History of the Jeep Wagoneer
The Jeep Wagoneer was produced from 1963 to 1991 by Willys, Kaiser, American Motors and Chrysler. It's an early full-size sport utility vehicle with its roots in the World War II-era Jeep. It paved the way for Chrysler's Jeep Cherokee and cemented the SUV as the vehicle of choice for suburban families.
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History
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Willys had cornered the market on the early 1960s sport utility vehicle. As a family wagon, it was conceived as a replacement for the original postwar Jeep station wagon, which debuted in 1946 and was showing its age.
Significance
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Its body style remained virtually unchanged for 28 years, and featured only minor engineering changes.
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Function
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It serves the dual purpose as a four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle and a family passenger station wagon.
Types
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Models include two- and four-door versions that were either glass or paneled, the Wagoneer Custom, the Super Wagoneer, the Wagoneer Limited and the Grand Wagoneer featuring wood grain paneling on the sides.
Features
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The Wagoneer shared the same design as the older Jeep Gladiator pickup.
Size
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The 1968 through 1971 versions sit on a 110-inch wheelbase and are powered by a Buick 350-cubic-inch 230-horsepower Dauntless V-8.
Fun Fact
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A fleet of AMC Jeep Wagoneers were used in the 1977 film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
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Resources
- Photo Credit Chrysler LLC
