1978 Jeep CJ7

Description

The appeal of going anywhere, any time is the whole reason civilian Jeeps exist. The past seven decades are proof that the original design is a good one, but if you like your 4x4s to be affordable as well as tough, then this 1978 CJ7 should be just the ticket: V8 power, great cosmetics, and a comfortable interior all add up to fun in the dirt on a shoestring budget.

As we've seen over the past few years, the CJ7 is at the top of the food chain when it comes to Jeep off-roading. Unfortunately, their rugged off-road abilities are the reason why so few good ones are left-they simply got used up. So when this one showed up, complete with a beautiful blue paint job and sheetmetal that doesn't look like it's been bashed and abraded off road, we eagerly ushered it into the showroom. It's basic and keeps all the great original attitude that makes these so much fun and hasn't been upgraded, over-dressed, or modified so heavily that its originality is erased. Instead, they gave it a very high quality paint job that definitely gets noticed and left off the stuff that doesn't help it work better in the dirt. That means painted bumpers with chrome tow hooks, a spare tire with simple cover, and rubber fender flares over the oversized rubber. In short, if you like the elemental appeal of the Jeep, this one definitely delivers.

The all-business interior is highlighted by a pair of new bucket seats that are a lot more supportive for off-road maneuvers than the original chairs and there's still a matching back seat. The floors have been covered in spray-in bedliner material so you can just hose it out after a day of fun and the fat steering wheel is easy to hold on to during the rough stuff. The original gauges are framed by a polished panel and there's a white-faced temperature gauge underneath. There's no radio to distract you from the fun, but the slot is open so a modern replacement would be easy. For inclement weather, there's a bikini top which does nothing to diminish the elemental feel of the Jeep, and there's no better way to enjoy the great outdoors, and a center console adds some weatherproof storage, just in case.

You could get a V8 in your Jeep back in 1978, but for the ultimate in reliability, what's better than a 350 cubic inch Chevy? With a 4-barrel carburetor, headers, and a few other performance tweaks, this is one quick Jeep and it'll go anywhere without worries. The engine compartment is clean, so it hasn't spent a ton of time off-road and being neglected and the great V8 soundtrack is as much muscle car as 4x4. Power steering is a nice feature in something with tires this big, and the 3-speed transmission has well-chosen gears for any occasion. The transfer case, axles, and suspension are trail-ready and the shiny aluminum MIT wheels look great, especially with 32x11.50-15 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A radials.

So for reasonably-priced off-road fun, this CJ7 delivers in a lot of big ways. Powerful, reliable, comfortable, and still very capable, it has all the virtues of the best 4x4s without the big price tag. Call today!