I've been lurking here for a while - learning while looking for a FSJ. With 3 boys and lots of camping/scouting activities, my 97 TJ has become a bit cramped. After deciding the larger Wranglers didn't thrill me, I was reminded of the old Wagoneers and Cherokees. My wife actually encouraged me to get one, on the condition of cosmetic approval and it being an auto...a compromise I was gladly willing to make. I had given her the choice of trading in her old-but-reliable Sienna on a newer model or adding a FSJ that she could drive when the van needs to be in the shop...she voted for the FSJ. I'm a lucky guy
After failing twice to get what I really wanted, I found this '87 just 90 minutes away on eBay. I probably paid a little too much, but it is, AFAICT, devoid of any concerning rust.. Everything else I've found locally was rusty or way overpriced...or needed a bunch of work to be usable. Well, except for that Golden Eagle with vortec motor...but it is a MT and the wife hated the look.
It's been repainted (poorly) some time ago. It looks ok from 10ft if you ignore the faded wood-like panels. Interior is not bad...dash is not cracked but very faded. Motor has 50k on it, the rest is over 200k. Long list of new parts over the past 10 years, A/C works. Runs and drives as well as I would expect. I've got a short list of things that need to be fixed, but it'll be immediately usable for our camping excursions. It was a CA car until 2006. Spent 5 years in Jersey but less than 2k miles/year on it in that time...so I'm guessing it was garaged. Then it was here in Raleigh since 2012.
Eventually, I'd really like to find something like one of the following resto/mods. My wife loved both of these, but I was unable to procure either
I'll still be looking for something like the above, but will be driving the '87 until then. And probably asking a bunch of questions here.
Thanks for the info I've already found, and thanks again, in advance, for the help I'm sure to get!
Chris in Raleigh