Softer SUV: 1964 Jeep CJ5A Tuxedo Park – SOLD!

October 4, 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.

The oversize Jeep Wranglers of today may be very civilized and highly popular, but that was not always the case.  When Kaiser owned the Jeep brand during the 1960s, it struggled to expand the CJ5’s customer base beyond those looking for a glorified tractor based on a wartime implement.

Kaiser’s answer was in the form of a softer, better-equipped CJ5A such as this 1964 Jeep Tuxedo Park originally listed in August 2022 on Craigslist in Everett, Pennsylvania (Altoona).  The seller reports that their Tuxedo Park runs and drives well.  While the state their Jeep features a very rare column shift, the reality is that all Tuxedo Park trim Jeeps featured this.  You’ll need to interview the seller about the driver’s side El Kabong cartoon graphic; hopefully, it’s an easily-removed vinyl label rather than a hand-painted one.

Once offered for $10,750, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is slightly below the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for similar 1965 Jeeps.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the truck featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $10,050 and its #2 “Very Good” appraisal of $14,000.

In 1961, Kaiser was realizing that it had an image problem. The broader masses believed the Jeep to be a great…vehicle — that is, if you needed to work on the farm, go hunting, or partake in some other industrious activity. To fix this “problem,” they decided to introduce a new, more “upscale” version of the CJ-5. So…in 1961, the Tuxedo Park was introduced as a trim package, which the company claimed was a separate model from the other CJ offerings at the time.

In addition to softer dual-rate, leaf springs and bigger ten-inch brakes, Tuxedo Park Mark IVs also featured a column-shifted, ‘three-on-the-tree” manual transmission, chrome-plated bumpers, hood latches, gas cap, mirror, and tail lamp trim. Two wheelbases, 81 inch and 101 inch, were available, with a variety of convertible top and seat colors and front bucket seats upholstered in “pleated British calf-grain vinyl.”  Other upgrades included a chrome front bumper, chrome hood badges, a windshield clamp catch, a chrome drop-down license plate holder, chrome tail lamps, full wheel covers displaying the “Jeep” emblem, and a column shift for the transmission.

The 65SeeJayFive YouTube Channel features this video providing five key tips for buying a vintage Jeep CJ:

The excellent pictures illustrate a nice example of a vintage 1964 Jeep CJ5A Tuxedo Park that features an older preservation-style restoration combined with many recent new parts. We would call this a nice driver-quality example that you can enjoy while you continue to make upgrades as your time and budget allow.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Show or go: What would you do with this restored 1964 Jeep CJ5A Tuxedo Park?  Please comment below and let us know!