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Rare Jeep CJ-7 Laredo Rolls Out of the Barn After 12 Years, V8 Still Runs

Produced from 1976 to 1986, the CJ-7 was the last Jeep that could trace its lineage back to the Willys MB. Also the final CJ built before the iconic Wrangler came into play, it spawned a few limited-edition models over the years.
1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo 7 photos
Photo: Dennis Collins/YouTube
1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo1980 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo
The Jamboree Commemorative Edition was the most heavily optioned CJ ever built. It was limited to just 630 units and designed for the 30th anniversary of the Rubicon Trail in 1982. The same year saw Jeep roll out the Limited, a luxury-oriented trim level offered for only a couple of years. Before that, Jeep offered the Laredo.

Launched in 1980, the Laredo was the most fancied-up CJ until the Limited arrived. It was offered with various engines, including an Isuzu-made diesel, and it came with features like power steering and air conditioning.

Jeep built more than 38,000 CJ-7s in 1980, but the majority of them were Renegades and other trims. With only a few units produced, first-year Laredos are rare and very desirable nowadays.

On the flip side, many of them have severe rust issues, so finding one that's still in one piece is a difficult task. Finding one that still runs and drives after more than 40 years (except Concours-style examples that have been garaged or restored) is pretty much a miracle. Yet it happened!

Car enthusiast and Jeep specialist Dennis Collins located a 1980 CJ-7 Laredo in Texas. It's been sitting for 12 years, but it's still in solid condition. It's almost rust-free, it comes with loads of factory options, and it's even fitted with the range-topping 5.0-liter V8 engine.

It also sports aftermarket chrome work from Olympic, a company known to supply shining bits for the CJ-7, including the windshield, taillights, and rear bar. What's more, the engine mates to an automatic transmission, which makes this Laredo an even rarer find.

The best news is that V8 still runs, even though the Jeep has been sitting in a barn for more than a decade. It's all dusty on the outside and its upholstery shows notable wear and tear, but it starts right up and drives onto the trailer under its own power.

This CJ-7 Laredo is definitely on its way to a better home now and we will probably see it fully restored in a while. Maybe it will even hit the auction block sometime in the future and set a new sales record for a 1980s Laredo. If my memory serves me right, the most expensive Laredo crossed the block at around $45,000 back in 2017.

Sure, it's not as valuable as the beefed-up 1981 Laredo that Jeep built for off-road racer Roger Mears for wining the Baja 1000 in a Honcho. That Jeep featured a massive 6.6-liter V8 and a ton of extra features not available from the factory. But this dusty off-roader is a rare CJ-7 nonetheless. Hit the play button below to see it leave the barn after more than a decade.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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