Vehicle Description
The undisputed king of go-anywhere survivability has to be the Jeep
CJ-7, and if you want the best-of-the-best, you can't do much
better than a gorgeous, stock-spec 1986 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo. About as
original as you'll ever find, this low mile 2-owner beauty hails
from California and comes loaded with every option available in a
vintage CJ-7. With a legendary 258 I6 under the hood, a lively
5-speed manual transmission handling the gears, and a superclean
rugged stance, this final-year Laredo is quite the gem.
With an off-road-ready stance and legendary Laredo-spec livery,
this 4x4 looks as rugged and refined as John Wayne in a gun belt.
The Laredo was the top-of-the-line CJ trim level, a package that
gave the utilitarian Jeep a look-at-me makeover that's probably the
off-road equivalent of the Trans Am hood decal. Hailing from sunny
California, it's one of the straightest, rust-free tubs we've seen,
with laser-set original sheetmetal and rock-solid original pans
underneath. Many CJs today have either been tub-swapped, cut-up, or
flat-out ridden hard and put up wet, whereas this low-mileage
stocker has always been treated like a family member by the scant
two owners it's had since new. None of those usual Jeep body issues
are a factor here, with incredibly solid sheetmetal even above the
rear wheels and in the tailgate. The original tub looks so good,
and hasn't been covered up with bed-liner to show off what is
really a rare sight: clean, rust-free pans in a CJ! The shiny Code
AB Beige paint is a respray, applied about 10 years ago when the
factory finish started to fade a bit after decades of service. It's
a faithful respray that looks great in person, but not so perfect
you'd be afraid to head into the brush with it. A new Laredo decal
kit was recently applied, with gold and bronze 'Laredo' lettering
on the hood along with matching stripes down the flanks - correct
for the 1986 model year. Goodies include a chrome grille, vintage
KC lights mounted on the front bumper, rubber fender flares,
color-matched side steps, and a swing-away rear tire carrier with a
'Jeep' cover over the spare. The net effect is that this is a
beautiful, hardcore backpack that you can drive anywhere,
anytime.
The original Nutmeg interior is delightfully bone-stock and
well-preserved, showing off the exact same set-up that Ronald
Reagan fell in love with back in the '80s. We absolutely love that
the current owners kept all the original Laredo stuff in place - it
could have been easy (and not all that expensive) to swap-in new
Bestop seats and lay down fresh carpet - but by preserving these
original elements we get a rare glimpse into how these CJ-7s were
outfitted from the factory. That means factory-issued Code 9EJ
Honey high-back leather buckets with Italian Vinyl Vertical Purse
strips, rugged indoor/outdoor style carpeting over the original
floors, a tan dash-pad and Laredo leather-grab bar, and a full
array of Laredo-spec gauges in the original steel dash. With just
over 100K believed actual miles, the interior shows some signs of
use and age, but other than a couple split-seams in the driver's
seat bottom, one hairline crack in the dash pad, and some light
stains in the carpets, the interior still shows very well. And
quite frankly, a deep detail could probably kick things up a notch,
but if originality isn't as quite important to you as it is to so
many Jeep 'nuts', then new interior gear is readily available and
fairly affordable. All the original gauges are still in place
(including the desirable clock and tachometer at either side of the
steering wheel), and original factory options include a tilt
leather steering wheel, A/C, seatbelts, a Nutmeg-colored roll bar
pad, and a 5-speed manual transmission. The only non-stock
component inside is the stereo system, but it too is vintage and
includes a Craig AM/FM/Cassette head unit that powers an amplifier
under the passenger's seat and upgraded speakers stashed throughout
the cabin. A locking center console splits the front buckets,
there's an original bench seat out back, and the floor has been
protected with brand new heavy-duty mats, a smart upgrade that
makes a lot of sense in a vehicle designed to play in the dirt.
This Jeep also includes original steel doors, a full soft-top, YJ
half-doors, and a bikini top, so it's a great year-round cruiser
that's ready for anything.
The venerable 258 cubic inch inline-6 (aka the 4.2L) is one of the
most reliable powertrains ever to be built, and off-roaders and
weekend-warriors alike have trusted it to carry them through any
situation for decades. The engine bay is clean and solid, with
matching paint on the firewall and inner fenders, neatly organized
components, and a new aluminum valve cover and chrome Edelbrock air
cleaner. The original Weber carburetor was just rebuilt and the
block was tuned-up for great reliability and better responsiveness
out on the road, and this Jeep fires up with ease every time, ready
to rock. The well-maintained Straight-6 pairs with a highly
desirable T5 5-speed manual transmission that extracts maximum
performance from its output, and even though it's not a burner,
it's plenty peppy with a great torque curve in every gear. 4x4
agility is activated a short reach away, and the original Dana 30
front and Dana 40 rear axles are more than capable for the rigors
of the road. Power steering makes for easy navigation, while power
front disc brakes provide low-effort, fade-resistant stopping
ability, and this sharp looking classic rides on a bright set of
15-inch Laredo chrome wheels outfitted with beefy 33x12.5x15
BFGoodrich T/A white-letter off-road tires.
Beautifully preserved, fully loaded, and turn-key ready today, this
gorgeous original CJ-7 Laredo is a top choice for both collectors
and 4x4 fans alike. Call today!
