If the owner’s description is accurate, then this 1976 Jeep Cherokee has led an incredibly sheltered existence. It has been spared to rigors of exposure to inclement weather and rough off-roading. Instead, it has served its time as a means of transporting children to school and to make those necessary trips to buy the family groceries. It has lived a life of retirement since the 1980s but has remained well-maintained throughout its entire life. The time has come for it to head to a new home, and that could quite conceivably be yours. Located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, you will find the Jeep listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $15,100, and with the reserve now met, that new home looks like it might be just around the corner.
The owner gives the impression in his listing that the Federal Gray and Alpine White paint that the Jeep wears is original and that the vehicle has never received a repaint. The fact that it has never spent any extended period exposed to UV rays or road salt has probably helped its cause, while a life lived in a heated garage will have assisted to keep the dreaded tin worm at bay. The paint has a nice shine to it, while the alloy wheels appear to be free of any damage or pitting. The chrome and trim, along with the glass, all look to be close to perfect. When you look at the overall condition of the vehicle, it is very easy to believe that it has spent its life as a taxi for the kiddies and groceries, and has never been subjected to the rigors of off-roading.
The Black interior trim of the Jeep presents nicely, but it does show a couple of spots of wear which helps to confirm that this is no trailer queen. The driver’s seat is showing some edgewear and a couple of minor splits. Apparently, the original owner of the vehicle was something of a perfectionist, so I’m actually slightly surprised to find this wear. Having said that, it is a problem that should be easy to address. There is also some wear visible on the rim of the steering wheel, while the carpet has a few minor faded spots. An indication of careful ownership is reflected in the plastic that covers the carpet in the cargo area. It looks like it has been there for quite some time, and I suspect that the carpet that lies beneath is probably in good condition. The rest of the interior trim and upholstery looks really good, and when you look around inside the vehicle, it is hard to believe that you are looking at an interior that is 44-years-old.
The original owner of the Jeep was a GM mechanic, and he also liked his vehicles to provide some decent levels of performance. With those factors in mind, it is no surprise to find a 360ci V8 under the hood of the Jeep. In deference to the fact that the Jeep was to be used as a family commuter driven by his wife, he chose to have it equipped with a TH400 automatic transmission and QuadraTrac full-time 4WD system, along with power steering and power brakes. As with the rest of the vehicle, the entire drivetrain is original, and apart from a cylinder head rebuild (which was not actually needed), the car has never been touched. It has, however, been meticulously maintained throughout its life. Once it was retired from active duty in the 1980s, it was parked in a heated garage and hardly ever moved. The original owner did take it out for short drives from time-to-time to keep the fluids flowing, but that has been about it. Even the current (and second) owner of the Jeep has followed the same path, and it is this lack of use that has prompted him to part with the vehicle. I get the impression that this is a Cherokee that wants for nothing, as the owner states that it runs and drives well.
There is no doubt that this 1976 Jeep is an eye-catching vehicle, and while it isn’t perfect, its condition is a long way above average for a survivor of this age. Its listing has generated some pretty intense interest because along with strong bidding, there are currently 156 people who are watching the listing. I really do envy the next owner, because I believe that they are about to take possession of a really special vehicle, and it is to be hoped that they appreciate it just as much as its first two owners have up to this point.
Holy cow that’s nice! Wouldn’t be surprised if it goes for twice that amount, Cherokees have a loyal fan base…
Cool rig, but a couple of caveats – seller knows and should say up front that all US buyers will need customs paperwork, a vehicle inspection on at the border, and then another one in your home state to apply for title. Fine print is purposely vague. It’s also more expensive than his quotes to have a vehicle transported across the border, if you can find a transporter willing to do it. At least the Sweetgrass guys get the vehicle to the border for you, this guy doesn’t. I see he has negative feedback for not sending a title – that’s because Canada doesn’t use titles, you only get a registration – that should be mentioned up front. This seller has sold perhaps 100 vehicles in the last 4 years, surprised that only 22 of those buyers left feedback. I get that the seller likes US dollars and the associated 30 percent premium over CDN, but item location should reflect where the car is currently sited. I imported a 67 GT500 from Canada to the US, and while not terribly difficult, there are some hoops to jump through.
Hadn’t thought about that…
Most provinces up here use an “ownership” for any year vehicle. It should be just as good as a “title” and far better than a bill of sale. Make use of a proper customs brokerage company to handle any paperwork at the boarder.
you vastely over state the problems i have imported cars both ways..not difficult at all
Beautiful. My grandfather had one of the same vintage and trim, only it was black and white. I have great memories of that truck.
Very cool, but I could never wrap my head around the concept of mint condition old trucks. I would feel guilty as hell the first time I brought this to Home Depot and threw a bunch of bags of mulch, paver bricks, and dirty plants into it! That roof rack looks like you could haul all kinds of stuff on it, too.
Sold for $23,400.
Growing up, I really liked the Cherokees and the Broncos. Mom got a Scout instead. And now I have Scout fever 40 years later. But this is a really nice rig!
Certain vehicles come along and naturally send a shiver up your spine. This truck, for me, is one of those vehicles. We’ve been over this and over this, many had great luck with these. I, on the other hand, thought it was the absolute worst vehicle I owned. I won’t go into all that went wrong, and rust played a big part in it, but everything you could think of that could break or become inoperative, did. I kept up with it, until the rear leaf spring rusted and sent the spring through the floor, and it was goodbye Cherokee.I thought my 6 cylinder got poor mileage in the low teens, I can only imagine this will get half that. About the only way you’ll find one today, is if they never ran in the salt, or in this case, never used, kind of a conundrum, considering that’s what they were made for. Hope the new owner has fun fixing stuff, I wouldn’t touch one again for anything.
I have a CJ with the same drive train…8 MPG
Annie Wilkes special! Love it. They were terribly built and inefficient in just about every way but still so cool.
The first picture looks like Federal Gray with white top, but the last picture looks like blue with white top, on my computer screen.
A beautiful old Cherokee.
Well preserved and well sold.
Isn’t Dawg the Bounty Hunter part Cherokee ?
again, don’t forget when buying a classic car, U buy the vehicle that was made (not so great quality compaired to others of the era) back in the day. Plus headachs associated w/prts availability, safety issues, MPGs, reliability…
Think of this for 15 to 23K$ and what else U could have same price…