After WWII, surplus Willys, Ford, and Bantam Jeeps littered former battlefields all over the world. Some soldiers brought them back home with them, and a new type of personal runabout was born: the off-roader. Willys realized they could market that to civilians. They added doors, and the civilian Jeep or “CJ” was born. As with all automotive icons, the Jeep has remained basically unchanged throughout its life, and you can still buy the standard Jeep, now in its “JL” generation. You can find this hardtop CJ-7 here on eBay.
This CJ-7 is spectacular. My first car was a 1995 YJ, and I learned very quickly that the rumors about Jeep rust were true. It’s considered par for the course that any CJs or early Wranglers will have rusted frames and floorboards, especially around the mounting points for the leaf springs. This one doesn’t have that. At all. It looks like new, inside and out. It’s got the AMC inline six-cylinder, mounted to a four-speed manual transmission and two-speed transfer case. It’s worth saying that the seller doesn’t provide many close-up images of the frame, but my experience with Jeeps tells me that you would be able to see the rust from almost literally a mile away.
Not only is it rust-free, but this has escaped the onslaught of Jeepers who lift their trucks to no end and fit 40” mud-terrain tires on it. Not to disrespect the people who do that, but there’s something special about a stock vehicle–a vehicle that is how it left the factory. This CJ-7 has tires of the original size, no lift-kit, and a clean and fully functional interior. Actually, this one’s high-end, with stereo sound. In my Jeeping days, I met a CJ-7 owner who was joking about how his radio only had one speaker from the factory. I see two here.
Jeeps of all kinds, but especially the CJs (this one), YJs (1987-1995), and TJs (1996-2006), are especially sought-after for their off-road handling and capabilities. There are precious few left in their original, unmodified specification. So few, in fact, that buying a Jeep buys you entry into one of the most friendly groups of people in the car world. If you have a spare $10k lying around and decide to bid on this, be sure to wave at other Jeep drivers you see around town and park next to other Jeeps in parking lots. Such is the price of Jeep ownership. The world is a better place if people are friendly to each other.
First, I’d like to say, at the earliest time, and this Jeep post is as good as any, I’m very disappointed in the site. As a member, and despite having to have “log in” after every “early access”, I’m being bombarded by ads that I thought being a member was suppose to eliminate. I give enough to “Progressive”, I don’t need “Flo” hounding me for more coverage.
Sorry, I don’t mean to derail Ben’s post, which is an accurate account of Jeeps progress. I looked at a lot of Jeeps, one worse than the next, they are, by nature, meant to take abuse. I found, what someone wants in a Jeep, may differ greatly from what someone else wants, the aftermarket schtick is heavy with this hobby, with prices to match, of course. Just finding a stock one wasn’t easy. As expected, I wouldn’t pay $10g’s for one, and I didn’t, buying a relatively rust free one for 1/3 the cost, and let me tell you folks, a Jeep is a Jeep, no matter how it’s gee-gawed up, and be advised, the older they get, the less comfortable they get. Even though mine is the anemic, hill shy 4 cylinder, it’s a basic, stock YJ, and I like it, a lot. This is a nice one, if you have the change, but Jeeps aren’t exactly rare in drier climates, so deals are out there.
I feel you Howard, try using the ad blocker plus browser.
Very nice jeep, my father had this exact model in royal blue with ac, rather rough and bouncy for an everyday driver, but we loved it until a a lady ran a stop sign hit him broadside, flipping it on the fiberglass roof sliding 30ft into a tree.
He was fine, but only drove station wagons after that.
@Howard – We were just doing updates. Should be all fixed now.
@Grumpyboy – Don’t use ad blockers! I doubt you would steal a magazine from the grocery store but that is exactly what you are doing to us when you block the ads. If you are too cheap to become a member, at least turn the ads back on!
Thanks, Jesse!!
From the ad: “I recently acquired this for my teenage kids and me to ride around in but they cannot figure out how to drive stick and so the wife says it needs to go”
There is so much I could say about this…
That’s more common than you might think today. I would have preferred an automatic, but in older Jeeps, they are as rare as hand signals, fact is, Jeep didn’t offer an automatic behind the 4 cyl. until 1995, I think. Apparently, Jeeps and shifting gears manually is some kind of standard issue, as of the many Jeeps I looked at, maybe one was an automatic, and the seller was clearly trying to capitalize on it’s rarity in the ad. It’s probably why so many people that couldn’t shift, went with the Asian 4×4’s, most of those were automatics. Same goes for 4 speed cars, I think as time marches on, less and less folks will want or can drive a stick, and sales will probably plummet someday.
Good to know you got finally found yourself a Jeep, Howard.
Insofar as the art of shifting is dwindling, you’re right. It’s a sign of the times-more people want to be shiftless..no doubt part of the reason for more CVT’s now too. My daughter had to special order her Subaru and waited 4 months as the dealership was searching for it. As well, 250/2500, 350/3500 and 450/4500 trucks are no longer offered with a stick!
Enjoy your Jeep, Howard-it’s a perfect ride especially in the summertime.
How about ‘I feel your pain’?
What a nice Jeep , I too have an 81 cj7 Laredo. I’ve owned it for 21 years and it looks nothing like this one. I have modified it the the point that it has little value to anyone but me,(sbc swap, trans swap, axles so on and so on) but that’s ok because I will never sell it as it will go to my daughter someday when my four wheeling days are over. As for the auto vs stick, I have 4 speeds in both my 69 Camaro and 32 Ford roadster, but in my jeep it has a 700r. I always want an automatic in my off-road vehicles, in the desert where I live sand is everywhere as are dunes which I love to wheel in. If you every tried 4 wheeling in the sand with a stick you realize it’s not the best trans for the conditions, half way up a dune and you start to lose momentum and go to down shift and as soon as you push in the clutch your done, but with the auto trans you down shift and not lose a beat. In rock climbing the auto also shines, there is nothing like being on a steep rocky hill and trying to start a jeep while pushing in the clutch while the other foot is holding the brake and your third foot gives it gas. Give an automatic for my Jeep every time.
$14,000 with a little over a day left. Compared to what new Wranglers cost, this is one hell of a bargain!
Just an FYI they did not make a 1996 wrangler, it was a switch over year from the YJ to the TJ.
Desert Rat, good commentary on the virtues of auto vs manual in a 4×4. I never did any serious four wheeling in my 3 speed 76 CJ-7, although I did rely on it when the roads were bad and I did take it out in the bush sometimes. Mine eventually turned into a pile of rust. Early example of recycling I suppose. I always though it was sad that manufacturers had to put a lock out on the clutch pedal to start a vehicle. How about a neutral safety switch like automatics have? Shifting the trans to neutral first eliminates the hazard but I guess some folks don’t think of that.
This is a really nice CJ-7 bid to $15,100 so far. If it was closer I’d take a look.
A question I have is why the 304 v8 only had a three speed available but 6s had a four speed?
Someone gave you bad info, JoeBob-my ‘79 CJ5 w the stock 304 had a stock 4spd with a 3/1 reduction ratio..and as has been said by many of the readers many many times here on BF, “I really miss it!!!”
I can’t say what was offered for the CJ7’s as my world view at the time focused on my punkin orange CJ (or whatever the stock color was called).
I had a 78 CJ 7 Renegade, Levi Edition, 304 V8 and Quadratrack which included a Th400 automatic, Rare? Yes, but they are out there.
Item location:
Glen Ridge, New Jersey