Jeep Cherokee (SJ)
AMC revived the two-door SJ body for 1974 as the Cherokee, a sportier, younger-buyer version of the Wagoneer that replaced the Jeepster Commando. It had a reworked roofline with long fixed rear side windows, bucket seats, and the Wagoneer's engines, from the 258 six to the 401 V8, with Quadra-Trac available. The wide-track Chief, with axles three inches wider and flared fenders, gave it a tougher look, and a four-door joined in 1977. Sales peaked in 1978 and collapsed after 1979, and the compact XJ took the Cherokee name for 1984.
Engines
| Engine | Power | Torque | Fuel | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2 L (258 cu in) AMC I6 Net rating; IFSJA lists 110 to 118 hp depending on the year. |
110 hp (82 kW) | 195 lb-ft (264 N·m) | Gasoline | 1974 to 1983 |
| 5.9 L (360 cu in) AMC V8, 2-barrel Net rating for 1974 to 1978; IFSJA lists lower ratings from 1979 (129 hp from 1981). |
175 hp (130 kW) | 285 lb-ft (386 N·m) | Gasoline | 1974 to 1983 |
| 5.9 L (360 cu in) AMC V8, 4-barrel Net rating. |
195 hp (145 kW) | 295 lb-ft (400 N·m) | Gasoline | 1974 to 1978 |
| 6.6 L (401 cu in) AMC V8, 4-barrel Net rating; forged crankshaft and connecting rods. |
215 hp (160 kW) | 320 lb-ft (434 N·m) | Gasoline | 1974 to 1978 |
Transmissions
- Warner T-18 and T-18A 4-speed manuals (1974 to 1983)
- GM Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 3-speed automatic (1974 to 1979)
- Chrysler TorqueFlite A727 3-speed automatic (1980 to 1983)
- Tremec T-176 4-speed manual (1980 to 1983)
Sizes and weights
| Measure | Size |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 108.7 in2,761 mm |
| Length | 186.4 in4,735 mm |
| Width | 74.8 in1,900 mm |
A range covers the body styles and trims of this generation.
Trims and editions
- Base
- S
- Chief
- Golden Eagle
- Golden Hawk (1980)
- Laredo (1980 to 1983)
- Pioneer (1983)
Worth knowing
- Its 1974 sales brochure is the first known use of the term sport utility vehicle.
- In February 1974 it received Four Wheeler magazine's first Achievement Award, forerunner of Four Wheeler of the Year.
- Dana 44 axles front and rear, at least through 1979.
- Also assembled in Brisbane, Australia, from 1981 until about 1985.
Year by year, newest first
- Final year: Pioneer package standard on four-doors and optional on two-doors; Chief and Laredo only on wide-track two-doors.
- 6,186 built; the compact XJ took the Cherokee name for 1984.
- 6,911 built.
- 6,321 built.
- Laredo package added, and Golden Hawk graphics offered.
- Chrysler TorqueFlite replaced the GM automatic.
- Production fell to 7,614.
- New front end with square headlights, aluminum bumpers, and a one-piece grille, shared with the Wagoneer.
- Last year for the GM automatic.
- 39,183 built.
- Golden Eagle package with denim interior, gold steel wheels, and an eagle hood decal.
- Last year for the 401 V8.
- Best year, with 40,698 built.
- Four-door (Model 18) added, with narrow-track axles only.
- 33,684 built.
- Stronger frame, shared with the Wagoneer.
- 26,365 built.
- Wide-track Cherokee Chief added in January 1975, with 3-inch-wider Dana 44 axles, flares, stripes, and bigger wheels, at US$349 over the S.
- 16,294 built.
- Introduced as a two-door on the old two-door Wagoneer body, in base (Model 16) and S (Model 17) forms, narrow-track only.
- Four-wheel drum brakes standard, front discs optional.
- 14,082 built.
Notes
Chief timing: Jeep's own Australian history page says January 1975; Wikipedia and offroadxtreme call it an early 1976 model. Golden Eagle years: 1978 to 1979 (Wikipedia) or 1979 only (offroadxtreme). The 401 is listed as discontinued at the end of 1978 by Wikipedia and 'for 1979' by offroadxtreme, which agree. Production figures are from IFSJA and JeepTech (they match); sources do not say whether they are calendar or model years. Dimensions are Wikipedia's infobox figures, matching the Grand Wagoneer spec sheet for the same body; Wikipedia gives 78.7 in width for wide-track models, not confirmed elsewhere. Transmission and transfer-case years after 1979 come from IFSJA's drivetrain table, which covers all full-size Jeeps together, so some items may not have applied to every Cherokee. Wikipedia also lists Brampton, Ontario, and overseas assembly (Argentina, Australia, Mexico); only Toledo is listed as the plant here. A rare Peugeot turbo-diesel is mentioned by Wikipedia without detail.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Jeep_Cherokee_(SJ)
- jeep.com.au /history/1970s.html
- offroadxtreme.com /?p=9839
- ifsja.org /tech/figures/fsjprod.html
- ifsja.org /tech/figures/engines.html
- ifsja.org /tech/figures/db.html
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/models/sj
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Jeep_Wagoneer_(SJ)