Generally speaking, car nameplates are made by a single automaker throughout their life. As an exception, Jeep has been owned by several companies, starting with Willys-Overland and ending with today's Stellantis. No matter who made it, though, Jeep has always been at the top of the food chain in its segment, so much so that the moniker is often used to describe vehicles from other makes.
There are presently six models in Jeep's American lineup, covering anything from the SUV to the pickup truck segment. But that doesn’t take away the appeal of older models, long gone from the production lines but ever-present on the pre-owned market.
Of particular interest to buyers and collectors is the CJ-8 Scrambler. Introduced in 1981 as a long-wheelbase version of the CJ-7, it stayed in production for just about five years. As we all know, a short production run is one of the things that make a collectible.
We stumbled upon this here CJ-8 on Bring a Trailer, where it already managed to get a $16,500 pledge from someone with four days left in the auction at the time of writing. Reaching double that - and we've seen it happen before - would make it about as expensive as a brand new Gladiator.
In its current configuration, the truck is powered by a 4.2-liter inline-six engine linked to a four-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. It underwent a refurbishment back in 2015 when some minor parts like the hood and door handles have been replaced.
It was then when it also received a 2.5-inch (63-mm) lift, a repaint in the matte color it now displays, and 17-inch wheels shod in BFGoodrich tires. The interior was upgraded with fitting bucket seats, a Kenwood head unit, and locking center console – just enough to make it modern, but not enough to spoil the Scrambler's old-school off-roader appeal.
Of particular interest to buyers and collectors is the CJ-8 Scrambler. Introduced in 1981 as a long-wheelbase version of the CJ-7, it stayed in production for just about five years. As we all know, a short production run is one of the things that make a collectible.
We stumbled upon this here CJ-8 on Bring a Trailer, where it already managed to get a $16,500 pledge from someone with four days left in the auction at the time of writing. Reaching double that - and we've seen it happen before - would make it about as expensive as a brand new Gladiator.
In its current configuration, the truck is powered by a 4.2-liter inline-six engine linked to a four-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case. It underwent a refurbishment back in 2015 when some minor parts like the hood and door handles have been replaced.
It was then when it also received a 2.5-inch (63-mm) lift, a repaint in the matte color it now displays, and 17-inch wheels shod in BFGoodrich tires. The interior was upgraded with fitting bucket seats, a Kenwood head unit, and locking center console – just enough to make it modern, but not enough to spoil the Scrambler's old-school off-roader appeal.