Ignorant newbie here

I want to first and foremost apolgize for my ignorance on the subject of Jeeps. This being said I have some crazy, possibly stupid questions. I have researched everything I can think of and get myself into chasing my tail. I have a, what I believe to be, '75 CJ5. The "sticker" on the inside driverside dash has a manufacture date of March 1975, the VIN, according to one vin decoder site, has it as a '75, but I've noticed some sites give me clues that it may be a pre 1975 due to the ignition switch being in the dash rather than the steering column and also that it does not have the GM column. I also would like to restore my Jeep (to the best of my ability) to as close to original as I can and can't find any good pictures of the 1975 interiors, tail lights, bumpers, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. My profile has an album with several pictures of my project and may be of some help to you gurus out there to give a newbie some help

 

March 1975 is indeed in the 1975 model year. If you really have a '75, and have the GM tilt column, the column has been replaced. It's hard to see much detail in those tiny pictures that are in your profile. You do appear to have the proper windshield for a '75. Jeep started using the GM column in 1976, and I would look at the frame and rear axle to most positively identify a '76-on Jeep.

I have a lot of pictures here from my '75 CJ-6 when I first got it. http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/~reese/ResizedJeepIPics/ This is all stock, though it has a V8 unlike yours. The CJ-6 is the same as the CJ-5 except for where it is lengthened.

 

Jeeps are known for misplaced parts.
March would still be early in the model run so they would use left over parts from the year before.
There is a book called "Jeep CJ rebuilders manual" by Moses Ludel that'd be a big help for you.

www.quadratec.com part # 19009.007 $34.99 just one source for it.
Good luck and welcome to the sickness. R)

 

Isn't J.McDavid aka Jerry?

Ludel's book will probably be helpful, but first I would get the factory service manual for 1975. There was a mostly complete copy online somewhere, but I don't have a link to it. reprints can be purchased several places.

Re Jerry's (?) comment about the parts and model year, the steering column was the same in '74 and '75, so no carry-over there. March is actually pretty late in the model year, since the new model year started in September in those days. There would be significant retooling for the '76 model year because the '76 is way different from the '75, and there needed to be enough production by then so AMC could send the new models to every dealership. I'd guess that the '75 CJ production for '75 would have been finished by summer, or soon thereafter.

 

Aside from using pics from a good source that you know is original, like Tim's, I also browse ebay for my year CJ and download pics that I believe capture the original configuration. I often check the pics against the part drawings such as the one's found at the following link.

http://oljeep.com/edge_74_manual.html

It's a looonnnnng process....but worth it if you have patience....and money....did I mention money?

 

Yep Jerry it is.
Your right Tim March is late in the model run, not sure what I was thinking. See what happens when I get sleep? R)

 

Here are a few shots of a 75, built in June, purchased new by my wife in July 75. This is as original, only mod being the dual exhaust exiting on the side. This is a plain jane jeep, no optional equipment, other than the side steps and some leftover soft door hardware on the windshield frame.

Not the best pics, but should get you started...

 

Sweet! Thanks for all the info guys and especially for the pictures Dave! Would you mind if I were to save the pictures for reference?

 

like the hood graphics, is that a rare edition of a Renegade???R)

 

No problem with saving the pics, that is why I posted 'em.
The hood graphics is a long and convoluted story, not of much value on this forum, Its a Harley thing.