'81 Jeep CJ7 in a '96 Wrangler Body

by Sean
(Oregon)

I own a 1981 Jeep CJ-7. What makes my Jeep unique is that it has the body of a 1996 Jeep Wrangler.

I bought my Jeep in the summer of 2002. My wife and I were home on leave from the Air Force. I was stationed in Italy. We bought the Jeep and drove it all over Oregon visiting the places we loved and missed while being stationed in Europe.

When we returned to Europe I parked the Jeep at my parents house and it sat there until 2003 when I came home again. On this trip, the jeep got a new engine and I got a new daughter. My wife had come home earlier to have our first child and while I was home on leave I put a rebuilt 4.2L engine in the Jeep along with the Weber 2bbl carb and GMC electronic ignition. Then the jeep got parked again.

In the winter of 2005 I got out of the Air Force and my wife and I moved back to Oregon. The Jeep became my daily driver. I had heard about converting Wrangler bodies into CJ-7 bodies and I knew my Jeep needed something new.

I was working as a mechanic for a large farm equipment store and a few of my co-workers liked "projects" so picked up a Wrangler body from a wrecking yard and we went to work. After a lot of paint, a new top, and a bunch of sweat I ended up with a pretty good looking Jeep. There's still things here and there that need to be done, but that seems to be the nature of these things.

Sadly, I'm moving again for a new job and the Jeep can't go with me. With two kids in the house now (who both love to ride in the "Beep") I've decided to sell it rather than park it at my parents house again.


Larry's Comment: Sean...too bad you can't take that good looking CJ Wrangler with you!