This $300,000 1977 Jeep Cherokee S Is How Dreams Are Made

Related Video

Restored classic off-roaders are nothing new. We've all seen our fair share of classic Ford Broncos and Dodge Power Wagons restored to their former glory and carrying crazy price tags. However, it's far rarer to find a restored Jeep Cherokee, Wagoneer, or J-truck. Unlike the aforementioned, when it comes to classic Jeeps parts, availability often proves challenging. Forget about bodies; reproduction panels are nearly nonexistent. That's where Vigilante customs comes in.

As lifelong, full-size Jeep enthusiasts, Vigilante founder Daniel von Doveren and his wife Rachel have made it their mission to produce the best restored full-size Jeeps possible. And they work with one rule: Each element of every build is either replaced with new old stock parts, remanufactured from scratch, or completely restored wherever possible.

The latest Jeep project to come out of the shop in Johnson City, Texas, is this amazing 1977 Cherokee S restomod. While thoroughly modern under the skin, this Jeep looks much more like a museum piece from Jeep history than a fresh build. Originally sourced as a rolling donor from Oregon, the Vigilante crew painstakingly stripped the vehicle down to nothing and rebuilt it like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

It's a wonderfully in-depth build. We get to explore it and take it for a quick spin.

The original chassis used for these classic Jeeps were never designed to handle high horsepower or big tires. They were quite marginal at best. To add insult to injury, it can also prove difficult to find a chassis at all without at least some level of rust and rot after nearly 40 years of faithful service.

As a remedy, Vigilante scraps the factory frame and begins each build on a solid foundation. Creating a new chassis begins with 3D scans of an original J2000, Wagoneer, and Cherokee Chief. The team creates a 3D model and CAD drawings of the vehicle, followed by a physical prototype. Today, all Vigilante-built vehicles ride on the new chassis that is more robust than what came from the factory, complete with thicker steel, full cavity coating, and exterior powder coating.

Alongside a new chassis comes a modern suspension design as well. Leaf springs have been around since the days of the horse and buggy and were used on these full-size Jeeps for nearly half a century. Vigilante ditches this antiquated design in favor of a long-travel multilink suspension at both the front and rear of the vehicle. Supporting the vehicle's weight are 2.0-inch-diameter Fox Racing remote reservoir coilover shocks with Eibach springs. This build also utilizes Fox 2.0-inch hydraulic bump stops for precise axle compression control.

Despite its soft exterior, the Vigilante Cherokee S stays true to its roots as one of the most capable off-road vehicles of its time. Power is routed from the transmission to the axles through an Atlas-II two-speed transfer case from Advance Adapters, which offers a 3.45:1 low range. Currie Enterprises supplies the high-pinion axles, which include a Dana 44 in the front and a robust Dana 60 in the rear. Differentials can be fitted with a variety of traction devices, including limited slips and lockers. This Cherokee S rolls on a set of 285/70R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires with the white letters out, naturally.

In 1977, Jeep buyers could option their Cherokee with either the standard 4.2-liter AMC inline-six or one of a pair of V-8 engines: either a 360-cubic-inch 5.9-liter or 401-cubic-inch 6.6-liter. The biggest of these pumped out a paltry 280 hp. Vigilante fixed this by installing a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 crate engine from Mopar. This new engine pumps out 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque and can be had in a CARB-compliant configuration to meet the stringent emissions requirements from states like California. Backing the engine is a GM 4L80E four-speed automatic transmission built by Bowler Performance, which is capable of handling up to 800 lb-ft of torque.

While the 6.4-liter V-8 and automatic transmission are a popular option for Vigilante Jeep builds, the company can repower these classics with nearly any Mopar engine available. Although they're more difficult to source and two to three times the cost, the company has built Cherokees with both 700-hp 6.2-liter Hellcat and 800-hp Hellcat Redeye crate engines. If a customer happens to already have one of the 100 1,000-hp Hellephant crate engines or even a Viper V-10, the company will happily make them work. And there are Tremec six-speed manual transmission options, as well, for those who enjoy rowing their own cogs.

The team at Vigilante works closely with each customer to ensure they get exactly the vehicle they desire. For this build, the owner requested minimal visible technology inside the actual Cherokee body. This Jeep was kept as close to the original 1977 design as possible, while still adopting modern amenities. For example, the front driver and passenger doors have power window regulators, and the rear doors retain the classic cranks. Power door locks are an option but were shunned in favor of the original mechanical locks.

This Cherokee S originally came with air conditioning from the factory; however, a modern unit from Vintage Air is utilized on these builds for the best performance. Keeping things period-correct meant the team needed to utilize 3D-printing technology to re-create factory-style vents. The original HVAC dash controls were gutted and modernized, leaving the old-school styling while seamlessly controlling the new heat and air system. The same holds true for the stereo as well as the instrument cluster, both of which have had their internals updated, as well. Under the hood, the engine controls are flawlessly integrated into the former A/C blower housing for a clean and unassuming installation.

While big changes like engine and chassis are fun to talk about, it's the small things that really set this Vigilante build apart from your average restoration.

Looking around the vehicle, some are easier to miss than others. While the side mirrors may appear factory, they are, in fact, new units machined from billet aluminum and improved to always remain steady (sloppy mirrors plagued these vehicles). The mirrors also sport a tiny cougar, the company's symbol, machined into the leading edge.

The cranks for the power windows mirror those of the rear manual windows and operate as a hidden switch for activating the function. The tuning knob on the stereo can now switch tracks on Pandora via Bluetooth, while the once-simple On-Off switch for the HVAC fan is now an infinitely adjustable slider. The original Cherokee branding has been tastefully replaced by machined aluminum lettering spelling out "VIGILANTE," and other custom badging featuring the company's logo discreetly blends into the dashboard. Even the 17-by-9-inch aluminum Vigilante signature wheels are custom-machined from billet aluminum for a unique look that is unlike anything else.

The slate gray interior features an elegant and stunning, yet subdued, floral design that is embossed and pressed into the seats and door panel leather. It is sourced from Moore & Giles, one of America's oldest leather companies. Three-point safety belts are among the few visible modernizations that can be found inside the vehicle. The vehicle's exterior is coated in Midnight Blue, and the accent that was formerly vinyl is now painted on the side in Glacier White, matching the two-tone roof.

Sliding behind the wheel of the Vigilante Cherokee S is an experience unlike any other. A delicate turn of the steel key fires up the truck's Hemi V-8 engine, which emits a lovely, low, deep grumble. Dropping the column shifter into "O" sets the Jeep into motion, just as it did in its former life.

Upon setting off down the PCH along California's coast, it's immediately noticeable this isn't any ordinary Cherokee. With a firm press of the accelerator, the Jeep rockets down the highway while the transmission fires off quick but firm shifts. Steering is a night-and-day improvement over anything the factory produced, and the massive four-corner six-piston Baer brakes get the heavy SUV slowed down in short order.

Highway ride from the Fox dampers and new multilink suspension is plush and absorbs road undulations, potholes, and expansion joints with ease. Heading into the canyons above Malibu, the Cherokee remained in its element. Front and rear anti-sway bars kept body roll to a minimum as we carved the twisty roads normally reserved for sports cars and exotics.

At the end of our quick jaunt, we were reluctant to hand over the keys. The Cherokee was such a joy to drive and completely at home in its element cruising the coast. It has plenty of power without being over the top, the ride is comfortable, and the steering and braking are more than confidence-inspiring. It's a custom vehicle that anyone can easily drive… without the requisite list of special instructions that typically come along with these builds.

As a bonus, we're told it can pull mid-teens when it comes to fuel economy—which, for something this size, is quite solid.

All of Vigilante's builds are custom, and none of what the company does comes cheap. With a starting price of $295,000, and this build, as optioned, checking in at about $330,000, there are certainly flashier vehicles one could spend their cash on. But for the classic Jeep devotee, or anyone desiring something just a bit different from the herd, these restomod Cherokees, Wagoneers, and J-Trucks make a mighty fine choice. However, you better get your deposit in quickly since a one-of-a-kind build of this caliber takes anywhere from 18 to 36 months to complete.