Project Resurrection 83

[JayDub]

Hey everyone,
What I have, from the info I could get off the VIN, is a 1983 Scrambler. Has an inline 6 swapped in it already, VIN said the original engine was the 151 Iron Duke. Haven't checked much of what is left of this poor thing.
Been sitting up in the Pennsylvania weather in a pretty nicely overgrown area in the woods for about 10yrs and it definitely shows. There's not too much left salvageable so I'm not even bothering trying to save some parts, but there may just be a few gems hiding that aren't as bad as they look. BUT! It's a Jeep, it's a CJ-8, and it holds more sentimental value for my wife than it does rebuilding it in hopes to recoup what's been paid into it. It's definitely going to be a few years worth of work and dedication.

The Bad:
Just about everything
Floor is non-existent
Parts of the body are completely gone
Frame is pretty terrible too, pieces are just missing, there's cracks everywhere and rust through
Aftermarket header on the Inline 6 is rusted out
Rust
More Rust
Rust through everywhere

The Good:
It's a Jeep so it can be built from nothing
It's still a rare Jeep
The wiring surprisingly looks pretty decent
I'll have all the time in the world to save up money, it's not going anywhere
I have motivation to bring it back to life and try to keep it as original as possible, maybe a few restomod type things here and there

I'll post pictures at a later time, I don't think I captured just how rough a shape this poor Jeep is in.

 

[JayDub]

Teaser pic

 

[jpnmaine]

It is a thing of beauty.
My garage pet was pulled out of the woods with a skidder...and I can say it really didn't want to leave. My vin # was good, the firewall tag on the other hand is to rusty on the face side to get any #s. I am hopeful that I can pick some out on the back side when I have the patience to tackle it.

 

[Belizeit]

If you can bring it back from the abiss you are the man ! We need some pictures from the beginning of this journey

 

[JayDub]

It is a thing of beauty.
My garage pet was pulled out of the woods with a skidder...and I can say it really didn't want to leave. My vin # was good, the firewall tag on the other hand is to rusty on the face side to get any #s. I am hopeful that I can pick some out on the back side when I have the patience to tackle it.

I feel your pain, this one didn’t want to leave either, had to get rid of a few small trees and a lot of overgrowth, I just had a little New Holland with a backhoe attachment at my disposal fortunately to make it a little easier

 

[Kim Dawson]

Nice wheels, soft top with frame, and the hood doesn't look too bad. Like you said, parts are available and you can build it. It'll make for good before and after pictures.

 

[JayDub]

If you can bring it back from the abiss you are the man ! We need some pictures from the beginning of this journey

Well, here’s a picture from the very beginning of the journey! I haven’t signed up and paid my dues yet so I can only post 1 pic at a time

 

[JayDub]

Nice wheels, soft top with frame, and the hood doesn't look too bad. Like you said, parts are available and you can build it. It'll make for good before and after pictures.

The hood I’m thinking is very salvageable, just a little dent from a tree limb falling down onto it, fenders don’t look too terrible but I’ll have to do a thorough inspection while tearing down.

 

[JayDub]

Oh, forgot to mention as well…other than hard work and travel expenses…it was free!

 

[JayDub]

Tailgate is pretty good too! the tub, not so much!

 

[JayDub]

You can feel it’s sadness.

 

[walkerhoundvm]

Oh my lord. You'll have to share the sentimental side with us.

 

[designerRob]

Oh, forgot to mention as well…other than hard work and travel expenses…it was free!

I figured that they paid you. 😆

You are a helluva man to take that on. Kudos to you. 🍻 But really, the title and Vin alone are worth money.

 

[JayDub]

Oh my lord. You'll have to share the sentimental side with us.

A family friend of the wife owned it and she ended up getting bone marrow cancer and passed a few years ago, the husband needed it gone, out of sight, never to see it again. So during our wedding reception we asked him if we could take it and restore it and he dang near cried and said yes. So it’s going to be a Bone Marrow tribute Jeep to her…though a set of 37’s came with it, makes me wonder what other work has been done seeing as previously the 4cyl was replaced with an Inline 6 and it does have a little lift on it too

 

[JayDub]

I figured that they paid you. 😆

You are a helluva man to take that on. Kudos to you. 🍻 But really, the title and Vin alone are worth money.

I wish someone paid me! But payment enough using other people’s equipment to get it out and maybe damaging something here or there haha. I was joking there’s be nothing left by the time I made the trip from PA back to NC…close enough, there’s virtually no more floor and most of the rust had come off, even the fuel tank dropped on the trip down haha

 

[barrys]

What part of PA was it in?

 

[jpnmaine]

Free is ahead of the restoration game in my book. Even better with sentimental value added to it. Wish I had taken the time for pics...looked almost the same. Not a wheel turned. Even when being winched/pushed onto the trailer. It was a great adventure...still is.

 

[Belizeit]

That was such a thick bush, I'm surprised they were able to find it again. Kinda surprised there wasn't a big tree growing through the middle of the flooring.

 

[JayDub]

What part of PA was it in?

About an hour north of Allentown, hiding in the mountains

 

[JayDub]

So I did a search about the TDK frame I was looking at getting in the far future. Not too much on this site that I found, but what I did see, nothing but positive reviews, so that gives me the warm fuzzies, and solidifies where I'll be getting a frame. I've lurked these forums for a while, and I can say, the knowledge and atmosphere here is awesome. So maybe while doing this restore, I can contribute something and give back.