Sunday drives were not like this when we were kids. We usually jumped in to our ’76 Dodge Dart to tool around the countryside. The closest we came to four-wheelin’ was a muddy gravel road, which may have caused the Dart a few problems, but nothing the 318 and two-wheel drive couldn’t handle.
As for Todd Hoffman’s kids they get to see a bit more wheelin’ from the back seat of his metallic-grey ’88 XJ Cherokee. This Cherokee is not your average grocery getter/soccer practice vehicle, but an extremely solid well-built sleeper of a trail rig. We caught up with Todd on Axle Alley at last year’s Arizona Jamboree near his home town of Flagstaff, and were fairly impressed with its ability to follow CJs, flatties, and TJs up difficult trails. A combination of solid drivetrain, fender trimming, and a little backyard fabrication helped this XJ find its present form even before there were many aftermarket parts available for Cherokees.