Born out of necessity and forever enshrined into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the Jeep brand is the purveyor of many summer dreams for a lot of us. Some of them included visions of late-night beach quests into an open-top Renegade. Others were all about rock-crawling adventures or quick dune-bashing road trips. Well, this 1980 Jeep CJ-7 could be just a Renegade impersonator, but we feel it might also have the right qualities to fulfill all of the fantasies mentioned above.
The Jeep CJ models are a big part of the current Stellantis heritage, and they lived a long and fruitful life from way back in 1945 and up to 1986. Naturally, considering they’re made to be enjoyed and take all kinds of abuse without a squeak if one is considering a classic incarnation of the series, it’s always best to be on the lookout for a late model year. Such as this 1980 CJ-7, for example.
It’s currently on consignment from Sherman, Texas-based vintage dealer PC Classic Cars, and shows up for duty and adventures with the alluring Renegade markings. These are just a set of decals, though, because this isn’t a real Renegade. This is a bummer, but one might overlook the pretense considering it does bode great for the all-black exterior styling to get a few contrasting details. Speaking of contrasting features, the removable hardtop will reveal a factory-style tan bucket seat interior.
Other highlights include the custom build bumpers and side steps that will make sure no harm will come to the body when trailing, the 15-inch aftermarket ten-hole wheels shod in chunky 33-inch BFGs, the newly appointed seat upholstery, as well as the entire powertrain assembly. This CJ-7 runs on the flagship 304 ci AMC V8 with an upgraded Edelbrock carburetor and intake and it’s mated to a three-speed automatic.
Interestingly, the only thing powered (of note) is the steering (with Rancho stabilizer), while everything else is of the DIY variety. As such, the CJ-7 comes with manual brakes, windows, locks, seats, and 4x4 locking hubs. And, as for the asking price, it’s about right for the size, and no-rust looks at $24,500.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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