Inferior Interior: 1974 Jeep Cherokee – SOLD!

February 28, 2022 Update – We confirmed the seller of this “Classifind” deleted their listing, so we’re now able to call this one “SOLD!” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

In one of the company’s few smart decisions, independent automaker American Motors Corporation (“AMC”) bought the money-losing Kaiser-Jeep for $70 million in 1970. Roughly half a billion in today’s dollars, AMC scored a bargain.  The first product the now AMC-owner company developed was an SUV created to appeal to a younger demographic. Used to replace the Kaiser-designed Commando, Jeep’s new 1974 Cherokee, such as this driver-quality example originally listed in February 2022 on Craigslist in Tuscon, Arizona, quickly became a huge hit for the company. The seller of this bright yellow example reports it features an older restoration completed in the 1990s.

Currently offered for $11,000, comparing that price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms the private seller has their Cherokee priced between this guide’s #4 “Fair” estimate of $8,000 and its #3 “Good” appraisal of $15,000.  Similarly, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $8,900 and its #2 “Very Good appraisal of $14,500.

While definitely not the first “SUV” by any stretch, Jeep was the first to coin the term “Sports Utility Vehicle” in the 1974 Cherokee sales brochure.  The Cherokee replaced the Jeepster Commando, whose sales had not met expectations despite an extensive 1972 revamp.  The Cherokee was a rebadged reintroduction of a two-door body style of the Jeep Wagoneer with a redesigned roof combining wider “B” and “D” pillars a single, long fixed rear side window with an optional flip-out section. This gave the Cherokee a look similar to International Scout and Chevrolet Blazer it was designed to compete with.  The Cherokee also featured the newly optional Quadra-Trac Borg-Warner BW1339 based full-time full wheel drive system.

The Osborn Tramain YouTube Channel features this 1974 Jeep Cherokee commercial:

While the exterior appears to be holding up well and the Tuscon climate likely keeps this 1974 Jeep Cherokee rust-free, the thirty-year-old restored interior is once again in need of a refresh. This time around, there’s likely a strong possibility that factory reproduction materials are now available, so we would try to go that route to maximize this Cherokee’s value.

Here’s the seller’s description:

“1974 Jeep Cherokee,
first year,
90s restoration.
Runs drives stops.
4×4
AMC engine
Matching numbers
Fsj
$11,000obo“

Show or go: what would you do with this restored Triumph?  Comment below and let us know!