Cal Auto Creations Builds a ’68 Jeep Super Wagoneer that Lives Up to its Name
We are completely spoiled by the drivability, comfort and amenities of our newer vehicles. We take for granted complete climate control, power assist everything, and performance, especially when it comes to luxury SUVs. It wasn’t that long ago that trucks and utility vehicles were exactly that: utilities. Cal Auto Creations changed all of that with this hefty 1968 Jeep Cherokee Super Wagoneer.
One vehicle that tried to change the way people thought about these no-frills rigs was the Jeep Super Wagoneer. Introduced in 1966, the Super was marketed as a comfortable driver and included A/C, tilt column, a console for the floor shifter, tinted glass, and V8 power – options not available or thought to be needed on a common utility rig.
It was a solid plan, but the Super Wagoneer option didn’t catch on. Maybe due to its high price, or just people didn’t get it back then, and the option ended with the 1968 model year. Today, the Super Wagoneer is considered the godfather of the modern SUV.
Travis Lienemann spends a lot of time in modern 4x4s, much of it off-road, for his job. He’s a fan of old cars and trucks, but not the old technology and performance that comes with them. To get the best of both worlds, he turned to Andy Leach and his team at Cal Auto Creations to build a 1968 Jeep Cherokee Super Wagoneer to meet (and exceed) his modern drivability expectations while retaining the vintage Jeep vibe.
Andy knew the his updated 1968 Jeep Cherokee Super Wagoneer would need a strong foundation and put a call into Roadster Shop to design and build a new chassis. Part of that reasoning was to achieve a modern driving feel and smooth ride, the other was for improved support for the supercharged LT4 powerplant from Chevrolet Performance. The engine is rated at 650 horsepower, which gets put to the ground through a Bowler-built 4L80E and Atlas II transfer case.
As planned, the body was left original with minor massaging to the wheel wells, tucking in the bumpers, and tightening gaps. The trim work is all custom and has gold anodized ’56 Plymouth Fury insert material to offset the stunning custom-mixed PPG blue finish. The interior followed suit with several subtle upgrades including a custom Dakota Digital gauge cluster that mimics the original. The stock dash sports custom vents and speaker bezels, the original buckets were refined and covered in leather by Vintage Fabrication, along with door and side panels highlighted with custom trim work.
In the end, Travis’s 1968 Jeep Cherokee Super Wagoneer is exactly what it was meant to be in 1968 – a comfortable 4×4 with luxury appointments and performance, but now for the 21st century!
Photos by John Jackson
