Jeep CJ7 1979 Golden Eagle

[@bowanna990]

I have a 1980 cj7. It was my first vehicle and I had it since I was 14. It's has been well taken care of believe it or not. It's the last year from the factory with a v8, which has been changed from the 304cu AMC to a 401cu AMC. Have upgraded the four speed transmission from a Tremec T176 to a five speed NV4500 from a Dodge application which bolt directly to the engine and transmission without adapters and had the correct input and output splines. Love to watch your videos. I'm planning a restoration and have had a new steel body tub waiting for years. I'm more of the resto-mod/keep it close to original but change the defects I've experienced over 33 years of owning a Jeep. Jeep (Junk Eats Every Paycheck). Got to have the love for them to put up with their quirks. My dad had a 1979 cj7 with a 304v8, automatic transmission(turbo400!) and Quadratrac(full time 4wd) like the Wagoneers. Been around Jeep my whole life.

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Super cool. I totally agree with the "fixes" to the things that just are not worth the effort to keep it original. That's one of the things that I achieved with the HEI upgrade. Love to hear about the life-long bond to your CJ7. I only wish I was aware of the when I was that age.

[@tomdonnelly611]

Jeep just empty every pocket 😜

[@_bakes_]

Super excited about this series. You are motivating me to do something significant with mine!

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Go get 'er done. I've got tons more vids coming so make sure you've subscribed to get the notifications.

[@DOLPHINATOR9778]

MAN,SO FREAKING COOL!

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Almost done with it. Once I've got it completed, I'll do a full video on it so you can see the before and after.

[@schuggideschug3871]

Thanks for all this informations. I have an 1978 golden eagle from my dad who passed away 12 years ago. He restored the Jeep two times and last time with a new body. Now I have the time to work on the Jeep and I am trying to figure out what is original an what not. Again thanks for this video, best regards from Germany, Dennis

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Wow! Cool history. If you want, email me at [e-mail] and we can exchange notes. I'll help as much as I can.

[@schuggideschug3871]

@@coolguy_CJ7 Thanks a lot, I will contact you soon :-)

[@freevvvssss]

Awesome! Buying a Similar Jeep! Thinking it may be a Golden eagle after watching literally looks exactly the same just better condition not as rusty. Looking forward to your future videos!

[@coolguy_CJ7]

What's the color code on the firewall plate? I hope it's green. That's always been my favorite version for the Golden Eagle.

[@j.thornton8390]

Which is the color code on the firewall plate?

[@j.thornton8390]

Never mind, found it. H4

[@j.thornton8390]

Dark Cocoa...Im not a huge fan of that color. I like the brilliant blue much more. So my plan has been to keep my 76 cj7 as original as possible. Even down to the color, but now Im having second thoughts. Any input?

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Well, I guess it depends on where you hold your value. There are so few CJs out there that are 100% stock. Most have been altered way beyond their original build. I would say that if you stayed period correct in your paint scheme, it will still hold 95% of the OEM authentic value. Find out what colors were used for that year, and choose your favorite. That way the only difference is the 1 color code number and everything else is the correct build. Besides, very few people are going to know the difference and unless you're going for a registry or concourse level restore, it won't matter. Just my CJ snob opinion. :)

[@jeepinandjivin1825]

The golden eagle was available only from 1977-1980. There are certain things a Jeep has to have to be a golden eagle if it’s missing any one component it’s not one. And yeah it also needs the “sticker”. Good job on the Jeep !

[@coolguy_CJ7]

This is mostly true. AMC had a habit of a’ la’ carte with some packages. Especially in the mechanical specs. Engine, power steering, power brakes. But only in the mechanics.

[@chickensfloat7427]

1981 was the first year of the paddle type handles. I have a 81 thats been in the family since 81 and had 800 miles when we got it. 82 was first year of the wide trac axles

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Theres a bunch of rhings that seemed to happen in 80 and 81 in prep for emissions control, cheaper production, and maybe some safety improvements (wide track axles). The T176, the dana 300, aluminum intake manifold... etc.

[@chickensfloat7427]

The speaker holes were a option if im not mistaken. My dads 77 had 1 hole for a single am radio. My 81 has 2 holes, originally had green and brown speakers that matched the jeep, am fm radio but radio was replaced despite the jeep only having 800 miles. Story is doctor bought it, layed it on passenger side, then had body work done under the table and traded it in for a grand wagoneer. Then my grandpa bought it. This Jeep had weird options such as am fm radio, the fancy speakers, sev marchal fog lights, high back seats, factory window tint, even a factory ski rack whoch is super rare but my grandpa got sick of hitting his head on it when gassing up but the dealer let him trade it in for side steps. The rest of the heep was stripped as could be. No tachometer, clock, dash pad, tilt, power anything,. I6 with t4, skinny wheels like im the 70s but different offset due to the disc brakes new in 1980

[@chickensfloat7427]

No flares too. Factory under coaring but Akin to some new kid at the dealer they handed some kid the undercoating gun and he did the tops of the inner fenders, grill, hood ect. Its a mess

[@coolguy_CJ7]

I don't even know how to process all of this. Crazy. But to each their own I guess. What do you plan to do with it?

[@chickensfloat7427]

@@coolguy_CJ7 over the years it got passed around the family. Ended up in the hands of my bro inlaw, it jumped a tooth on the timing chaine, he decided to 360 swap it. Old sr4 was tired so he went ahead and put a 3 speed in it (t150 i think).also lifted it and put big tires on. It kinda sat for a few years. He gave it to me. The 3 speed and the 2.73 gears made 1st gear like 2nd gear. Far too high so i put a rebuilt t176 in it then the used engine immediately took a dump so i put a new long block in it and its been my daily since.

[@chickensfloat7427]

Correction: its not the t4 its the sr4. T4 and t5 was used in 1982 and up i think.

[@chickensfloat7427]

Body is getting a little rough on it though. It was mint till it was given to my dads great uncle. He let it go. But considering the age and all its life in the salt belt i guess my grandpas yearly oil spray then undercoat job under the jeep preserved it enough that it delayed the rust 30 years and still has the original frame with no patches which is unheard up here up north. Even my 1982 cj has been off the road for 20 years and stored in a barn yet the frame is worse then this 1981. Kinda crazy

[@someoneoutthere1866]

Learning a lot, thanks!

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Glad to be of help. More vids coming in the next few weeks.

[@tomdonnelly611]

Hey CoolGuy, when you were explaining the fact that this year of CJ7 doesn't have a B pillar, you have a really good video of what the B pillar looks like from your other Jeep when you filmed your rocker panel repair. Maybe you could insert that??? Just a thought. I am looking forward to watching you progress with this restoration... keep the videos coming!

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Actually, as ive found out, 76-80 only had the 2 point seatbelts. As a result, the rollbar was slightly different and the seatbelt mount was just that metal piece. Although any CJ7 tub will fit any CJ7 from 76-86, there is slight differences for the earlier models. I'm building this Golden Eagle to exact original parts.

[@lukedawg357SIG]

Mine is a 1981 CJ7 I am the second owner it has the doors and rollbar like yours it was made in Octobar of 80 i found out the hard way about 20 years ago about the doors mine came with soft top.

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Excellent. How original is it? I only ask because I might want to use you as a reference since you are the second owner.

[@lukedawg357SIG]

@@coolguy_CJ7 Mine is a Renegade very base no A/C No power steering 258 six with the first plastic valve cover that leaks held in center only and the sr4 transmission.

[@DavidBrown-qt1rr]

Love your purist mentality! I'm with you. I have an 84 Spring Special (Adriatic Blue) I'm trying to get back to factory. Would that have had a chrome grill cover? What about a frame cover with the Jeep logo?

[@coolguy_CJ7]

The chrome grill cover was only a laredo trim piece. The frame cover was available 82-86. Collins brothers bought up all the replicas from Mopar and charges 3X as much for them.

[@DavidBrown-qt1rr]

@@coolguy_CJ7 Great to know, thanks! How about the hinges for the side view mirrors? I see them in chrome sometimes. Which models might have had them? Also, is there a video that shows the finished product of your renegade?

[@coolguy_CJ7]

@@DavidBrown-qt1rr All of the chrome that you see on these old CJs are aftermarket. The only model that had chrome trim items was the Laredo. Everything was body color because they were painted once the body was completely assembled. That's why they rust out so much in those areas where things are mounted. Except for the front bumper. You could get that either black or chrome on any model trim package.

[@MrJeep75]

1980 is the first year for high backs

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Were you able to get them in low and high back? The reason I ask is I have an almost complete OEM 80 CJ7 with the full floor mount rollbar, but the rollbar doesn't have the 3 point bolt hole for the type of seatbelts that came with the highback seats.

[@MrJeep75]

They only had 4 different roll bars in cj's 69-70 was the first optional another from 71-75 was optional, 76-78 standard 79-86 floor mounted roll bar standard

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Don't know much, if anything, about the CJ5s. As you've pointed out, 76-78 were side mount, 79-80 were floor mount, and 81-86 were floor mount with 3 point seatbelts attached to the rollbar. Correct?

[@MrJeep75]

79 they changed to floor mounted roll bar

[@coolguy_CJ7]

79-81 for the 2 point seat belts. In 82 they went to high back seats and 3 point seatbelts. I thought the cj5s always had them as side mounts.

[@MrJeep75]

@@coolguy_CJ7 in 1980 they went to high backs and 3pt seat belts in 82

[@seancovert4847]

Have a 76 cj7 I'll be following

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Excellent. Glad to have you along for the ride.

[@j.thornton8390]

@sean covert made any progress with your 76? Ive started on a 76 as well. So much work to do.

[@RM-gm6zt]

Why won't your wife let you put the Renegade sticker on? Is it because Jeep ruined the name with that little roller-skate 'Renegade'? If so, I totally get that. :)

[@coolguy_CJ7]

She wanted it to look like a beat up/worn CJ7. The stickers would've looked too much like a new restoration. :)

[@RM-gm6zt]

@@coolguy_CJ7 That's cool. I've got a nicely worn and patina-ed 83 Renegade without it's hood decals, and I'm not too keen to replace them now that the name's been tarnished. :)

[@coolguy_CJ7]

Well, I will take this opportunity to climb on my soapbox. Anything after 1986 is, in my opinion, just chysler wannabe crap. The Jeep brand died in 87. AMC was not a good automaker, but at least they didn't make 4x4 minivans for the suburban middle aged guys to feel liked they can still be cool. A new Jeep JKYJ or whatever the stupid acronym is now, lists at $60k with the MOAB trim. That's before all the stupid aftermarket crap they add on to their barbie grocery getters.