Body & Interior
The exterior is adorned with old-school Poison Spyder Customs parts- tube fenders, Rocker Knockers, and Crusher Corners. In a fit of Trasborgesque swappage, a set of YJ hard half-doors was installed on the CJ and a later-model YJ soft top was fitted to the CJ tub. Then the whole shebang was pulled back apart so the House of Kolor "Tang Yellow" paint and silver flames could be shot by Beckstrom Autobody in Ogden, Utah.
A full set of Auto Meter gauges mounted on a custom aluminum panel keep tabs on vitals and a set of no-name aftermarket buckets and a center console give a cozy place from which to view the trail. The tub was sprayed with bed liner and a custom-built rollcage weaves its way beneath the soft-top to ensure Ryan won't be enjoying any helicopter rides to the hospital if the Jeep ever does go tires-up.
Good, Bad, & What It's For
Ryan's Jeep is very well set up with niceties like its onboard air system, AGR power steering box with frame brace, custom two-into-one exhaust with Flowmaster muffler, Optima Red Top battery, bumpin' stereo system, and affordable-yet-durable Warn M8000 winch with synthetic rope and aluminum fairlead. However, there are one or two things that sorta bug us. For starters, if you're going to go through all the trouble of building a custom transmission crossmember, why let the T-case hang down so far? We realize there's a concession to be paid with regard to front driveshaft angle, but we'd still like to see the Atlas clocked to raise the front output shaft a bit and that huge grappling hook of a crossmember shaved down in size. Also, although it has a bitchin' rear departure angle, the Jeep just looks a bit unfinished the way there's no spare tire hanging off the tail gate. We're sure the look would improve without the top up, but as we shot it, it sort of has the vibe of a curvy supermodel with a really flat butt. Looks nice coming at ya, but leaves a little to be desired as it heads off into the sunset.
Why I Wrote This Feature
Things have improved somewhat in the interim, but back in '08 when I shot this feature, buggies were all the rage and I just got flat-out sick of them. Believe it or not, it wasn't that often you ran into a very capable, full-bodied Jeep that got wheeled off-road. It seemed most guys were running poorly executed, home-built coilover suspensions, ugly comp-cut rear fenders, and crazy axle combos like Rockwells or one-off tractor pull stuff. Ryan's CJ was, and still is, a breath of fresh air. I am still sick of buggies, but thankfully, more off-road Jeep guys have come back to the full-body flock. Happy days for us.
- Christian Hazel
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '82 CJ-7
Engine: 350ci small-block Chevy
Transmission: TH700R4 four-speed automatic
Transfer Case: Atlas II, 4.3:1 Low
Suspension: Leaf springs (front and rear)
Axles: Dana 60 (front and rear)
Wheels: 15x10 Champion beadlocks
Tires: 38x12.50-15 Swamper SX
Built For: Adventure, fun, and spending family time in
Estimated Value: $40,000