74 Cj5 Renegade Restoration... Progress & Pics

Seems like a hole saw was what was used.

 

Like your color combination. please keep us posted on your build.

 

Weekend Project - install the dealer installed AM radio and antenna option. Came out real nice. Nothing like cutting holes into your 2yr restoration. I have to now pull it all out and just paint up the cuts so it won't rust over time. I found this radio in a parts jeep, drove to SC on xmas eve last year to grab it because I knew it wouldn't last long. Then had it fully restored to factory specs inside and out. Had to replace the speaker, just some cheap 8ohm speaker I got online. I went with the Spring antenna. From research found that some '70-74s had this same antenna instead of the 'triangle' base that is on most. I just think the Spring mount looks better within the renegade decals and 'Jeep' space it needs to go in. Next up and the last thing to do....Install seats, visors, dash pad and roll bar pads. Everything is at upholsterer right now getting done. Should get back week after New Years.

 

Well...it has been a great ride !!!! The jeep is finally done (98%). Spent 7yrs looking for only a '74 Renegade in good enough shape for this project. Picked it up Nov. 2, 2019 in Texas. Wrapped it up today...2 years and some change later. Could not be happier with how it turned out.

Got all the interior back from the upholsterer this morning and just finished installing. He did an awesome job (Allen Carswell's Pro Auto on FB in NC). Only waiting on the roll bar foam to make the pads look right. Seats are Buff Wellington, SMS vinyl. Original seat frames I restored and powder coated, new foam which Allen cut and shaped before covering. I re-zinced the sun visor bars then new board and vinyl. The roll bar pads are all new with metal YKK zippers, Allen made a set of 5 based on the 4 original '74 dealer option pads I have (looking for one still, the long horizontal bar). Dash pad was restored and covered with new vinyl.

With the exception of a few things; Install the Belleview winch that I did a light restoration on, restore the driver seat slider and mount it, front carpet install, and restore the white Witco top/doors, there's nothing left to really do.

Next sunny day I'll get it outside for a better overall finished pic. So let me know what you all think of it.
I hope my posting of this build will help someone in the future working on their jeep.

 

Congrats! It looks amazing.

 

You've put together an exceptional CJ. It was obviously a labor of love. Congratulations on making it to the finish line! It's been a real treat to watch your build thread.

 

This is the definition of the word Restored.
Very nice work!

 

WoW..... Very nice work . Should be one of the best around .

 

Total awesome!!

 

Thanks Guys... Definitely a labor of love on this one.

 

Very nice work

 

That looks amazing! I have a 73 and I am going to save your pictures for reference. I had planned on making mine nearly the same color, going with original daisy yellow (1973 color). Did you have a hard time finding those seat frames? I searched for a while and finally found them from a place in Florida.

 

When I gave up on the original seat frame (it was just too far gone) it took awhile. Searched online and after some months I found one. But it was also in bad shape. The wet foam just creates perfect place for rust. And it's out of sight so eats these frames away in no time. But those seat frames are easy to find compared to a good Belleview Winch control panel and original cables. That took me two years to find, and had to buy the whole winch/cable/plate.

My favorite site for searching is PicClic. which searches Ebay much better and faster then actually on Ebay. I'm still on the hunt for better Dash knobs, and the three heater cables/knobs. Mine are all in C+ shape, and two of the three cables are broken. So the hunt continues. And thanks to PicClic I just found the last Emissions / Air pump stuff (mine was all gone when I got jeep). So I'll clean that stuff up and be one of the only jeepers I know who actually puts Emissions back ON.

 

Very nice. And that color is something! Too smooth - they never looked that good from the factory.

I presume your trim code specs the tan seats. I wondered about the dash pad, having vaguely remembered it matching the interior. The parts book says no. I must be remembering the '75 tan Levis dash pad. However, there are tan sun visors for the '74 80s. Just FYI - I would not bother to change them, but you might be interested.

 

Hi Chris, I've got cables & knobs from my '75. PM me with clear pics of everything you need & I'll check it out, OK ?

 

Thanks Tim. Yes my VIN is Buff Wellington. And I have the original Buff Wellington vinyl from the tear down, and the original sun visors which were black. So matching to what the jeep had. I agonized on the dash pad too. I think it would look better with Buff just to tie out to the seats. But in 74 the pad only came in Black. Now that I've let it sit in garage for a week I like the black and tan...Like the drink!

 

That would be great. I'll DM you some pics in a few.

 

Couple more quick questions. Is that radio and speaker configuration a stock setup? I have those same holes in my dash and thought they were put in sometime during it's life. I was going to fill them in with metal, but If they are stock I will make it the same as what you have. That looks good. Also what size are your tires? I have the exact same wheel and tire setup. Mine are 30X9.50 on 15X8 US Mag Indy slots.

 

That is a jeep dealer option, AM only radio with a 4" grill/speaker at 8-ohms. Very hard to find. If you find one jump on it fast. In '73 and '74 this was an option that the dealer would install. In '75 the radio went to a black face surround, and I think added FM. Or FM may have been added in '76. This style was short lived for sure. There is an earlier AM radio/speaker combo that was mounted on the lower edge of the dash, with everything self contained in a plastic box like thing under and behind dash. Think that style was '70-72. But not sure on that earlier radio, only saw one in a picture.

As for the tires. There are 31x10.5s. I pushed the rear out with spacers so that the rear aligns with the front track width better. I'm not a fan of the rear being narrower then the front (leftover from the army jeep days). And since this will not see offroad, a spacer doesn't concern me at all.

 

Incredible work Chris. I bet tension was high when you started cutting for the radio and speaker. When I got my 72 last year it had a radio mounted on the lower dash. Not sure if it is original, haven't really paid much attention to it. Original dash/parts are up on my loft as it was in good shape and didn't want it to get bent up so moved it out of my way.