Jeep Classic Cars

The longest-running, most iconic civilian Jeep — nearly three decades of continuous production under Kaiser, AMC, and eventually Chrysler ownership.

The direct successor to the original Willys CJ-2A/3A lineage, the CJ-5 refined the classic Jeep formula with a slightly longer wheelbase and rounder styling while retaining the simple, rugged, go-anywhere character that defined the category. Its remarkable 29-year production run — spanning ownership changes from Willys to Kaiser to American Motors — makes it both the most recognizable and most variable Jeep to shop for, since early and late CJ-5s differ substantially in engines, trim, and refinement.

The genuine original luxury SUV — real four-wheel-drive capability wrapped in wood-paneled, leather-lined comfort, still the market's reference point today.

The final and most refined evolution of a body style that had remained fundamentally unchanged since 1963, the Grand Wagoneer paired genuine off-road capability with a level of interior comfort and equipment no other 4x4 of the era offered — creating, largely by accident of a long production run rather than deliberate strategy, the template for the modern luxury SUV. Its distinctive simulated-wood body paneling and traditional American full-size proportions have made it one of the strongest and most rapidly appreciating collector vehicles of the last decade.