OP, truck looks great and with the right buyer and resources it will be a gem.
I had a 78 Cherokee Chief as my first vehicle in HS, and a friend had a 82? J10 Laredo. Absolute BEASTS off road for the time with trucks. 4wd lever under the edge of the seat and Quadra Trac vacuum lock for all 4rs with the switch in the center mount glove box.
Got caught on the back side of the deer lease across a dry creek on the low side that was starting to flow a bit after a big norther came in during deer season. My dad had walked down to the creek (in was dark already and POURING) and was wondering how I was gonna cross on foot thinking we were going to walk 2 1/2 miles back to camp. "I saw you stop, back up, and the Chief's headlights jump a little (when I locked it all in), then vrooom and hear you came..." I hammered it with it locked in and the Quadra Trac. It was a rough ride down and up the high side and the front end was airborne a good bit when I breached according to Dad. I was surprised I kept control, really. When we got back to camp the group knew where I had been hunting when the storms hit and were about to come get us when we drove into camp. No one thought we'd get it back across for a week or so.
Will never forget the look on Dad's face when he got in. We were both giddy at what the vehicle was capable of, and what had been pulled off.
Too bad those rear fenders and quarter panels were rust pastures. Grew it like fertile fields a farmer would be proud of.
"Green" is the new RED.
