The restomod scene has done nothing but grow, but in the sea of Porsche and Bronco builds, Texas-based Vigilante 4×4 sets itself apart in two ways.
First, the husband and wife run the shop that restores and upgrades classic Jeep Wagoneers, and second, it takes a specific approach designed to retain the character of the originals while bringing in modern reliability, power, and comfort. The key to Vigilante’s system is a deep obsession and understanding of classic Wagoneers fermented over decades of ownership, hundreds of thousands of miles driving them while developing a successful restoration business.
Having run a restoration business for decades, the idea of building classic Cherokees and Wagoneers that would be as reliable as a modern car while fixing many other consistent issues took root, and Vigilante 4×4 was born. As a result, we got to spend an afternoon with the couple and a recently built 1975 Cherokee S featuring a 485-horsepower crate engine at its heart.
The Approach: Deep Love
As Daniel von Doveren’s wife, business partner, and co-founder of Vigilante 4×4 explains, “He’s never owned anything else,” then goes on to tell of massive road trips in Wagoneers Daniel has bought and driven home to restore and his ability to fix them when broken down at the side of the road. It’s no surprise Rachel spotted and noticed his red Jeep Cherokee outside an oyster bar before she first met him.
Daniel knows what makes a classic Jeep Wagoneer something to enjoy, and he knows its weaknesses. Unlike some high-end restomod companies, Vigilante isn’t re-engineering every last piece of the car. The chassis is reproduced but not cut to fit upgraded parts, and the original bodywork is retained, as is the original non-rack and pinion steering system, which becomes apparent later when we drive the Wagoneer.
The result keeps its authenticity, but the wing mirrors don’t rattle when you close a door, the ride is excellent, and the interior is plush yet completely familiar, down to the gear shifters and a seemingly analog radio on the dashboard. You won’t find a retrofitted big screen clashing with the interior ambiance.
You will find a lot of obsessive 3D-modelled replacements of original parts, including the entire dashboard and the wheels. The original wheels are reproduced as monoblock units fashioned from aluminum with an extra two inches of width and a significant part of the cost of a Vigilante Wagoneer.
Those wing mirrors that no longer rattle? Also billet aluminum reproductions.
Exterior: Original Panels, New Paint
While new panels could be made, Daniel considers them part of the Wagoneer’s character with their imperfections. However, the paint is nothing like anything that has come off of a Jeep production line.
Almost comedically, Daniel couldn’t find a paint shop in Texas that could paint his projects to his European standards, let alone at a respectable price. So, the panels are shipped to Europe to be painted and returned, costing less than it would cost at home. That doesn’t mean cheap, though, and the paintwork is nothing short of perfect. That became apparent as the sun dropped in Malibu as we set up to photograph the Wagoneer and started shining lights on it.
Customers can choose any other paint within reason and varying in cost depending on where it comes from. Daniel recounts how a customer wanted a specific Aston Martin paint and how difficult and expensive it was to acquire from the brand.
Under The Hood: A Familiar Layout
When we popped the hood of this 1977 Wagoneer S, Daniel was keen to point out that nothing has been cut to fit the new lump despite having a GM crate engine in the bay. The layout remains the same – the heater block, blower motor, and fluid tanks are all where they were when the Wagoneer left the factory in the 1970s.
Even the new electronics controlling the engine are cunningly disguised inside a now superfluous original part while the large aluminum radiator sits snug next to the grill. The lump in this Wagoneer is a 390 (6.4-liter) Hemi crate engine making 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. This model is coupled to a Tremec six-speed manual, but the more common option is a GM four-speed auto built by Bowler.
However, if that’s not enough power, customers can choose anything from the Mopar catalog, including a Hellcat engine or, in one case so far, the V10 out of a Dodge Viper, which, amazingly, fits into the engine bay without needing drastic modification.
Interior: Old School Ambience
Climbing into Vigilante’s take on the Wagoneer S, it feels and smells like it came off the production line in the 1970s. That’s despite brand-new leather, electric windows, and a Bluetooth-enabled sound system. Inside is where the obsession with detail truly starts to show.
The original window winders are now switches, and the buttons on the dashboard are the same shape and feel but marked appropriately to their new utility controlling the modern HVAC system. The main shifter knob is a reproduction but shows the six-speed pattern rather than the original’s four-speed. The radio looks period, but turning the tuner dial shifts tracks on Bluetooth-supplied music.
The details are seemingly endless, but the most impressive yet hardest to notice is that Vigilante scanned the original vinyl inside and created a dye stamp to recreate the original Wagoneer’s floral embossed finish.
On The Road: My Goodness!
Starting the Vigilante Wagoneer S is a simple turn of the key, causing the engine to burble into life. This is an unusual experience for a classic Wagoneer, which carries on as we go down the Pacific Highway to our photography spot. The clutch was still breaking in with a high bite that took a minute to get used to, but all the drama was in the engine and the pace the SUV wanted to pick up. And, as it picks up, the sound is glorious but not overpowering – we could carry a conversation with inside voices with no problem.
The original Wagoneers didn’t run on independent suspension, but Vigilante’s take does, and you can tell. The dynamics are familiar, but including new FOX coil-spring shocks improves the ride dramatically and smooths out the rough California pavement.
The way this 1975 Wagoneer S is tuned leaves some body roll in corners, as God intended.
Vigilante will set up the suspension for a desired ride or performance type, but it would be fantastic off-road. “Do any of your customers off-road these?” we asked. “No,” Daniel replied with certainty, “They’re doing things like taking their family to the beach.” And that’s understandable at the cost.
Like any classic Jeep, it needs to be manhandled on the road to a fair degree. The Wagoneer is heavy, and the steering has some weight, but without the precision of a modern rack and pinion steering system. However, it’s still a drastic improvement over anything that rolled out of a Jeep factory.
The manual transmission’s throws are shorter than stock and modern-gearbox precise. And, frankly, it’s much more fun than the original. Another distinct difference between old and new is the brakes Vigilante fits to the Wagoneer, which stops with all the smooth predictability of a modern SUV, which we consider a safety and comfort benefit.
Overall, the experience of driving Vigilante’s Wagoneer S is best described as an idealized nostalgia. While it doesn’t drive exactly like a modern SUV, it does retain the feeling and engagement while being better by any metric. Riding along in the SUV tugged on memories of riding in family members’ SUVs as a kid in the 1980s.
Everything from the smell and general ambiance to the engine noise and sense of space that’s lost now, even in the biggest trucks and SUVs on the market. Big windows and an uncluttered dash and center console not packed with airbags, computers, and doors not bulked out with motors, side impact structure, and plastic shaped for bottle holders make a huge difference.
How Much Does It Cost?
Vigilante Wagoneers start at just under $300,000, with a current wait time of 34 months. The price reflects the level of obsession and engineering that goes into each build and that the company specializes in a niche within a niche.
It also reflects the fact that it’s a luxury item. However, it’s also built to be driven, and it’s a joy to drive. Sure, you could buy three modern Grand Wagoneers and be safer and enveloped in technology, but Vigilante’s restomod is 10 times more of an SUV you would love to drive and go on adventures with.