Jeep Scrambler (CJ-8)
Jeep launched the Scrambler in March 1981 as a CJ-based pickup aimed at the small imported trucks of the day. It used a fully boxed frame on a 103.5-inch wheelbase, with the five-foot bed placed so its load sat over the rear axle. A GM-built four was standard and AMC's 258 six optional, with four- and five-speed manuals or a Chrysler automatic. Its first year was its best, sales fell every year after, and it quietly ended after 1985 production as the Comanche arrived.
Engines
| Engine | Power | Torque | Fuel | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L (151 cu in) GM Iron Duke I4, 2-barrel Net rating per JeepTech and just4x4s; eightiescars gives 86 hp. |
82 hp (61 kW) | 125 lb-ft (169 N·m) | Gasoline | 1981 to 1983 |
| 2.5 L (150 cu in) AMC I4 Rating from JeepTech for the CJ-7 version of the same engine. |
105 hp (78 kW) | 132 lb-ft (179 N·m) | Gasoline | 1984 to 1986 |
| 4.2 L (258 cu in) AMC I6, 2-barrel Net rating; JeepTech gives 115 hp and 210 lb-ft for 1982 to 1986. |
110 hp (82 kW) | 195 lb-ft (264 N·m) | Gasoline | 1981 to 1986 |
Transmissions
- Warner SR-4 4-speed manual (four-cylinder) (1981 to 1986)
- Tremec T-176 4-speed manual (six) (1981 to 1986)
- Borg-Warner T-5 5-speed manual (1982 to 1986)
- Chrysler TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic (1981 to 1986)
Sizes and weights
| Measure | Size |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 103.5 in2,629 mm |
| Fuel tank | 15–20 US gal57–76 L |
A range covers the body styles and trims of this generation.
Trims and editions
- Base
- SR Sport (1981 to 1984)
- SL Sport (1981 to 1984)
- Renegade (1985 to 1986)
- Laredo (1985 to 1986)
Worth knowing
- The five-foot bed was placed so its load sat over the rear axle, for close to 50/50 weight distribution.
- Sold as the CJ8 Overlander in some export markets, including Australia and Venezuela.
- About 230 right-hand-drive versions with automatics and steel hardtops were built for the US Postal Service in Alaska.
- In 1982 it made up about 12% of Jeep output and outsold the full-size J-Series pickups for the second year running.
Year by year, newest first
- Left out of Jeep's brochures; 128 are credited to 1986, which may be re-dated 1985 trucks.
- SR and SL packages replaced by Renegade and Laredo, with chrome lettering on the rear fenders instead of the hood.
- 2,015 built.
- AMC's own 2.5 L four replaced the GM-built four.
- 4,130 built; 2,826 sold.
- Standard spare tire mount moved to the roll bar.
- 5,405 built.
- Much wider front and rear track, an optional five-speed manual, and an optional 20-gallon tank.
- 7,759 built.
- Launched in March on a 103.5-inch wheelbase with a five-foot bed, a GM four standard, and the 258 six optional.
- SR and SL sport packages offered.
- 8,355 built, the best year.
Notes
Code and slug: one generation, so the slug is 'first' and the code is the factory model name. Production figures are from Wikipedia and an enthusiast spreadsheet linked from jeepfan.com (they match); just4x4s calls the total nearly 28,000. The 1986 entry is disputed; just4x4s says the Scrambler was dropped at the end of 1985. Trim naming varies: some sources treat SR and SL as the Scrambler names for the Renegade and Laredo packages. One source not checked here says a 304 V8 was offered for 1981 only; that was not confirmed, so it is not listed. Eightiescars calls the 4WD system Quadra-Trac, which conflicts with Wikipedia and just4x4s (manual hubs and a Dana 300 part-time case). A 177.3 in length for 1981 appeared in a search result but its page was not read, so length is null.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Jeep_CJ
- just4x4s.com.au /news-and-reviews/1981-jeep-scrambler-review/10326
- eightiescars.com /2020/06/21/1982-jeep-cj-8-scrambler-pickup-truck/
- docs.google.com /spreadsheets/d/14nWifEb393mD3_TGOSVLgAFt3trz6jNcwSuGJcpWB-k
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/gm151
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/amc150
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/amc258