1983 Jeep CJ7 AMC 258

Make: Jeep
Model: CJ
Year: 1983
Mileage: 121,600
VIN: 1JCCM87A5DT015997
Color: White
Engine size: AMC 258
Vehicle Title: Clear
Location: Monongahela, Pennsylvania, United States

Description

I bought this 8 years and about 20k miles ago when it was 2/3 the way through a restoration. Frame coated in POR 15. Engine rebuilt. Ford electronic ignition. Fiberglass body, hood, fenders.
The engine has since had a new cam and timing chain. Weber 38mm DGES. Delco 12si alternator. It's been very reliable for me. It has no problem idling at 600 RPM.
I just put a new clutch in. The transmission is a Borg-Warner T4. Dana 300 transfer case with twin sticks. Axles are 4:11 open differential.
The front is a Dana 44 out of a Wagoneer with the driver side shortened 4 inches. 61" wheelbase. Ford disk brakes and Warn locking hubs. Flat top knuckles with high steer arms. The drag link and tie rod are almost exactly parallel. This is ideal for safety and I spend a great deal of care when lifting this jeep to ensure this is the case. The pitman arm is from a wagoneer which has a 1" drop and is slightly longer for better leverage and less stress on the gearbox. The gearbox was also just replaced recently as it had a leak.
The rear is an Early Bronco Ford 9". 58" wheelbase. 28 spline axles. Custom traction bar to help prevent spring wrap given the spring over axle conversion. Gears were replaced at the time of the swap.
The leaf springs are Rubicon Express 1.5" SOA 6 leaf. 2.5" wide front and back. The front has Crabtree tool spring hangers to accommodate the larger springs. Bilstein 46mm shocks. The front has ford shock towers so I could accommodate longer travel shocks. I know the boomerang shackles are not on correctly for what they are. I had those from before the lift and decided they were too long. The middle bolt gives 4" bolt to bolt (1" longer than stock and providing 0.5" lift) which is perfect for this suspension setup. I always meant to trim them, but never got around to it. All in all, it's about 7" higher than stock.
The combination of the wider axles and well-configured steering make this Cj7 considerably safer than you might think for being lifted as high as it is.
The tires are 35x12.5x15 Goodyear MT/R with Kevlar. They're at about half tread. Wheels are Outlaw II 15x8. I have a full size and matching 5th wheel which is in the tire rotation. None of the tires have had any punctures. I also have a swing out tire carrier that I made which is currently not on the Jeep. The spindle I used was not heavy duty enough so it snapped one day and I never got around to fixing it. I have a new spindle to fix it but do not intend to before the sale.
There are a few problems and quirks. The driver door needs a clip for the handle. Also, the cover for the locking mechanism is off of both doors. I think the passenger door will fit with it on, but it rubs the body too much on the driver side. The fiberglass body makes for some weird fitment. The passenger door fits better than the driver side. The alternator bracket doesn't quite work with the Delco 12si. It just doesn't let you get the belt as tight as it should be so it sometimes sweaks on startup. Usually only after raining. The driver side seat doesn't fold forward. It didn't sit level and that drove me nuts, so I welded it (poorly) fixed in place. The gel coat has a few spider cracks and a nick or two. The hood and top of the fenders are becoming particularly porous and hard to keep shiny. If I were to keep it, I would likely paint over the gel coat. The wipers do not work intermittently. Only on one speed. The horn doesn't work. Needs e-brake cables. The seat belt on the driver side should be replaced. It locks but doesn't reel back in easily.

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