Rare 1981 Cj8 Scrambler - V8 Restomod - Rust Free Body - Built - Very Nice on 2040-cars
Lawrence, Kansas, United States
I'm selling my rare, very nice 1981 Jeep Scrambler. It is collectible and ready to cruise. There were 603,303 CJ5s and 379,299 CJ7s produced. All told, Scramblers make up significantly less than 3% of that total. This beauty has been built piece by piece from the ground up, capped with a straight-from-the-paint-booth professional, 6 mil paint job. This is the perfect toy for the perfect day. It has been professionally built and adult owned. In the past decade, it has racked up less than 1000 total miles. In that time period, it has never spent the night outside. It has a 100% rust free, clean body, and has never been off-road or abused. My painter claims he’s never seen anything like it.
Today, the Scrambler has a strong, rebuilt 304 V8 engine, backed by a rebuilt T-15 transmission: maybe the heaviest-duty 3-speed ever made. It runs great, and has absolutely no known drivetrain flaws. The build quality is evident as soon as you take it on the highway. Even with the lift and massive, 35-inch Super Swampers, the Scrambler tracks very well, with less wandering than the typical, standard-sized CJ. There are absolutely no known mechanical issues. The drivetrain is tight and responsive, and there are no significant leaks or drips.
Old jeeps are notorious (rightfully so) for their temperamental nature and unreliability. This one, however, is about as clean and tight as you can get. No corners have been cut. While I firmly believe that no 33-year-old jeep should be considered a daily driver, this one comes as close to being a reliable day-to-day driver as you will probably find. Essentially, just climb in, turn the key, and go.
Born in Toledo, raised in South Florida, this Scrambler moved to central Missouri to become a man about 12 years ago. The entire body was replaced (full steel body), and repainted. Next, the under-powered straight-six was swapped out with a 304 V8 from a full-size jeep and rebuilt. It was mated to a rebuilt T-15 three speed and a rebuilt Dana 300 transfer case at that time. In essence, the Scrambler wasn’t restored, but rather built and modified piece by piece, upgraded over time. The entire drivetrain, suspension, body, interior, and electrical have been gone through and updated. Today, it’s driven on nice days and, frankly, not enough. I’m confident that someone can make much better use of it than me.
Drivetrain: Small block V8, 304 CID: rebuilt, less than 1000 miles Headers Holley carburetor T-15, heavy duty, 3-speed transmission; generally considered the heaviest-duty 3-speed transmission ever manufactured: rebuilt, less than 1000 miles Dana 300 transfer case: widely considered the best transfer case ever manufactured; rebuilt, less than 1000 miles Dana 44 (upgraded) rear axle, replacing the standard Model 20 rear end Dana 30 front end New front disc brakes; stops great
Body 100% rust-free body New neoprene body grommits Rock solid frame Fold-down windshield (which I’ve never had down) Rugged Ridge double front bumper Custom, super heavy duty rear bumper Bushwacker fender flares
Paint: This is a one-week old paint job, professionally done. It is a true, 6-mil, three-stage paint job. Needless to say, this isn’t typically what you find on a classic jeep. The first coat is Deltron epoxy primer; if you know your paint, you know that this is as good as it gets. No exterior surface has less than two coats of PPG 4273 Radiant Fire Red. Everything was wet sanded and buffed appropriately. This paint job will hold up. Deltron is extremely chip-resistant. Rather than polish up the paint and throw on a coat of wax to make the pictures look good, I refrained. You’ll get to do the final polish and, in about two weeks, once the paint has fully cured, may add a coat of wax. Judge the quality of the paint yourself by the pictures. It looks great already, and the pictures were taken under cloudy skies today. If you think you can see buffing compound residue in some of the pictures, you’re probably right. I’m not going to mess up your new paint job just to get a better picture. Wheels and tires 35-inch Super Swamper tires Warn locking hubs I honestly don’t know the make/model of the wheels, but they’re very nice. I would guess they’re cast aluminum or magnesium.
Interior High-back, BesTop Aqua front seats, in excellent condition Completely Linx’d interior All new gauges All new sending units Locking Tuffy center console, set up for concealed stereo, in excellent condition New heater core and defroster unit Billet aluminum knobs
Extras All trim pieces are stainless steel Hard half-doors, in good condition Bikini top, in good condition Lots of spare parts, should you want them, including Original exhaust brackets Army jerry cans An antifreeze return system (not installed) 1981 Chilton’s CJ guide A pair of stainless steel 1000lb tow hooks A new WindJammer, which I’ve never had on Anything else I might turn up
Title The title is free and clear. I had the Scrambler re-titled from Missouri to Kansas intentionally because Kansas has some of the strictest titling requirements in the country. It’s common to run into issues getting CJs inspected and passed; you won’t have any title/VIN issues with this one.
Reserve The reserve on this auction is set well below what I think it’ll sell for; farther below what I think it’s probably worth; and even farther below what’s been put into it over time.
‘Jeep’ disclaimer This is a 33-year-old jeep. It’s not a Wrangler, it’s not a daily driver, it’s not a fuel-injected, air-conditioned sports sedan. While the Scrambler has largely been updated and upgraded to surpass the original components, we’re still talking primarily about a 33-year-old engineering design.
This is not a trailer queen; I’d classify this as a very nice daily-driver+ quality vehicle all around. There are no known major flaws. Understand, though, that jeep owners have long said that ‘jeep’ stands for ‘just empty every pocket’. To maintain a vehicle of this vintage in this condition, constant maintenance will be required. Replacing bulbs becomes a seasonal task, and gauges an almost-annual one.
For example, the 6-month-old gas gauge worked when it felt like it, and didn’t when it didn’t. It quit working so I put a new gauge, and a new sending unit in. Now, it works, approximately, whenever it feels like it. The new speedometer seems to get bouncier and bouncier for no discernable reason. At this point, when these things pop up, my mechanic just shrugs, and we go through the motions all over again.
Legal In short, if you have any reservations, don’t buy an old jeep. If you have any questions whatsoever, please ask. If you would like pictures of anything in particular, please let me know prior to bidding. I very strongly encourage you to inspect the vehicle prior to purchase. I will be happy to facilitate you and/or your chosen mechanic’s inspection prior to the end of the auction. I try to be as thorough as possible, but I’m not an expert or a mechanic, so please take the time to ask questions, pay close attention to all of the pictures, and be thorough in your research as to what you’re willing to pay. At the end of the day, the vehicle is listed in ‘AS-IS’ condition, and no warranties or guarantees are made or implied.
Ultimately, by bidding you are entering into a legal contract. There will be no exceptions, and I won’t hesitate to utilize all appropriate legal avenues to enforce the bidding contract. The winning bidder will pay a $1000 non-refundable deposit at the close of the auction. The balance will be paid within 48 hours. I’m happy to accept funds via wire transfer or cash.
|
Jeep CJ for Sale
Auto Services in Kansas
Warner Automotive ★★★★★
Walter`s Tire & Service ★★★★★
Sunflower Auto Plaza ★★★★★
Snyder`s Garage Inc ★★★★★
Rob Sight Auto Plz ★★★★★
Norris Collision Center ★★★★★
Auto blog
SUV lifts you up where you belong and leapfrogs traffic jams
Tue, Mar 21 2017So, you're at a dead stop, stuck in traffic, when it pulls up behind you. It appears to be a garden-variety Jeep Grand Cherokee. That is, until its undercarriage lifts the Jeep 9 feet into the air, and the whole rig straddles you and the cars ahead of you in a bid for open road. The car is called the Hum Rider, and no, you can't buy one at the Jeep store. It's a one-off publicity stunt intended to promote Verizon Telematic's Hum platform, which plugs into a car's OBD port and for $10 a month provides vehicle diagnostics, roadside assistance, location tracking, and speed and geo-fencing alerts. (Not sure if Hum tracks vertical leaps.) Verizon enlisted viral marketing agency Thinkmodo to promote the Hum, and this idea was head and shoulders above the rest. "We saw this one [and said], 'Wow, that is crazy,' said Jay Jaffin, Verizon's VP of marketing. "We loved the idea." Thinkmodo co-founder James Percelay told Mashable that they wanted to represent the upgrade Hum brings to cars. So the car goes up. Get it? Here's the star of this story: Hum Rider's designer, Scott Beverly, has done visual effects for Hollywood in The Dark Knight, Inception and Interstellar. He works for A2Zf, a Lancaster, Calif., design and engineering firm that keeps the world filled with Batmobiles, Red Bull Can Cars and beautifully designed VWs and Audis. A2Zf has also worked with NASA on X-planes and with Northrup on the B2 bomber, so compared to those projects, a car-straddling car is hardly a stretch. So what does it take to make a car do this? How about: Over 300 feet of hydraulic lines that operate everything - the lift mechanism, steering, braking and power to the drivetrain. A gas-powered Honda generator under the hood that powers hydraulic pumps pushing out 900 pounds of pressure. A lot of mechanical structure. Hum Rider weighs 8,500 pounds, almost double a standard Grand Cherokee. Heavy-duty truck tires to support all that weight. Four undercarriage cameras that allow the driver to see and clear what's beneath him. What did it cost? They're not saying. What would it be worth, the next time you're stuck in traffic? Priceless.
Jeep adds top-level, $35,690 Cherokee Overland trim [UPDATE]
Thu, Jan 14 2016UPDATE: We initially received incorrect pricing information. FCA says the Cherokee Overland will cost $35,690, including $995 for destination. If you want a more luxurious Jeep, you buy a Grand Cherokee Overland or Summit. But if the idea of dropping $45,000 to $51,000 gives you pause, you'll welcome the news that FCA's off-road brand will introduce a luxury-oriented version of its smaller, more affordable Cherokee. The new Cherokee Overland incorporates a number of cosmetic changes. All of the black plastic body elements have been replaced with body-colored items, improving the overall aesthetic. Jeep fitted handsome, polished 18-inch wheels along with chrome trim on the upper and lower grilles, and the halogen headlights have been swapped with standard bi-xenon units. Previously, the HID headlights were only available as part of an $1,845 Luxury Pack on the Cherokee Limited. In the cabin, the biggest change is found on the seats, where Nappa leather comes standard along with heating and ventilation functions. The steering wheel gets Zebrano wood trim, and instrument panel is wrapped in leather. Beyond that, the Overland is unsurprisingly well-equipped, with an Alpine Premium Audio system, FCA's excellent 8.4-inch UConnect system with navigation, and blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert. The three big optional extras include the Cherokee's 3.2-liter V6, the Jeep Active Drive II all-wheel-drive system, and the Technology Group (auto high beams, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, park assist, adaptive cruise, front and rear park assist with rear stop, and automatic windshield wipers). Owners will also be able to snag a sunroof and a couple of smaller items, like a wireless charging pad. Prices for the Cherokee Overland start at $35,690 (including destination) with sales to begin this spring. Read on for the official announcement from Jeep. Jeep® Expands Cherokee Lineup with Premium Overland Model • New 2016 Jeep® Cherokee Overland debuts at New England International Auto Show • More premium Jeep Cherokee model boasts an unmatched combination of luxury and capability in the mid-size SUV segment • Cherokee Overland delivers sophisticated styling, a well-appointed interior, a long list of premium standard features, and legendary Jeep capability • New premium Cherokee Overland available in Jeep showrooms this spring • Jeep Cherokee sales increased 23 percent in 2015 BOSTON, Jan.
The UAW's 'record contract' hinges on pensions, battery plants
Thu, Oct 12 2023DETROIT - After nearly four weeks of disruptive strikes and hard bargaining, the United Auto Workers and the Detroit Three automakers have edged closer to a deal that could offer record-setting wage gains for nearly 150,000 U.S. workers. General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis have all agreed to raise base wages by between 20% and 23% over a four-year deal, according to union and company statements. Ford and Stellantis have agreed to reinstate cost-of-living adjustments, or COLA. The companies have offered to boost pay for temporary workers and give them a faster path to full-time, full-wage status. All three have proposed slashing the time it takes a new hire to get to the top UAW pay rate. The progress in contract talks follows the first-ever simultaneous strike by the UAW against Detroit's Big Three automakers. The union began the strike on Sept. 15 in hopes of forcing a better deal from each major automaker. But coming close to a deal is not the same thing as reaching a deal. Big obstacles remain on at least two major UAW demands: restoring the retirement security provided by pre-2007 defined benefit pension plans, and covering present and future joint- venture electric vehicle battery plants under the union's master contracts with the automakers. On retirement, none of the automakers has agreed to restore pre-2007 defined-benefit pension plans for workers hired after 2007. Doing so could force the automakers to again burden their balance sheets with multibillion-dollar liabilities. GM and the former Chrysler unloaded most of those liabilities in their 2009 bankruptcies. The union and automakers have explored an approach to providing more income security by offering annuities as an investment option in their company-sponsored 401(k) savings plans, people familiar with the discussions said. Stellantis referred to an annuity option as part of a more generous 401(k) proposal on Sept. 22. Annuities or similar instruments could give UAW retirees assurance of fixed, predictable payouts less dependent on stock market ups and downs, experts said. Recent changes in federal law have removed obstacles to including annuities as a feature of corporate 401(k) plans, said Olivia Mitchell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and an expert on pensions and retirement. "Retirees want a way to be assured they won't run out of money," Mitchell said.