1987 Jeep Cherokee Chief 4x4 XJ

Vehicle Description

This 1987 Jeep Cherokee Chief 4x4 ticks all the right boxes:

First year of the venerable 4.0-liter inline-6
5-speed manual transmission
2-speed Command-Trac transfer case
Cherokee Chief appearance package with side and hood graphics
Rear-mounted swing-out spare tire carrier
Just 80k miles since new
One owner until earlier in 2025 (can be presented with its original 1987 New Mexico title!)
Always kept in a dry southwestern climate
Lots of recent vacuum work

This Cherokee XJ was sold new at Ken Johns Jeep in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to a woman living about an hour away in Santa Fe. (Ken Johns gave her a better deal than the hometown dealer!) She kept the Cherokee until her passing, and I acquired it from her family. It was her pride and joy, and it shows. She kept the interior covered with cardboard whenever it had to be parked outside. As its condition shows, it was typically kept indoors unless she was out and about.
It's a very well-ordered example with the following features (some were standard, some were optional):

4.0L inline-6
5-speed manual transmission
2-speed transfer case
air conditioning
AM/FM stereo
rear-mounted spare tire on swing-out carrier
tilt steering wheel
skid plates
Dana 44 rear differential
limited-slip rear differential
15" white-painted steel wheels
rear wiper and defogger
high-back bucket front seats
cloth upholstery

The Cherokee had been stored for a few years when I acquired it and it was in amazingly preserved condition. It had, for instance, Continental tires with 2007 date codes... they had no cracking and basically looked new, but they were too old to be safe. The Cherokee was presented to me with two sets of original American Motors keys (!) and the owner's manual listing its original sale date at Ken Johns Jeep.
Since acquiring the Jeep, I've done a fair amount of work:

Replaced several vacuum components under the hood to address air leaks
Various fluid changes
Replaced the tires with new but period-correct Goodyear Wrangler Radials
Lightly detailed the interior and exterior
Had the front-right fender graphics recreated
Had the front bumper powdercoated to address fade
Replaced a headlight and a running marker light
Repaired a cracked wire so that the turn signals work correctly

You could daily drive this Cherokee, though its state of preservation is such that I think it would be best as an occasional cruiser. Note that the air conditioning is inoperative (it's on R-12 refrigerant) and the radio powers up but does not play music.
Two videos here:

narrated walk-around and city drivehttps://youtu.be/oXvLF3-S7Zw
cold start:https://youtu.be/aUGtZwGTaio

I am happy to set you up with a shipping broker I have used in the past (I have no connection to him other than that he has done a good job). Alternatively, you can fly into Denver and drive it home.
More than happy to take additional photos/video/Facetime or let you inspect the Jeep in person.
Note that the old NM license plate is just there for photos and is not included with the sale.

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