One round and one square headlight adorn the front along with a coveted Gladiator rhino grill. All of this sits behind a custom front tube bumper fitted with a Warn 8274 winch. A 4x2 rectangular box tube rear bumper and sliders mounted under the heavily-trimmed rocker panels provide some protection. The rear bumper acts as a crossmember for the shortened frame. The clever tailgate was made by grafting two CJ tailgates together to match the width of the cage after the rear of the Cherokee was chopped off at a Jeepster-like angle and dove-tailed for more body clearance on tight trails. The tadpole theme continues all the way back to the taillights, which were cut after the rear of the vehicle was removed. A trick fuel filler routes gasoline to the stock gas tank.
Good, Bad, And What's It For
This Cherokee is perfect for running the numerous rockcrawling trails found in the Black Hills of South Dakota. These trails are notoriously narrow and lined with trees and huge rocks, so why bother trying to save the body? As hard as these trails are though, we think that it would provide peace of mind for Williams to add a full locker and 35-spline axle shafts to the rear Dana 60, along with some beadlocks to allow for lower tire pressures and more traction.
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '76 Cherokee ChiefEngine: AMC 360 V-8Transmission: GM TH475Transfer Case: Dana 20Suspension: Spring-over with stock leaf springsAxles: GM Dana 60 (front), Ford E-250 van Dana 60 (rear)Wheels: 16.5x7 chrome spokesTires: 15/39.5-16.5LT Super Swamper TSLsBuilt For: Grinding through the Black HillsEstimated Cost: $4,500
Why I Featured It
While M-715s are gaining popularity, the rest of the FSJ world continues to be seemingly overlooked. Williams' Cherokee Chief should help change that. I appreciate that it works on the trail and was built with a real-world budget. Add the "unique" body work and you have a vehicle that stands out from the sea of Wranglers I normally see on the trail.- Harry Wagner