Our 1981 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler is a brand-new build and the winner of this auction (other than the builder) will be the FIRST to register her as a restored vehicle.

 

She was built by a wonderful craftsman in North Dakota and completed in 2024 … she was built so well that Blacksmith Garage acquired her in November 2024.

 

She underwent a frame-off restoration and was re-finished in gray over red leather upholstery. 

 

Since purchasing the vehicle, all Blacksmith Garage needed to do was remove the engine ‘break-in’ oil and replace it with fresh engine oil and a new Wix filter.

 

The vehicle was completely disassembled and every single part has been replaced or refurbished including a BRAND-NEW instrument cluster AND a BRAND-NEW 383 crate motor.  

 

The builder put approximately 500 test miles on her to calibrate/set up the gauges before the odometer was turned on and she has been driven 85 miles since.

 

It is rare to see a CJ-8 built out to this level. If you commissioned it at a build shop it would easily reach well into the 6 figures.

A frame off CJ-8 is very rare and will stand out at your local Cars and Coffee or in Moab.

 

The Scrambler was introduced in 1981 as a long-wheelbase pickup version of the CJ-7.

 

During the refurbishment, the body was removed from the chassis and refinished in gray, including a replacement left front fender.

 

Scrambler graphics were applied to the hood, and the fold-down windshield was replaced.

 

Exterior equipment includes a removable fiberglass hardtop, roll bar, Warn winch, high-lift jack, Rugged Ridge front and rear bumpers, LED headlights, hard doors, side steps, and a drop-down tailgate.

 

Matte black 17″ Method 305 wheels are mounted with 35×12.5″ Mickey Thompson Baja Boss tires, and a matching spare is secured to a bed-mounted Rough Country tire carrier. The Jeep features manually locking front hubs, power steering, and a Fox steering stabilizer and shocks.

 

Braking is handled by a Wilwood Hydra-boost assisted master cylinder and four-wheel disc brakes with cross-drilled and slotted front rotors. Additional chassis updates include Boomerang shackles, a replacement steering box, wheel bearings, and brake lines. 

  

Inside, high-back bucket seats were reupholstered in red leather and are joined by matching leather door panels and new black carpeting. Interior updates also include replacement rubber seals and refreshed controls.

 

Vintage Air climate control, a push-button radio, a passenger grab bar, and Harmony Audio speakers are fitted.

 

A wood-rimmed steering wheel fronts Dakota Digital instrumentation including a 120-mph speedometer, 8k-rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges.

 

The 383ci stroker V8 (rated at 511 hp and 470 ftlbs) was installed in 2023 along with a Painless wiring harness. It features Holley Sniper EFI, an aluminum radiator with dual electric fans, Hedman headers, and a stainless-steel dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers.