New Guy with some questions....

Hey all, been a long timer on the JeepForum, but just brought home one of my old intermediates that I have owned for several years, but haven't seen in several years, and am finally ready to start playing with it. Just don't really know where to go, and am looking for some suggestions. Before we go into huge and crazy builds, keep in mind 2 things. My time is somewhat limited as I have two little kids, and am a police officer, thus I work 12 hour shifts. I actually just got off of a 13 hour shift thanks to my Drunk Driver at 45 minutes before shift was supposed to end! Second thing is that my funds are WAY limited. I have 2 kids, 3 cars, 2 Jeeps, a wife, and I am the only one working in my household. We all know how well civil servants get paid, so.....

Now on to the Jeep!
1975 CJ5 (build date of Dec. 1974)
either a 232 or 258, haven't dug in too far yet
3 spd trans, most likely a D20 t-case
Body is pretty well rotted away, but not beyond saving
Tires are crap, only 3 hold air. sitting on 32's with no lift
Several parts (such as heater box) are missing due to where the Jeep was stored and ransacked by the Jeep shop that had it. I am simply amazed that I actually got my Jeep back in the condition it is in!

Big questions are, where should I go with it? What should I do? Drivetrain is good, frame appears good. Do I fix the body up, or do I comp cut the rot out, SOA, big tires and a stretch? Keeping in mind that I have a 79 CJ7 with a 4.6 stroker, 35's, D300 twin stick w/tera low kit, Currie 9" rear with lockers front and rear, etc.

Some of me wants a little scoot around town Jeep, and some of me wants to go REALLY BIG. Can I get some input/ideas? Pics will follow shortly, but until then, feel free to see pics here:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/brought-home-my-old-5-tonight-1045410/

 

sounds like you've got a "performance" jeep already. make the '75 more or less stock, and enjoy it that way.

 

yeah...that's what I was thinking too.

Body work can be a bear, and take lots of time though. I have occasionally seen tubs for sale on Craigslist...if you dont' have time to repair all the damage. Sounds like that's your biggest issue if the driveline and frame is still good.

Of course, being a Jeep, the wiring might not be so good either.

 

From the pics I would leave it as a beater jeep. Kids gotta learn to drive something. If you happen to come across a tub priced right, then worry about that

 

Mmm... you sure you want to take on this project?

In most cases, you'd only build a vehicle in this condition if it's 1) a rare vehicle where no better starting point is available, or the resulting vehicle will be sufficiently valuable to justify investing a lot of time and money, or 2) the vehicle has great sentimental value that outweighs any time or money considerations. Certainly this Jeep does not qualify under #1, so #2?

After doing a few of these, I've come to believe that the better initial condition of the project vehicle, the cheaper and faster the build will be. To me, this Jeep looks like a big, big loser as a starting point for anything but a trail beater. To me, this is a parts Jeep - it's already been cannibalized, and it will be expensive to bring this Jeep back to near-factory condition. The parts situation for intermediates is much more difficult than for the later Jeeps - nearly everything changed for the 1976 model year, and the intermediate models were only produced for 4 years. Mechanical and service parts are available, but most model-specific items are hard to come by.

Sorry for being so negative about this - if this were a flat-fender Jeep in similar condition, it might be worth pursuing, but you can find intermediates in much better condition with little difficulty.

 

Poor thing!

I'd aim to keep it small and stock. You already have a "big" jeep.
Restore the mechanicals and don't worry about the tub till one crosses your path.
Being one of the last narrow track jeeps and shod with small DD freindly tires,it will go places offroad that the bigger jeeps cant.

There is a machined pad on the engine block between #2 and #3 spark plugs.
An "A" stamped on there signifies the 258.

 

Cool pictures.. sure looks like a big project if you take on it. If it was mine.. I'd prob part it out. Or maybe you could park it in your front lawn and put some bullet hole stickers on it ? And.. for SnGs make it so you can start it up and drive away.

 

DREDnot, thanks for the pic. I have a big "E" stamped in mine...I believe that makes it a 232 then! Guys, thanks for all the insight. As much as I actually do agree with those of you that say to get rid of it and not even start this project, and just look for something a little better off, I have never turned away from a build project, and I have never been one to sell a Jeep b/c of not wanting to mess with it. Definately not gonna make it a parts Jeep, and although it doesn't have any HUGE sentimental value, it is very reminiscent of my first car/first Jeep I ever had, which was an intermediate just like this one, only in a whole lot better shape! I figure, do a little work here and there, not worry about having the heater box (worse comes to worst, I have one out of a 79 CJ7). wiring is all good, all fuel and brake lines are good. Frame is solid. Could use some new springs, and new shocks, the later of which I already have lying in my old parts pile. I am thinking I will dust off the old welder and begin working on that back right side, just to see what happens. I figure, worst that will happen is I will have a really crappy looking patch. I already have the scrap 16ga. steel to do about a 2'x2' patch to get me started. I figure, put it back together, and find parts when they pop up cheap. Till then, enjoy it. Besides, the parts on there don't seem valuable enough to part the Jeep out and make any money, thus meaning I will have to make it whole and drivable if I want to get rid of it.

 

You are an ambitious young man!

Rich

 

I appreciate that sir! Especially the young man part!

 

I would say patch floor boards up so you dont fall out of it, shore up the body mounts so it doesnt fall off the frame, and run the heck out of it. I kinda wish Id kept things a little simpler on mine. Maybe Id have a jeep to drive rather than an expensive garage ornament. Haha

 

x2 on the skinny stock thing....

 

I agree with this route. After looking at the background info I say keep it small and low budget. Make it a fun beater. You have your other Jeep for the more modded and higher budget approach. Check out this build. http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75627 Here is a guy having fun with a beater project and it is more or less the route I think I would go if I were you. Maybe a bit of welding up a couple of patch panels, add some diamond plate then make sure you have solid enough body mounts to hold her to the frame. Fiberglass up the floor so your feet don't fall through and then paint with tractor paint or rattlecan camoflage. I would maybe add a budget forward hoop to the cage as well as some shocks and some tires. (33x9.50 swampers??) After that I would just have fun with it. Keep it around long enough to pass on to the kids. I know you said they are small but they grow fast. I know of more than one guy that has built a bigtime rockbuggy type super Jeep that really get to miss the simplicity of the more basic smallish beater. You end up trailering to get to trails and you are always looking to find stuff that challenges your wazoo rig. Sometimes you just can't beat the fun of plunking down a mild trail with the kids in a simple old Jeep. That old girl has plenty of potential for fun like that. Keep it mechanically safe but no fear of dents or trail damage. Good luck with the project.
Greg

 

I'm pretty sure that I saw you yesterday at Myrtle Beach on your blue jeep. Small world...