The XJ-001 was a Jeep muscle car concept from 1970.

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv) 07/02/2020 at 18:58 • Filed to: Concept Cars

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By the late sixties, muscle cars had become so popular that even Jeep thought about getting in on it. Albeit not quite in the traditional way, of course.

The car, called the XJ-001, was meant to be a hybrid of Jeep and sporty car, and something that was fun to drive both on and off the road. It was fully driveable and ready for production if they decided to do so. It was built on a CJ5 chassis with lowered suspension and deep-dish chrome reverse wheels, and t o make it exciting and muscular , they replaced the Hurricane four-cylinder with an AMC 360 V8. It still had manually locking hubs for four-wheel drive, though, so it kept a bit of Jeepishness in that way. The low-slung fiberglass body featured an integral shoulder-height rollbar behind the seats, and I have no idea how that’s supposed to do the passengers any good, but the windshield was also strengthened in case of a rollover, so there’s that. Although color photos of the car are rare, it appears the paint was most likely Jeep Candlelight Yellow with black stripes.

When it was unveiled at the New York auto show, it became a huge hit and w hen Jeep was bought by AMC, they scheduled it to appear at several more auto shows. While it’s unclear whether there was any chance of it entering production, it wasn’t out of the question. But then tragedy struck. A van carrying the XJ-001 overturned on the way to a show and burst into flames, reducing the little muscle Jeep to ash and eliminating any chance of a production muscle Jeep (although they would later put a v8 in the CJ5).

The XJ-001 also had a sister car , the XJ-002, but that one looked less like a Jeep muscle car and more like a moon rover from a low-buck 70's sci-fi movie.

It’s too bad this neat little concept car had to meet such a horrible end, but on the bright side we did eventually see a Jeep muscle car of sorts in the form of the Trackhawk. And CJ5 chassis and 360 V8s aren’t impossible to obtain... hmmm......

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:13

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Shoulder height roll bar? I guess to keep all the organs intact for organ donation? Even the height of that windshield would mean that you’d still potentially lose the top of your head.

Interesting idea, though.  Reminds me a bit of the AMC Eagle in a way - a bit of a beastly off-road car-like thing.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:14

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It does surprise me somewhat that there aren’t more kit cars based off the Wrangler cha ssis and driveline. There’s been a few based on the Range Rover and Discovery and even the Nissan Patrol but little that I’ve ever seen based off the Wrangler.

Or for that matter, Toyota's 70 Series....

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:14

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I would totally DD an XJ-001 if they had a bikini top.

ranwhenparked > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:16

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This was definitely an attempt by AMC to cash in on the booming dune buggy craze by building one at the factory for people without the skills and wherewithal to cut up a Beetle and build their own.

Whatever happened to dune buggies? They were all over the damn place in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and were common at car shows throughout the ‘80s, and then just kind of disappeared.

https://archive.org/details/tobacco_szj21c00

lone_liberal > BaconSandwich is tasty. 07/02/2020 at 19:18

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These days it would be to provide a place to mount a racing harness, but there would be one higher to, you know, provide protection in case of a roll. 

ranwhenparked > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 07/02/2020 at 19:19

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The only one I can think of off hand was the Rebel Yell Roadster that was around in the ‘90s and ‘00s, but I don’t think they sold many of them. Unless you count Chrysler’s own pickup conversion package as a kit car. It is odd, the body-on-frame construction, ubiquity,  and long product cycles should make the Wrangler an ideal kit car base.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:20

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Honstly, I think it is time to bring this back. Imagine if FCA made a rally fighter type vehicle???

Pop a challenger on a ram or jeep frame and call it a day

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 07/02/2020 at 19:27

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Cherokee would perhaps be best vehicle to start with ...

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > ranwhenparked 07/02/2020 at 19:29

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Oh... that's not very pretty

ranwhenparked > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 07/02/2020 at 19:45

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I get what they were going for, but the proportions just do not work. The Wrangler is definitely the closest modern vehicle you can get to a 1920s or early ‘30s touring car, and the Wrangler Unlimited is the only current production phaeton, so I can see where someone would make the connection to do some retro prewar styling. But, the execution, yeah...

jeepoftheseus > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:54

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I’ve always enjoyed the idea of this. Fiberglass body with a 360 and a near square footprint, sounds like a, sketchy but fun,  blast down a dirt road. I didn’t realize that they kept the four whee drive intact for it though. Imagine if it went to production and evolved into a rally car by the ‘80s. AMC/Hurst Group B anyone?

Only Vespas... > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 19:59

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T hey look like a Mustang Mach 1 and a Saab Sonnett II shrunken for a kiddy ride at the  state fair.

Jim Spanfeller > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 07/02/2020 at 20:40

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Yeah... It’ d be fun to have some more different-looking fiberglass-bodied Jeeps. That is weird...

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > ranwhenparked 07/02/2020 at 20:52

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I’d struggle to say no to a decent riff on a 1920s era touring car kit based on the JK. Especially if no fibreglass was involved...

Nauraushaun > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 21:26

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Those are both   so ugly, oh my god. I don’t think it’s that hard to make a no-compromise off-road car look badass.

My bird IS the word > Jim Spanfeller 07/02/2020 at 23:37

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I was wondering the other day with my car up on jack stands if there would have been any market for a car bodied 4wd vehicle then, or now. Give it a proper tow hitch and a rating and it would make a decent utility vehicle.

Jim Spanfeller > Nauraushaun 07/02/2020 at 23:40

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Counterpoint: The XJ-001 is glorious. The XJ-002 on the other hand is hideous. It’s like an Opel GT mated with a tractor...

Jim Spanfeller > My bird IS the word 07/02/2020 at 23:41

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This thing was reportedly very well received back in the day, it’s too bad it never got a chance.

My bird IS the word > Jim Spanfeller 07/03/2020 at 09:01

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You see enough of those craigslist "sportscar dropped on blazer frame" specials.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Jim Spanfeller 07/03/2020 at 11:13

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Cool!

Nauraushaun > Jim Spanfeller 07/03/2020 at 15:39

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The 1 is like a Falcon mated with a kid’s toy!

Jim Spanfeller > Nauraushaun 07/03/2020 at 15:40

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I know! Isn’t it great? :p

Nauraushaun > Jim Spanfeller 07/03/2020 at 16:17

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NO! NO NO noooooo

I guess it ultimately doesn’t matter. There was 1 and it burned to the ground decades ago. We may hold our opinions, they are ultimately fruitless haha

Jim Spanfeller > Nauraushaun 07/03/2020 at 16:20

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Not unless I finally learn how to work with fiberglass and build a replica.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAH(deep breath)

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Nauraushaun > Jim Spanfeller 07/03/2020 at 17:00

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Do that and I will find you

Jim Spanfeller > Nauraushaun 07/03/2020 at 17:34

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And I will outrun you with my AMC 360 V8! Murica!