This Vintage Jeep Grand Wagoneer Packs Sheepskin Shag Carpet and Hellcat Redeye Power

The world has come around to the Jeep Wagoneer. When Jeep debuted its 4x4 station wagon in 1963, the sport-utility vehicle segment could barely. Even by the time the category was firmly established near the end of the first-generation Wagoneer's long life in 1991, luxury SUVs were merely your choice of the outgoing Jeep or the similarly-aged-at-the-time Land Rover Range Rover.

Times have changed, of course — luxury SUVs have long since conquered the world. That makes the once-misunderstood Wagoneer / Grand Wagoneer a classic... and which, in turn, means it's the perfect platform for an ambitious resto-mod.

This particular 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer has been revitalized by Vigilante, a shop out of Johnson City, Texas. It looks stock from a distance — well, apart from the taller ride height — but closer inspection reveals careful work to replicate the creature comforts of the original Grand Wagoneer at a much higher level quality. It's almost fair to call it something like the Singer Vehicle Design 911 of Grand Wagoneers.

Vigilante describes the build as "drawing inspiration from... Rolls-Royce artisans" when it comes to upholstery and carpeting — in particular when it comes to the thick shag carpeting on the floor, made with the same sheepskin hides found on the doors. But at first blush, you might not realize how fancy it is. Just about everything, from the wheels to the wood paneling on the side, is a stock-looking recreation. The seats are redone with new springs and padding, the gauges are a new design, and the new climate control system is c0ntrolled by the same interface seen on the original car.

Mechanically, this super-Jeep is substantially further from its starting point. This is a modern Mopar custom, so it packs a supercharged 807-hp Hellcat Redeye V-8. That runs from a four-speed 4L80E automatic transmission designed by Bowler through an Atlas-II transfer case to all four wheels, where the power meets Currie Enterprise axles. A four-link coil suspension keeps the ride smooth for daily driving. In other words, the Vigilante Grand Wagoneer is an compelling choice for trails and stoplight drag races alike.

Of course, all this custom craftsmanship does not come cheap. The Vigilante build can be yours for $385,000 — nearly $300,000 more than the starting price of a modern Grand Wagoneer.

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