Junkyard Find: 1981 Jeep Wagoneer

by Murilee Martin

Updated: February 19th, 2022 Published: June 23rd, 2013

The Jeep Wagoneer was made for about 180 years (OK, actually just 28 years), going through three corporate owners during that period. This is only our second Wagoneer Junkyard Find (after this late-in-the-game ’89), though I walk past many more every time I hit my favorite Denver wrecking yard. This ’81 grabbed my attention with its super- Malaise-y purple paint, so here we go!

Gas prices doubled again? Emission-control regulations got your big-displacement V8 making 130 horses? Add more tape stripes!

I’m not even going to look up the power figures for this AMC 360 V8, because they would just get us all depressed.

This could be a genuine Wagoneer Brougham, but the distinguishing Broughamic features are no longer present.

Under Chrysler, these trucks were built into the 1990s, stretching from JFK’s presidency to the dawn of the World Wide Web.

Shielded by THE PROTECTOR!

#1980s #1981 #4wd #Amc #DownOnTheJunkyard #FourWheelDrive #Jeep #JeepWagoneer #Junkyard #JunkyardFind #SUV #Truck #Malaise #MalaiseEra #Wagoneer

Murilee Martin

Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.

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5 of 19 comments

NoGoYo on Jun 27, 2013

Would a modern Mopar Hemi fit into that engine bay? If I ever find a Jeep J truck that's not rotted into oblivion, I plan to give it a new Hemi heart.

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- Andy D on Jun 30, 2013
  
  Just about any V8 will fit . It all depends upon your budget. I would be very content with a Mid-70s J 10 with a 258 I 6 and a 3 speed trans. A 350 SBC fits better'n the 360. The engines werent that bad if you had them sorted. The frames just rotted away along with the floors.
  
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- Hutch1200 on Jul 09, 2013
  
  @Andy D A very big budget for the swap is needed to SBC. But I would do it if going from a 4 or 6 cylinder. But swapping a good J-yard engine that checks out or has a warranty is a 2 man weekend project. All jeep V8s share every component except the flywheel/flexplate and harmonic balancer. Granted a nice SBC crate engine is indeed cheaper, although old AMCs are catching up. However the parts list starts at the radiator ($300) to the engine mounts, exhaust manis/headers ($200 min), adapter to tranny or transfer case. Adapters run $400-$600. None of these parts can be scrounged unless you get lucky on a jeep board. The 360 has 5.8" rods vs a 350s 5.7" which give more low end TQ. 4x4s want nice idle (or 1500 rpm) to 5k RPM cams. Which is what most cam makers suggest (market). All serious off road capable machines are heavy. Some just crazy heavy.
  
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- Hutch1200 on Jul 09, 2013
  
  NoYoGo, congrats on having 1 of 5 non mineral deposit J trucks! http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/engine/129_1004_engine_swap_kit_buyers_guide/http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/engine/129_1004_engine_swap_kit_buyers_guide/ Check this out and look up American Expedition Vehicles. They put hemis in Wranglers, so they might be able to hook you up w/a simplified harness & mounts. Good luck!
  
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Jhefner on Jun 28, 2013

I don't recall seeing any of these in person. I do remember the Tonka Wagoneer toys; saw several of them over the years.

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ToolGuy 9 miles a day for 20 years. You didn't drive it, why should I? 😉
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