Jeep Engines - Oljeep

JEEP HISTORY 15Birth of the Sport Utility VehicleIn anticipation of burgeoning growth in the crossover four-wheel-drive truck market, Kaiser-Jeep madebold advances in this area. Targeting rural and suburban markets, they introduced the full size GladiatorJ-trucks and Wagoneers. These models were built to the wheelbase specifications of other U.S. truckmanufacturers. This was a major departure from the lighter, smaller vehicles produced under Willys-Overland and Willys Motors.The Wagoneer, powered by the first modern, mass-produced, overhead-cam six cylinder truck engine(known as the “Tornado-OHC” six), could also be had with an industry-first automatic transmission ona four-wheel-drive vehicle and independent front suspension. A larger V-8 engine produced byAmerican Motors Corporation (AMC) was also available by 1965. The Wagoneer was offered in twoand four-wheel-drive versions. This vehicle was bigger than the station wagon and the first of whatcould properly be called a sport-utility vehicle. The second-generation Wagoneer also included a SuperWagoneer Station Wagon that featured three-tone body striping, vinyl roof, chrome roof rack, fullwheel hubcaps and white-walled tires. It came with four-wheel-drive and power supplied from a 327cubic inch V-8 engine, and, said Kaiser-Jeep, “conslituted a unique and dramatic approach to the stationwagon market ... designed for the prestige buyer who is rapidly becoming aware of the advantages offour-wheel-drive. While being the ultimate in detailed elegance, the new vehicle still has all thetraditional versatility and ability of Jeep vehicles to go on or off-road.’’This, along with the J-series “Gladiator” pickup, was the first fresh non-military design from thecompany since the all-steel station wagon and sporty two-wheel-drive Jeepster. Both the Wagoneer andthe Gladiator found a huge market with construction, agricultural and military buyers, and evolved intoa niche with everyday retail buyers who wanted a good looking all-terrain vehicle for fishing, skiing,hunting, hauling and off-highway adventuring.Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge lagged far behind Jeep in this market, unable to offer any directcompetition until the late sixties. At the time, they only offered cumbersome work-oriented 4x4pickups, and Chevrolet’s bland Suburban. Kaiser-Jeep had advanced in all areas of design with theWagoneer and Gladiator. Power accessory options never seen on a “truck” were now available, as wellas luxury appointments and a high style factor.In the fall of 1965, the new “Dauntless” V-6 engine was introduced as an option on both the 81-inchwheelbase CJ-5 and 101-inch wheelbase CJ-6. The (55 horsepower engine almost doubled the output ofthe standard Hurricane four cylinder engine. It was the first time a Jeep CJ could be equipped with a V-6,but would be only the beginning of available six cylinder engines that would come in the years to follow.1972 Jeep Commando