1980ish Jeep CJ7, Texas Conversion: The Review Nobody Asked For

"saltcityeuros" (saltcityeuros) 09/15/2014 at 10:33 • Filed to: None

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Do you remember those dreams you had, as a kid, when you wished you could drive around a lifted convertible Chevy Astro van?

Ok, I don't either, but forget BMW – this is the Ultimate Driving Machine.

( Full Disclosure : I'm a cinematographer, and I currently work in the firearms industry, which is a trip, to say the least. As a gearhead, I'm lucky enough to enjoy the full range of vehicles associated with the work – whether it's WWII deuces, jet boats, tanks, ORVs, fully kitted overland Jeeps and Tacomas, ExMOD Land Rover Defenders, or 8-wheeled Soviet troop carriers. )

I know very little about 1980s jeeps. Here is what I do know:

While I was shopping around for a Tacoma, my wife left me unsupervised for a minute and I ended up behind the wheel of an '89 YJ with a 350 swap and a welded rear diff. Thought I was gonna die.

That's all.

I read the Jalopnik article about Texas hunting trucks a few months ago but forgot about the phenomenon until I found myself in a sunflower field on a dove hunt about ten miles from the Mexican border.

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This rad CJ7 conversion (if you can call it that) rolled up, and I immediately knew I had to write a piece on it. Driven by the farmer whose land we were hunting on, about all I got out of him was "mumble, mumble, 258 six cylinder, mumble..."

He later told me that he used to build much bigger ones when he lived in Florida – to drive through the swamps (screw boats!)

That was that, and we loaded up and drove out to shoot some doves with our suppressed shotguns.

Exterior: 1/10

I couldn't decide if I should give it a 1 or a 10 - it's beautiful in a way that only gearheads can understand. Custom bumpers, railings, platforms and steps – and seats and lights and controls and really everything.

Off-road Ability: 15/10

This thing could take you anywhere – though I might install a roll cage – or seatbelts.

Braking: 10/10

It stopped when asked it to stop; what more do you need?

Acceleration: 3/10

Ya know. Felt pretty torquey, though.

Ride: 10/10

So cushy. I don't know what kind of van they ripped those seats out of – but they made a great choice.

Handling: 4/10

It's no BRZ - but it can hold its own in a straight line.

Interior: 6/10 (Or is it actually the exterior?)

Definitely minimalist, though less Bauhaus and more Deliverance . Extra points for pvc pipe steering column and wood accelerator pedal!

Gearbox: 5/10

Rusty machete included.

Accessibility: 10/10

Want to climb in the back? You can do that. Want to sit in front of the driver? You can do that. Want to hang on the side carrying a shotgun and ride around like a maniac? You can do that.

Value: 10/10

I would absolutely buy one of these, even if the only place I could drive it was my half-acre back yard. I like to imagine throwing a cooler in the back and tackling Hell's Revenge in one of these.

There ya have it – for those of you looking for a solid alternative to that Unimog you found on Craigslist, I guarantee that this is the most helpful review you'll read all day.

74/100

Engine: 4.2L AMC I6

Power: 98 HP / 193 LB-FT

Transmission: 3 Speed Automatic

0-60 Time: Dude, who knows?

Top Speed: Don't know if I'd do much more than 5 or 10 mph.

Drivetrain: 4 wheel drive / Dana 300 Transfer Case

Curb Weight: 2,707 pounds (pre-modifications)

Seating: 2 up front + 4 up top + probably 4 more = 10ish, plus a hunting dog

MPG: Suck it!

MSRP: Priceless.

You can find me on Instagram @maxdaines.

OPPOsaurus WRX > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 10:50

2

Can we get an OPPO review of the other passengers? I'm guessing it would make for OPPOreview of the year.

OPPOsaurus WRX > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 10:51

5

How many F Obama's and F Bush's were blasted out during the outing?

GrayHays > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 16:29

2

Hunting with a silenced 20ga? Were y'all avoiding rustling up the cartel guys?

crazysaturn > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 16:46

1

Holy crap. I didn't even know dove hunting was a thing...looking into it, seems a bit insane. What's the allure?

klurejr > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:08

1

That thing is rad. Now all I need is a couple of acres so I can build one of my own AND have somewhere to drive it.

I am wondering why no Winch, but I guess for hunting you may just stay on designated double tracks.

firesharter > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:08

1

Most of the bird buggies around here are built on 80's suburban frames.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:15

1

Lifted Chevy Astro van FOR SALE

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/4647599165…

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:18

5

I welded my diff now the car won't move

walkerman5000 > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:20

1

Love the 'luggage rack' (?) right in the middle under the platform. That's really thinking outside the box.

Ted Ladue > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:22

1

I really did have dreams of driving a lifted Astro when I was a kid! Man, I musta been a weird kid.

BurntOrangeBurnout > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 17:24

1

Dammit. Now I have to build one.

lonestranger > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 18:06

4

For the inevitable shotgun suppressor questions:

OctaneBlood > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 18:55

1

OMG Silencerco shotgun suppressors. mmmmmmmm

TxBrumski > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 18:56

1

That was that, and we loaded up and drove out to shoot some doves with our suppressed shotguns.

Wait, a-what now? I've never hunted dove with suppressed shotguns. Is this something I'm missing out on?

saltcityeuros > lonestranger 09/15/2014 at 20:20

2

Yep, that's our can!

saltcityeuros > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 09/15/2014 at 20:21

2

hahahaha ohh man

saltcityeuros > TxBrumski 09/15/2014 at 20:22

2

It's pretty rad. Little recoil, no ear pro. It hasn't really been done in America before - my company just released one of the first US shotgun suppressors that works on a lot of different guns. You'll have to try it for sure.

4thwall > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 20:26

0

why is he shooting at the driver?

saltcityeuros > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/15/2014 at 20:26

2

Gawker would feature it, that's for sure. ha

saltcityeuros > GrayHays 09/15/2014 at 20:30

1

It makes hunting a lot easier on the ears and shoulders. Though, later on one of those nights, we had taken a boat out at 1am to an uninhabited island right on the border. We were wearing NVGs and using thermal optics and suppressed ARs to hunt wild boar and coyote. After walking into the forest, we started hearing faint Mexican music coming from deep in the brush... and that was the end of our hunting that night. haha

Dsscats > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 22:06

3

This is the review no one asked for but everyone needed.

TxBrumski > saltcityeuros 09/15/2014 at 22:34

0

Sounds ridiculously awesome. What company?

saltcityeuros > crazysaturn 09/16/2014 at 00:06

1

Well, to be honest, I'm not a hunter myself - but the guys that I hunted with do it for the meat - dove breast. One of them put it in perspective for me: "You can buy processed chicken from the store that was raised in a cage and put through a slaughterhouse - or you can go out and hunt a wild bird that's had a free life."

saltcityeuros > klurejr 09/16/2014 at 00:07

0

Yes, for real! I'd love one. In this particular case, the terrain was super easy - no rivers or hills or really anything dangerous. There wasn't even mud because it never rains down there.

saltcityeuros > walkerman5000 09/16/2014 at 00:08

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It's really quite convenient. Don't know why there aren't more people ditching their minivans for these.

saltcityeuros > Dsscats 09/16/2014 at 00:10

0

Haha dude. You think just like me - my original title was "1980ish Jeep CJ7, Texas Conversion: The Review You Don't Need, but the Review You Deserve"

Unfortunately, that was a bit too long.

saltcityeuros > TxBrumski 09/16/2014 at 00:11

1

SilencerCo!

Karpet > saltcityeuros 09/16/2014 at 07:40

1

That explains all the Salvo 12s. I have not seen that many in the wild outside of high production value promo videos. I though, "geez TX really hustles in that tax stamp."

Clown Shoe Pilot > saltcityeuros 09/16/2014 at 07:59

0

Dangit. It won't work on my gun (no choke threads - benelli m1s90 tactical entry - 14")

saltcityeuros > Karpet 09/16/2014 at 10:04

1

Yeah, they're just shipping this month. We flew all those down with us

crazysaturn > saltcityeuros 09/16/2014 at 10:51

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Ahh, thanks! I couldn't find much info, but looking at the google images it looks like something entirely different.

TxBrumski > saltcityeuros 09/16/2014 at 11:16

0

Bad idea looking at ya'll's website. I need that Sparrow 22 so bad...

Karpet > saltcityeuros 09/16/2014 at 11:46

1

Speaking of high production value videos:

saltcityeuros > TxBrumski 09/16/2014 at 17:16

0

Hahaha that's the gateway drug...

saltcityeuros > Karpet 09/16/2014 at 17:17

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Yeah, that's the video I made on this trip!

CAHooptie > crazysaturn 09/16/2014 at 20:09

0

Tasty, tasty dove breast.

Hi there > saltcityeuros 09/19/2014 at 05:51

0

What types of shot have you and your friends put through those suppressors? About how many rounds can one send downrange before the suppressor requires maintenance or outright replacement? Any details you can share without getting fired would be cool, I'd like to buy one but I'm a stickler about information before plunking down 4 digits worth of dollars on something sight unseen. The fact that you are a jalop lends some modicum of credence to your statements.

saltcityeuros > Hi there 09/19/2014 at 12:05

1

For sure man - that's a sizable chunk of cash.

You can shoot 2 3/4" and 3" shells. Anything with a wad is good, as well as slugs. You have to have a wad, or the lead will expand into the can - the wad keeps it all together until it exits the baffles.

We've put lots of rounds through our cans - like thousands - without cleaning. When we had the launch party, we had 6 or 7 shotguns out with Salvos on them, and we'd bought probably 10,000 shells or more. All 50 guests were able to pick up a gun and shoot as much as they wanted. The cans worked fine and never quit running because of buildup or anything. We did clean them afterward, but that's a pretty easy process. You just take the can apart and soak the parts in solvent. For more detailed info, like our official statements on rounds and cleaning and etc., you should give customer service a call at 801-417-5384.

If you get lucky and talk to Andrew, you can even ask him about his turbo rx7 build, or his rx8 build for autocross, or his super fast Speed6. Got a couple of like-minded people working around here!

fritzo > saltcityeuros 10/05/2014 at 12:41

0

See people? THIS is how stereotypes get perpetuated...