The 1974-1983 Jeep Cherokee (SJ) was AMC-era Jeep's two-door sporty version of the full-size Wagoneer, sharing the same body shell and solid-axle chassis but pitched at a younger buyer than the wood-grained wagon. A four-door body joined the line for 1977, and the wide-track Cherokee Chief package, introduced in mid-1975 as an early 1976 model, remains the version most people picture. Engines ran from the AMC 258 inline six through the 360 and 401 V8s, with Quadra-Trac full-time four-wheel drive available. The SJ Cherokee ended after 1983, when the name moved to the all-new downsized XJ for 1984.
Other Jeep Cherokee generations
Platform
The SJ Cherokee sits on the same full-size Jeep platform as the Wagoneer and the J-series pickups, a design dating back to 1963. Construction is body-on-frame with a solid front axle on leaf springs and a solid rear axle, also on leafs. When Jeep launched it for 1974, the Cherokee was essentially a two-door Wagoneer with sportier trim, available bucket seats, and no wood siding. The two-door body used longer doors and large fixed rear quarter windows in place of the Wagoneer's rear doors. A four-door Cherokee arrived for 1977, giving buyers the Wagoneer body with Cherokee trim and pricing.
Engine lineup
- AMC 258 inline six (4.2L): the base engine for the whole run, rated around 110 hp net. Adequate in a truck this heavy only with patience, but simple and long-lived.
- AMC 360 V8 (5.9L): the volume V8, offered in two-barrel form at 175 hp net and four-barrel form at 195 hp net in the early years. Ratings drifted downward through the emissions era, and from 1979 through 1983 the 360 was the only V8 in the Cherokee.
- AMC 401 V8 (6.6L): the big option, a four-barrel rated at 215 hp net. Its last year in the Cherokee was 1978, so 401 trucks are the scarcer find. With highway gearing a 401 Cherokee was one of the quickest 4x4s of its day.
All ratings for this generation are SAE net figures, since the whole run postdates the 1972 switch from gross ratings. Exact horsepower varies by year, carburetor, and emissions equipment, so check the specs for the specific model year when comparing trucks.
Drivetrain
Four-wheel drive was standard on every SJ Cherokee. Two systems were offered. Part-time 4WD came with the manual transmission: a gear-driven Dana 20 two-speed transfer case (2.03:1 low range) through 1979, then the New Process 208 from 1980. Quadra-Trac, Jeep's full-time system built by Borg-Warner, paired only with the automatic. The chain-drive aluminum case ran a limited-slip center differential with a vacuum-operated lock and needed no driver engagement on dry pavement; a 2.57:1 low-range reduction unit was optional. For 1980 the New Process 219 took over as the full-time case, using a viscous-coupling center differential and a 2.61:1 low range, and for 1983 the NP229-based Selec-Trac added a fuel-saving two-wheel-drive mode. Axles are stout: a Dana 44 up front for the whole run, with a Dana 44 rear through 1979 and the AMC Model 20 rear from 1980.
Transmissions
The standard manual was the Borg-Warner T-18 four-speed with a deep first gear, the pick for off-road work; a three-speed manual was also offered through 1979. The automatic was the GM-built Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 through 1979, a three-speed with an excellent durability record behind the V8s. From 1980 the Chrysler TorqueFlite 727 replaced it. Quadra-Trac trucks are automatics.
Year-by-year notes
- 1974: Cherokee introduced as a two-door, base and S trims. 258 six standard, 360 and 401 V8s optional.
- 1975-1976: the wide-track two-door arrives in mid-1975 as an early 1976 model, initially sold only with the Cherokee Chief package: axles about three inches wider, flared wheel openings, and larger tires on Dana 44s front and rear.
- 1977: four-door Cherokee body added to the line.
- 1978: last year for the 401 V8. Golden Eagle package arrives on the wide-track two-door, with the gold eagle hood decal, denim-look upholstery, gold-painted wheels, and off-road equipment; it ran through 1979.
- 1979: front-end restyle across the full-size Jeep line, with a new grille and rectangular headlights. Last year for the TH400 automatic, Dana 20 case, and Borg-Warner Quadra-Trac unit.
- 1980: drivetrain overhaul: NP208 part-time and NP219 full-time transfer cases, TorqueFlite 727 automatic, and the AMC Model 20 rear axle. Laredo joins as the upscale trim.
- 1981: the Chief package becomes available on the four-door and the S trim is dropped.
- 1983: final year. Selec-Trac replaces Quadra-Trac and a Pioneer package joins the line. The Cherokee name moves to the compact XJ for 1984, while the Wagoneer and J-trucks continue on this platform without the Cherokee.
Trims and variants
- Cherokee (base) and Cherokee S: the standard trucks, two-door through 1976, two- or four-door after. The S was dropped after 1980.
- Cherokee Chief: the wide-track package with flared arches, axles about three inches wider, and bigger tires. Two-door only in its classic form (a four-door version came for 1981) and the most sought-after SJ Cherokee today.
- Golden Eagle: 1978-1979 appearance and off-road package, eagle hood decal, denim-look upholstery, gold-tone wheels and striping.
- Laredo: the 1980-1983 top trim with upgraded interior and brightwork.
- Pioneer: a package added for the final 1983 year, mainly on the four-door.
Rust is the main enemy on all of them. Rockers, quarters, floors, and the tailgate area go first, and Chief-specific trim and flares are hard to source. A solid body matters more than which engine is under the hood.
Asked all the time
What engines came in the 1974-1983 Jeep Cherokee SJ?
The full-size Jeep Cherokee SJ (1974-1983) came standard with the AMC 258 inline six (about 110 hp net), with the AMC 360 V8 optional in two-barrel (175 hp) and four-barrel (195 hp) form in the early years. The AMC 401 V8, a four-barrel rated at 215 hp net, was available from 1974 through 1978. From 1979 on, the 360 was the only V8. All ratings are SAE net.
What is the Cherokee Chief package on the SJ Cherokee?
The Cherokee Chief, introduced in mid-1975 as an early 1976 model, is the wide-track package on the full-size Cherokee SJ: axles about three inches wider, flared wheel openings, larger tires, and bold striping on the two-door body (a four-door Chief followed for 1981). Chiefs are the most collectible SJ Cherokees today, and their unique flares and trim are difficult to find in good condition.
When did the full-size Jeep Cherokee get a four-door body?
The Jeep Cherokee SJ launched for 1974 as a two-door only. A four-door body, essentially the Wagoneer shell with Cherokee trim, was added to the line for the 1977 model year.
What is Quadra-Trac on a 1974-1983 Cherokee?
Quadra-Trac was Jeep's full-time four-wheel-drive system, offered on the Cherokee SJ only with the automatic transmission. Through 1979 it was a Borg-Warner chain-drive aluminum case with a limited-slip center differential and an optional 2.57:1 low-range unit. For 1980 the New Process 219 case took over, and for 1983 Selec-Trac added a two-wheel-drive mode. Part-time 4WD with a conventional transfer case (Dana 20 through 1979, NP208 from 1980) was the alternative with the manual.
Which years of the SJ Cherokee should I look for?
For power, seek a 1974-1978 Cherokee with the 401 V8, the scarcest and strongest combination. For the classic look, a mid-to-late-1970s Cherokee Chief two-door is the target. The 1979-1983 trucks did without the 401, but from 1980 they gained the Laredo trim and an updated drivetrain (TorqueFlite 727, NP208/NP219 cases). On any year, body condition outweighs drivetrain, because rust in the rockers, quarters, and floors is the SJ's biggest problem.
Why did the full-size Cherokee end in 1983?
Jeep moved the Cherokee name to the all-new downsized unibody XJ for 1984, so 1983 was the last year of the full-size SJ Cherokee. The related Grand Wagoneer and J-series pickups continued on the SJ platform for years afterward.
The wall · registered 1974–1983 Cherokees
Sorted by depth of documentation. Click any vehicle to open its permanent record.
