help identify

My first jeep, and it seems strange.. Couldn't find any pictures of one like it..

Titled as a '59 CJ5, but the VIN doesn't fit in the range for that year, also titled as a Antique, and Foreign. No tailgate, Gas in rear, No Jeep/Willys markings, Battery cover and snorkel cutout on hood, wipers on top. Any ideas?







I'm new to this, help is appreciated.

 

I can see a seam where the tailgate was...

 

What year does the VIN indicate it is?

Looks like a '59 CJ-5 with some owner modifications. The fast-back top is just a style of soft top. The fenders are unique - I expect someone made them.

 

Not sure. Love that top. Never saw fenders quite like that . What kind of trans. and front, rear ends does it have?

 

Not sure about any of the specifics just yet, i'll post some more pictures. VIN is 5754882603.

 

This is the inside, I didn't think the box was factory.


front end

Shouldn't there be a gas line hole here?

 

and the motor



The guy I purchased from didn't have much info on it. He was actually surprised that the title had an F for foreign on it. Regardless of its shortcomings, I'm still happy that I bought it. He said the motor may be out of a 70's, I didn't see any distinctive markings on it. Just brought it home last night and didn't have the chance to tinker with it very much. Still basking in the glory of my first jeep.

 

Have you read the VIN document? 82603 could be titled as a '58 or '59.

The previous owner made a lot of cosmetic changes (like the storage box), but the bones are right for a '59 CJ-5.

 

Didn't read that VIN article, I looked it up before I bought by doing Google searches. The reference I used had that VIN out of Range for the '59, but it did mention that those ranges aren't always accurate. I wonder why the title is marked as a foreign made? The ID plate on the drivers side of the engine is covered with a good bit of paint, I need to clean it up to see if it says anything meaningful. Any suggestions on a good way to do this without ruining it? Wire brush? Paint thinner?

 

no gas fill indent or JEEP stampings on the tub..and different wheelhouses

 

Yeah, but that's all a part with the other smoothing changes that one of the POs did.

 

Looks like home made front inner/outer fenders (1/8" plate rolled,bent and welded, look at cutout by the new battery location), also the rear inner fenders are rounded and look welded at the edge. Looks strange compared to original but someone can cut, roll, bend and weld heavy guage metal.

I am by no means an expert, but my 62 is pretty much original sheet metal wise.

 

The body mods are very unique. The grill and hood and windshield look right though. Looks neat though. The front fenders are just neat.

 

I wish I could figure out why it is titled foreign. I'd like to think that I liberated it from a South American country or even worse - France.

 

Welcome. Looks like you have a neat jeep with some great options. The air cleaner looks similar to the one I had on my 71. Do you have more photos of the steering set up? Looks like a steering box on the front of the frame.

Maybe the foreign indicates that evidence of ownership when brought to PA was not from this country. Since you are up north it may have been titled in Canada and then brought to PA.

You might request a title history from your DMV. A title history should provide all documents associated with the vehicle in PA. If is has always been registered in PA you should be able to trace the history of title transactions back to origin. If it came from out of state it will stop and you would have to pursue the previous state where registered. But I would guess since PA marked it foreign they were provided evidence of ownership from another country and not another state.

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/dl_forms/dl-135.pdf


Whatever you use to uncover the VIN tag, be careful. Obviously it could damage the surrounding paint and the plate as well. Hopefully someone has done this and may have a suggestion.

 

I started checking things out today... I have a Warn Overdrive with A PTO. Four sticks in total, which is crazy... Just getting used to what they do. It looks like I have a T-90 tranny that has a an adapter for the engine, which is still unknown. Engine runs very strong, but the tranny slips out of gear when you give it some juice going uphill. I'm thinking a rebuild is gonna happen this winter. I'll post pics of what I can see soon. After some investigation, it looks like one of the previous owners built an entire body of of sheet metal.. looks good, but totally homebrewed. I'm thinking that it gives me some freedom to express myself and go crazy with the body. With moderate work, i think i can make it look like an icon 4X4 cj3.. flat black, cut the fenders to make them flat etc.. not stock, but I think it will be a nice, unique build. Any thoughts?

 

The engine is a Buick 231/252. Get the numbers cast in the back of the block where the bellhousing bolts up and look it up in the archives/technical section here. That will help pinpoint what year and displacement you are dealing with.

 

awesome, thanks for the input! I really appreciate it.

 

that is just a too cool jeep! md juan? i don't need no stinking md juan!
andy