mainstream four wheel drive vehicle, such as independent front suspension, power steering, automatic transmission, a factory radio and optional air-conditioning.
Two-wheel drive models, which were always outsold by the four-wheel-drives, were discontinued after 1967. The year 1968 saw the end of production of the two-door model. From 1968–1971 Wagoneers were powered by the Buick 350 cid/5.7 liter V-8. It had slightly less horsepower (230 hp compared to AMC’s V-8 at 250 hp), but the Buick had more torque (350 pounds at 2,400 rpm) and had five main bearings, where the AMC V-8 had four. From 1971 until 1991 all Wagoneers were AMC-powered.
In 1974 AMC brought back the two-door wagon now named the Cherokee which replaced the Jeepster. The Cherokee was made for a “younger market than the four-door family oriented Wagoneer SUV.”
The Grand Wagoneer seen here was partially restored by Wagonmasters in Kerrville, Texas, which specializes in Jeep Grand Wagoneers. It was repainted in its rare Spinnaker blue color and had its engine rebuilt. Being a southwestern Wagoneer there was no rust. Many Grand Wagoneers were used for snow plowing in the Northeast. If not for snow plowing the Grand Wagoneer was used to go to a winter home for skiing where there was ample salt on the road to eat into the body and under carriage. Unlike today where all vehicles have extensive rust protection, rust protection was at best minimal on the Jeep Wagoneers
Paul, the owner of this Grand Wagoneer, had been looking for one for a few years. But none had a color he and his wife liked and none were in “put-gas-in-the-tank-and-go condition.” A friend who had a very nice Wagoneer told Paul about Wagonmasters. Paul contacted them and the end of result of the phone call is the 1991 really “grand” Grand Wagoneer you see here.
Paul does not plow snow or use the Wagoneer when there is salt on the road. It is a fun vehicle that he, his wife and children use mainly from March to early December.
“Although a few times after a freshly fallen snow, before the roads are plowed or salted, we take the kids out to see the area all in white with its virgin snow,” he said.“There is nothing that stops the excellent four-wheel-drive of the Wagoneer.”
Paul also likes the tailgate with its retractable window.
“The whole idea of a wagon is for tailgating,” he said. “You do not tailgate with a lift gate.”
Paul also likes the Wagoneers height of 66 inches, because “you are looking out over the road with great visibility and its length of 186 inches makes it easy to park and handle.”
As for gas mileage, you do get a four-wheel-drive for miles per gallon — you get it for smiles per gallon.
In 1986 a new exterior front grille and headlamp treatment, and redesigned taillamps were introduced. A stand-up Jeep hood ornament was also added along with a new steering wheel, which included new stalks for the lights and wiper/washer controls on the column. The Select-Trac driveline gained a new Trac-Lok limited slip differential to send power to the wheel with the best traction.
The Wagoneer made its debut seven years before Land Rover launched its Range Rover in Great Britain, 18 years before Land Rover introduced a four-door version, and 24 years before that marque appeared in the U.S.
Various versions of the Wagoneer were manufactured in the United States and other nations by Kaiser Motors (1962−1971), then American Motors (1971−1987), and lastly by Chrysler (1987−1993).
In 1991 a Jeep Grand Wagoneer cost $28,455. From 1984 to 1991 103,298 were sold. Jeep Grand Wagoneers from 1984–1991 are highly-prized vehicles today with a die-hard group of well-healed individuals paying premium prices…more than the original price for Grand Wagoneers in excellent condition. •
