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A 383 Chevy small-block, 44-inch tires, an Atlas II behind an NV4500, and two 35-spline Dana 60s. Sounds like another one of our fictional ultimate buildups from the ’01 September issue of Jp, huh? Well, it’s not. This big red Scrambler is real, it works, and it gets used. Doug Stacy of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, built his first Jeep correctly and this CJ-8 is the result of a one-year buildup where very little was overlooked. As an electrical contractor with a serious case of “attention to detail disease,” Doug has one clean Scrambler that would make many a show truck look dingy. The best part is this man ain’t afraid to do some hard-core ’wheeling.
Chassis & Driveline
Doug started out with an ’86 CJ-7 frame, which was then strengthened, and lengthened about 6 inches up front, and 18 inches out back. Next to come was the custom suspension, which uses four progressive-rate springs from Valley Spring, a four-link up front and a three-link for the rear. Eight Rancho 9012s (two per wheel) damp the full-width GM Dana 60s. The Wagoner Machine Shop custom 60s are filled with 1 ½-inch 35-spline shafts, a pair of Detroit Lockers, and 5.13:1 ring-and-pinions. In order to turn 44s, Doug opted for some serious Chevy horsepower in the form of a heavily-built 383 stroker with Tuned Port Injection from a ’91 Vette. Backing the powerplant up is an NV4500 with a 6.34 First gear, which then turns a 4.3:1 low-range ratio Atlas II T-case. The engine exhales through a set of Gibson headers and two Flowmasters attached to a 2 ½-inch dual exhaust pipe.
Body & Interior
To keep the Scrambler tub’s butt off the rocks, Doug trimmed 13 ½ inches. The CJ-8 body was then sprayed with fire-engine red paint. The interior and the 6-point cage was all sprayed with bedliner for durability. Beneath the cage is seating for four, courtesy of some RCS seats and 4-point harnesses. The aluminum dash was powdercoated and filled with Auto Meter gauges. A 200-amp alternator charges up four Optima batteries, two for the winch and two for the Jeep’s electrical system.
Wheels & Tires
Stuffed within a set of four 19.5/44x15 Boggers are some 15x12 bead-locked Fast Wheels. These huge tires pay their rent by holding up to some seriously jagged rocks around Oklahoma.
Good, Bad, & What It's For
At first glance this Jeep draws a lot of attention, it looks good, but it truly stands out once you see what this thing can do in the rocks. It’s one thing to get a Jeep to move with 44-inch tires, but if you can build one that not only moves but can creep over just about anything, then you’ve got a real prize on your hands. And if it’s your first Jeep, well, you done good.
What We Think
We like the paint but—dammit—it’s got to hurt when this big red beast gets a bit too friendly with the rocks.