1981 JEEP CHEROKEE CHIEF SJ 2-DOOR 4X4 VERY RARE SUPER COOL PROJECT! BARN FIND

Description for Jeep Cherokee 1981

1983 JEEP CHEROKEE CHIEF SJ4. 2 LITER/ 258 CUBIC INCHES4X473. 13 MILES!THIS CHEROKEE IS A RARE PIECE OF AMERICANA! I FOUND IT IN A BARN ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH EAST OF DETROIT. I DROVE BY SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST. ONE DAY I SAW A LADY OUTSIDE NEAR WHERE THE JEEP WAS PARKED AND I STOPPED TO INQUIRE ABOUT IT. HERE IS THE STORY. THIS CHEROKEE BELONGED TO HER FATHER THAT PASSED AWAY IN 2008 (THE LICENSE PLATE CONFIRMED IT) AND IT HAS BEEN SITTING SINCE THAN. WE HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE SHOP. WHERE A LOCAL SHOP DRAINED OUT ALL OF THE OLD FUEL. CLEANED OUT THE FUEL TANK. AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. GAS TANK SENDING UNIT. SOME FUEL LINE. A COUPLE BRAKELINES. THE WATER PUMP AND SPARK PLUGS AND SHE STARTED RIGHT UP! THERE ARE NO TICKS. NO KNOCKS AND AFTER SITTING INSIDE OF OUR SHOP FOR 3 DAYS. THERE IS NOT A DROP OF FLUID ON THE FLOOR UNDERNEATH OF IT. I DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK A COUPLE OF TIMES (TAGS ARE EXPIRED) WHILE THE JEEP RUNS AND DRIVES. IT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY SERVICED BEFORE DRIVING IT FOR ANY EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME TO ENSURE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY AFTER SITTING FOR THE PAST 7 YEARSEXTERIOR:OVERALL THIS OLD JEEP IS SOLID AND EVERYTHING IS ALL HERE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE MISSING CENTER CAP. I WILL BREAK THIS DOWN INTO SEGMENTS TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THE CONDITION OF THE EXTERIOR IN DETAIL. SO HERE GOES:HOOD = EXTREMELY SOLID. NO RUST. NO MAJOR DENTS. OVERALL VERY STRAIGHT. THE PAINT IS SOMEWHAT "THIN" IN SPOTS. FRONT OF THE JEEP= VERY DECENT. NO MAJOR DENTS IN THE HEADER PANEL OR GRILL. VERY USEABLE FOR A DRIVER QUALITY VEHICLE. WOULD NOT TAKE MUCH TO POLISH AND BRIGHTEN THE FRONT OF THIS CHEROKEE!DRIVER SIDE FENDER= VERY STRAIGHT AND OVERALL SOLID WITH ONLY SMALL SPOTS OF SURFACE RUSTDRIVER SIDE 1/4 QUARTER PANEL IS VERY SOLID. AND STRAIGHT. SEE PICSGLASS= ALL INTACT. NO CRACKS OR CHIPS. VERY DECENT OVERALL CONDITIONDRIVER SIDE DOOR= PRETTY STRAIGHT! THERE IS NO SEVERE RUST OR ROT. ONLY SOME LIGHT SURFACE RUST AT THE VERY BOTTOM. AND THE INSIDE PINCH WELD OF THE DOOR HAS SURFACE RUST ON THE BOTTOM SEEM. IT WOULD COME OFF VERY EASILY. THE DOOR WILL NOT NEED ANY "NEW" METAL DRIVER-SIDE ROCKER PANEL= SOLID WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LAST 10 INCHES. NEAR THE BACK WHEEL IS "SOFT" AND WILL NEED REPAIRED IF YOUR PLAN FOR THIS CHIEF IS A RESTORATION. TAILGATE= HAS SOME RUST ON THE VERTICAL PANEL. THAT IS ABOVE THE HINGES. THIS WILL BE AN EASY FIX. OTHERWISE SOME OTHER SURFACE RUST. OPENS AND CLOSES FINE AS IT IS. REAR BUMPER IS STRAIGHT AND ALL INTACT. NO MAJOR DENTS OR BLEMISHES. USE AS IT IS. OR WOULD BE EASY TO POLISH THIS ONE IN RESTORATION. PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FENDER= IS VERY SOLID! NO ROT. ONLY A COUPLE SMALL SPOTS OF SURFACE RUST. PASSENGER SIDE DOOR= IS SOLID! NO ROT. NO RUST. EVEN THE INNER PINCH WELD AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE DOOR IS SOLIDPASSENGER SIDE 1/4 QUARTER PANEL= HAS SOME RUST AROUND THE WHEEL FLARE AND A RUST HOLE AT THE VERY BOTTOM. IT IS VERY FIXABLE. BUT DOES HAVE SOME RUST WINDOW MOLDING. BEZELS. TRIM= IS IN GOOD SHAPE. NO MAJOR DENTS DINGS OR PROBLEMS. COULD BE EASILY POLISHED/RESTOREDPAINT= IS PRETTY MUCH ALL THERE. HOWEVER. IT DOES HAS SOME REMNANTS OF STICKER RESIDUE FROM THE OEM DECALS THAT USED TO BE DOWN BOTH SIDES. COULD BE REMOVED WITH A SOLVENT AND SOME GOOD OLD FASHIONED ELBOW GREASE. WHEELS/RIMS= ARE DRIVER QUALITY. SOME LIGHT SURFACE CORROSION/RUST THAT COULD BE EASILY POLISHED BACK TO VERY NICE SHAPE. 1 OUT OF THE 4 CENTER CAPS ARE MISSING. YOU CAN GET THOSE RIGHT HERE ON EBAY FOR $20-$30BF GOODRICH TIRES= WERE INSTALLED PROBABLY 2007. THEY HOLD AIR PERFECTLY AND HAVE VERY LITTLE MILEAGE ON THEM. BUT IF YOU LOOK VERY CLOSE THERE IS SOME SLIGHT DRY ROTTING. THEY COULD BE USED FOR A WHILE. FOR LOCAL DRIVING. COULD LAST A VERY LONG TIME. ITS HARD TO JUDGE HOW TIRES WEAR/LAST. INTERIOR: OVERALL. IT IS VERY NICE! THE SEAT UPHOLSTERY IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE WITH ONLY ONE RIP ON THE DRIVER SEAT. THE REST OF THE SEATS ARE IN REMARKABLE SHAPE. THE DASHBOARD PAD HAS NO CRACKS AND STILL LOOKS AWESOME. ALL OF THE KNOBS AND BUTTONS ARE STILL THERE. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR PANEL IS COMPLETE. THE DRIVER-SIDE "ACTUAL" PANEL IS MISSING. THE DOOR HANDLE. WINDOW CRANK AND DOOR PULL HANDLE IS STILL THERE. ONLY THE "PANEL" IS GONE. ALL OF THE PANELING IN THE REAR AND SIDES OF THE INTERIOR "THE WALLS" ARE INTACT AND IN DECENT CONDITION! THE CARPET IS PRETTY CLEAN. BUT DOES SHOW ITS AGE. THE MOLDED RUBBER FLOORING IN THE CARGO AREA IS THERE STILL. IT IS NOT PERFECT EITHER. BUT IS STILL VERY USEABLE. THE VINYL MATERIAL 2-PIECE HEADLINER IS ALL THERE. BUT WHERE THE 2 PIECES OF HEADLINER MATERIAL MEET UP. THE FRONT PIECE SAGS DOWN. IT IS A RELATIVELY EASY FIX. BESIDES THE MISSING DOOR PANEL. EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT IS THERE! EVEN THE ORIGINAL RADIO STILL HAS ALL OF THE KNOBS "RADIO WORKS GREAT". THE PUSH BUTTON HEATER WORKS TOO. AND THE BLOWER SOUNDS AS IT SHOULD. REAR WINDOW ON THE TAILGATE FUNCTIONS CORRECTLY!!!! IT WILL GO DOWN BY USING THE BUTTON BY THE STEERING WHEEL. AND IT WILL ROLL DOWN BY INSERTING THE KEY IN THE HATCHBACK ON THE OUTSIDE! THE SUNVISORS LOOK GOOD. THE ARMREST/JUMPSEAT IS IN GREAT SHAPE ALSO. IN CLOSING. THIS INTERIOR IS VERY USE-ABLE AS IT IS. WOULD TAKE VERY LITTLE MONEY. VERY LITTLE TIME AND MINIMAL EFFORT TO MAKE THE INTERIOR OF THIS OLD JEEP "RIGHT"!ENGINE AND DRIVELINE: THE 4. 2 LITER INLINE 6 CYLINDER. 258 CUBIC INCH ENGINE HAS A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE BEST BUILT AMERICAN MADE MOTORS OF ALL TIME. THE ODOMETER READS 73. 00 AND WE BELIEVE THAT TO BE ACTUAL MILES. BUT WE CANNOT VALIDATE THOSE MILES. ON MICHIGAN TITLES. ANYTHING OLDER THAN 10 YEARS OLD ARE CONSIDERED "MILES EXEMPT". SO IT WILL BE SOLD AS SUCH. AS WE SAID ABOVE. THE JEEP STARTS UP RELATIVELY EASILY AND WILL MOVE UNDER ITS OWN POWER. IT SHIFTS FINE. STOPS FINE BUT SHOULD BE SERVICED PRIOR TO DRIVING ANY EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. IN CLOSING. THIS '81 CHEROKEE CHIEF IS A SUPER COOL VINTAGE SUV THAT TURNS HEADS AND IS HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER! THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT THAT YOU CAN DRIVE AND ENJOY AS YOU TINKER WITH IT. OR INVEST SOME MONEY INTO IT AND DRIVE A SUPER COOL VINTAGE 4X4! OR FIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND SELL IT FOR A PROFI! THE POSSIBILLITYS ARE ENDLESS WITH THIS ONE. EBAY ONLY ALLOWS 24 PICTURES. I TOOK 100 OR MORE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE PICTURES. OR ANYTHING SPECIFIC. JUST LET ME KNOW! TEXT IS THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO SEND PICTURES. BUT I CAN EMAIL THEM TO YOU AS WELL. I HAVE A CLEAN AND CLEAR MICHIGAN TITLE IN MY HANDTHANKS!JOSH MAC (734)-777-1690