Rare well-maintained CJ8 Scrambler with 360 V8 and walnut wood accents

1981 Jeep CJ

Overview

CJ8 Scramblers are a rare classic that blend the Jeep look with a pickup bed. They debuted in 1981 and only a few thousand sold until 1986 due to their lack of popularity at the time. Ronald Reagan owned one on his ranch and a version of the CJ8 was used by the Alaskan Postal Service.

This is a 1981 CJ8 Scrambler powered by a 360ci V8 with a four-speed manual transmission and is finished in red with black cab top and upholstery. The truck bed is finished with walnut wood bed slats and rails from carpenter in Montana. This Scrambler has been well refurbished, garaged, and maintained by current and previous owner. It has passed a current 2022 Virginia state safety inspection, allowing for you to safely use the vehicle on or off road as much or as little as you like. The Carfax report shows no accidents or damage. It was first registered in Washington State and spent some time inOregon before being acquired and refurbished by the previous owner in Montana and then the current owner in Virginia in October 2020.

Powertrain

This Scrambler is powered by a 360ci V8 from a 1977 Jeep Cherokee that was acquired and refurbished under previous owner in the 2018 timeframe. The 360ci was bored .030” over and the pistons, rings, and cylinder heads were replaced as well as fitted with an RV camshaft.

The five-digit odometer shows 68k miles, approximately 300 of which have been added during current ownership. Power is sent to the rear or all four wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and a dual-range Dana 300 transfer case. Transmission is likely a T19, first gear (granny/low gear) is synchronized with 2nd-4th.For general driving purposes, I treat/use 2nd gear as 1stbecause 1st is geared so low. The truck is equipped with dual exhaust, power-assisted steering and brakes as well as manually locking front hubs.

Under current ownership:

2021: an Optima yellow-top battery and Edelbrock carburetor were installed

2022: power steering pump was replaced and the starter motor wires were replaced

No currently known issues / problems with powertrain.

Exterior

The Scrambler body was custom painted Merlot and the rollbars and cab black through previous owner and shows no signs of scratches or wear.There are after-market (Poison Spyder) rock rails, tail gate, diamond plate steel front and rear bumpers, fenders, and side steps. The truck bed is finished with walnut wood bed slats and rails from carpenter in Montana. There are LED break and reverse taillights and I recently installed new KC headlights in 2022. In classic Jeep fashion, the full-size steel doors are removable. In current configuration, the cab is not removable unless the new owner were to modify or replace it.

Only superficial exterior issues that are noticeable up-close / knowing where to look:

· Tiny pea-sized chip in the windshield right where the driver-side windshield blade is, hardly even noticeable

· Small crack in the front passenger-side fender –only noticeable up close

· Slight rusting around outside of taillights –only noticeable up close

Interior

The interior has black cloth upholstery bucket seats and black and red door panels. Interior details include: a Kenwood CD stereo, an aftermarket subwoofer and speakers, manual windows and locks, passenger dash handle. A Grant steering wheel sits ahead of a red dashboard fascia and a black dash pad. A polished original instrument panel is fitted in the dashboard and houses a tachometer, an 85-mph speedometer with integrated indicators for coolant temperature and gauges for fuel, voltage, and oil pressure. A Poison Spyder glovebox cover has been added on the passenger side. The previous owner installed sound dampening foam and carpet to reduce road/engine noise and provide some insulation during cold weather.

The interior issues to be aware of are:

· Transfer case shifter boot rubber is torn

· Fuel gauge broken, stays on empty

· Bucket seats are worn

Someone with an eye for interior details could really spruce this up with new seats and replacing the carpet/foam for some other material.

Chassis

The chassis is in good shape with no signs of rust and includes a receiver hitch. Modifications under previous ownership include: Dana44 axels, reverse shackles, and wheel arch extensions.

Under current ownership in 2021:

The driveshaft was rebalanced and reinstalled

New leaf springs and bushings were installed

New 31 x 10.5” BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A tires mounted on black 15” steel wheels

Brakes and chassis are in good shape for safely driving on the road- the Scrambler has passed 2022 Virginia state safety inspections.

No currently known issues / problems with chassis.

Buying & Shipping Logistics

I live in northern Virginia and will work with prospective buyers to answer any questions / take pictures or have the vehicle inspected. I will work with the buyer on shipping logistics, though the buyer assumes the cost and responsibility for local pickup or shipping. When I bought the vehicle in 2020 from seller in Montana, I used uShip to arrange shipping and it was a smooth process: it took 11 days from booking to delivery and cost $1800 to have it shipped from Montana to Virginia, they are insured, communicate well throughout the process, and will hold money in escrow if needed until confirmed delivery receipt.

• Condition: Used
• Make: Jeep
• Model: CJ
• SubModel: CJ8 Scrambler
• Type: SUV
• Year: 1981
• Mileage: 68082
• VIN: 1JCCM88E2BT067974
• Color: Red
• Engine size: 360ci
• Number of cylinders: 8
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive type: 4WD
• Interior color: Black
• Drive side: Left-hand drive
• Options: 4-Wheel Drive, CD Player
• Vehicle Title: Clean
Want to buy? Contact seller!