While the Jeep brand built its reputation on rugged durability, the automaker really took this concept to the next level when they introduced the XJ generation Cherokee for the 1984 model year. Heralded as one of the twenty greatest passenger vehicles of all time by Automobile magazine, the XJ enjoyed a solid seventeen-year production run here in America, and in China, they were still cranking these things out up until as recently as 2013.

Featuring a lightweight unibody design rather than the body-on-frame approach applied to full-size Jeeps like the Wagoneer, the XJ became instrumental in the popularization of SUVs, and its success spawned numerous imitators as a result.

Yet the XJ has continued to endure over the years, both from a mechanical and popular standpoint, outlasting any of its competitors by a wide margin. The Jeep’s unibody chassis has kept the XJ era Cherokee a favorite among enthusiasts as the maturing SUV market saw many brands – Jeep included – shifting their attention toward more luxury-focused offerings, from both construction and content standpoint.

In fact, the personal finance site Kiplinger declared the XJ Cherokee as one of the “10 Cars That Refuse to Die,” and considering China only stopped producing these things three years ago, that seems like an incredibly apt title for this era of the Cherokee. So finding this Jade Green 1992 XJ looking poised to hit the dirt at the Mint 400 in Las Vegas earlier this year came as little surprise since dispatching abuse and the unforgiving terrain is kind of the Cherokee XJ’s specialty.

Although some of the components were interchangeable between the AMC 258 cubic inch six-cylinder and the 2.5-liter four pot, the latter was not a cut-down version of the big six. The 2.5-liter seen here has a shorter stroke and larger bore, the valves are larger and the pistons are unique to the four cylinders. AMC/Chrysler engineer Roy Lunn explained in an interview for the book ‘The 50-year History of the Jeep’ that they wanted as much displacement as possible within the confines of bore centers of the tooling to maximize power and torque, and the only parameter they could influence substantially was the stroke. Accordingly, they picked the largest bore and stroke in order to get 2.5 liters out of it. That motor is hooked to a five-speed manual gearbox, which sends the power to a Detroit rear end with 4.10 gears.

Put together in 1967 as a promotional event for the Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt, the Mint 400 has evolved into a serious off-road competition over the years, attracting professional racers from various motorsport disciplines, Hollywood celebrities, and enthusiasts from all over the country and beyond.

But the sale of the Mint Hotel in 1988 took the Mint 400 off the race calendar for nearly two decades, as the new owners considered the event a nuance and bad for business. But in 2008, longtime sponsor General Tire stepped in to resurrect the race with the help of Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts group (SNORE). The Mint 400 is now a part of the Best in the Desert (BITD) series and is a must-do race during the season.

The Cherokee’s rear end is fairly standard Jeep equipment, which is a pretty stout combination, to begin with. The Detroit rear end houses 4.10 gears to give the Jeep some more low end mechanical advantage.

“Originally being from New England, I had never seen the desert previous to living in Nevada. But I have always been into racing and anything with a motor,” says Tom King, the owner of this XJ Cherokee. Not long after settling in Nevada, King decided that the best way to take advantage of his new environment was to put together a proper desert truck.

“I started attending races as far back as I can remember with my father. I grew up around drag racing mostly but my first truck – a ‘93 Chevy Blazer – started my obsession with off road vehicles. I found this mostly-complete Jeep project for sale locally and I had to have it. After attending the Mint 400 and taking this rig out into the desert almost every weekend, I have become determined to turn it into a full blown race rig.”

While King says the long-term plan is to turn the XJ into a purpose-built race truck with a big block V8, a more comprehensively modified suspension system and a back half or full tube chassis, the Cherokee currently serves as his daily driver, so it’s equipped to be sturdy enough for the rigors of the desert but still a reasonable rig for day to day tasks on the street.

Fox nitrogen-filled shocks help suspend the Cherokee and make room for the 33-inch BFG All-Terrain tread. They also provide a compact and lightweight alternative to coil-over shocks, making them ideal for rock crawlers.

Motivating the Cherokee is a nearly stock example of the AMC-developed 2.5-liter inline four cylinder motor. While this 150 ci power plant might not boast mind blowing output, it’s a motor with a legitimately purpose-built design. Jeep’s chief engineer, Roy Lunn, explained that when the engine was unveiled it was unlike most of the engines available at the time in the sense that it was not designed for passenger cars and then subsequently adapted for use in trucks. “We specifically developed it with our Jeep vehicles and Eagle in mind,” Lunn explained. “That’s the reason that performance and durability were of such prime consideration from the very beginning.”

That means its light weight and durability are an excellent match for the XJ Cherokee, considering that both of those attributes have been part of this truck’s overall theme from the get-go.

But of course, just a cursory glance at King’s Cherokee makes it obvious that the bodywork is anything but stock. Along with a pair of custom fabricated lift off doors, the Jeep sports a set of fiberglass fenders up front and  fender flares in the rear, which helps make room for the 33-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires. Custom fabricated bumpers are installed at both ends of the Jeep, and a skid plate up front keeps the mechanicals safe from damage while ensuring that the Jeep’s Mopar lineage is properly acknowledged.

As with most builds, King says this project will never be “done,” but the lift off doors and custom roll cage are particular highlights for him during the Jeep’s build thus far. And like most projects, the Cherokee wouldn’t be where it is now without the help of a few buddies, so a special thanks must go out to Peter King and Troy for all of their assistance during all the late night wrenching sessions to help prep the Jeep for its next thrashing.

King says that when he moved to Las Vegas from New England, he had never been to the desert before and wanted to get a vehicle that would help him acclimate to the new environment. We’d say the Cherokee XJ fits the bill quite well. He currently has the Jeep configured for both daily driving and off-road duty, but has long-term plans to turn this Cherokee into a big-block powered race truck with a more comprehensively modified suspension system and either a back half conversion or a full tube frame chassis. For now, though, we think his Cherokee is pretty solid as it is.

“I have had all sorts of vehicles – sport bikes, cruisers, drag cars and mud trucks – but this Jeep has got to be one of the most enjoyable vehicles I have owned,” King said. What do you think your most enjoyable vehicle has been? Tell us in the comments below!