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A 70s Jeep gets a restomod makeover, with the top model packing north of 1,000 Horsepower
by Khris Bharath, onThe Grand Wagoneer name is making a comeback after three decades. But, for fans of the old one made until 1991, Texas-based Vigilante, which specializes in restoring vintage Jeeps, has now created a resto-mod of the classic Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Vigilante has managed to retain the Grand Wagoneer’s well-known iconic styling.
Overview
Jeeps have an impressive off-roading legacy, but, they don’t get the same six-figure, outrageous resto-mod treatment as often as other vintage off-roaders, like the Land Rover Defender for instance.
Vigilante intends to change that with the most luxurious, uber-powerful vintage Grand Wagoneer upgrades imaginable. Last year, a prototype nearly identical to this production vehicle was shown. The SUV has a body fitted on a new steel spar structure, with seating for seven passengers, a modern design, and an innovative digital interface.
What Exactly is a Vigilante Grand Wagoneer?
Well, Vigilante begins by completely disassembling the donor SUV in order to prepare it for the modifications. The body is then stripped, fixed, and refinished with a healthy dose of rust protection for additional long-term durability.
Instead of reconstructing the vehicle on top of the existing chassis, Vigilante employs its own proprietary platform that has now been fully re-engineered for increased strength and better performance.
"The creation of this platform was a real challenge" - explains Daniel van Doveren, CEO of Vigilante - "It was complex and time-consuming, but perseverance paid off. It took thousands of hours of work and they were rewarded with this outstanding result that we are proud to offer through Vigilante."
What’s Under The Hood?
Vigilante provides three Hemi engine variants for the SUV, with outputs ranging from 492- to 1,014 horsepower. The mid-range engine is the 707-horsepower Hellcat V-8 sourced from RAM 1500 TRX. If that doesn’t cut it for you, you can further level up to the 1,000 horsepower Hellephant. To put it into context, the classic Grand Wagoneer had a 5.9-liter V-8 that produced 144 horsepower.
Power is transferred to the drive shaft via either a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, with four-wheel drive provided by an Advance Adapters Atlas II strengthened transfer case. Aside from these modifications, the Grand Wagoneer includes a plethora of sophisticated suspension systems, including Eibach coil-overs, adjustable Fox Racing shocks.
The brakes have also been enhanced with the help of six-piston Baer calipers, and the SUV now sits on BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, which will come in handy should you decide to hit the trails in your new Classic Grand Wagoneer.
Price
If you want one, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer restomod will set you back $265,000 for the standard Hemi engine setup. The mid-level 717 horsepower variant will cost $280,000, while the top-of-the-line 1,014 horsepower model will cost $290,000.
Source: VIGILANTE Jeep Grand Wagoneer
