Vehicle Description
Jeep has recently rolled out their very successful Gladiator pickup
line, but the idea isn't new. This 1982 Jeep CJ8 Scrambler is proof
of concept over thirty years ago, and is dressed in a cool black on
black color scheme that works perfectly with the Jeep's off-road
mission. With this beautiful frame-up restored 4x4, you can go
anywhere and take a bunch of your stuff with you!
The CJ8 was a longer version of the CJ7, which had both the benefit
of increasing cargo capacity and improving the on-road ride. Only a
handful were built during six years of production, and the numbers
in 1981 didn't even break 8k, so finding one this nice today is
quite unexpected. It has been expertly restored, and the paint it
wears today has an awesome look that maybe isn't as flashy as you'd
expect for 1982, but works extremely well today. Custom-made silver
and gray Scrambler decals have been reinstalled and the few bits of
chrome on the grille insert, mirrors, and handles make it seem
dressed up. Aggressive rubber flares for the fenders which allow
oversized all-terrain tires and protect the bodywork when you're
off road. Simple chrome bumpers, a roll bar, hard steel doors, a
rear-mounted spare, and the hard top overhead give it a no-nonsense
look that suits it well.
Like all CJs, the CJ8 Scrambler is basic inside, catering to the
guy who understands that playing outside is a dirty affair.
Fortunately, comfort and simplicity can live together in the form
of supportive black bucket seats over a floor covered in durable
black carpets. Have fun, get dirty, hose it all off and do it
again, it's the Jeep way. The gauges are in the center of the dash,
where they've lived for decades, and there's a chrome surround to
help brighten things up a bit. There is a retro-style AM/FM/AUX
radio in the factory slot, so nothing in the dash was cut up and
made to look janky, and the dash pad and chrome accents on the dash
really dress things up inside. An aftermarket locking center
console provides some weatherproof storage and a pair of cup
holders (good luck with those on the trail!), and there's a chrome
grab bar for passengers. You'll also note there are three pedals on
the floor and a highly-desirable 5-speed gearbox, a feature that
transforms this from toy to a vehicle that can actually be used in
the real world. There's also a hard half-cab top overhead, offering
great protection from sun and rain when you're out having fun, and
out back the spray-in bedliner protected bed is spacious enough to
handle lots of cargo. This thing looks and feels brand-new inside,
but it's all been purposely put together to weather any storm.
To go with its added size, this CJ8 Scrambler carries a
believed-original 258 cubic inch inline-6 under the squared-off
hood. With plenty of torque to move this 4x4 over any terrain, it
makes pleasant six-cylinder noises and is the perfect partner to
the freshly rebuilt 5-speed transmission, making climbing around
off-road a low-stress proposition. Nicely finished with a Weber
2-barrel carburetor, stock exhaust manifolds, and an overall
super-clean look that suggests nothing was overlooked during the
restoration. It also offers power steering and front disc brakes to
help out when the going gets tough, and a soundtrack provided by a
fresh exhaust system underneath. In fact, almost everything
underneath looks newer, and the entire undercarriage has been
coated with black paint to protect it from the elements. Chrome
Laredo-style wheels have a traditional Jeep look and carry
oversized 31x10.5-15 BFGoodrich all-terrain white-letter tires with
plenty of tread.
A neat footnote in Jeep history that's suddenly back in fashion,
this Scrambler is also a great collectable that can still go
anywhere. This may be the cleanest, easy-driving Scrambler we've
ever had, and with that stunning look, it won't last long. Call
today!
