New member,
I turned 16 in 1981, got my DL on my BD and was a serous gear head.
I was in the "Glory Days" of the 68-71 muscle cars because,,,, they were all 10-12 years old and could be bought a dime a dozen. 2nd car was a 1970 MD javelin w/ 390 4spd, ram air hood. car was like new and paid $325 for it. I bought AMX's, javelins, CJ's for anywhere from $50 - 300.
My buddy was into Mopar E bodys, same thing. These cars where 10-15 years old, the junk yards had a steady supply of them. I would pick up a perfectly good AMX, pull the engine for myself, cut it up and part it out and make 300-500 and have an engine. Times were good, there was an endless supply of V8 muscle cars. Then around 1989-1990 - "poof" they were gone, the supply ran out.
Marriage, houses, kids - now 25 years later I am getting back into "cars" because my 15 year old son has a strong interest, just finishing my heated slab shop/garage and we are looking for a XJ project.
I can not tell you how familiar the XJ market/culture is, compared to the muscle cars in the 80's. They are junk to the ones who used them for 10 years as daily drivers,, they are treasures to "jeepers", buy 2 or 3 decent ones and cut them up and part them out. look on craigslist, tons of 300-800 dollar projects.
In the near future (around the 20 year since manufactured mark), "poof" the "supply" will be gone. I am not sure the XJ will be in high as demand as a 68-72 muscle car.
Enjoy it while it last, been there, done that, these "Are" the glory days of the XJ

 

Thanks for the insight. The availability of XJ's and their parts is one of my favorite things about owning one. I hope you're wrong, but I feel like you're probably on to something with the comparison.

 

Definitely the glory days


Lots of sweet parts are/have been discontinued (Spectre cowl intake for example), but luckily still lots of XJ's at the junkyard. See fewer and fewer of them every year (specifically the '00-'01 years due to blown motors)

 

Pretty cool story. I was born too late. I'm definitely an old soul. I would have loved to have had a chance to experience the 60's and 70's. I'd would trade the luxury of Iphones for chevelles and cuda's any day.

The XJ glory days are definitely in full swing but the production numbers were so high that it's going to be quite a long time before they seriously dwindle down.

 

I think we're already seeing the decline, and it makes me wish I had the proper setup for storing lots of parts.

 

depends where. i'm in eastern canada and i rarely see them. almost no supply on craigslist/kijiji, i'm lucky if I see 2-3 new XJs per year at the junkyard.

i don't think what i have is worth gold, probably as much as a clean early 2000s honda civic, but people are much more excited to come talk to me about my xj than i've ever seen about a civic, and i think that tells a lot. they may be cheap, but the community around it and reputation it has is what makes it so worthy to us.

 

+1 after 2014 I started to see fewer and fewer 97-01 XJs in the boneyard. It made it harder for me to get what I wanted. Saw lots of 84-96 all the time, simply because it was in production much longer.

 

+2 When I had my last Cherokee (2007-2010) there were at least 15 Cherokees at the JY whenever I went. Now, I am lucky to see 5.

 

Nothing lasts forever. Unfortunately.

 

Amen.

Here in SoCal, the glory days are all but gone. Sky high prices for rigs on the open market, practically nothing in the boneyards. I recently visited a business owner here who started his business on part outs, now he's lucky to get one.

He's now working on full blown custom rigs and building GC's up to be JK killers.

I fear WJ's and WK's are the new standard here...not that that's a bad thing, would love to see more of them...but the aftermarket isn't there like it is for our beloved XJ. That may change...

 

XJ's aren't hard to come across here in NJ. Only problem I see is their crazy owners asking insane prices. Unfortunately the rust belt has claimed quite a few.

 

yea tons of them in PA and Maryland.

 

Lot of them around here too! But the majority look like they're soon to occupy a bone yard some where.
I know a guy who owns a body shop and he had a rageddy paint faded scratched dented some big dents too all over heap old XJ for sale which also needed a Tcase. Price was $2500. Rode by the next day and it was sold for the that price.
These XJs do have a strong cult following!

They will be around 20 years from now. There's just something about the square shouldered body design not to mention 4x4 off road capability.

Body parts are about the only things getting hard to find these days. Had one heck of a time finding a 2-door window regulator.

And these new smooth rounded Cherokees, forget it.
If i had to buy a new Jeep for off roading, i'd buy a new Wrangler.

 

that's about the only jeep in the lineup that's even capable.

 

Ive been saying for a couple of years that XJs are on the cusp of being the next early bronco. Same story you tell about the muscle cars: They were everywhere, people trashed them, then *poof* rusted out EB with no top goes for ten grand.

That's why I cry every time I see someone chop a 2 door.