Happy Birthday!
Josh Dahl of Ocean Springs, Missouri, got a killer birthday present a couple of years ago: this restored '82 CJ-7. He and his dad got a deal on it and planned a paint job to breathe new life into it. For four straight months they worked on it to try to get it done in time for Josh to drive in on the first day of school. They missed the deadline by two weeks, but it serves duty as a daily driver. The 258ci engine still hands off power to the four-speed manual transmission and Dana 300 transfer case. The Dahls added a 2 1/2-inch Skyjacker lift, a 1-inch body lift, and a set of 33x12.50 Mickey Thompson Baja Claws for the stance, as well as a healthy dose of blue paint for just the right look.
Steal CJ
Taking one of the better pages from the Jp magazine play book, Charles Brown of Decataur, Texas, found an '83 CJ-7 with an engine and transmission swap already done. Then he bought it. Taking one of the other pages from the book, he then went ahead and tore it apart anyway. The previously swapped-in 4.3L Chevy V-6 bolted to a 700R4 and NP231 were retained. The axles were also sourced from a YJ, with a Dana 30 in the front and a Dana 35 in the rear. A 3-inch lift clears the 33-inch Dunlop mud tires on 15x10 aluminum Eagle wheels. Charles wanted a Jeep that could play somewhat hard, but look good doing it, so he tore the Jeep apart to paint it, and that's where most of his money is spent. All said and done, he's into the Jeep for under $5,000.
Send Us Pics!
If you want to see your project in the next Garage Shots, make sure to take a before, during, and after picture and send them in. Be sure to include the specs on the components and parts you used to build the Jeep (even if they were stock). You can send them in to pete.trasborg@jpmagazine.com or snail mail them to Jp magazine c/o Garage Shots at 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA, 90245.