The Classy Looking 4×4
Of course, this is no obscurity to most of our American Readers (both North and South) but we in the UK do tend to imagine that we elevated the 4WD from the farm to the polo fields with the first Range Rover. Actually, the first Rangie was admirably austere and, if its social climbing you’re looking for, designer/showman Brooke Stevens’s 1946 Willys Jeep Station Wagon gave new life to the ubiquitous wartime military vehicle.
The construction is actually all painted steel, but the Faux Woodie look was a clever way of adding strength to simple flat steel panel pressings. Although replaced by the Wagoneer in North America in the mid Sixties, a variant lived on in Brazil until 1981.
Herewith is a rather lovely review from Car and Driver of the 1977 AMC Cherokee Chief which was spun out from the Wagoneer:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1977-amc-cherokee-chief-archived-test-review
Yes, a very nice review and from a time, or a magazine, whose journalists didn’t think it necessary to indulge themselves with the largest engined, highest specced option of anything they had on long-term test (or maybe in the US, they think of 4,500 miles as a ride round the block). Also, as a postcript to the review, it’s always salutary to read of a trumpeted new technological solution (Spicer V-Drive offering 4WD for all) that disappeared into obscurity. After your recommendation, and being too busy (read disorganised) to seek out a stockist, I’ve finally ordered this month’s C&D online with a view to maybe subscribing.
Excellent. I earn $0.43 for every new subscriber.