JEEPY - The Jeep Cherokee that Professor Douglas Storm gave to John - in need of much work. Previously used in connection with an ocean research project, this vehicle was fully loaded with leather seats and metallic paint job.

In his quest to complete his DNA collection, John Storm relies on a classic Jeep Cherokee 4x4 all wheel drive, rugged off road vehicle, to reach those out of the way places. Such as his exploration of the South Africa and Egypt, where sand replaces roads. And then of course there are Brazilian jungles.

His uncle, Professor Douglas Storm, gifted him the Cherokee well before the Elizabeth Swann, and before he went missing. When John first got the vehicle, it was a mess. They were prone to rust on the sills. The window seals were also a problem. The petrol (Gasoline) consumption was quite horrendous. An appalling fuel economy, that worried John, as he is a conservationist. But he was very fond of it's off road capabilities and the rugged nature or the truck. For this reason, he elected to fit a methanol conversion to the four litre internal combustion engine. He always bought green fuels, or those with carbon offset, such as to be CO2 neutral; a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV).

By the time John inherited the Jeep Cherokee, it was already classed as a historic vehicle, being over 40 years old. Of course a classic part of motoring history. Where, such vehicles are cherished, and so insurance premiums reduce. As well as being tax (road fund) and MOT exempt. But that did not matter. John always kept his vehicles in tip-top condition. As do all other owners of heritage transport. It is something of an international pastime.

The Jeep came with a private number plate registration, that amused John. Because the value of the plate HAZ2481, was worth more than the vehicle, as it came to him. Something that amused both men, and somewhat of a standing joke.

John set about restoring the truck. This soon led to improvements, such as a composite roof with solar panels, to generate power for his equipment, and keep the batteries charged when not in use for long periods. Then John added electric drive, using fuel cells to convert hydrogen. The vehicle thus became a zero emission hybrid experiment.

He collects DNA, from all species of flora and fauna, that he happens upon. Sometimes, going out of his way to find rare, even extinct evidence of the development of life on earth.

It all started when John was on a fact finding archaeological dig in Tanzania, held to be the cradle of life, at Olduvai Gorge in South Africa. He found fossilized human remains, that sparked his interest in anthropology, branding him for life as a collector of DNA, in his search for our past, and pointer to the future.

John is obsessive about his collecting. He knows this. It is sometimes amusing, just how dedicated he is, when it comes to anthropology, and his ancestors. His Jeep has secure storage for samples, while they are transported. There is also a towbar, for a trailer. If samples are bigger than the roof rack might safely support. For example, dinosaur bones.

John's collection of DNA is stored in The Ark, the world's most powerful interactive digital DNA library. The integrated system is loyal to John Storm, coded to recognize and protect him, and authorized members of the crew.

The Jeep Cherokee is a compact Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) that was first introduced in 1984 as a revolutionary vehicle with a unibody construction and an all-wheel drive system [1]. Some of the best features of the Jeep Cherokee SUV all wheel drive classic vehicle are:

- It offers unrivalled on-road performance while maintaining most of the off-road ability for which Jeep is famous [1].

- It comes with a Selec-Terrain switch that has up to five settings to adjust the all-wheel drive system according to different terrain conditions [2].

- It has a spacious and comfortable interior with a high level of standard equipment, such as power steering, alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes, remote central locking, air conditioning, cruise control and an automatic gearbox [1].

- It has a distinctive and rugged design with a wide D-pillar and a long fixed rear side window with an optional flip-out section [3].

The Cherokee ‘XJ’ was a radically new vehicle for Jeep in 1984. Developed under AMC with Renault, the compact SUV had revolutionary design features for a car of this class.

While other American manufacturers were rushing out rebodied pickups, AMC’s Jeep introduced the Cherokee XJ with a unibody construction and well-damped suspension that offered unrivalled on-road performance while maintaining most of the off-road ability for which the company was famous.

The Jeep XJ utilizes front and rear beam axle components (live axles) as opposed to an independent suspension. The live axle configuration offers advantages in off-road capability and performance at the expense of some on-road comfort and driveability.

These were always highly equipped vehicles, especially in the UK where the value prospect was a big part of their market entry strategy. The 1993 UK-spec Cherokee Limited undercut rivals like the Isuzu Trooper and the Land Rover Discovery, while offering greater levels of standard equipment. You got power steering, alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes, remote central locking, six speakers, air conditioning, cruise control and an automatic gearbox all for free.

Electric everything of course: all four windows, the door mirrors, the front seats, and naturally the aerial for that impressive stereo. Metallic paint was a cheap option, and even leather seats were a very reasonable £1000.

The Jeep Cherokee SUV all wheel drive classic vehicle was a great choice for anyone looking for a versatile, reliable and stylish vehicle that can handle any road challenge, between the 1980s and 1990s. But is now very rare indeed.

The later iteration of the 4-litre petrol unit featured Chrysler fuel injection and is generally referred to as the high-output engine, because of its hike in power from around 175bhp to 190bhp. Torque remained roughly the same at 225lb.ft but at a significantly higher peak. This engine saw service from 1991 and proved to be exceptionally reliable, while its revised electronics were easier to diagnose when issues did crop up.

One of the best places to buy a quality classic Jeep Cherokee, is near Rome in Italy. Another is California, USA. Where they are very popular with the trendy elite. Prices depend on the condition of the vehicle. With some custom variants commanding relatively high prices. But not in the movie world, for films such as Mad Max, and the Man from Uncle. Where rugged (fat-boy) is the name of the game.

In Jurassic World, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) drives a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, produced until 1991. The forerunner SUV.

[1] https://www.classic-trader.com/uk/cars/search/jeep
[2] https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/jeep-cherokee-buyers-guide/
[3] https://www.autoevolution.com/news/jeep-s-awd-and-4wd-systems-explained-106633.html
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee_(XJ)

[1] https://www.classic-trader.com/uk/cars/search/jeep
[2] https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/jeep-cherokee-buyers-guide/
[3] https://www.autoevolution.com/news/jeep-s-awd-and-4wd-systems-explained-106633.html
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee_(XJ)

ABOUT JOHN STORM'S JEEP