1977 JEEP CHEROKEE S – With global recognition as the leaders in modernizing vintage-era Jeep’s and imbuing them with world-class drivability and bespoke additions throughout, Vigilante is proud to roll out the builder’s newest revelation: a custom 1977 Cherokee S. Breathing new life into one of the most timeless vehicle builders of the era, the team at Vigilante placed a major emphasis on blending Jeep’s original design aesthetic with the best in today’s modern components to create a new rig that can both dominate on a dirt trail and easily handle highway driving conditions.
“Vigilante strives to not affect the soul of each vehicle’s original design, and our new 1977 Cherokee S is another pristine example of this. Our team goes to extreme lengths to ensure our customers are getting an authentic Jeep driving experience. While we do provide high-level modifications and improvements to make these vehicles suitable for modern driving conditions, we ensure our customers still feel like they’re getting behind the wheel of an iconic 70’s-era Jeep,” comments Vigilante Co-Founder and CFO Rachel van Doveren. “This custom Cherokee is special for many reasons, but none more than the fact that it looks near-original to how it did in the 1970’s. The client requested minimal technology inside of the actual Cherokee body, so we kept this as close to possible as the original 1977 design. Our vehicles transport clients back to another era entirely, where they first discovered their passion for the legendary Jeep brand.”
Vigilante outfitted the custom four-door Cherokee S with 485 horsepower via a 392 HEMI SRT-8 mated to a Bowler Performance 4L80E automatic transmission. Stopping power was also vastly improved with Baer Vigilante six-piston brakes throughout. Improving the drivability was also paramount to Vigilante’s customization work, as the Texas restoration firm implemented a Front Dana 44 front axle and Rear Dana 60 along with Eibach coils and adjustable Fox Racing shock absorbers to replace the original leaf spring suspension. An Advance Adapter Atlas II transfer case is both competition-proven and built to excel on the highway, making it an ideal fit for all Vigilante vehicles while maintaining 4-wheel drive capability. Riding on 17×9’’ Vigilante signature wheels machined out of billet aluminum, the custom Cherokee S is built to overcome nearly any obstacles or terrain in its path, yet still look authentic.
With an exterior outfitted in a sleek Midnight Blue colorway, the Vigilante Cherokee S also stands out due to the absence of the traditional wood grain paneling that most Wagoneer’s of the era adorned, instead replaced by a Glacier White stripe running alongside the vehicle. Inside the custom Cherokee S, a slate Gray interior awaits with Vigilante integrating a stunning floral design embossed and pressed into the leather seats and door panels by Moore & Giles, creating an elegant, retro design. The Vigilante Cherokee S offers two seats in the front along with a center console in the middle, while the back seats three comfortably. One of the few interior modernizations that Vigilante included was the use of three-point modern seatbelts for added safety, while designed to look near-original.
Based on client preference, Vigilante designed the Cherokee S to incorporate a minimal use of modern electronics inside the vehicle. Designed to mirror the 1977 Cherokee’s original analog design, Vigilante expertly integrated hand-crank windows and manual locks. No electronic emergency brake was added to this build either, keeping with the analog design. Even the Cherokee’s digital gauges and clock are discreetly blended in to look as close to original as possible while displaying all pertinent information.
Vigilante further distinguishes this Jeep with its signature tailgate emblem, swapping out the original ‘Cherokee’ branding with a new CNC’d aluminum emblem spelling “VIGILANTE”. Other subtle custom badging includes Vigilante’s mountain lion logo that discreetly blends into the dash, while the external mirrors are fully CNC’d out of billet aluminum with a discreet Vigilante logo. While the Cherokee’s original side-view mirrors were notorious for rattling and shaking, Vigilante went to great lengths to ensure their custom mirrors remain extremely steady at all times.
All Vigilante builds start at $295,000. For more information on the Vigilante 1977 Cherokee S and to inquire about custom Jeep commissions, please visit the Vigilante website or email [email protected].
1977 JEEP CHEROKEE S Photos
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