Like any legendary automotive brand, Jeep is steeped in heritage. Ever since the first Willys “jeep” military vehicles rolled into battle during World War II, consumers all over the world snapped up the little off-roaders in droves, inspiring imitations like the very first Toyota Land Cruiser. In the decades between then and now, Jeep has become a broad SUV brand with a lineup that comprises the compact Renegade crossover and the family-sized Grand Wagoneer—plus, of course, the legendary Wrangler off-roader.
And with so much history to pull from, there are dozens of Jeep vehicles out there for just about any prospective collector. The military-spec Willys MB and its “civilian Jeep” CJ variants are among the most obvious, but there was also a variety of two-wheel-drive lifestyle vehicles, robust pickup trucks, and even some early luxury SUVs produced over the course of Jeep’s 80-plus years of life (and counting). Here are some of the most collectible vintage Jeeps we think are due for appreciation—in every sense of the word. Based on recent Mecum Auctions sales, these are reasonably priced vehicles from the company’s history that still make for great investment pieces, or just plain fun toys for grown-ups.
1941–1945 Willys MB/Ford GPW
Several months before the U.S. entered World War II, the American government requested a light-duty, low-profile vehicle to help soldiers get around in—vehicles that were more maneuverable and easier to drive and service than its existing fleet of heavy trucks. Three automakers submitted designs: American Bantam, Ford, and Willys. After a lengthy review process, the government selected a design that incorporated the best of each automaker’s proposals into one unified vehicle. The military awarded the contract to Willys and Ford, owing to the latter’s larger production capacities, and thus the “Jeep” was born.
Making use of the Willys “Go Devil” inline-four engine, American Bantam’s commendably nimble suspension design, and Ford’s easy-to-produce body structure, the military vehicle was a huge success with the troops. Postwar demand among returning GIs and other members of the public was so high that Willys continued production with the CJ, or “civilian Jeep.” But the original military vehicle will always be the grandpappy of the brand, and as a result, it makes a great collector’s item.
- Value today: $20,000–$30,000
- Horsepower: 60 HP
- Claim to fame: the original Jeep
1947–1965 Willys Jeep Truck
Willys-Overland held onto the Jeep trademark after World War II and began producing a lineup of utilitarian vehicles in addition to the CJ. Among them was the Jeep Truck, which came out in 1947. Its slab-sided bodywork was similar to the CJ’s, but the Truck was much larger, riding on a 118-inch wheelbase that eclipsed its kid brother by 38 inches. Its standard four-wheel drive and robust construction made it well-suited for forest service and municipal work crews, especially when outfitted with optional power take-off accessories or hydraulic dump beds.
- Value today: $10,000–$30,000
- Horsepower: 63–140 HP
- Claim to fame: first Jeep pickup truck
1948–1951 Willys-Overland Jeepster
In the postwar boom economy, Willys-Overland suspected there might be demand for a stylish vehicle to bridge the gap between its utilitarian Jeep lineup and its more conventional passenger cars. The result was the Jeepster, built on the same chassis as the Jeep station wagon and powered by the CJ’s Go Devil four-cylinder engine, but with sleeker styling and available only with rear-wheel drive. It wasn’t terribly popular, especially since Ford’s V-8 was cheaper and sportier. The Jeepster did get some added power in 1950 from Willys’ 2.6-liter inline-six, but that wasn’t enough to save it.
- Value today: $15,000–$30,000
- Horsepower: 63–85 HP
- Claim to fame: Jeep’s first crossover?
1956–1965 Jeep Forward Control
Alongside the Willys Jeep Truck, the Forward Control (FC) offered lots of practicality and capability in a more maneuverable package. Essentially a Jeep CJ-5 with the passenger area mounted above and forward of the engine, the Jeep FC had about as much cargo capacity as the Jeep truck, yet was more than 35 inches shorter from bumper to bumper. The unusual design was too esoteric for the general public, but the Jeep FC boasted available dual rear wheels, a variety of wheelbases, and even some factory-approved towing and dump-bed layouts that made it popular with municipal operations and small businesses. Today, the Forward Control’s great visibility and nimble dimensions make it a popular base for rockcrawling vehicles.
- Value today: $15,000–$40,000
- Horsepower: 75–115 HP
- Claim to fame: cab-over-engine design
1963–1988 Jeep Gladiator/J-Truck
Big pickups are big business, and by the 1960s the Willys Jeep Truck and Forward Control models were looking a bit teensy in comparison to the Dodge D-Series, Ford F-Series, and Chevrolet C/K. Based on the same SJ chassis as the Wagoneer, the 1963 Gladiator was quite a bit longer, wider, and more powerful than the Jeep Truck. The Gladiator came with a 140-horsepower Willys six-cylinder at first, though AMC I-6 and V-8 engine options soon followed, presaging that company’s takeover of Kaiser-Willys in 1970. The Gladiator name disappeared in 1971, when the full-sizer was simply called the J-Truck. It lasted until 1988, when Jeep’s new Chrysler Corporation parent company discontinued the line.
- Value today: $10,000–$40,000
- Horsepower: 140–210 HP
- Claim to fame: full-size truck
1963–1991 Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer
Like the Jeep Truck, the Willys Jeep Station Wagon was looking pretty dated by the 1960s. So, alongside the Gladiator pickup, Jeep introduced the Wagoneer, codenamed SJ internally. The Wagoneer was one of the first civilian-oriented SUVs, with a wide and comfortable interior, all-weather capability, and available full-time four-wheel drive (called Quadra-Trac).
It also blossomed into one of the most legendary luxury SUVs of all time, the Grand Wagoneer. By the time it was discontinued in 1991, the wood-paneled Grand Wagoneer was a fixture of upscale ski areas and resort communities, offering plenty of power and a cushy, leather-and-corduroy interior. Restorations of these late-model GWs can command six figures, but driver-quality examples have a lot more upside thanks to their lower cost of entry.
- Value today: $15,000–$50,000
- Horsepower: 140–210 HP
- Claim to fame: the original luxury SUV
1976–1986 Jeep CJ-7
From the 1940s to the 1970s, the Jeep CJ was small and pretty cramped for most average folks. But the 1976 Jeep CJ-7 was one of the most successful attempts to civilize the small off-roader, including wider doors, an optional leather interior, and chrome exterior trim. The CJ-7 offered a variety of models, including the V-8-powered Golden Eagle and Golden Hawk trims, the luxurious Laredo and Limited, and the low-volume 1982 Jamboree Commemorative Edition.
- Value today: $10,000–$40,000
- Horsepower: 98–126 HP
- Claim to dame: not just an off-roader, a lifestyle vehicle
1981–1986 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler
Built on the same chassis as the CJ-7, the Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler rode on a 10.2-inch-longer wheelbase and had a small pickup bed, turning it into a compact truck that was just big enough for a couple of people and their camping gear or dirt bikes. Ronald Reagan even owned one on his California ranch (see above image). The Scrambler’s rarity makes it a touch more valuable than the CJ-7, but it’s undeniably cooler, too.
- Value today: $20,000–$40,000
- Horsepower: 98–126 HP
- Claim to fame: just plain cool
1985–1992 Jeep Comanche MJ
Yet another compact truck based on an SUV, the Jeep Comanche had an unusual split frame. The front end shared its unibody construction with the compact Cherokee, but the rear section was more traditional, with a separately mounted cargo box above a robust, fully boxed frame. The Comanche, codenamed MJ, had the same engine options as the XJ Cherokee, including the legendary 4.0-liter inline-six and novel 2.1-liter Renault-designed diesel engine. The Comanche was available with a 7-foot bed and rear-wheel drive, and many versions were more utilitarian than the fun-loving Cherokee. Still, the short-wheelbase Comanche 4×4 is a tempting proposition as a four-wheeler.
- Value today: $10,000–$25,000
- Horsepower: 85–190 HP
- Claim to fame: unusual, robust frame
1988–1995 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
The first-generation Jeep Wrangler Sahara gets a spot on the list thanks to a little-known action flick called Jurassic Park. Featuring a fancy audio system, body-color fender extensions, and a green-and-tan “trail cloth” interior, the Sahara was as luxurious as YJ Wranglers could be. The Sahara’s appearance in Jurassic Park made an indelible mark on this writer’s psyche, particularly when (spoiler alert) Dennis Nedry loses a fight with a Dilophosaurus in that distinctive, hunter green interior.
- Value today: $10,000–$15,000
- Horsepower: 190 HP
- Claim to fame: dinosaur hunter
1991–1994 Jeep Wrangler Renegade
Okay, stay with us here. Although the first Jeep Wrangler YJ is a decently desirable vehicle, the rare Renegade variant is pretty polarizing. With molded body-color fenders, recessed lighting, and bulging rocker panels, the Renegade isn’t attractive in Jeep’s traditional utilitarian way. But get one in an interesting color like bright red or bronze and it becomes a snapshot of early 1990s style: big fenders to match your big hair. The Renegade has a price to match, exceeding regular YJ Wranglers by around $5,000.
- Value today: $15,000–$30,000
- Horsepower: 190 HP
- Claim to fame: yuppie style in Jeep form
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited
The Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ had the unenviable task of replacing the legendary SJ-generation Grand Wagoneer, but it filled those big shoes marvelously. With solid front and rear axles, the ZJ was beyond capable off-road, but it still boasted a comfortable freeway ride and cossetting interior. In 1998, Jeep decided to take things further by stuffing a massive 5.9-liter V-8 under the hood, enabling the Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited to hit 60 in just 6.8 seconds in our testing, and that muscle didn’t hurt things off-road either. It won 1998 4×4 of the Year from our sister title Petersen’s 4-Wheel and Off-Road.
- Value today: $8,000–$15,000
- Horsepower: 245 HP
- Claim to fame: the first sporty SUV
2004–2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ
In 2004, Jeep stretched the wheelbase of the TJ-generation Wrangler by 10 inches and called it the Wrangler Unlimited—known internally as the LJ and by fans as the TJU. The first Wrangler Unlimited was still a two-door, so it looked a bit unusual, but it had a lot more cargo and rear-seat space. The Rubicon trim, introduced in 2005, added a ton of off-road capability to the Jeep LJ, and these days it’s one of the most valuable 2000s Jeeps on the market. Even if you don’t need the rugged Rubicon, the two-door Unlimited is still a bit pricey as Wranglers go, but whether for its rarity or added practicality, it might be worth it.
- Value today: $10,000–$25,000
- Horsepower: 190 HP
- Claim to fame: rare, dorky, and all the cooler for it
2006–2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8
With the advent of the Mercedes-Benz ML55 and ML63 AMG and the BMW X5 4.8is, SUVs with traditional capability and supercar-humbling on-road performance were no longer oxymoronic. Jeep decided to get in on the game with the 2006 Grand Cherokee, stuffing a 425-hp 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 under the hood to create the SRT-8. Based on the forgettable WK-generation Grand Cherokee, the SRT-8 demanded attention with a 4.4-second sprint to 60 miles per hour—faster than any of the posh European super-SUVs in our 2007 comparison.
In fact, the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 accelerated more quickly than the lower, lighter, equally powerful Dodge Magnum SRT-8 by virtue of its all-wheel-drive grip. A very nice Grand SRT is only about $20,000, so it’s still a pretty good performance value today.
- Value today: $20,000–$30,000
- Horsepower: 425 HP
- Claim to fame: Jeep heads to the racetrack
1953–1998 Mitsubishi Jeep
When is a Jeep not a Jeep? When it’s built by Mitsubishi. The Japanese automaker was one of many different outfits to manufacture Jeeps using knock-down kits in the 1940s and 1950s, and it continued to build a vehicle based on the CJ-3 well into the 1990s. The Mitsubishi Jeep had a few different variants—roofless off-roader and two- and four-door wagon—and it was offered with engines of both Willys and Mitsubishi design. The Japanese build had similar styling to the American Jeep, including round headlights, flat fenders, and a slatted grille, but the brand’s three-diamond emblem was stamped into the steel. Weird.
- Value today: $10,000–$20,000
- Horsepower: 55–133 HP
- Claim to fame: engineered in America, built in Japan
