Trading vehicles with my Grandfather

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Agree. I had the same engine in my 1976 AMC Pacer. Damn, that thing just ran and ran and ran. Had that engine in my 1987 Cherokee and now have that in-line six in my 1999 Grand Cherokee. Sad to know they stopped offering it, the thing was a proven runner.

If memory serves, I think the last year you could get a 4.0 was in 2001. I looked at a brand new Cherokee at MedVed in Wheat Ridge back then when I lived in Denver. I want to say the sticker was $21,000 and some change.

Then Jeep went with the 3.7 gas hog. I would have expected better gas mileage out of an engine that size but the '03 Liberty I had could go up the La Bajada escarpment south of Santa Fe on I25 and not miss a beat!

The Pacer was cool! Did you have the slushbox (auto trans) or was a stick? Remember the Hornet? It was used in "Live and Let Die". I thought the car-plane idea was a little ridiculous but the "barrel jump" was pretty awesome.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Ziasforever

If memory serves, I think the last year you could get a 4.0 was in 2001. I looked at a brand new Cherokee at MedVed in Wheat Ridge back then when I lived in Denver. I want to say the sticker was $21,000 and some change.

Then Jeep went with the 3.7 gas hog. I would have expected better gas mileage out of an engine that size but the '03 Liberty I had could go up the La Bajada escarpment south of Santa Fe on I25 and not miss a beat!

The Pacer was cool! Did you have the slushbox (auto trans) or was a stick? Remember the Hornet? It was used in "Live and Let Die". I thought the car-plane idea was a little ridiculous but the "barrel jump" was pretty awesome.

The 1976 Pacer was 3-speed on the floor, got 18 MPG while the auto's got 13 MPG; a very comfortable car. I recall all the others. The 1987 Cherokee with the in-line six and a 5-speed got 21-22 MPG on open road and would go up PA Tpk's Allegheny Mtn at 65 MPH in overdrive with a thousand pounds of RR books in the back. I had that jeep from 1987-2003 and would still have it if it hadn't been for a minor fender bender that resulted in Geico paying me the value of the thing and declaring it totaled.

[jazzlover]

The 4.0 liter six was a great engine--you could get it in the Wrangler until 2007, if memory serves. It has an interesting pedigree. AMC took its 232/258 cu. in. block and sawed off two cylinders to make their 2.5 liter 4 in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Then they took that design, added two cylinders and fuel injection back to it--and that is where the 4.0L came from. I certainly agree that the 3.7 and 3.8L V6's that replaced the 4.0 are fuel-guzzling dogs.

Chrysler did two real stupid things--they discontinued the Cherokee, in its later years (from about 1996 on) arguably one of the best out-of-the box 4WD's built, and they discontinued the 4.0L.

One would have thought that the Grand Cherokee, which started out basically as a "puffed up Cherokee," would have been equally as good as its smaller older brother, but it wasn't. The Grand was rife with body and electrical problems, especially, that just didn't occur in the regular Cherokee. If you want more proof, look at vehicle fleets. A lot of them that had both in the fleet still have some regular Cherokees in them, but the Grands are long gone. I know of two fleets like that right here in my community.

[Ziasforever]

Here ya go Mike n Jazz! Enjoy!

It's an ad when Jeep was a Jeep back in the 70's. I bet these turned a few heads back then.

JL was this your first vehicle after that dinosaur you rode to highschool?

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Ziasforever

Here ya go Mike n Jazz! Enjoy!

It's an ad when Jeep was a Jeep back in the 70's. I bet these turned a few heads back then.

JL was this your first vehicle after that dinosaur you rode to highschool?


Attachment 69974

No, it was a rattletrap Ford 4x4 pickup with manual steering (that would break your thumb if you hit a rock and your thumb was inside the spoke of the steering wheel) and manual drum brakes that lost 90% of their effectiveness for an hour after you forded a stream. 4 speed with a granny-low first gear (unsychronized) that would let you climb just about anything--just watch those thumbs! It rode so rough that if you ran over a nickel on the road, you could tell if it was heads or tails!

The only thing that I ever saw that was much tougher was one of these (only real men need apply):



I'd still like to have one of those, just for fun . . .

[orbzome]

Well, I think I'm going to do it. Gotta take my civic to the shop though and if all kinds of crap is wrong with it, I might call it off. We'll see!

[The Homogenizer]

Why can't you keep the Ohio plate and your grandfather's insurance on it for the return trip and mail the plate back to your grandfather?

That couldn't cost more than $10.

[PokerMunkee]

The newer (05+) Jeeps with Quadra-Drive II can go just about anywhere with their ELSDs (electronic limited slip differential). About the only production SUV with something just as capable is Land Rover. Hell, even Quadra-Trak II is better than most vehicles. The abililty to put 100% of the powr to a single wheel that has traction is key. Most vehicles can't do it or only the rear wheels.

My main gripe with the new 2011 JGC is that they don't have a front ELSD. Supposedly the braking system can do the same job but the verdict is still out on this.