For Sale: 1983 Jeep CJ7 in Lithia Springs, Georgia

Jeep guys know what they like, and somehow the late-model Wranglers don't quite live up to the legend of the CJ, particularly the CJ7. And if you need a CJ7 that's more than the legend, well, this 1983 Jeep CJ7 delivers, complements of a potent Mustang 5.0 with EFI and a 5-speed manual gearbox. Is it time for a muscle Jeep?

The look is unmistakable, from the round headlights flanking the upright 7-bar grille, to the open doors to the roll bar behind the front seats. The paint is probably original, showing some wear and tear so it's easy to maintain and you'll never have to think twice about going out in the rough and having some fun. There's no rust in the usual spots above the rear wheel wells, and it's been upgraded along the way so it's ready to rock. There are correct rubber fender flares for the oversized tires, a custom front bumper with brush guard and 8000-pound Warn winch, and a heavy-duty rear bumper with a tire mount that can accommodate the seriously giant rubber this one is sporting. No decals, no stripes, no chrome add-ons, just a pure Jeep that's designed to go anywhere without breaking a sweat.

Inside, the original high-back buckets were jettisoned for a set of BestTop buckets and a matching rear bench, a nice upgrade that makes this Jeep comfortable as well as durable. There's a weatherproof, lockable center console, and bare painted floors that can be hosed out after a day of fun. That three-spoke steering wheel looks great and gives you a big rim that's easy to grab and doesn't kick back in the rough stuff, and the 5-speed shifter is right where you want it. Yes, a 5-speed with a Hurst shifter, so this Jeep is a blast to drive on the street. Even the single round speedometer shows crisp markings and a bright pointer, and Auto Meter auxiliary gauges were added just to its right. There is no radio, but you probably won't miss it, but if you do, adding one will be easy because there are already speakers in the dash. And for weather protection, you get a folding top and doors.

The 258 cubic inch inline-six is gone, replaced by a mighty fuel-injected 5.0 liter Ford V8. Yeah, the legendary one. Augmented with a bunch of goodies from the Ford Motorsports catalog, it's probably rocking 300 horsepower these days. The '86 block is augmented with a Cobra intake manifold, GT40 heads, a modest E303 cam, and a set of flat-top pistons inside, so it's making plenty of torque and remains so reliable that it would get you home from just about anywhere the Jeep would take you. You'd think that a Jeep would spend a lot of time in the dirt, but the ultra-clean engine bay says otherwise. The 5-speed manual transmission and Dana 300 2-speed transfer case allow this Jeep to practically idle up the side of a hill, and with a heavy-duty off-road suspension and 2.5-inch leaf spring lift, it's highly capable in the rough stuff. There's a custom Flowmaster exhaust system that does indeed sound like a 5.0 Mustang, and a new 20-gallon fuel tank hangs out back. Polished aluminum wheels look sharp against the dark green paint and wear 33x12.50-15 BFGoodrich All-Terrain radials that are a nice combination of capability and comfort.

So if your average Jeep just isn't doing it for you, this nasty all-terrain muscle car should get your attention. Still very capable, it's also shockingly fast and extremely affordable. Call today!