- City
- Lexington
- State
- SC
A long time ago a guy bought a CJ8 because he thought they were pretty cool (2001-2002ish). Tore it apart, starting put it back together, started posting some pictures on this new thing called the "internet" and met a few new people on along the way that had that same sick addiction to these Jeeps. This small circle of acquaintances soon became good friends that I would have never otherwise came across in my lifetime. Some of the most eclectic, good hearted, down to earth people I would ever meet. Strangely enough all those other people started sharing pictures, stories, detailed mechanical knowledge and helpful hints on the vehicles to become the largest and only repository online of all things Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler. Being much younger with much more time and money on my hands, than now, I got myself a little bit arrogant and decided I was going to sell my prized rebuilt Scrambler and build another one using the knowledge to build a bigger better one. So, much against a few peoples wishes, I sold the one I tore apart and rebuilt (frame off restomod) and sold it to one of the fellow members on the growing website. Firemanhank bought that one and I had purchased lots of pieces to start another one.
Well then life happens, you get married
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/she-said-yes.13791/
, you have kids
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/2008-scrambler-cooper-james-donaghy.19322/
, and time doesn't really permit big projects any more. Somewhere along the line, I started a company named GR8TOPS to build products that intially were focused solely on the CJ-8. A full length hardtop for the CJ-8's. 2003ish GR8TOPS was born as a side run business on nights and weekends. Also, somewhere along in that time, just decided I wasn't going to be getting to the CJ-8 project basket case of parts I had bought and just decided to sell to another friend.
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/82-project-cj8.21128/
2005ish GR8TOPS introduced the half hardtops for the TJ and LJs thereby making them a modern day "scrambler" but we never marketed them as a "scrambler" because of our heritage with the CJ-8.
Kid #2 Sawyer arrives in 2013 and GR8TOPS continues to grow but the desire to mess with an older CJ-8 fades even though we attend a few CJ-8 Scramble events over the years in a LJ or JK with the boys. I had purchased a couple of CJ8s during that time span but always just turned around and sold them to make a few quick bucks. Continue buying and selling TJ, LJs and JKs that we build with our products and then turn around and sell within 1-2 years. Somewhat always haunted by comments from the wife ever once in a while "you never should have sold that Scrambler that you rebuilt". When attending a couple of the CJ-8 events I have to repeatedly answer to the boys why we don't have one and that is great to hang out with everyone even if we don't have one. 2020, Sawyer sees an event on the wall calendar called the "Scrambler Sand Blast" and says thats what he wants to do for his birthday. So, you do what the kid wants to do. So, we drive to Michigan in a JKU and camp for a couple of days with all the Scrambler folk and once again get harassed by both my family and all attendees about not having a Scrambler.
September of 2020, an old local scrambler friend from right here in Columbia that I had not heard from in years (doncj8) calls and leaves me a message about a "scrambler "and to call him back. He tells me he knows where there is one that is an estate and they are currently tryhing to purge several cars from the estate and this scrambler is getting moved in next day or 2 if you want to get it before they move it, will be cheaper to get now. Says its an 83 Laredo. 5 spd, and the guy bought it new. Says, it has some frame issues, but otherwise is pretty solid. Didn't tell the wife about the call, and at this point was only interested in going to look at it and maybe get it cheap and resell.
Went to look at it as it sat in the storage building. Had not been moved, started, anything since 2004 and had a pile of dust on it.
Negotiated a price, and had it hauled back to the shop on a rollback. Had not intentions of really keeping it and just texted picture of it to the wife and "said, look a nice quick flipper for some christmas cash). Never really got much response back other than "You, shouldn't resell that, you should keep that". Then was ambushed when I got home from work that day with "look boys, guess what daddy bought for you..., A Scrambler, now that you can go to Scrambler events" Totally blindsided and ambushed by the family to keep it.
Doesn't really makes sense to keep and/or have time or a place to work on it.. But, WHO EVER DOES.
So, here it sits.. A walkaround....
https://fb.watch/2nn4u7ar0R/
So, we may just have to make it a keeper..
Its a 83 Laredo optioned all out. Factory AC, FACTORY CRUISE, Warn full float rear axles, 1 owner, the guy purchased it new and the title I have is dated 8 miles and 1983.
Overall the body is in pretty good shape, some small holes in the floor. The front of the frame is cracked and/or bent and previously been plated. We've had the motor running briefly, but have not driven it yet. Although kinda sketchy, the aluminum cap over the rear bed is what has saved the bed of the jeep.
Stay tuned, a plan is in place for it. Be sure to watch the videos for all the details on the jeep that I didn't put in the thread.
Well then life happens, you get married
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/she-said-yes.13791/
, you have kids
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/2008-scrambler-cooper-james-donaghy.19322/
, and time doesn't really permit big projects any more. Somewhere along the line, I started a company named GR8TOPS to build products that intially were focused solely on the CJ-8. A full length hardtop for the CJ-8's. 2003ish GR8TOPS was born as a side run business on nights and weekends. Also, somewhere along in that time, just decided I wasn't going to be getting to the CJ-8 project basket case of parts I had bought and just decided to sell to another friend.
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/82-project-cj8.21128/
2005ish GR8TOPS introduced the half hardtops for the TJ and LJs thereby making them a modern day "scrambler" but we never marketed them as a "scrambler" because of our heritage with the CJ-8.
Kid #2 Sawyer arrives in 2013 and GR8TOPS continues to grow but the desire to mess with an older CJ-8 fades even though we attend a few CJ-8 Scramble events over the years in a LJ or JK with the boys. I had purchased a couple of CJ8s during that time span but always just turned around and sold them to make a few quick bucks. Continue buying and selling TJ, LJs and JKs that we build with our products and then turn around and sell within 1-2 years. Somewhat always haunted by comments from the wife ever once in a while "you never should have sold that Scrambler that you rebuilt". When attending a couple of the CJ-8 events I have to repeatedly answer to the boys why we don't have one and that is great to hang out with everyone even if we don't have one. 2020, Sawyer sees an event on the wall calendar called the "Scrambler Sand Blast" and says thats what he wants to do for his birthday. So, you do what the kid wants to do. So, we drive to Michigan in a JKU and camp for a couple of days with all the Scrambler folk and once again get harassed by both my family and all attendees about not having a Scrambler.
September of 2020, an old local scrambler friend from right here in Columbia that I had not heard from in years (doncj8) calls and leaves me a message about a "scrambler "and to call him back. He tells me he knows where there is one that is an estate and they are currently tryhing to purge several cars from the estate and this scrambler is getting moved in next day or 2 if you want to get it before they move it, will be cheaper to get now. Says its an 83 Laredo. 5 spd, and the guy bought it new. Says, it has some frame issues, but otherwise is pretty solid. Didn't tell the wife about the call, and at this point was only interested in going to look at it and maybe get it cheap and resell.
Went to look at it as it sat in the storage building. Had not been moved, started, anything since 2004 and had a pile of dust on it.
Negotiated a price, and had it hauled back to the shop on a rollback. Had not intentions of really keeping it and just texted picture of it to the wife and "said, look a nice quick flipper for some christmas cash). Never really got much response back other than "You, shouldn't resell that, you should keep that". Then was ambushed when I got home from work that day with "look boys, guess what daddy bought for you..., A Scrambler, now that you can go to Scrambler events" Totally blindsided and ambushed by the family to keep it.
Doesn't really makes sense to keep and/or have time or a place to work on it.. But, WHO EVER DOES.
So, here it sits.. A walkaround....
https://fb.watch/2nn4u7ar0R/
So, we may just have to make it a keeper..
Its a 83 Laredo optioned all out. Factory AC, FACTORY CRUISE, Warn full float rear axles, 1 owner, the guy purchased it new and the title I have is dated 8 miles and 1983.
Overall the body is in pretty good shape, some small holes in the floor. The front of the frame is cracked and/or bent and previously been plated. We've had the motor running briefly, but have not driven it yet. Although kinda sketchy, the aluminum cap over the rear bed is what has saved the bed of the jeep.
Stay tuned, a plan is in place for it. Be sure to watch the videos for all the details on the jeep that I didn't put in the thread.
Last edited:
