1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief Restomod For Sale With Viper V10 Engine
This build kicks the door off its hinges and asks if you have any other questions. A 1979 Cherokee Chief is already one of the coolest shapes Jeep ever made, all square-jawed confidence and tribal stripes, and Vigilante decided the only sensible thing to do was drop a 9.0-liter Prefix Viper V10 between the fenders. The result is a vintage two-door that looks period-perfect from ten feet away and then detonates the moment you prod the throttle. It is gloriously unnecessary, which is precisely the point.
On value, the usual market data is almost beside the point. According to Classic.com market data for the Jeep SJ Cherokee, a stock example averages around $28,714, with recent twelve-month figures closer to $31,800. But this specific SJ Cherokee is a fully bespoke, ground-up build on a custom chassis with a supercar engine, so comparing it to a factory Cherokee is like pricing a tailored suit by the cost of the fabric. The current bid of $89,727 needs to be read against build cost, not stock value.
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The offer
- Make: Jeep
- Model: Cherokee Chief (SJ), Vigilante build
- Year: 1979
- Mileage: 3,200 shown on a replacement odometer, title exempt
- Engine: 9.0-liter Prefix Viper Gen V V10, naturally aspirated
- Power: 825 hp and 750 lb ft of torque
- Transmission: Tremec six-speed manual
- Drive type: Four Wheel Drive with Atlas II transfer case
- Exterior color: Aston Martin Stratus White and Frosted Glass Blue
- Interior color: Blue Levi's denim with leather accents
- Current bid: $89,727
- Auction end date: June 18, 2026
Interested in this 1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief? View the listing here.
1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief listing details
The presentation is where this build earns its standing ovation. The body was media blasted to bare metal and refinished in Stratus White over Frosted Glass Blue, with 1975-style tribal side stripes, set off by a classic pig-nose grille, chrome bumpers, and custom billet aluminum trim, mirrors, and grille work. There is even power-operated rear tailgate glass that responds to an interior switch, the key, or a wireless fob. It sits on 17-inch Vigilante billet wheels wrapped in 285/70 BFGoodrich All Terrain tires.
Underneath is serious hardware. The naturally aspirated 9.0-liter Prefix Viper V10 was rated at 825 hp and 750 lb ft, fed by electronic fuel injection and breathing through stainless-steel manifolds into a quad-muffler Borla exhaust. Power runs through a Tremec six-speed manual, a McLeod hydraulic clutch, and an Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case, splitting drive between a Currie Dana 44 front axle with Warn locking hubs and a Dana 60 rear. The custom chassis uses a triangulated four-link rear with Eibach springs and Fox dampers, Baer six-piston brakes at all four corners, and a quick-ratio Borgeson steering box. With this much power and torque, 0 to 60 mph is firmly in supercar territory.
Inside, the homage is delightful. The buckets and rear bench wear blue Levi's denim with leather accents, a knowing nod to the old Jeep Levi's Edition, paired with Dynamat sound deadening, Vintage Air climate control, power windows, and a JL Audio system hiding behind an OEM-style Bluetooth radio. Speedhut gauges fill the dash, twin stick shifters handle the transfer case, and the pedals wear Wilwood pads. It is a cabin that respects the original while quietly smuggling in every modern convenience.
1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief quick take
This Cherokee is automotive maximalism done with genuine taste, a vintage 4x4 appeal hiding a Viper V10 and a chassis to match. It is loud, it is excessive, and it is executed with the kind of detail obsession that separates a great build from a parts catalog. It's one of the most charismatic restomods to surface in a while, a vehicle bought with the heart rather than a spreadsheet, and at current money, it looks like strong value against the sheer cost and ambition of the build.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 6:00 AM.