Vehicle Description
You may have noticed a trend on the Streetside Classics website:
Jeeps are red hot. We can't seem to keep vehicles like this 1980
Jeep CJ7 in stock. Is it a newfound interest in off-roading
adventures? The back-to-basics fun of a vintage CJ? Or is it that
this Jeep CJ7 represents the ideal blend of daily-driver utility
with go-anywhere functionality, all at an affordable price? Can it
be all three?
This Jeep isn't trying too hard to be something it's not. From the
basic CJ box shape to the tasteful black color scheme, it has a
no-nonsense look that's a big part of the Jeep's appeal. The black
paint is neither new nor old and deteriorated, but does have a
ready-and-willing look that actually works rather well on a vehicle
designed to brush up against rough stuff now and then. The bodywork
is in good order with none of the usual trouble spots showing any
signs of going south and it's kind of refreshing to see a CJ7 that
isn't brown and covered with orange and yellow decals. Instead, it
has some unique pinstriping reminiscent of something you'd see in
Tron, but it was expertly applied and looks very much of the era.
Diamond plate body armor adorn the rocker panels and rear flanks,
so you know you can hit the brush without too much worry. Tubular
steps on the sides give it a tough look that's entirely appropriate
and are actually helpful for climbing in. Add in the rubber fender
flares and winch mounted on the tubular push-bumper and you have a
Jeep that gets the basics exactly right without resorting to
questionable modifications.
You already know Jeep interiors are basic, but that's just the way
enthusiasts like it. High-back black vinyl buckets from Bestop are
supportive enough for knocking around in the rough stuff and offer
durability and hose-it-off utility. A matching center console means
you have at least one place to stow your gear where nobody can get
it at and black carpets offer a modicum of civility in an otherwise
pretty bare-knuckle experience. Adding to those conveniences, you
will find a tilt steering column and a Pioneer AM/FM/CD head unit
in the factory dash slot. The original speedometer is joined by a
couple of auxiliary instruments and a dash-pad mounted tachometer
for monitoring the engine, and a 4-speed manual gearbox means that
it's a blast to drive. Weather equipment includes a soft top and
hard top, so you'll be ready for any condition that Mother Nature
may throw at you.
AMC's torquey 360 V8 is a good powerplant for the CJ, providing
plenty of giddy-up and low-end torque to conquer most any
situation. Thanks to an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and Edelbrock
intake, it's still rather thrifty and makes the kind of torque that
you need for off-roading. An open-element air cleaner and a finned
valve covers offer a bit of dress-up in the otherwise functional
engine bay, but you can see that there's lots of modern
conveniences, including an MSD ignition, aluminum radiator with an
electric fan, and a red top Optima battery. The 4-speed
transmission spins a 2-speed transfer case and factory axles, which
sit on a mild suspension lift (reversed shackles) to give it a
great Jeep stance. That lift also helps with the rolling stock,
which consists of shiny aluminum bullet-hole wheels and positively
giant 33x12.50-15 BFGoodrich All-Terrain off-road tires.
Fun to drive no matter what's under the tires, the Jeep CJ7 is
still a perennial favorite for Jeepers around the world. Call
today!