Called “The champagne of 4-wheel drives” by Road & Track (August 1978), Jeep’s Wagoneer offered wagon-like style on a rugged four-wheel drive truck chassis well before that formula appeared everywhere. This 1978 Jeep Wagoneer outside of Evans, Colorado shows remnants of wood grain, and came well-equipped with air conditioning, Quadra-Trac full-time four-wheel drive, and the top-shelf 401 cid (6.6L) V8. In lieu of authoring a description here on Craigslist, the lonely seller invites buyers considering the $9500 asking price to phone and ask questions such as “Does it run?” Thanks to reader T.J. for spotting this once high-rolling retro SUV.

Belts on the air conditioning compressor normally indicate its operation had not been fully abandoned when it last ran. A large brake master cylinder underlines the ability of these Wagoneers to tow and haul large objects with truck-like confidence. While the 401 suffered from low compression and primitive emissions-control systems, there’s no masking the additional torque generated by those extra cubic inches over the base 360. All AMC / Jeep V8s of this era shared the same block and mostly-interchangeable accessories, and the 401 has been called a “true powerhouse.”

Optional custom cloth bucket seats give front-seat passengers individual adjustment expected in today’s SUVs. The aftermarket trailer brake controller suggests the 401 spent part of its life hauling more than groceries and the occasional shrubbery.

Make this rig shine, build that 401, and sling a refurbished Airstream on the back and you’ll draw a crowd wherever you go, including the gas stations you’ll frequent while struggling to achieve double-digit MPG. It may not match the acceleration of today’s V8s and 6+ speed automatic transmissions, but improving this Jeep won’t cost $45,000 either, and while a new truck is worth less every day, this Wagoneer might hold its own or even gain value over time. Would you consider this old-school SUV as an alternative to today’s full-sized monsters?