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Ziv Shahar's Israeli Military CJ-5
By Ziv Shahar
This is my CJ-5. My father helped my to buy it when I was 16 years old, it was back at 1986. This is not my daily-driver and I have some more Jeeps. As the registration papers says it left the production line at 1974.
Click on any of the images below for a larger version of the image.
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Figure 1: Ziv's CJ-5
The History of the Israeli CJ-5
Those CJ-5s were very common in Israel and they served many years (and several wars) in the army.
As far as I know most of them assembled here and the parts imported from the U.S. They maintain the original CJ-5 look and they used the basic power train: F-134 engine, T-90 gear, Dana 18 transfer and axles with 1:5.38 ratio. No other options were available. Maybe the tub was locally made, as you don’t see the "Jeep" logo and some other unique signs of the original tubs. Despite all this, you can find rare individuals with the original tub.
Production of the (early) CJ-5 (we call them "five") stopped at 1974! 3 years later then in the U.S.
Because they served the army and some civilians purposes all parts were very common and in large quantities. Here are some details unique to the Israeli five: "military" panel, larger fuel tank (they cut the metal sheet under it and put a deeper one), boxed frame, special tool hook under the hood. Looking at the submitted pictures you will notice some more. You can say that the local version of the CJ-5 was very close to the M38A1.
Click on any image below for a larger image pop-up.
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Figure 2: Gas filler cap.
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Figure 3: Gauge cluster.
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Figure 4: Underhood tool bracket.
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Figure 5: Property ID tags.
Some more pictures of those five in the service. You can see some versions of military improvisations.
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My CJ-5
First you should know that according to the laws here, all vehicles aged 30 years and up are in a special category, this include all the 4 cyl CJ-5. You have to take your old Jeep to perform a "registration test" twice a year. They check all the mechanical systems, tyres, lights, color, seat-belts and so on… you are not allowed to perform any change / upgrade without permission (put a larger engine, install metal cab, larger tyres and so on). Also, all Jeeps have a stamped serial number on their frame and each car have a identify plate. So, if your frame is rusty or broken from some reason, it's forbidden to use another frame for your Jeep.
My CJ-5 was originally a military Jeep, and like all of them, after some years in the service, they sold to the civilian market. My Jeep served in the Army till about 1985 With a great help of my grandfather (who was a Jeep-specialist) and my father it got a new power train and general restoration. Also we changed the color. I was only 16 when we bought it and I didn’t have much time / knowledge to take a big part in the restoration. As years passed my Jeep didn’t get any younger and I had to take his body off and cure some corrosions in the famous weakness spots. Also he got new radiator, springs, driveshafts, brakes and all the TLC he should get.
As Israel is a very small country, it was very easy to do a 2, 3 or 7 days trips with it. Driving 3 hours south from the center of Israel you get to the Negev desert, where you can travel slowly in a open and dry landscape. This 4 cyl engine and 7.00*16 tyres will take you anywhere, if you just take enough fuel (for him) and water (for both of you). I believe that driving slow in the Jeep without doors on such a basic Jeep is the ultimate feeling as for Jeep-trips. Those CJ-5 were born to travel in the wild desert.
Before each trip you have to get the Jeep ready and in best shape. You load it with water, food, fuel, more water, tool box (a very detailed one), mattresses, sleeping-bags, tent, spare parts (carb., water pump, universal joint and so on), stove, woods, recovery tools… I have to say that all my long trips I did only with one Jeep – my CJ-5. I always believed that he will get me to the outdoors and back home, and I never got disappointed. To get long boring road trips more enjoyable I even put a radio-cassette to listen some country music and news. You can imagine that driving 60KPH with 7.00*16 ND tyres and without doors – the music sounds just great.
Here are some pictures of our trips to the Negev desert, in the years 87-92, just to get you to the mood.
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A very cold morning in Beerot-Oded, a small wet and green place near water-holes and a Beduian cemetery.
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On the trail.
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When you take your cj-5 for a week in the desert its all full with supplies so you have to find a good place for mattresses and sleeping-bag. The passenger seat is already occupied by your partner / girlfriend.
Here is a picture of my cj-5 (on your left) and a beautiful restoration of an Israeli military jeep. This one is about 95% close to the typical CJ-5. It belongs to a good friend of mine, Nir. The picture was taken on a day-trip to Tzipory river, in the north of our small country.