Vigilante Put a 485-HP Hemi in a Retro Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler

The CJ-8 Scrambler was a commercial flop in its day. Jeep moved less than 28,000 between 1981 and 1986, and most Americans panicked and bought a Toyota pickup. Forty years later, Jeep is a cult that everyone wishes they could hold onto, and Texas-based Vigilante 4×4 is here to charge a quarter-million dollars for the privilege of having a modern Hemi under the hood.

The shop has been quietly preparing a high-end Jeep lounge for the past few years, mostly by fitting ridiculous powerplants (Hellcats, Viper V10s) to Wagoneers and Cherokees. With the new Scrambler, the Vigilante descends on the green, up-and-down side of the Jeep universe.

Bespoke Weight Lifting Chassis

All builds start with an original CJ-8 donor strip of frame wiring and ditched in favor of a proprietary Vigilante chassis put together by the Roadster Shop. Out comes the setting of the leaf-spring; inside it comes with four-link suspension front and rear, Currie Enterprises Dana 44s up front, Dana 60s out back, and a heavy-duty precision modern steering box behind the wheel.

The braking system is its flex. A Baer six-piston forged caliper clamps to 14-inch drilled and machined rotors at every corner, with a Wilwood electronic parking brake to handle the boring bits. On those new axles are 17-inch Vigilante wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich KO3s, which are the closest the 2026 build will ever look to being right.

485-HP Heart Transplant

And now for the main attraction. Installed in the engine bay is a Mopar 392 HEMI crate engine, the same naturally aspirated 6.4-liter V8 that’s powered SRT badges for the better part of a decade. Power output remains at 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. In essence, that’s more power than the Wrangler 392 Final Edition, in a smaller and lighter package.

The Standard Transmission is a Tremec TR4050 five-speed manual, with a Bowler Performance automatic available for buyers who prefer to paddle through the gears with their right foot. Either gearbox connects to the Advance Adapters Atlas II two-stick transfer case, the gold standard for shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive in this model. The fact that Vigilante offers a manual at all (and makes it standard) is the kind of decision that wins a lot of favor with people who write checks.

The Inside That Knows What It Is

Step inside and the cabin reads exactly as a 1983 Scrambler should, right down to the three-spoke AMC-badged wheel and knee-length gauge cluster. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of modern amenities throughout: Vintage Air Gen IV climate control, a cleverly converted period Bluetooth radio with JL Audio in the front and Audiofrog in the back, and Sunbrella upholstery with color-matched Chilewich seats that won’t disintegrate on one’s first wet hike from shore.

There are three interior finishes on offer (Black, Camel, or Blue), and the Ice Blue display pairs the Chilewich’s navy-and-gray treatment with a body-colored roll that covers everything. The back seat is a true bench seat, meaning you technically have four seats. The bed behind it, on the other hand, is next to an ambitious glove box.

Specification Sheet

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the Vigilante Scrambler starts at $260,000, and delivery will take approximately nine months from order. Configuration is handled by Vigilante’s online builder, with 13 premium colors, eight decal packages, and a long list of bespoke options to chew on.