It would also be generous to describe these SUVs as 'well-built,' given that towards the end of its run the vehicle featured parts sourced from AMC, Ford, Jeep and Chrysler all trying to play together nicely. Interest in the truck continued nearly unabated despite its relatively crude design, which included a pair of solid axles suspended by leaf springs front and rear, and the modest although torquey output of its ultra-thirsty 5.9L V8. When the Wagoneer platform was replaced by the Grand Cherokee after the 1991 model year the truck may have disappeared from Jeep showrooms but demand for the wood-paneled wonder did not. By the time the '80s had rolled around, the Grand Wagoneer had transitioned from rugged off-road escape artist to stealth wealthmobile, shuttling deep-pocketed Americans to their vacation homes on Cape Cod or in the mountains near Telluride. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer has a somewhat unique story when compared against other full-size 4x4s of its era-or that should read eras, because this wood-paneled hauler was produced from the 1960s all the way to the beginning of the 1990s.

It's within this context that two companies, Classic Gentleman and Wagonmaster, have been successfully renewing Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUVs and selling them to a surprisingly upmarket audience. In fact, there are some classics that have been given an entirely new lease on life thanks to the dedicated intervention of restomod specialists who balance the reliability needs of daily driving with the desire to stay as close to the original concept as possible. While some purists might still grumble at the idea of an older automobile that deviates in any way from the details with which it left the factory, by and large the attitude that it's better to see these cars and trucks out on the road than sitting in a dark garage has won the day.

Over the past two decades, the restomod has inched its way from the margins of the classic car business to a widely accepted way to enjoy an antique vehicle in a modern context.

Jeep retro commander