Projects
June 30, 2006
1981 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler with a AMC 304 and 35" Ti
1981 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler with a AMC 304 and 35" Tires.
When this Jeep came to us, it was literally falling apart. The previous owner did his best to keep his Scrambler from withering away, but time and nature started to overcome. So in order to keep this rare vehicle from being lost we decided it was in the owners best interest to do a full body restoration/customization.
First, we had to get this Jeep down to the basics to see what we had to work with so we stripped the body from the frame. Surprisingly there was little frame rot or damage which is notorious to these years. We blasted and repaired all the imperfections to the frame prior to spraying a nice coat of chip guard sealant paint. This acts as a barrier against road debris, moisture, and any sort of oils and chemicals the frame could come in contact with. Once the frame was complete it was time for the suspension.
Since the customer wanted to go with 35" tires we opted to go with a 4" leaf spring lift, and a 2 " body lift. This amount of suspension lift also requires very little if any modifications to the steering or drive-line which is another reason why we suggested it. We also decided that a shackle reversal kit in the front of the Jeep would dramatically improve the ride, and soften the bumps with the fresh suspension being added. At this point the Jeep was ready to get the axles refreshed.
Both the front Dana 30, and rear AMC 20 were stripped down, cleaned out, and coated in the same chip guard as the frame. New bearings, seals, and trac-lok carrier for the rear, were installed. The original ring and pinions were inspected and found to be good, and since the owner had been leaning toward swapping out the old and tired 4.2L in-line six cylinder to the torque monster AMC 304 we felt the stock gears would be good. Next was the body.
The body had many issues with rot and damage that were next to unrepairable. Luckily we have seen worse... much much worse! So with a little time and patience we were able to bring that body back from the dead. Once all the cosmetic repairs were complete on the body and all the "bondo" chunks were removed, it was on to the paint. The Jeep was painted a metallic silver which was easily accented with almost any color. The under carriage, floorboards, exterior, firewall, and doors were all painted with the utmost detail. Sine the customer wanted to drive his Jeep any day rain or shine, and have hid children in the back, even haul a few items here and there we also decided to Protex the interior bed and floorboards black. The Protex is sprayed on and is also referred to as Rhino Lining. Our Protex comes wit a lifetime warranty against cracking, fading, or peeling. This is a great way to protect your Jeep especially if you have to park it outside on those down pour rainy days. We all now how the floorboards are soaked after that.
Once the body was sprayed it was time for the motor to be put in. The customer did decide to swap out the 4.2L six cylinder and drop in a 5.0L 304 ci AMC V8. This was a fresh crate motor with a 75,000 mile warranty. This will definitely help the Jeep get around on 35" tires and a full passenger load. We also added a Edlebrock intake and carburetor to help with additional fuel and air flow. A custom stainless true dual exhaust was also added to aid in getting better flow and sound.
At this point the only stage left was the reassembly of all the pieces. Most of the original hardware and trim pieces were restored and reused we applicable. The seats were replaced with the new Baja RS (Recliner Seats), and a Tuffy Security center console was added. A new bikini top and lights were also among the many final touches.
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