This Chestnut Brown Metallic 1981 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo was registered with its original owner in Virginia for 37 years. It was parked for 12 years before it was acquired in 2018 by its current owner, who kept a blog detailing its subsequent six-year, body-off refurbishment. In addition to refreshing its body, frame, and interior, the project included installing a Golen Engines 4.6L inline-six and overhauling the Jeep’s drivetrain, wiring, fuel system, suspension, and brakes. The truck has a four-speed manual transmission, Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection, a Borla muffler, power steering, polished 15″ steel wheels, 31″ BFG KO2’s, Bilstein Shocks, JBA shorty headers, Tom Wood’s driveshafts, one-piece rear axle shafts, and a Trac-Lok rear differential. Its interior features Nutmeg vinyl upholstery, high-back bucket seats, color-keyed carpets, Polk Audio speakers, and a RetroSound stereo. This CJ-7 is offered at no reserve on dealer consignment in New Jersey with a window sticker, manufacturer’s literature, receipts, spare soft doors, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Virginia title in the owner’s name.

The truck was finished at the factory in Chestnut Brown Metallic, and the body was disassembled, media-blasted, and primed with epoxy prior to a two-stage repaint. Other exterior details include a bright grille, re-chromed bumpers, black wheel arch extensions, soft half-doors, and a bikini top.

The suspension has a 2.5″ lift with Alcan springs and Bilstein shock absorbers, and the 15″ polished steel wheels are mounted with 31×10.50″ BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires. Vacuum-assisted front disc brakes are paired with rear drums for stopping power, and the system has a replacement booster, master cylinder, lines, and hardware.

The seats are upholstered in Nutmeg vinyl over frames that were media-blasted and powder-coated, and fresh color-keyed carpeting lines the floors. Painless Performance wiring is noted, and the sound system has Polk Audio speakers wired to a RetroSound stereo with Bluetooth.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel is mounted on a rebuilt column with a Wolff Engineering lower bearing. The dashboard has a quartz clock, an 85-mph speedometer, a tachometer that is not working, and gauges for coolant temperature, fuel level, voltage, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 92k miles, ~900 of which were added under current ownership.

A Golen Engines 4.6-liter stroker inline-six is installed under the hood, and it has Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection, a Clifford intake manifold, a FlowKooler water pump, a Be Cool radiator, a Powermaster alternator, and a Powermaster 9000 PowerMax starter. Its replacement fuel tank has an in-tank Holley fuel pump, and its 2.5″ stainless-steel exhaust system has ceramic-coated JBA shorty headers, a high-flow catalytic converter, and a Borla muffler.

The frame was stripped, primed with Mastercoat Rust Sealer, and top-coated with Mastercoat AG111 chassis paint, and the underside of the tub was finished with bedliner coating. The four-speed manual transmission and Dana 300 transfer case were overhauled, and the drivetrain has Tom Wood’s driveshafts, a Dana 30 front axle with East Coast Gear Supply axle shafts, and an AMC 20 rear end, which has a Trac-Lok differential as well as Yukon Gear one-piece axles.

The window sticker lists initial delivery to Tysons AMC/Jeep Inc. of Vienna, Virginia, along with factory colors, equipment, and a Total Amount of $10,930.

Additional photos taken during the refurbishment are shown at the end of the gallery below and on the owner’s blog.

Snapshot

1981 JEEP CJ-7

No Accidents or Damage Reported to CARFAX

1 Service History Record

13 Detailed Records Available

91,175 Last Reported Odometer Reading

FREE CARFAX Report

See the full CARFAX Report for additional information

The Carfax report is free of accidents or other reported damage.