Build Thread 1986 CJ-7 Renegade : Memories
Scorzany
Active Jeeper
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- Location
- The South
- Vehicle(s)
- 86 CJ7 Renegade, 4.2L, 4 speed manual, T177 transmission, D300 transfer, D44 rear diff, power steering, no A/C, manual brakes. Carter BBD w/o Stepper.
Hello.
First a little history if you will indulge me.
My uncle bought a brand new brown CJ5 back in the 70s. He still drove it until he died at 80 years old. He would drive it every now and then to visit us. A cool guy that I wish I knew better but he lived far away. Anytime I saw a CJ I thought of my uncle. Anyway, this was my first real experience with a Jeep CJ when I was a boy.
Some years later I graduated high school in 1985. Let's just say I went to school with some rich boys that got brand new Jeep CJs during high school and for graduation. Boy was I jealous! So cool!!
Next was College. Again I went to college with some rich boys who had Jeep CJs and again I was so jealous. So cool!! They looked so fun! I live in the deep South so we have lots of top down weather all year and I saw them all during college driving around (even though the last year they made CJs was 86). Wearing Raybans, Duck Head pants, Levi Edition blue jean jackets, and Polo green bottle cologne. This was the mid 80s mind you LOL. And talk about a chick magnet! I don't need to really tell you guys that do I?
Anyway, time goes by and life goes on right? Never got one and kinda forgot about them and only being reminded of them when my uncle drove his CJ5 for visits.
Fast foward to today. Over 30 years since high school graduation. I was going to turn 50 soon and started thinking about getting a cool car. I always had very practical cars and sort of a mid-life crisis feeling came over me. Got my wife a very nice hardly used Corvette that she always wanted when she turned 40 (that's another story! LOL) so what about me for turning 50? I sacrificed all my life for a better future and I was going to get what I wanted this time. So what car? Well I think you can guess right?
I searched. Every day on the internet searching the entire country. 2 years till I found exactly what I wanted that was stock/unmolested, in good condition, good engine, low miles, and didn't have the price tag of a total restoration job. Had to have a good color, manual of course, and a CJ7 because I'm tall. And of course it had to be a Renegade and have the proper graphics on it.
Tall order I know. Like looking for a unicorn right? But I have patience. Guys laughed at me. "Get a new one!" they would say. I said "If it's not a CJ then it's a p**sy Jeep! Not gonna buy one of those!" LOL "Get that one! It's close to what you want." "Hell no! It's not what I want." I would say. Haha
Days and months went by. Wrong color, wrong model, not manual, high miles, rusted out, too expensive, or wasn't a Renegade. Sorry Laredo and Golden Eagle guys. Got pretty frustrated but I kept searching.
Finally found it. Story was a guy lived both in the US and overseas. Only when he was in the US was it driven and stored the rest of the time. Met all the factors. This was it! Even had the window sticker with the title and it was born a Renegade! Not just someone later putting the graphics oh it. Destiny. Bought it the day I saw it.
I don't have much to do to this Jeep so don't expect a lot of major work to be done. Cosmetic things here and there and a few modifications to make it more reliable. ie: Team Rush upgrade, etc. Trying to keep it as stock as much as possible but I'm going to drive it regularly so some things need to be done.
So this thread is not only for my build but also for the memories of my uncle, high school, and college. A cool guy and the days of my youth. I can tell you that when I get in it I feel like I'm in a time machine. Transported back to the freedom of my younger days without a care in the world and think of my Uncle every now and then. Got the Raybans, Duck Head chinos, and Levi Edition blue jean jacket too! Oh and don't forget the original Polo green cologne! I get lots of compliments everywhere I go. Lot's of "Wows!", "Cool Jeep!", "What year is it!?", etc.
Yes, my Jeep CJ7 puts a smile on my face every time I see it and really when I drive it. I also named it Robert, in honor of my uncle. I will drive it until the day I die like he did. I will never sell it. It will be like selling my memories. This is my Jeep.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my story. Now........
Here it is, the day I got it home:
How it looks now. Details of changes made to date to come:
First a little history if you will indulge me.
My uncle bought a brand new brown CJ5 back in the 70s. He still drove it until he died at 80 years old. He would drive it every now and then to visit us. A cool guy that I wish I knew better but he lived far away. Anytime I saw a CJ I thought of my uncle. Anyway, this was my first real experience with a Jeep CJ when I was a boy.
Some years later I graduated high school in 1985. Let's just say I went to school with some rich boys that got brand new Jeep CJs during high school and for graduation. Boy was I jealous! So cool!!
Next was College. Again I went to college with some rich boys who had Jeep CJs and again I was so jealous. So cool!! They looked so fun! I live in the deep South so we have lots of top down weather all year and I saw them all during college driving around (even though the last year they made CJs was 86). Wearing Raybans, Duck Head pants, Levi Edition blue jean jackets, and Polo green bottle cologne. This was the mid 80s mind you LOL. And talk about a chick magnet! I don't need to really tell you guys that do I?
Anyway, time goes by and life goes on right? Never got one and kinda forgot about them and only being reminded of them when my uncle drove his CJ5 for visits.
Fast foward to today. Over 30 years since high school graduation. I was going to turn 50 soon and started thinking about getting a cool car. I always had very practical cars and sort of a mid-life crisis feeling came over me. Got my wife a very nice hardly used Corvette that she always wanted when she turned 40 (that's another story! LOL) so what about me for turning 50? I sacrificed all my life for a better future and I was going to get what I wanted this time. So what car? Well I think you can guess right?
I searched. Every day on the internet searching the entire country. 2 years till I found exactly what I wanted that was stock/unmolested, in good condition, good engine, low miles, and didn't have the price tag of a total restoration job. Had to have a good color, manual of course, and a CJ7 because I'm tall. And of course it had to be a Renegade and have the proper graphics on it.
Tall order I know. Like looking for a unicorn right? But I have patience. Guys laughed at me. "Get a new one!" they would say. I said "If it's not a CJ then it's a p**sy Jeep! Not gonna buy one of those!" LOL "Get that one! It's close to what you want." "Hell no! It's not what I want." I would say. Haha
Days and months went by. Wrong color, wrong model, not manual, high miles, rusted out, too expensive, or wasn't a Renegade. Sorry Laredo and Golden Eagle guys. Got pretty frustrated but I kept searching.
Finally found it. Story was a guy lived both in the US and overseas. Only when he was in the US was it driven and stored the rest of the time. Met all the factors. This was it! Even had the window sticker with the title and it was born a Renegade! Not just someone later putting the graphics oh it. Destiny. Bought it the day I saw it.
I don't have much to do to this Jeep so don't expect a lot of major work to be done. Cosmetic things here and there and a few modifications to make it more reliable. ie: Team Rush upgrade, etc. Trying to keep it as stock as much as possible but I'm going to drive it regularly so some things need to be done.
So this thread is not only for my build but also for the memories of my uncle, high school, and college. A cool guy and the days of my youth. I can tell you that when I get in it I feel like I'm in a time machine. Transported back to the freedom of my younger days without a care in the world and think of my Uncle every now and then. Got the Raybans, Duck Head chinos, and Levi Edition blue jean jacket too! Oh and don't forget the original Polo green cologne! I get lots of compliments everywhere I go. Lot's of "Wows!", "Cool Jeep!", "What year is it!?", etc.
Yes, my Jeep CJ7 puts a smile on my face every time I see it and really when I drive it. I also named it Robert, in honor of my uncle. I will drive it until the day I die like he did. I will never sell it. It will be like selling my memories. This is my Jeep.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my story. Now........
Here it is, the day I got it home:
How it looks now. Details of changes made to date to come:
