This Custom Vintage Jeep CJ8 Scrambler Will Kill Your Desire For a Jeep Gladiator
The only thing cooler than a Jeep Gladiator is (well, a lot of things) a custom vintage Jeep CJ8 Scrambler restomod. However, this isn’t just any restomod; these vintage CJ8s are made to spec by hunting outfitter Ball and Buck. These restomodded trucks are cool, classy, vintage, contemporary, tough, and beautiful. I know that’s a lot, but it’s true. Take a look for yourself.
The Ball and Buck vintage Jeep CJ8 is so much cooler than a Jeep Gladiator
Expedition Portal writes that they got to spend some time in one of these badass Jeep CJ8s and struggled to do anything other than gush over the rugged pickup. But, who could blame them?
This truck is a clear exercise in restraint. While most 4×4 restomodders tend to throw the kitchen sink at their vintage trucks, the Ball and Buck CJ8 looks just like a really clean factory car from afar. Maybe the real Jeep nerds might notice the color options of Coronado Sand, Everglades Green, Chesapeak Grey, and Sutton Black, don’t exactly look like factory AMC colors, but overall the truck looks normal.
However, upon closer inspection, the Ball and Buck trucks start to shine
The B&B CJ8 followed Jeep’s lead and was made for quail hunting in South Georgia. Making these CJ8 scramblers even cooler is the fact that AMC didn’t make many because they were never very popular in the ‘80s. The lack of sales meant that only 5,000 were ever made, making them fairly rare trucks.
What did they do to these Jeeps?
Unlike the modern Jeep Gladiator, the Ball and Buck CJ8s are very analog with very few modern parts. The only mechanical updates are ARB Air Lockers and a few other modern bolt-ons like a modern winch, front bumper, and lights if you so choose.
As Mark Bollman, founder of Ball and Buck, said, “I was fed up with purchasing products that fell apart after only a few uses. Ball and Buck is a brand that builds every product with extreme attention to detail, hand-sources all the materials we use, and rigorously field tests our products to ensure they will not only last but get better with wear for generations of enjoyment. Simply put, we make the highest quality products in the world for those who share a passion for the outdoors.”
How much does this vintage Jeep CJ8 cost?
The Ball and Buck CJ8 starts at $85,000. While that may sound like a lot for an old (kinda) pickup truck, compared to many other 4×4 Land Rover Defender or Ford Bronco restomods, it’s really quite reasonable.
Now, if you really want to crank things up, you certainly can. Ball and Buck also offers an ARB overlanding kit which is about as cool as it gets, tacking on an extra
This kit includes Front and rear ARB Air Lockers, Onboard ARB Air Compressor, ARB, Safari Snorkel air intake, Warn M8000 Winch, ARB Base Rack System, ARB Intensity LED, Flood/Spot Lights, and Rear Facing Quadratec LED Flood Lights. If for some reason, that wasn’t enough, the list of extras can go on and on. They offer wheels, jacks, recovery kits, undercarriage protection, and much more.
Forget about buying the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon and get one of these
Because so many cars are getting so expensive these days, many of these restomods are starting to make a lot more sense. If you can spend nearly $90k on a fully loaded Hemi Jeep Wrangler, why not get the slower, cheaper, and waaaaaaay cooler restomod CJ8?
