First, sorry this post is long. Second, I have to say what a great forum this is. I had no idea people we as crazy (I mean passionate) for Full Size Jeeps! I don’t have much to post on my Jeep as I am just starting the process of getting it back.
My family was the original owner of a 1978 Jeep Cherokee. I’m originally from Kenosha WI and remember the American Motors factory quite well, so I’ve always been an AMC fan. Owned a lot of them over the years. My folks bought the Jeep and dad drove it to work from Kenosha to Racine in the rain, snow or shine 5 days a weeks.
First week we had it, I remember stealing the keys after dad fell asleep and me and a few friends went 4 wheeling in the mud where we used to ride dirt bikes. Unfortunately, I high centered in the mud at least 50 feet from solid ground. My boss owned the Spot Drive In in Kenosha and I called him to get me out with his Jeep Comanche because I knew he had a long winch. You have to realize I was a young punk 17 year old kid and he was a straight up 50 something – But he owned a Jeep and he understood my problem. He even gave me a $20 advance to run to the wand car wash to clean the mud off. Dad never found out. But that’s how I got hooked on Jeeps.
After dad retired, I bought the Jeep in 1981 and drove it to Chandler AZ where I had it until 2013. I think it originally came with a 401, but for some reason dad put a 304 in it. I don’t remember if he blew up the 401 by running out of oil or coolant. All I know is the jeep was a dog with the 304. We have some steep climbs getting to elevation in Payson, Flagstaff and the White Mountains in Arizona and I literally would get passed by Broncos pulling campers going up the hills. Enough of that crap!
In 1986 I found a 401 in the boneyard and had it rebuilt by a friend in Mesa that just opened an engine shop building engines for NASCAR teams. Never got passed on the mountain climbs again! Only mistake I made was using a high compression piston. Back in ’86 there was a gas station in Mesa you could still buy high octane ethyl, but once that dried up the pinging in the summer heat started.
I put a nice 4” lift and 33” tires and rims on the Jeep, loved 4 wheeling and camping. But as I got older (married and had kids), I drove the Jeep less and less. The last 10 years I owned it I put on less than 1000mi. Heck every time I had to get it running from sitting, I had to rebuild the Holley 600 and put a fuel pump in it because the pump shaft would seize up from sitting.
I don’t know what I was thinking, but in 2013 I sold the Jeep for $1200. The guy who bought it couldn’t believe he found an original owner 1978. He bought it sight unseen and sent me a cashier’s check. I have to say, I was really regretting the sale when I saw it on the trailer as he drove away. It has haunted be for over 2 years that I actually sold it. Finally, a week ago, I couldn’t take it. I still had the guy’s number. Sent him a text asking if he still had the Jeep and would he sell it back to me. He called me within in a few minutes and we talked about Jeeps for an hour (I think he said he has 7 or 8 Jeeps). He said he had been thinking about selling some of his Jeeps to pay for house renovations. He said if he had to sell the ’78 he would only have wanted to sell it back to me. What a standup guy.
The Jeep is 2 ½ hours south of me, the guy selling it back will deliver it back up to Chandler once he’s back home. Looking forward to getting it back and starting a restoration.
:JR