1983 Jeep CJ

Scrambler CJ-8 truck

258

Automatic

1JCCE88E9DT052517

Clear

Gasoline

I'm listing this one more time, because it's a good start, to a great project . It's a project for someone that would like to assemble their own Scrambler, for less than half of what a finished CJ-8 is selling for. So if you want to build and own a rare CJ-8, this is what you need to start, an original Scrambler CJ-8 with a title. If you don't start with an old Scrambler and just build one with all new parts, It's not a Scrambler, it's just a Jeep kit, or a Jeep replica, and it says that on the title, and seriously effects the finished Jeeps value. All the CJ-8's with fiberglass bodies asking for $15,000 $20,000 or more, started as Jeeps just like mine, showing their age and needing serious body and or frame work. Or they could have been wrecks sitting in a salvage yard for years. As long as they had a title and a vin plate they could be rebuilt. It's easier and much cheaper to replace the body and frame than to restore them. I think that even an experienced restoration guy should consider buying this Jeep. Because of the low production #'s , lots of affordable new and used parts available, and the CJ-8 prices keep going up and up. Who doesn't like an old Jeep that thinks it's a truck ? When I had it on the road, people that didn't know anything about Jeeps would stop and tell be how much they liked it. Jeep people would see it and stop to ask if I'd sell it. Because you don't see them on the road anymore on the east coast. I saw two in the last 20 years in my area outside Philadelphia, Pa. It looks like a Willy's truck, but doesn't drive like one. The CJ-8 is easy to drive, with the stock 6 cylinder driveline, power steering, power brakes and an auto trans. It accelerates, stops, turns, and keeps up with traffic. It's like a driving a modern pick up truck, so anyone can drive it. It's a 1983 , so it's nothing like the old Jeeps with a hard ride, slow low gears, that tough to shift, no power 4 wheel drum brakes that barely stop it, and sloppy manual steering that makes it hard to drive over 25 mph, and stay in one lane. A brand new frame, costs $2000. A new body made of fiberglass, starts at about $2000, steel at $3000, and aluminum body tubs start at $4000. Prices vary, but deals do pop up, I recent contacted an eBay seller in Indiana, that would ship a new steel tub to me in PA. for $2500, and that included shipping ! My plan was, spend about $6000 on a new body, frame, and other new parts. Like steering, and suspension parts. I'd buy new shocks, springs, ball joints, tie rods and anything that's worn. I'd torch off the old bolts and transfer everything I wanted to reuse to the new frame, using stainless steel hardware. Some guys stick with AMC/ Jeep parts, because most CJ-7 parts fit CJ-8's, making most parts cheap and available. Some guys go with Ford or Chevy parts. I guess that's up to what you like and how much you plan on spending. I've seen CJ-8's with AMC, Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler V8's. There's lots of room under the hood, and frames can be ordered with optional cross members. So if want to change the engine, you can order the frame with the right cross member to mount your engine. I parked it to rebuild/ restore it. It isn't broken down, it was on the road 3 years ago. I don't drive it because the frames rotting out over the back wheels. It starts and runs and drives. Everything works and I only took out the dash to install a new windshield frame, and work on the floor pan. The tub could be restored. But it needs a lot of floor pan work. The doors don't sag and the fenders are still firmly attached. It's too much for me to finish, I have other projects. The bonus is, I'm throwing in all the extra parts that I've bought. Some new, some used, I didn't save broken parts or useless junk. The bottom line is any handy guy with a descent set of hand tools can assemble a Jeep. It would be a great family project, because it's more a matter of being organized, and going step by step, than anything else. Safety first, no toddlers with torches, but plenty of small jobs that kids could help parents complete. Just letting a kid be your gopher makes them an important part of the project. That's how I got started, handing my father tools, holding a drop light, and cleaning parts. 7/14/18 I got a question,, asking how much body work has been done ? The answer is none. I sanded anywhere the paint was bubbled and anywhere I thought there might be rust. Then I sealed those areas with black por-15 paint. I didn't fill or hide any holes. I exposed them so they could be repaired. The only bondo on this Jeep, that I'm aware of is a small spot right in front of the passengers door. You can see the bondo in photo #1601, it's not painted . The body is 35 years old, it's all original. The only steel that has been removed or replaced is the floor pan in the cab. I cut out the bad spots. and started fitting new and used steel a few years ago. So other than that area, that I didn't finish, the rest of the body is stock. The body isn't full of repairs and replacement panels. The exception is the hard doors, they are later model doors and there are 4 of them. You can tell a newer door from an old one, by the 2 screw holes under the vent window. It's for a door mounted mirror and easy fill in. 7/15/18 The auction is only 3 days, tomorrow it is over. Watchers need to consider bidding, because if it doesn't sell on tomorrow, it won't be coming back. A friend that collects cars found out I was selling it and offered me free storage in one of his warehouses. All things considered, I'd prefer to keep it. Because it can't be replaced for price I'm selling it for. Just a used half top sells for $1000.