My First CJ

Hope someone can help the helpless!

Finally got myself a 1979 CJ5 258 in what I consider pretty decent condition....and now, I want to make it "like new...only better"

The kicker is, I can hardly change the oil in my truck and know NOTHING about restoring a Jeep...nothing.

I have researched and looked at over 300 Jeeps in the last year and finally found one that looked good, ran good, was affordable and had no rust on the frame, used no oil, blew no smoke and didnt turn right, when I turned left....and then I found her and I took her home.

I will be hiring someone to do this and I need some guidance. I have spoken with a gentleman at the local community college and he has agreed to "let me" bring her in for the "kids" to work on. I know, OH THE HORROR...well, at first I thought so too until I saw their board of fame. Seems they have restored a several CJs over the years and all of them look great! The labor is free, you pay only materials. I talked with several people that had old trucks, new cars (wrecked) worked on and have had nothing but praise for them. Seems too good to be true...it usually is.

So far, the plan is for them to do the work...from the frame up. I want it taken off the frame, blasted, painted and put back together again. I also have a Linex bedliner in my 2004 Silverado and knowing how jeeps are fond of rusting and since I plan on keeping this for the remainder of my time on earth..I thought why not have it sprayed with that? is this common..is there something better?

I also am not fond of the 258 and most likely will move up to a 304 (minimum...10extra hp?) OR if it is possible...I really like the "newer" LS1 aluminum engines...IF THEY WILL BOLT UP to it without having to shortcut something else....if it will not...what is a dependable, stabile engine that will go right back in where the 258 came out of. I figured I could find some very good info on this here when I bookmarked this site from the get go.

Also, even though the frame has no rust whatsoever..some of the body panels do. The director at the cc suggested "bondo" or something else.."newer" form of bondo and I do not want that...I want it put back solid..not patched up...the rust isnt that bad as he said and stated would be the easiest way to do it...I just dont want to know it is patched.

I have found pretty much everything I need at JC Whitney and their prices (as far as I know) are decent. Is there a better place to get better parts for the same or more/less money? I do not want to skimp but I do not want to overdo it either. This little project is going to cost me a bit to get it where I want it so, ever dollar saved on one in..goes to the other.

So you see...I want two different things...I want it put back like it was meant to be...only with a bit more UMP! I will be doing ZERO offroading..I just want the power..I am sure that everyone here knows what I am talking about....at least I hope they do....if yah dont..fake it!

I have typed enough...sorry for being so long winded and rambling but, I have wanted one of these for a long, long time and even though I could drive it like it is for MANY years and be happy...I want to get this going now so I can enjoy it late summer...early fall.

Any and all help is most appreciated. If you did not have a CC to take it to and you were too dumb (like me) to do it yourself..and you knew nobody else to do it..where would you take YOUR CJ to restore it and why?

Thanks again!

 

Welcome from Oregon and hope it work out part of the fun is doing it your self.


Jerry M

 

Hi Jerry and thanks for the welcome!

Yes, I agree it would be fun and as bad as I wanted to do TRY and do it..after talking with the other half and even my dad..who has KNOWN me for 37 years now, we all agreed unanimously that I was not the man for the job. Give me a computer, electronics related...or numbers/math..I am your man...this is just something that if I did undertake myself..I would get frustrated, tear something up and probably hurt/kill myself in the process.

Yah know the guy that no matter how hard he tries..and REALLY likes to try no matter how many times he has failed because he has good sense..just no COMMON sense? Thats me.

That and a black cat is always on my shoulder..and a mirror is constantly crashing behind me...seriously, we went through this together and I knew from the start I had better not even try it. I just dont have it in me and if I did...I would be working on it now and not typing!

 

Sounds like a great deal to get the community college tech class to do the work. I would think it would redone correctly if your not concerned about the time it takes to get it back. And these old jeeps are not really collector show cars. They really can’t mess one up too bad.



That 258 is a lot more motor than you realize. It by itself is powerful enough to get you in some real trouble at highway speeds for a light vehicle like a jeep. From a safety standpoint, I could not recommend an implant of any more horsepower for a jeep.

Good luck on it. Main thing is to enjoy your jeep. And be safe for you and your riders.

Cliff

 

Hello and Welcome!

Good luck with the Jeep! One thing about CC's(not to put anyone down) that I have found from being in the Auto Restoration field for going on 10 years now, is that many of them would rather Bondo something up than weld in patches or panels(I have even seen this from some well known body shops on "restored" cars). Some of the better CC's will go the extra step to weld things in to last for the long haul. The other thing is that A Million dollar paint job will only be as good as what is underneath, and the prep that went into it. One alternative, you may want to look at is a replacement tub, such as fiberglass, or there are even used 1st gen Wrangler tubs out there in nice shape which will interchange with a CJ-7. One benefit with Fiberglass is that it will never rust, and if you like, you don't have to paint it. I think some even come in colors besides white.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to deter you from whatever path you may want to take, I'm just trying to give you a little insight and maybe an alternative or two. We're glad to have you aboard, and would love to see some pics if you have any!

Curt

 

Your better off getting parts from flaps, 4wd hardware, collins bros, krage, turner, mile high and herm than whitney. should also be able to get "speed" parts for the 258, it's been around long enough (mild cam, intake, headers, carb, etc...) almost forgot, welcome from IN.

 

Welcome from the UK!

You sound like you are exactly where I was a year ago. I fell in love with a CJ5, and had to have one, but wanted it to drive well

and be solid and reliable. Like you I knew (know) very little about cars (Audi drivers just hand the car over to the dealership when

ever the light comes on, and the thing comes back shiny 4 hours later!!)

I considered myself lucky in that I found a local mechanic who loves US 4WD cars, and had just about finished restoring and upgrading

his 80's Blazer. He is a perfectionist without being retentive and insisting on always having original parts, especially when newer ones are better.

However, I have to pay for his time!! Whilst he does a good deal for me, he's still not as cheap as having a local college work on

it for free. This sounds like a killer arrangement, and I would bite their arm off if I were you.

I have spent a ludicrous amount of money with Quadratec over the last year! They have always been very helpful, efficient and knowlegeable. Obviously it's cost me a lot more, because I have to have everything shipped to the UK! Ouch!

The biggest problem I have had is that my Jeep had previously had a lot of non-Jeep parts fitted to it, so quite often one job turns into four because you have to correct the root cause of the problem in order to fit new kit. The other thing that has made my jobs tricky, but shouldn't affect you is that mine is a '73 and most of the parts available are for '76 onwards, so the choice is pretty limited sometimes.

Having said all of that, I have learned a staggering amount over the last year by getting involved as much as I can with the mechanic. We have a system whereby I can work on anything that will not kill me if it goes wrong (trim bits, exhaust, fans, etc) and he does all of the really critical stuff, brakes, transmission, etc.

For someone who spends most of his days in an office in front of a computer, I have found working on the Jeep (however small a job) to be extremely rewarding and I sit at my desk longing to put on my overalls and get greased up!

I wish you the very best of luck on your Jeep, and really hope that you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have done with mine.

Stuart

p.s. sorry for going on, but it became a bit cathartic after a while! I think I might go for a lie down...

 

Welcome from Boston!

Sorry, I don't understand, and I'm no good at faking. You searched for and bought a CJ5, and want to fix it up, but you don't want to drive off-road? What kind of power do you need?

 

In my humble opinion, jc whitney is a bad idea. visit 4wd.com and jeepdoc.com for starters.

Welcome from Norwalk!

 

Welcome from Mississippi. Congratulations on your purchase and the planned restoration. The CC will probably be fine as long as you make a written list of how you want things done. Once they do something wrong it might be hard to re-do or you probably will feel too guilty to ask them to re-do it since their work is free.

I'd probably let them do it, but join them as often as you can...you'll gain a little knowledge yourself of how things work and it's fun.

I say stick with the 258...I think they're very dependable strong engines, and it's already in the jeep and mated to a transmission.

And yeah,,..duck JCW...I've had bad experiences there. Talk to people who know jeeps and can walk you through and installation procedures over the phone. These people are more likely to sell you the right part the first time and if they do make a mistake are more likely to admit it and accept returns and quick ship the replacement part as opposed to dealing with a person who knows nothing but part numbers and what the catalog says. "It's got to be the right part...you're just installing it wrong".

Also, I'd build it up with offroad capabilities just in case you ever decide to lock the hubs in and have a little fun...it doesn't mean you have too,..but just in case you change your mind. You can still cruise the street in it.

Here are pics of a buddy's '78 (I think) with a 454 and Turbo 350 Auto tranny...you can put whatever you want in it.

 

Welcome, from Cape Cod, Ma.

Congratulations on finding the Jeep you wanted.

I have to say the track your taking concerning no offroading or not willing to work on your Jeep will have you missing what Jeeping is all about. It’s your Jeep and you can do as you please, but don’t let your family or others convince you that you’re not capable of doing the job. It starts with you, don’t let yourself be intimidated by things you don’t know, learn about them. I would suggest buying a Factory Service Manual and Moses Ludel Rebuilder’s Manual among any other books on that subject. Good luck.

 

First, Welcome from Portland, OR!

First thing I'd do is let the folks at the CC do an overall evaluation. Then I would discuss with the instructors in the various departments options, pricing of materials/parts, what the capabilities of the students are (i.e. how much of the work they can do), and how much of above they are WILLING to do. I am an Automotive Instructor at a local Community College and we continually get people coming in with shopping lists of what THEY want, not what really needs to be done. Sometimes we simply don't have the right students available to do the type of work they want or it doesn't fit into what needs to be taught to the students.
Remember, the Automotive Department has requirements of what must be taught the students if it is an accredited program, and there are many things that don't fit into that. Engine conversions and that type of thing does not fit into our program due to time constraints and the requirements of what we must teach. However, basic ignition conversions, engine rebuilds, patch panels/body work, paint, etc., etc. all do fit in. Time of repairs at a training facility can be quite lengthy, after all they are students and their primary purpose for being there is learning, not to work on your vehicle. That is just a side benefit to the customer. We also work on vehicles with no charge of labor, and have a customer waiting list quite long to get their vehicles in. Again, talk to the folks that will be overseeing the work in the various area's and see what they feel is appropriate to their classes and can be done. If you feel uncomfortable with the students working on your vehicle, then step up to the plate, spend the money, and take it to a shop. Nickmil.

 

Howdy from southwestern Pennsylvania. I wouldn't do anything with it... in fact, I'd get rid of it. Why don't you let me help you out and I'll get rid of it for you...

Actually, I can't add anything productive to what's already been said other than have fun with it - it is YOUR jeep.

 

WOW! Thanks for the welcome, the info and everything else...I thank you.

I will try to go back from the start and let ya'll know where I am now. Its amazing what you can find out when you make a few calls, talk to a few people that know someone, that knows someone, who knows someone that once knew someone that worked on these things...anyway, I have learned more since my first post than I have in the last couple of months..both from my contacts here and the knowledge the members here have laid out for me. Wish I had came here a long time ago..saved me a lot of time if I had.

Lets start back with the 258, BEFORE I read the responses here tonight, I had decided to stick with it. After studying the difference between it and a 304 or even a small block chevy, it has more than enough to do what I need it to do. A friend that is thought of highly around here for his engine work told me to rebuild it, "put a lower cam in it"? (I think that was what he said, not sure about the wording) and I would be VERY happy with it. He said he could rebuild it and get as much out of it as it could get and that anything I needed it to do, it would do and thens some (not sure where that leaves me with the CC because I have a decision to make there)

Also, one of the reasons I had stated I wanted to go with a newer type engine, 304, LS1, whatever is the fact that whatever is done with this thing, it is still going to have to pass emissions. I was told by several different people that when this goes into inspection, it is going to be setup to pass emissions for a 1979 258 and if something else is in there OR all the parts/hoses/etc are not there for the 258, then its going to fail. My thinking was go with a newer motor...more emissions friendly, more power, less hassle. After further review, it seems my thinking is flawed...which doesnt surprise me and makes a lot of sense...so, why cause more problems, keep the original motor and rebuild it.....

As for the CC, come to find out, they do these things all the time BUT, it has to fall into what they are teaching at the time. In other words, if I wanted an engine rebuild and they were teaching...I dont know...electrical...then I would have to wait till it came around again. It is as simple as filling out a form for a "Live project"..they tell me when they will be doing it and my job is to get it there when that time is. Again, only charge is for parts. If THEY break something, I replace it. If something breaks while they are doing it, I pay for it. I understand this and it makes sense to me..they are not in the business of "free repairs" but, if it can help them, help the students, then it can happen and seems to be a pretty common thing that not a lot of people know about! Guess if everyone knew about it, then local mechanics would be put out of work..and thats a bad thing.

The BAD thing about the CC, and right now the most important is that they are closing down their body shop portion of the school. I found this out on Thursday when the instructor called to let me know. Apparently, this was something that just came up or something happened because the other day when we spoke for about an hour, he explained that there were two different parts of the school that I would be using..the "Body Shop classes" and the "Automotive Mechanical" classes. He did say I was still welcome to sign up for that end of it and have the body done elsewhere. The soonest they can get to the motor portion is late this summer (which if I choose to use the CC, is not a problem as I am in no hurry)

The info about JC Whitney is appreciate and noted....I also found out this week that JCW "is not what it use to be" I appreciate the suggestions everyone has offered here and will look into those sometime tonight and tomorrow.

Someone asked about owning a Jeep and not off roading or using it for 4x4...well, I am not sure how to answer that except to say that if I was rising down the highway one day, beautiful day, top was off, not much else to do and I looked over and saw where they were cutting a path through the woods for a road or something, I might just make a sharp right turn (with a CJ5..maybe not TOO sharp) and head straight up the thing..in other words, I dont plan on rock crawling, mud slingin' or anything else but, it could happen. We do have some property in the NC Mtns and VA Mtns that I have already been told we would be exploring. This to ME is off roading...not 4 wheeling or getting stuck up in mud 4 feet deep. If I want to drive straight up a mountain is up to me...I just want to know that what I have under me will do it when the time comes. Driving up the side of a mountain and ROLLING back down the other side are two different things!

I know I have missed a lot of questions that were asked back to me and I will go back later and go through those later on. I will also find the camera and see if I can upload some photos for review and guidance.

Thanks again for the help, its nice to know there are people out there that know what is going on and what it takes to get there...and are willing to help and make suggestions for those of us that might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer!

Thank you

 

Welcome to the world of Jeep. You may not be a wrench turner now but after you've owned it a while you will be. Especially with a CJ. I've had mine for about 5 years now and am constantly wrenching.

Have fun and good luck.

Casey

 

Another welcome from Oegon CJ4ME.
I use to have a 79 CJ-5. It was one of the best jeeps I ever had.
I'm driiving a 77 CJ-5 with a 258 and building a 48 Willys. I will be looking for another 79 next year.
Good luck and enjoy it.
Bruce

 

My CJ-5 has the 258, the PO put a header on it and did some motor work. Not sure what he did, It runs ruff when going slow, but get her wound up and she run great, Just means I have to go fast all the time. LOL
Bruce
I'm looking for another 79.

 

Welcome from New Orleans, I say stick with that engine untill you have everything else for the other power train ready if you go that route. Use that jcw catalog for your fire place. They are a waste of money and time. You can go with the c.c. but im with the guys make sure they know EXACTLY what you want and get in there with them, remeber you get what you pay for. Before I joined the military, I worked at a driveshaft/4 wheel drive shop, and had the opurtunity to help put a 454 power train in a jeep similar to the pics earlier, its a good project ,and it was somewhat time consuming. But all in all its your rig, enjoy it, only few people can say "I built my jeep!"