BF Exclusive: 1986 Jeep CJ-7

• Seller: Jeff L avery (Contact)
• Location: Manchester, Maryland
• Mileage: 42,000 Shown
• Chassis #: 1JCCM87A8GT144000
• Title Status: Clean
• Engine: 258ci inline-six
• Transmission: 4-Speed Manual

At certain times in life, the vehicle we never thought we’d sell takes a back seat to other big plans. To me, these are some of the hardest decisions to make, because you suddenly have something that sat pretty high up on the priority list get moved down a few pegs. However, as the potential next caretaker of this 1986 Jeep CJ-7, you know going into it the current owner looked after it like a forever vehicle, which is an ideal specimen to buy versus someone doing a quick fluff and buff. This CJ-7 is listed here as a Barn Finds Exclusive and is a recent winner of the PA Jeeps All Breed Jeep Show in the unlimited CJ5-CJ10 class.

The seller is a colleague of mine, and knowing a little bit about what prompts the sale of his CJ-7 (all good things, by the way), I understand why he’s put it up for grabs. However, this Jeep was truly a work of blood, sweat, and tears, from a full paint job in Porsche-specification Jet Black Metallic to a suspension overhaul with a lift kit. The wheels are polished American Racing Outlaws with deep dish lips and mounted on 33×12.5″ Falken Wildpeak A/T tires with a matching rear spare. As much as it’s quite clean visually, it’s also got the right hardware for beach driving or off-road excursions.

Inside, there are aftermarket bucket seats that represent a significant upgrade over the stock seating arrangement. A 4-speed manual transmission and dual-range transfer case provide the controls, while a custom audio system includes Infinity speakers, a JBL amplifier, and a downward-firing 10″ Kicker subwoofer. The soft top has been upgraded as well with a Bestop roof system, while a locking center console keeps your valuable secure if you leave it parked with the doors off or top down. The seller notes that the Jeep will also come with removable steel half doors and a set of vinyl doors and side windows along with bikini top and emergency cover.

Underneath, it looks quite clean, with no signs of rust or scale on the frame components. The underside has been coated with Rock-It undercarriage protection, which is a 2K urethane textured coating used throughout the automotive restoration industry. In addition to the lifted suspension, CJ-7 is equipped with manually-locking front hubs, front discs, and rear drum brakes. The Jeep has a few other goodies for off-road excursions, including a winch on the front bumper and nerf bars.

Mechanically, the truck benefits from lots of recent maintenance. The seller shares that the head of the 258ci inline-six was machined and the head gasket replaced, and that the clutch, radiator, thermostat, and ignition components were all previously replaced as well. These are robust rigs when looked after, and this one has certainly been given far more “premium” treatment than most CJ-7s at this point. The upgrades are easily reversible should you want a bone-stock truck, but really, it’s just a matter of going back to a standard suspension and smaller wheels/tires. We’re excited to have it listed here as a Barn Finds Exclusive!