1984 Jeep CJ

4.2L (258 CID)

4-speed (T-176)

00000000000003933

Clear

1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo in beautiful Sebring Red with Black interior. This is not your average "make-it-look-nice" restoration in an attempt to flip a vehicle for a quick profit. No, sir. This is a seven month, high-end restoration using only the finest NOS and OEM Jeep parts available. And, yes, it carries a high-end price tag reflecting the quality of this build. This Jeep is not for everyone. I would cringe if the new owner took it crawling. If, however, you demand perfection and want to drive around in a head-turning masterpiece, this just may be the best Christmas present you could give yourself. This beauty was built for me because I wanted the finest example possible of a 1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo. In 1984, I was a kid in high school in Chicago. One cold winter day, I was taking the city bus to school and saw a new CJ-7 Laredo in Sebring Red that I could only dream of owning. For some reason, that memory always stayed with me. Anyway, fast forward 30 years, and I am now an attorney in San Diego with a small collection of classic vehicles. I was in the market for a new toy, so instead of buying a brand new Jeep Wrangler at the dealership I decided to spare no expense in building myself a brand new CJ-7. This Jeep has approximately 200 miles on the restoration (mostly to break in the engine), and it was just finished in November. A fantastic business opportunity came up recently, so I have decided to thin my collection by a few vehicles. One of the vehicles I decided to sell is this Jeep, primarily because I am more into 1960's muscle cars. I definitely did not intend to sell the Jeep when the build began seven months ago. In fact, the shop took extra steps to protect it against the salt air in San Diego (detailed below). In other words, this Jeep was built for a personal collection with no detail overlooked. For those considering placing a bid on this incredible Jeep, please read this entire listing for a detailed description of this vehicle. Quite frankly, I am proud of how she turned out, and believe the new owner should know exactly what they are getting for their money. In a nutshell, literally every single nut, bolt, and part on this Jeep is brand spanking new. A brand new 2014 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon will set you back a nice chunk of change. Well, this is a brand new 1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo and, if you want it, then it is going to cost you a nice chuck of change, too. I have receipts and invoices totaling more than a new decked-out Wrangler Rubicon. That is a fact. And, yes, that is a lot of money in a CJ-7. I definitely went spend-crazy building this thing. But, like I stated above, this is a head-turning masterpiece that is not for your average buyer looking for a "nice" CJ-7. In my book, I would rather drive this CJ-7 than any new Wrangler Rubicon you could give me. No plastic here, folks. This Jeep was built for someone that likes real deal American steel. If you feel the same way, then please read on. I will do my best to describe the entire build, but I am sure some things will be left out. After reading this description, if you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact me. PAINT The pictures do not do justice to the quality of the paint on this Jeep...it is beyond belief. The Sebring Red looks like wet nail polish on a Vegas showgirl!!! Simply stunning. The tub, doors, hood, grill, fenders, sidesteps, windshield frame, and tailgate were all sprayed with 4-5 coats of PPG two-stage Sebring Red paint, followed by 3-4 coats of PPG clear. For better durability, the shop used PPG single-stage Sebring Red paint on the underside of the tub and exterior firewall. Most shops would never think of these kinds of details, but I have worked with this particular restoration shop for many years and they know I am very particular about my builds. Sure, it cost more to go that extra mile. But, I guarantee you will never come across a finer restoration on a Jeep CJ-7...period. The new lt. silver/dk. silver Laredo decals are from Phoenix Graphix, the industry standard. Even the "CJ-7" and "Jeep" emblems on the rear of the tub are first class...true NOS items from American Motors Corp., and bought on E-bay for way more money than Chinese junk. Nobody would probably ever notice these details...but me! BODY & FRAME The body is 100% rust-free, and was removed from the frame for a complete teardown of this Jeep. The frame is 100% rust-free, and was treated with POR-15 to ensure lasting protection from the elements. The frame was then painted black before reassembly. Prior to painting the body, POR-15 was also applied to the bottom of the tub, the wheel wells, and the interior/exterior firewall. Then, the tub, doors, hood, grill, fenders, sidesteps, windshield frame, and tailgate were all primered and sanded to perfection. The entire inside of the tub, inside of the tailgate, wheel wells, and the underside of the front fenders were also sprayed with Line-X (with the added UV protection so the black will not fade in the sun over time). ENGINE & TRANSMISSION The Jeep has the AMC 4.2L (258 CID) inline 6 cylinder engine. Everything in the engine is new, including new valves, valve springs, valve keepers, push rods, rocker arms, fulcrums, lifters, camshaft (with a slightly larger cam than stock), timing chain, timing gears, valve guides (diamond honed), three angle seats, rod and main bearings, pistons, and piston rings. The block, cylinder heads, crankshaft and connecting rods were cleaned and shot peened and magnafluxed for cracks. All new Fel-Pro gaskets were used in reassembly. The shop also added a Mopar Performance hi-volume oil pump, and a true NOS oil pressure sending unit, along with a new Holley low-pressure fuel regulator and a fuel pressure gauge mounted on the inside fender. Other new parts include a "Jeep" logo aluminum valve cover, Weber 32/36mm DGEV carburetor, Pacesetter coated headers, Flowmaster Super 44 muffler, Flex-a-lite aluminum fan, hi-flow water pump, Autolite Platinum spark plugs, upgraded alternator, distributor, and Accel SuperStock 5000 series wires and high vibration SuperStock coil. The radiator is also new, along with all hoses and clamps. The Jeep also has the Dana 300 transfer case, and the very desirable T-176 (4-speed) heavy-duty transmission that was completely rebuilt, along with complete new shifter linkage and bushings. This Jeep probably shifts better, with more solid shifts, then the day it left the factory. The Jeep has a new gas tank, new sending unit, new fuel pump, and all new stainless steel fuel lines and brackets. Importantly, the shop added a "Blaze Cut Fire Suppression System" routed to the underside of the hood in the engine compartment. These systems are available in Europe for high-end cars, and only recently available in the U.S. The flexible pressurized tube is filled with FE-36, a clean extinguishing agent that does not conduct electricity, corrode, or cause shock damage. Basically, if the temperature reaches a certain point because of a fire, the tube melts in that spot and the pressurized agent is automatically sprayed over the entire engine compartment. You might not even know an engine fire has begun and the system will have already put it out…and with no resulting damage because the clean agent will not harm anything. I have a great Hagerty classic insurance policy. But, no specialty/classic vehicle is ever totally covered in a complete loss, especially considering all the time and devotion spent on our classics. So, I took added precautions. SUSPENSION & BRAKES The front differential is the Dana 30, and the rear differential is the AMC 20. The shop installed all new complete tie rods, front wheel bearings, axle nuts, hubs, pinion oil seals, wheel lug studs, Pro-Comp U-bolts, U-joints, and Mile Marker 470 manual locking hubs up front. Other new parts include Rancho rs5000 shocks and a Skyjacker steering stabilizer. The Jeep also has a complete set of new Energy Suspension bushings (red in color). I mean ALL bushings were replaced...body mounts, shock eyes, leaf springs, tie rod end boots, etc.... However, the engine mounts were kept OEM rubber to help dampen the vibration. This Jeep drives down the road with absolutely no vibrations or rattles of any kind. The shop also installed a shackle lift kit, and a reverse shackle kit. The reverse shackle kit makes it drive more like a new car than an old Jeep...no bouncing and tracking all over the road. The shop also installed a 1-piece rear axle in the AMC 20 from Ten Factory to beef it up, and to prevent any issues with using the heavier 33" tires. The shop installed a complete new brake system, including new master cylinder, proportioning valve, full set of Russell stainless steel brake lines, Russell braided stainless steel hoses, front calipers (painted with red caliper paint), titanium/metallic brake pads, rotors, rear drums, all drum hardware, and brake shoes. The shop also added a true NOS emergency parking brake pedal assembly, and all new e-brake lines. The power steering return and pressure hoses are also new. Tires and spare are new Mickey Thompson Classic II rims (15x10) wrapped with Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ tires (33x12.5). I think this combination looks as good as it gets for a CJ-7. INTERIOR I would put the quality of this interior on par with any Jeep CJ-7 Laredo on the planet. That is no exaggeration. The original interior of this Jeep had seen better days, so I sought out to find the finest NOS and OEM parts available to bring this Jeep's interior back to its original glory. I absolutely did not want this CJ-7 to look like a China-made, bizarro-world Jeep where the parts look kind of original, but break after the first 6 months. Instead, I spent many nights searching E-bay and Craigslist across the country to find hidden, original Jeep gems. For example, there was a guy on the east coast that had a 50,000 mile, original CJ-7 Laredo that was a hardtop and had been garaged since new. So, the interior was protected both day and night. It had been in an accident, so the owner decided to part it out. Knowing what I paid for his Laredo interior, he probably made a killing on the whole Jeep. I bought the front seats, rear seat, inner door panels, leather-wrapped grab bar, center console, and sun visors. These 30 year-old items are in pristine condition, and I challenge any Jeep owner to show me better examples. The Jeep's original speedometer was sent out to a vintage speedo repair shop. It was cleaned, calibrated, the needles were re-painted orange, and the odometer set to 00000.0. A new speedometer cable was installed. The other factory gauges (clock, tachometer, volt meter, and oil pressure) are all in excellent condition and tested accurately. I also found a NOS leather-wrapped Laredo steering wheel from a warehouse in Ohio. The AMC factory plastic shrink-wrap was still on it! It is true NOS, and the leather is as soft as a baby's ass. The shop also installed a new "Jeep" dash pad, new windshield frame knobs, and new "Jeep" logo all-terrain floor liners. I also found and used a true NOS floor shifter boot for the T-176, and true NOS footman loops for the doors...super rare items. The Jeep also has a new gauge cover plaque, all new dash knobs and controls, and dash indicator lights and housings...with the identifying plastic covers replaced with the original AMC covers so the font is original...attention to detail! EXTERIOR The Jeep comes with a brand new Bestop Supertop. It has already been installed and stretched out in the sun, but just was not on the Jeep when I stopped to take the photographs. The Jeep also comes with a Bestop Bikini top. And, I will also include a new 5-layer, high-end car cover that is custom fit for a CJ-7 (to protect that beautiful paint from any mishaps when she's sleeping). All weatherstripping and rubber seals throughout the entire Jeep are new. The shop also installed new windshield glass and new side door glass (with new window regulator grommets...very hard to find). There are also new non-skid tread decals on the sidesteps. All the new stainless steel accessories on the Jeep are exclusively from Kentrol...they make the best quality stainless steel Jeep parts on the market. These parts include new mirrors, rear bumperettes, tie down kit, hood catch, and license plate bracket. Another gem I found on the internet is a true NOS chrome grille applique (cover)...even the black surrounding stripe is in perfect condition. The shop also installed a Mopar front plastic frame cover with "Jeep" logo. The Jeep also has true NOS door cylinder locks (along with true NOS keys that are still blank), and new steel door paddle handles from Crown. The factory swing-away tire carrier was powdercoated black, and all new rubber bushings and end caps were used. Importantly, the shop also added extra support for the tire carrier, including adding an extra bracket on the inside of the tub to further support the latch mechanism, and adding two steel support plates hidden on the underside of the tub to help support the tire carrier's weight. The tire carrier is as solid as they come...no movement or rattling whatsoever. The shop also added a shaped steel plate hidden on the inside corner of the tub where the tire carrier stop is mounted to the body...this way, if the tire should accidentally swing into the corner stop, the weight of the 33" spare will not cause the paint to crack or a dent in the tub. EXTRAS There really is too much to list on this vehicle and, quite frankly, I am getting tired of writing. But, here are a few more incredible items on this Jeep... It has the factory AMC am/fm/cb radio with AMC microphone. I kept the mic in the glovebox and did not connect it, yet. The new speakers are Alpine, and the shop used custom-made speaker grills fit behind the factory speaker holes to protect the speakers and give a finished appearance. The Jeep also has the factory Marchal 850gt lights, but with yellow driving lenses...which are better for rainy days. They are true NOS Marchal yellow lenses (with the black cat stickers) shipped from Germany. I also have the 850gt clear driving lenses in perfect condition (with the black cat stickers) that I will include in the sale. So, you can switch out the Marchal lights according to local weather conditions and DMV laws. The shop also installed new LED truck-lite headlights, and LED tail lights. These are top of the line technology, and are brighter than you can imagine. Not only can you see better when driving, but people see you coming with the LED headlights, and also see you stopping with the LED tail lights. The shop also installed new side marker lights and new complete front turn signal assemblies. The Laredo running boards were also polished, and the factory Laredo bumper was re-chromed and looks amazing. I even had the headlight bezels re-chromed...I told you this build had an unlimited budget! The Jeep also has all new OEM torx bolts and SS hardware throughout…no stripped heads anywhere on this Jeep! Lastly, to help protect the vehicle, I had the restoration shop install a custom, 2-way Viper alarm with custom sensors built into the doors and the hood...activated if the doors or hood are opened. It also has a proximity sensor which is activated if someone should happen to reach into the Jeep when the top is down. The alarm also has a tilt sensor that is activated if someone is trying to tow the vehicle or jack it up it to steal the rims/tires. If you are a serious buyer, please feel free to call me with any questions. (808)856-1468. It is a Hawaii telephone number, but the Jeep is located in San Diego, CA. Also, I will make all the receipts and invoices available for copying to the new owner for insurance purposes. I have a guaranteed classic vehicle policy on the Jeep from Hagerty, but I had to prove the value/investment. It has a clear CA title, and is registered in CA until August 2014. No warranties of any kind. Buyer is responsible for all shipping charges, but I will gladly assist in helping with the shipping process. If you have the funds, and want the best of the best, then why wouldn't you? Good Luck, God Bless, and Merry Christmas to All!!! On Dec-18-13 at 17:38:51 PST, seller added the following information: I forgot to mention that the Jeep is for sale locally, and I reserve the right to end the auction at anytime. If my reserve is met, however, I will agree to let the auction run its course with the Jeep going to the winning bidder. Please ask any questions and have your funds secured before placing a bid. I am an honest seller, and simply want a smooth transaction. As an attorney, I have ways to complicate your life, so please do not complicate mine. Also, if you have a feedback score of less than 10, you must contact me. Otherwise, I reserve the right to cancel your bid. Lastly, if you are interested in this Jeep, feel free to call me to end the auction. You might have this Jeep in your driveway with a bow on it for Christmas morning!On Dec-23-13 at 17:44:21 PST, seller added the following information: Thank you to all that have shown interest in this incredible Jeep. Whomever wins the bidding is getting probably the nicest CJ-7 on the planet...and at a HUGE savings if you had to build one just like it...assuming you could ever find all the NOS and OEM parts that are on this Jeep. As part of the auction, I am guaranteeing that I have over $37,000 in receipts and invoices (including original purchase price). I will provide all documentation to the new owner. Importantly, the shop that did the restoration on the Jeep charges me about half the labor cost of any other restoration shop in Southern California because of all the work I have sent them through the years. Considering normal shop rates, this Jeep would cost over $45,000 to duplicate. Yes, I am taking a hit on the sale, but I simply need to move on to other matters in my life. I also wanted all bidders to know that the Jeep was just taken to the restoration shop over the weekend, and ALL fluids were changed, including engine, transmission, transfer case, front differential (and seal), and rear differential (and seal). Obviously, there is no reason to change out all the fluids after only a couple hundred miles, but I wanted things to be perfect for the new owner. Who puts $300 into a vehicle that is already listed for sale??? Me. IF YOU WANT THIS BAD BOY, THEN MAKE IT HAPPEN. 808-856-1468. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!