Just got a Jeep Eagle 🦅

[Richard_ussher]

Love it so far 

[JimC]

Congratulations and she look great. A nice piece of Jeep history

 

[Richard_ussher]

Yeah; 1980 classic piece of history. I’ll look after her 

[V]

I'm not an expert on CJ's by any stretch of the imagination, but I am interested what this vehicle is registered as on a V5C document. Things that caught my eye:

• The body tub has the square corner of a CJ7 at the driver's elbow, but the windscreen wipers are not in the tilting part of the windscreen frame.
• The front grille should have 5" diameter holes for the US model turn signals below the headlamps but they look like they have been sheeted over or filled.
• The roll cage tubing looks a smaller diameter and the rear legs are the wrong shape for a CJ7
• I can't see any leaf spring shackles at the front but there looks like there could be some coil springs up front.
• It looks like there is a fuel filler in the right hand side of the tub, that's usually on the right hand back panel.
• The wheel arch flares are non-original and remind me of a fibreglass replica.

I think it is an Eagle RV kit car. An interesting and rare vehicle in it's own right. I think they were mostly Ford Cortina based, but there are some Diahatsu and Range Rover versions around. They have an owner's club that you should consider joining.

 

Got any photos of the engine bay, rear of the tub/tailgate and the interior dashboard. I think the last time I saw one was at a kit car show probably Olympia 40 years ago.

[V]

The 'Q' plate registration for kit cars was introduced in 1983 so this one must have been finished in 1980 to get a 'W' plate. The Cortina Mk4 was out in 1976. It is possible one was used as a donor, but I reckon it is more likely to be Cortina Mk3.

 

Looking at the UK register, there may have been only 92 of these vehicles in existence. How many actually left is a mystery.

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by V

[Tone]

Takes me back, I built the first Range Rover based Eagle RV out of Storrington, It won me loads of trophies at RTV trials events. Great vehicle, so agile and powerful. That's why I had to buy a CJ7 more recently, reminiscing!

[V]

1 hour ago, Tone said:

I built the first Range Rover based Eagle RV out of Storrington

 

Do you have any pictures of it online? If not, perhaps you could do a write up for the Eagle Owner's Club. Little bits of special history like this shouldn't be lost.

[TimC]

1 hour ago, Tone said:

Takes me back, I built the first Range Rover based Eagle RV out of Storrington, It won me loads of trophies at RTV trials events. Great vehicle, so agile and powerful. That's why I had to buy a CJ7 more recently, reminiscing!

 

I remember seeing a couple, or it may have been the same one at different times, of Range Rover based Eagle RVs at AWDC events back in the '80s. Perhaps it was even you! I am glad to see you now have a CJ7 Golden Eagle as a replacement.   

[TimC]

......hold on, an imposter!  I have just noticed your thread on your CJ7.... not an actual Golden Eagle, just got the bonnet decals ( which do look really cool btw) very nice all the same.

 

I do love the Golden Eagle spec on the CJ7. Almost bought one a few years ago, 1978 in original trim, unrestored but everything there, lovely 5.0L V8 and even working air con! Should have bought it and sold the YJ....ah well 

[V]

A lot of work went into this one https://youtu.be/_KbYUMWieQ0 , read the comments about the body mods.