Lamley Daily: 596Model Jeep Wagoneer

(Find the 596Model Jeep Wagoneer on eBay here)

When I went to bother the base security at Groom Lake, Nevada (formerly Area 51) last year I had only two vehicles in mind to take me out of Las Vegas to the remote wilderness of the Nevada Test Site. One was the Shelby GT-H which I rented and lived out a childhood fantasy. The other was at the other end of the scale, one I would have struggled to rent but told my wife “I would if I could.” That vehicle was the Jeep Wagoneer SJ.

*1985 Jeep Wagoneer advert. Image via reddit.*

Thanks to the Malaise Motors group on Facebook and a few encounters with them in the US, I’ve developed a soft spot for the Wagoneer that I really can’t explain. Maybe it’s the faux wood paneling, I’m not sure. But I pictured taking the drive out into rural Nevada, ticking along gently whilst Creedence Clearwater played through the radio. As it was, I hired the Shelby and had an insane time, but the Wagoneers I saw on my trip only cemented my appreciation for what is, in my opinion, one of the coolest Jeeps of all time. If not the coolest.

The Jeep Wagoneer SJ first appeared in 1963 and remained in production (with only minimal changes) until 1991, lasting an astonishing 28 years; the third longest production run in US automotive history. Production began under the Kaiser Jeep brand, shifting to American Motors in 1970 before Chrysler took over in 1987.

Jeep originally marketed the Wagoneer as a station wagon, but arguably it was the world’s first luxury SUV. It blended comfort and technology with a mountain goat like ability off road. Top line models had impressive amounts of kit fitted, such as cruise control, power windows, air conditioning and power adjustable seats. Even the most basic trim levels had class leading levels of comfort.

The SJ is a vehicle graced with acres of road presence regardless of trim, though those models equipped with the wooden side panels have become the most iconic. And a bit like the Pontiac Aztek I featured back in May, a role in AMC’s Breaking Bad introduced the Wagoneer to a younger audience, and sent many scrambling to Craigslist and eBay for a full size piece of memorabilia.

Skyler White’s 1991 Colorado Red SJ obviously grabbed the attention of someone at Chinese brand 596Model as well, as they have chose it as the first colour for their new 1/64 Wagoneer.

596Model work more on producing replicas of US law enforcement vehicles but they’ve done a very good job indeed on this. The box comes adorned with Breaking Bad logos but I bought it simply because it’s a gorgeous looking model. I’ve never seen Breaking Bad, I just bloody love the Wagoneer.

Aside from some fragile bumpers this is a solidly constructed diecast, with some decent weight to it. The paint is thick and glossy and the wood effect side panels have been faithfully replicated with pretty decent pad application. The rest of the decal/pad work is also sharp and well positioned.

The wheels are good representations of the OEM Jeep items and roll perfectly wrapped with treaded rubber. There’s no wobbles or deformed rubber on my example at least! The plastic base is screw on as well which will allow customisers to get inside and let their imaginations run wild.

There’s a nicely detailed interior and the exterior has some nice accessories replicated like a set of roof bars and front spotlights. The head and tail lights themselves are clear plastic and little details like separately molded door handles and side mirrors are a nice touch. The window piece also has wipers cast into it, as well as the visible heating element on the rear screen.

And to top it all off these can be bought for as little as £10 on AliExpress. The normal RRP is around £15 but at the time of writing (and for a while beforehand) there are many offers on. It’s a reasonable cost to swallow even at the further end of the scale. It’s a really good model in my opinion.