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Almost Original: 1979 Jeep CJ7 4X4 Renegade

If not for a few modifications, this 1979 Jeep CJ7 would be considered a survivor. A girl in my high school had one of these and we thought she was so cool driving around with her blonde hair blowing in the wind. For many, the CJ7 brings back a lot of good memories. This example is located in Huntsville, Alabama. It is listed here on eBay with 3 days remaining in the auction. After 28 bids, the Jeep has reached $12,100 but the reserve has not been met. I don’t know what these sell for in this condition but it looks to be well maintained.

The seller states that the tan interior is an original Levi fabric. I am not an expert in that so maybe one of your Jeep experts can comment on Levi interiors. It looks like a regular vinyl to me. A few items have been added to this Jeep including a Laredo grab handle, aftermarket wheels, and a Golden Eagle spare tire. The original jack and tools located by the driver’s seat is still intact.

The paint is said to be original. As shown in the picture, the decals are cracked and starting to chip off. The Jeep is powered by a 304 cubic inch V8 engine and power is sent to the rear wheels via a 3 speed manual transmission. The seller states that the Jeep has traveled 121,000 miles since new. The Jeep is being sold by a dealer who offers financing and arranging shipping.

The seller notes that the Jeep is in very good condition. Not much is said about the driving characteristics. It is noted in the ad that there is some rust on the floor pans. I know this is common in most T-Top and convertibles so I assume it is common in a Jeep too. The Jeep does comes with its soft top and soft doors. I like the M/T wheels and the Cooper tires have only 3,000 miles on them.

Comments

  1. J T Manstis

    So, the floor pans Shot &
    Not fully original interior,
    as your neat baby blue 🔊
    Covers are a no sale.
    However, baring also a
    Weak Motor w/ miles +,
    …You might consider around 10,- G & Let it Go in either direction, FAST 🕊

    Like 0
    • Tom Jones

      Weak motor? I’ve had a few of these with 304’s and they were awesome motors. Plenty of low end grunt, no problems with high miles, and not only that but they sound bada** with a set of fenderwell headers and sidepipes.

      Like 8
    • Jim in FL

      The ad doesn’t really reflect “shot” floor pans. Just shows surface rust, which is pretty common in CJs without carpets. I’ve owned ones where the seats were basically floating before I welded in repair pans. At this money, a PPE is definitely in order.

      12-15k (at least) is where these are trading today. I owned four, never paid more than 1500, but rust and time have taken their toll and people like them. Personally, I think this is a decent example.

      Like 5
  2. Stan

    Uncle had one, not sure of the year, but it was wicked. Brown, 304, stick shift w the all Dana running gear if i recall.

    Like 1
  3. HoA Howard A Member

    Renegade!!! Oh, that conjures up images of unruly, upset Native Americans, and probably are offended by that name. Heck, they don’t even like Cherokee, which I always considered an honor. The Levis Jeeps did not have cotton Levi pants material on the seats. I think it was on the door cards however. The material was either blue or tan vinyl with the Levi buttons, shown here. It should have “Levis” callouts, so a repaint at some time, I bet. As mentioned, the CJ7 was the most refined CJ, and while I feel the V8 is a bit much, can’t deny the beauty of a V8, as long as it’s docile. I see a lot of CJs here that lollygagged to the hilt. Need a step ladder to get in, and motors that could pull a reefer. What gives? Why isn’t a nice stock CJ like this good enough? It’s a great find and the best CJ to have.

    Like 3
  4. eric22t

    here’s where this youngun begs to contradict his elders howard A.
    i’m sorry but the most refined cj was not the 7 but the 8 aka the scrambler. those extra inches in it’s wheelbase made ALL the difference in it’s road manners. and it only lost a wee bit of attack angle in the woods for that longer wheelbase.
    i do agree though that these really didn’t NEED the v8, but since it’s there i wouldn’t kick her out of the dooryard.

    this one looks good and if that is all the rust she’s a keeper

    Like 2
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi eric, you sure can contradict my views, if fact, I welcome it. To clarify some, the CJ7 was the best CJ up to that point. The CJ8 was longer but never had the following. I’ve seen maybe one CJ8 compared to 8 million CJ7s. I’m not sure Jeep buyers wanted a “pickup” CJ at the time. While the YJ in ’87 got all the thunder, I do believe the CJ8 led the way for modern Rubicons with pickup beds.

      Like 1
      • eric22t

        i won’t disagree that the long wheel based jeeps “get no respect”.
        but oh what a difference those extra inches made. i had 2(as recurring customers) in my shop back in the day and just test driving them convinced me.
        so ok, yes the cj7 was the best of the cj line. the yj was probably the best of the leaf spring jeeps, for the under carriage changes that were introduced but man oh man those square headlights gotta go lol.
        now the tj i drove for a year or 2 was just too much plastic and car for me.

        Like 1
  5. JoeR

    Oh the memories!! My first new vehicle purchase. I bought one just like this new in Summer of 1979. Same color, motor, trans, Levi seats. I kept it 11 years for 89K miles and it owed me nothing. It cost around $8K. The AMC 304 motor is a bullet proof anvil solid piece. I put a carb and a starter on it in 11 years. Miss it to this day.

    Like 3

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