Once the changes were implemented, Steve set about to convince his father to be his co-pilot on the VOT.Ī secondhand roof rack is utilized to hold an ARB awning, a pair of Maxtrax MkII recovery ramps and other tools. A rear slide-out storage box was used for all the tools and recovery equipment that would be needed for the endeavor. The awning, with the addition of an ARB Touring awning room, helped create sleeping quarters for the pair. He knew his rig, as outfitted, could take on the mechanical demands of the challenge, but he realized that he had to incorporate a few more features to allow him to live out of it for a few days at a time.Ī secondhand roof rack Steve obtained from his father was put into place along with an ARB awning.

However, that meant modifying the truck to make it more overland-adventure-friendly. From that description, Steve knew he had to take part in this event. The Vermont Overland Trophy (VOT) was described as “a point-to-point overlanding odyssey challenging man and machine, while showcasing the best the Green Mountain State has to offer.” Taking place over four days in August, the overlanding event is designed to challenge not only a vehicle’s capabilities, but also the navigational skills, driving skills, camping efficiency and physical stamina of the participants themselves. The two headed out for a journey that would forever change the way they perceived overlanding… He stumbled upon a group called Vermont Overland, which was about to hold an event, the Vermont Overland Trophy, right in his neck of the woods. While building the 1983 CJ-8 Scrambler, Steve looked for events and places to enjoy with his newly acquired and revamped Jeep-also known as, The Sherpa. The whole Jeep was then sprayed with a fresh coat of Monstaliner Apocalypse Orange polymer ceramic coating for a super durable-and eye-catching finish. The rear bumper was also fabricated using a Trail Tubes kit, and it was modified to a swing-out configuration for spare tire access. The front bumper was fabricated from a Trail Tubes kit, and houses a Smittybilt X20 12K winch. After the armor was installed, attention was paid to the front and rear bumpers. The Scrambler was then armored with a set of Poison Spyder Customs Crusher Corners steel corner guards and tubular flares, Poison Spyder Ricochet Rockers rock sliders, and a pair of Smittybilt tube fenders. The front and rear axles were re-geared with G2 Axel & Gear’s 4.88 gears and mechanical lockers to keep things simple. The rear axle is a shaved 14-bolt unit, which houses an ARB Air Locker and is capped with a Riddler Manufacturing diff cover. Like with all great teenage automotive memories, Steve became sentimental about it, and the Scrambler was here to stay.Ī Max-Bilt skid plate protects the gas tank from impacts. However, the idea to quickly sell the CJ-8 quickly changed once Steve started driving and working its kinks out. Knowing Scramblers were desirable on the secondary market, Steve thought it would be an easy flip. Having owned numerous Jeeps over the years, especially during high school, the Scrambler quickly gained his interest.

Scrolling through Craigslist, he came upon a 1983 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler for sale in Connecticut, listed due to a recent divorce.

In the fall of 2014, Steve was looking for another vehicle to flip, after selling a recently acquired 1970 Chevy Chevelle. Taking on an unexpected project is something that is always welcomed by Steve Wilson of Wilson & Steely Kustom Coachworks. It allows you to focus on making new experiences and exploring the unknown. Once in a while, you find a project that ends up being the perfect distraction-a project that pulls you away from the comforts of the familiar and opens you up to new and exciting adventures. I have a factory jeep cj 8 scrambler half hard top, this is a hard to find top for restoring your cj 8 or customize it on your cj, yj or tj, The top is in really good shape, has a few scratchs in the paint but there are no cracks in the fiberglass at all, live in ohio prefer local pickup, selling local i can stop the sale at anytime, Any questions call john at. Item: 292956182203 jeep cj8 scrambler factory fiberglass half hard top ohio cj7 yj tj.

Jeep cj8 scrambler