WAGONEER WORKSSJ WAGONS · 1963–1991
Rebuild · Restore · Service

Full-size Jeep wagons, rebuilt to be driven.

We rebuild and service the full-size Jeep SJ: Wagoneers and Grand Wagoneers from 1963 to 1991. Woodgrain and all, sorted so it starts every morning and stops when you ask it to.

PlatformJeep SJ
Years1963–1991
EnginesAMC 258 · 360 · 401
4WDQuadra-Trac · Selec-Trac
A brown 1980s Grand Wagoneer with woodgrain sides parked on grass at a car show
Three ways in

Keep it running, freshen it up, or start from the frame.

Every job starts with the same written evaluation, so you know what you have before you decide what to spend.

Service & repairDays to weeks
A grey Grand Wagoneer with woodgrain sides in a parking lot

Keep it running

For wagons that already drive. We find and fix what's wrong, and catch what's about to be.

  • AMC V8 and I6 tune-ups, carburetor rebuilds and cold-start fixes
  • Selec-Trac and Quadra-Trac service, leaking seals, U-joints
  • Brakes, steering box, shocks and body mounts
  • A/C, power windows and the tailgate glass motor
PricedBy the job
Renewal8–12 weeks
Close view of a brown Grand Wagoneer grille and chrome bumper

Daily-driver renewal

Keeps the factory look and makes it dependable: fuel, cooling, brakes, steering and wiring brought up to date.

  • Throttle-body fuel injection in place of the carburetor
  • Rebuilt cooling system and modern A/C
  • Hydroboost brakes, tighter steering, new suspension bushings
  • New woodgrain, weatherstripping and interior repairs
PricedFixed quote after evaluation
Frame-off rebuild4–6 months
Rear three-quarter view of a brown Grand Wagoneer with roof rack

Start from the frame

Body off, down to bare metal, and back together better than Toledo built it.

  • Rust repair to rockers, floors, quarters and frame
  • Paint in a factory color or yours
  • Full interior in original-style fabric or leather
  • Optional modern V8 and overdrive automatic
PricedFixed quote after evaluation
Close-up of a chrome Grand Wagoneer script badge on weathered woodgrain
What we check first

Every SJ hides the same things.

Thirty-plus years on, these wagons fail in predictable places. Our evaluation goes through every one of them and you get it in writing.

Under the wood
Bubbles in the woodgrain

Rust forms behind the vinyl. If the wood bubbles, the steel beneath is going.

Rockers & floors
Driver's floor pan

Water collects under the carpet. We lift it and probe the pan and the rockers.

Frame
By the fuel tank skid

The frame rails near the tank skid plate rot first. We check before anything else.

Seals
Dried-out seals

Engine, transmission, transfer case and axles all weep with age. We note each leak and its source.

Fuel
Hot and cold stalling

Usually the carburetor or vacuum lines. Often the case for converting to fuel injection.

Electrics
Windows, locks, tailgate glass

Slow motors, tired switches and old wiring. The tailgate glass motor is the classic one to fail.

How a build runs

Four steps, no surprises.

1

Evaluation

A half-day inspection on the lift and a test drive. You get a written report with photos.

2

Plan & quote

We agree the goal (original, daily driver or restomod) and fix the price and the schedule.

3

The build

Photo updates every week. Anything we find that changes the plan comes to you first.

4

Shakedown

Several hundred test miles before delivery, then a check-up at 1,000 miles on us.

The SJ, briefly

Twenty-nine years on one platform.

Built in Toledo, Ohio from 1962 to 1991. By the end it was the longest-running American vehicle on a single platform.

1963The Wagoneer arrives with a 230 Tornado six.
1971AMC 360 and 401 V8s replace the Buick 350.
1973Quadra-Trac brings full-time four-wheel drive.
1983Selec-Trac becomes standard.
1984The top trim is renamed Grand Wagoneer.
1991Final Edition. The last one leaves Toledo on June 21.
Evaluations

Tell us about your wagon.

Every job starts with a written evaluation: a half-day on the lift and a test drive, with photos of everything we find.

Opening soonWe're getting the shop ready. Evaluation requests open on this page shortly.
Tan leather front seats and dashboard of a 1986 Grand Wagoneer