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I bought one today!

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
I wouldn't worry too much about it.

With AMC in the 80's you could pretty much order a package, or order it how you wanted it.

You have a tach and clock, tilt, and an upgraded steering wheel that was usually seen on SR (Renegade trim) vehicles. Renegade trim, IF you got the package, consisted of rocker trim, white spoke wheels with center caps, courtesy lights under the dash, the fancier steering wheel, a black vinyl dash overlay for the gauge layout, and a few other odds and ends.

The Laredo came with leather seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and grab bar, chrome grill and wheels, and rocker trim, along with a few other things.

That being said, you could order whatever you wanted, or delete whatever you wanted. You either have a base model that someone added tach/clock, tilt steering, white spoke wheels, and high back denim seats OR you have a Renegade that someone deleted the rocker trim and dash overlay. Unfortunately, no way to really tell without the build sheet (which if you get REALLY lucky, might be stuck on the bottom of the passenger seat).

I had a friend with a Renegade with chrome wheels and grill and a tach and clock (all Laredo options, but it was ordered that way) and dad ordered his base model exactly like he wanted it, and it had the same seats as my Renegades (and your Jeep).

So I wouldn't fret too much. What you have is period correct AMC. I don't see any aftermarket china garbage there. Very nice, clean Jeep, and without a build sheet I don't think anyone can prove it's all original, but I don't think anyone can prove it's NOT all original either.

As you can see by the paperwork attached, you could tell them what you wanted and they'd do it.
 

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AK-RWC

Legacy Registered User
Gold Member
City
south central
State
AK
Also, ^^^ THIS ^^^ times 100. I don't think you have the SR package though since you don't have any of the decals (although, someone could have ordered the SR with the decals deleted too). I still think it's a well-optioned base model. I also completely agree that you shouldn't fret about the steering wheel, or the wheels: definitely all period-correct AMC parts, and given how original the rest of the CJ is, there's very little doubt in my mind that they were installed either at the factory in a fluke or done by a dealer prior to the first titled sale. (And from the other photo you added, I'm pretty sure that's a factory switch for the fog-lights too!)

But along those same lines, I'll detail what my base model came with off the dealer-lot as my dad picked it up. He did NOT custom order it. Either way, it was a base model '85 7, with the following: power steering, power brakes, 258, T-5, clock/tach, smoker's package, tilt-column, rear seat (I think fold-&-tumble was standard in '85 for all back seats), denim seats, both front seats had tilt-bases, hard top and doors, courtesy lighting (I thought this was standard for all CJs?), both outside mirrors, HD suspension, HD cooling, HD alternator, AM/FM/cassette. (I don't remember if it had the TracLock since my dad put in a real Detroit immediately.) And I think it came with the tow package. And as noted earlier, the dealer installed aftermarket wheels, and added custom pin-striping. The only options that weren't trim-specific that I can tell it was missing: A/C, fog-lights, wiper-delay, cruise control.

My '84 CJ-7 was definitely a Renegade, but it was fairly stripped for being a Renegade. It was a 258/T-5, and had the dash overlay and denim seats and decals (repainted by a PO, but I found evidence of them) and white wheels with caps, but the only other options it had were power steering and the factory wiper-delay (and both front seats had tilt bases, and it had courtesy lights). Oh, and it had hard doors (when I got it, it also had a hard top, but the key didn't work so I'm not certain it was original to that CJ). No tilt column, no power brakes, no smoker's package, no tach/clock, no fog lights, etc.

AMC did weird things.
 
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AdamH

Scrambler Junkie
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Mt Holly
State
NC
Great move starting off with one in such great condition to start with.
 

wm69

Scrambler Junkie
Silver Member
Lifetime Member
City
God's Country
State
AR
, courtesy lighting (I thought this was standard for all CJs?), both outside mirrors, HD suspension, HD cooling, HD alternator. (I don't remember if it had the TracLock since my dad put in a real Detroit immediately.) And I think it came with the tow package. And as noted earlier, the dealer installed aftermarket wheels, and added custom pin-striping. The only options that weren't trim-specific that I can tell it was missing: A/C, fog-lights, wiper-delay, cruise control.

My '84 CJ-7 was definitely a Renegade, but it was fairly stripped for being a Renegade. It was a 258/T-5, and had the dash overlay and denim seats and decals (repainted by a PO, but I found evidence of them) and white wheels with caps, but the only other options it had were power steering and the factory wiper-delay (and both front seats had tilt bases, and it had courtesy lights). Oh, and it had hard doors (when I got it, it also had a hard top, but the key didn't work so I'm not certain it was original to that CJ). No tilt column, no power brakes, no smoker's package, no tach/clock, no fog lights, etc.

AMC did weird things.

Dad's base had no courtesy lighting (I've added since), and also had no radio at all (delete plate) and no wiper delay. Obviously no tilt, cruise, or A/C either. Driver's seat was a non-tilt base.

My Renegades one had power brakes, the other did not. Driver's seat was flip forward on one, fixed on the other. No tilt on either of them, no tach/clock on either of them, no fog lights on either of them. Green 85 has A/C, the Honey 85 did not. The Green 85 has no sign of every having stickers on it, but has all the Renegade options on it.
 

Paulie

Member
City
Bethesda
State
MD
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Paulie

Member
City
Bethesda
State
MD
What a nightmare shipping was.

Got it a week late and delivered at 1:12 am. Truck didn’t leave my home until 3:00 am. Neighbors were definitely awoken. I have some apologies to dole out.

At least I got to hear this baby purr.

B6FF3611-C5F8-4609-8EC1-DC5C14447EE5.jpeg

7A09F4EC-E697-4E10-8600-9BCCB33F880A.jpeg
 
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masscj2a

Rebuilding America's Jeep
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Ware
State
MA
Where is the picture of your on the pavement? Yeh, I'm sure your neighbors loved you that night. But if I was one, I would have been out to check that out. Good luck
 
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