Early / Late Cj5 Franken Jeep Abomination

My daily driver is a basket case of an 83 cj5. Been a fight with it from the word go. A PO rode it hard & put up wet repeatedly. It's my first little jeep, so I've a soft spot for it.

I've also got a 69 cj5 restoration going on as well. So that ties into this as well.

Well I blew up the motor yesterday. Oil pump took a dump or spun a bearing. I dont know, but bad things happen when either of those happen.

R.I.P. 258 straight 6.

This is an opportunity though!!!

Picked up a new parts jeep last night & killing a few birds with one stone . When we picked up the 69 cj5 a while back, he also had a running 70 cj5 with no title. So I paid it no attention. This is what I got yesterday & there will be much Frankensteing involved.

1970 cj5. Dauntless 225 v6. T14 3 speed. Dana 18 t-case. Dana 27 up front. Best of all, flanged offset Dana 44 out back. Has 4.88 gears already & maybe a trac-locker.

The plan. I'll be transplanting the full driveline from the 70 into the 83. Except maybe the t14. If a can get the t176 that's in it to bolt up, I'll use it. Will also need new spring pad I believe. Will need to use the weird early cj radiator tunnel grill thingy since the v6 is so much shorter. New exhaust will be required. True duals on headers anyone? Figure out all the other little things that will pop up.

Then the tub will either replace or provide much needed panels for the 69. Hoods almost mint with one small dent from the inside. Needed steering column, indicator switch, fenders (maybe), exhaust manifolds (practically unobtainium for the Dauntless), and some other small parts. Like a master cylinder & assorted linkages.

Didint get the hard top and doors unfortunately.

Opinions & thoughts?


Will add pictures once I remember how.

 

Why not keep the '70 original and build that up and dump the others? Sounds like a nice starting point and because it's original V6, offset and all that should be worth more in the end. Is it that hard to get a title? Use the '69 title on the '70? Seems like your cannibalizing the best vehicle.

 

They've been getting super cranky here about titles. Took several months to get the title back on the 69 since it was out of state & signed way back when.

But most importantly. The misses is very very attached to the 69. I prefer to keep her on board with the projects. Makes life simpler.

 

Id get the 258 rebuilt if you have the means. But im a fanboy and theyre getting hard to find.

 

Maybe put the '69 tub on the 70? Save you some fab and you can use the title. I'm assuming the '69 has an F134 not a V6.

 

No the 69 is a Dauntless as well.

I'm thinking that I'm gonna head down to the highway patrol in the next few days and see about transfering the vin plate to the 70 tub & using it on the 69. The 70 tub is in great shape & the 69 is mostly down to the frame right now.

I'm not worried about the fab work. I own a small fab shop.

 

Ok. I've posted photos here before & now I can't remember. Can someone draw me a map please. I'd recommend using bright colors and small words though.

 

postimages.org

Easy as it gets.

 

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Plugs, wires, new hei coil, fuel pump, radiator, water pump. Hacked out what was left of the wiring, as it was a fire waiting to happen. It'll run & drive. Sorta.

Good oil pressure. 45-50 psi at start up, steady 30 psi when warm. Temp gauge needs replacing. Trans has at least reverse / 1st / & 2nd. T-case has 4 low / neutral / 2 high. Clutch sounds like a bucket of bolts copulating to bagpipes. Brakes need attention. Speedometer actually works. Has 3:73 gears.

Frames been cracked & welded on both sides between the front spring hangers & the grill. One spring pack is half homemade. Several shackles are almost broken in half. Everything leaks. Tailgate is trash. Found a lot of cracks in the sheet metal around the body bolts & a fair amount of bondo. Fuel tank is crushed. Most all of the axle u-bolts are broken. Rear crossmember is rotten. Could probably fumigate the neighborhood for mosquitoes this summer.

 

Sometimes you just can't help yourself, or your wife says those parts are to damn cheap to pass up. Just put out back if ya dont need em yet she said. Demanding women..... Far far to good to me.

Drove up to Kansas City to deliver some parts from the donor jeep I'd sold to help a feller out. Checked craigslist while we were there (its 3 hours each way, might as well check). Emailed a guy, went shopping at the big flea market. Never heard back from the guy. Oh well not ment to be & headed for home.

Half way home the guy calls. Go figure.... Asks how much for the transmission and rearend. Well for $40 bucks each, I now know how to fit a T-176 & a centered Dana 44 in the back of a prius. Fit rather well. Made the kid a decent pillow on the way home. The second time....


Course now I get to rethink my plan for the little Abomination. Still gonna do the Dauntless. But thinking about a narrow track dana 30 up front (I know where a cheap one is). This Dana 44 in the rear. The current T-176 (I did just rebuild it), and the Dana 300 t-case. Should only need an adapter for the trans to bell housing & re-gearing one or both axles. More than likely both. Then the flanged offset d44 can go in the 69 cj5 once its rebuild starts. Fortunately I can do the regear myself. That can get pricey.

 

Moving this little Abomination along. Doing new gears & a locker this weekend. Went with 4:88 for gears & yukon for the locker. Got a new carrier for the frontas well.
Got the dana 44 broke down this evening awaiting a good cleaning & paint in the morning.
Had to dig deep to find the long lost dial indicator. Hadn't seen it in a few years.