Red, Hot, & Blue: 1973 AMC Super Jeep on Display at Petersen Automotive Museum

Rare, pristine Super Jeep comes with a cool backstory. Can you dig it? 

JK Forum was recently at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. We came across this 1973 AMC Jeep that made us stop and marvel. One of only 300 made, the ’73 CJ-5 Super Jeep is a rare and interesting ride from the AMC years.

The CJ-5 is on loan from the collection of Al Azadi, owner of independent Jeep manufacturing giant Omix-ADA. One look at the curvy and colorful Jeep, and the groovy 1970s-era comes to life.

The Super Jeep was a limited promotional package offered by the automaker when their Toledo, Ohio plant faced a shortage of aluminum. Without enough aluminum for the Jeep Renegade’s alloy wheels, Jeep came up the idea: Let’s build a Super Jeep!

The Super Jeep came with Polyglas white wall tires. And while it was a cheaper way to enter the Jeep market, it was still a Jeep. Off-road ready with beefy suspension and rough and read axles.

Powered by an AMC-built 304 cubic-inch V8, the Jeep produced 150 hp, and reached top speeds of 84 mph. It was marketed to attract a younger demographic that they believed was looking for a little more style over performance.

And it had style. It came with a white fabric top, red and white striped seats, and featured a funky decal package for the hood and side of the rig. Azadi’s is in excellent condition, and features a bold Jetset Blue Metallic paint job.

The Super Jeep package also included a white-trimmed visors and dash pad, a curvy chrome front bumper, black rubber lip extensions for the fenders, passenger-side mirror, passenger handrail, rollbar, and a fixed tailgate with rear spare-tire mount.

It may not be the mightest Jeep on the road or trails, but we have to give it extra points for style and audacity.

There is no shortage of eye-catching Jeeps at the Petersen, but the Super Jeep is a rare edition from the AMC years with a great story.

For more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, check out their website.

Photos for JK Forum by David Ciminelli

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S.J. Bryan

Longtime automotive journalist S.J. Bryan has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is an editor with Ford Truck Enthusiasts and regular contributor to F-150 Online, Harley-Davidson Forums, and The Mustang Source, among other popular auto sites.

Bryan first discovered her passion for all things automotive while riding in her parent's 1968 Ford Mustang. The automotive expert cut her teeth growing up riding on Harleys, and her first car was a Chevy Nova. Despite her lead foot, Bryan has yet to receive a speeding ticket.

The award-winning former playwright was first published at age 18. She has worked extensively as a writer and editor for a number of lifestyle and pop culture publications. The diehard gearhead is a big fan of American muscle cars, sixth-gen Ford trucks, and Oxford commas.

S.J. can be reached at sherryjbry@gmail.com.