While this 1982 Jeep Cherokee Laredo looks pretty tempting just by virtue of its clean paint, sharp wheels, and laser straight body, what’s going on under the hood is the bigger surprise that makes it even more captivating. A three-owner truck, with the first two owners siblings who owned the Jeep since new, the Cherokee has resided in sunny, dry Arizona and is a rust-free example because of it. However, the standard inline-six has been tossed in favor of a 1992 Chevrolet Caprice 5.7l Heavy Duty V8 removed from a salvaged police car, giving it a hefty boost of power over stock. The Cherokee is said to run and drive quite well and is listed here on eBay with bidding to $8,600 and no reserve.
The two-door body is sought after by enthusiasts, but so is just about any clean Cherokee from this era. We just recently featured a Barn Finds Exclusive listing for one of these that is begging for this kind of treatment. The Cherokee two-door looks far more sporting than the standard four-door body, an attitude that is enhanced by a meaty set of fender flares and its “Wide Track” configuration that is very obvious in this photo. The fender flares are the only exterior areas that have been repainted, with the seller calling it 80 percent original. The seller also notes that the typically finicky rear window assembly has been completely rebuilt and functions as it should. The aftermarket wheels aren’t too aggressive but still look like a nice upgrade.
The interior has been completely redone. This is an awesome upgrade for the next owner, as the seller likely won’t see their money back on this investment. The listing notes that the interior refresh consisted of the low back front bucket seats, center console, and rear bench seat all being redone with new materials. The headliner has been recovered in Alcantara, by no means a cheap upgrade. The end result is a fantastic, retro-cool transformation that pays homage to the original look of higher-end Cherokees like the Grand Wagoneer while still looking thoroughly modern. Interior overhauls are time-consuming and costly jobs, so the next owner will get to enjoy the fruits of the seller’s labor without any of the headaches.
The rear cargo area upholstery looks to be original, and since there’s no mention of the carpeting being replaced, I’ll bet it is. The other mechanical improvements in addition to the V8 powerplant include a 700R4 transmission and full exhaust with a Flowmaster muffler. The seller notes this gives the Cherokee some added performance and also aids in highway cruising, with four forward gears. While the air conditioning and heat are both noted as being slightly weak, it’s not been an issue for the seller given their warm weather local. Still, those are minor issues to sort out, and the only other revelation is that it will drip oil when not in use. A very cool, usable truck that will likely prove reliable for years to come.
Wow,,,normally, I wouldn’t give look at any Cherokee like this, but this is a really nice one. I never heard of a “Wide Track”, but sure enough, it had wider axles to accommodate bigger tires. While I never had a problem with AMC drivetrains, this is a decent swap. Too bad it still has the crummy AMC electrics and build quality( cheap door handles, missing armrest ( that must have just fallen off) window regulators, latches, gauges, switches, accessories failing( all that happened to mine) and not an issue here, thank goodness, but unrepairable rust, as in my case. BUT, powering it is “The Heartbeat of America”, and that’s a good thing.
That is sweet. The interior is great too.
This is the deal of the day!
Looking at the instrument cluster you can see what AMC did with their stock of leftover cheapie Hornet/Gremlin instruments! Lots of other Hornet and Concord bits in the interior as well.
Buy it now price is nearly 13k…
And the owner claims it has a new exhaust giving 80 extra horsepower over stock :(
thats one magic mufler right there!
The engine is a 1992 retired squad car motor- nothing to brag about,
In 1992 the 9C1 Caprices still came with the L05 TBI 350, they didn’t get the LT1 until 1994. Although the L05 is probably bump up over the 6 it came with it is nothing special.. 180 hp maybe?
I just went by what the owner wrote in the add. Im not surprised that someone who lies about 80hp gain from new exhaust is “confabulating” a bit
Gone!
How do I buy this!!
I agree this is a steal of a deal.
Mine was the same but a Cherokee Chief. I’ve mentioned mine before but this is the first I’ve see here on BF that actually is the 2dr wide track like mine. An 80 or 81 body on a 79 chassis.
AMC 360 V8 backed by a GM turbo 400 thru a J-10 transfer case. No vacuum actuated quadra-track here. I added Warn lockout hubs for highway use.
Loved that truck. It handles better than my Ford 2dr hardtop.
Bought it from and salvage yard owner who had done the work. He had built it to use in the yard so you know it wasn’t a trailer queen.
Great vehicle. Wish I had a reason and the pockets to buy this one!
I’ll take it.
What’s your $!?