Any idea what year?

I just bought this for what I believe is a good price, it runs but has an interesting knock on decel...... Didn't get a title and the original ID plate was replaced with a "California assigned VIN"? I'm guessing it's had a spotted past........ Anyway, best I can tell its an early 60's but I would like to nail down the exact year for parts reasons. The dash has been changed as well as the steering column, but everything else points to the 60's. any help would be appreciated.
[/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG]

 

"it runs but has an interesting knock on decel...."

That could be connecting rod bearing(s).

 

Looks late 50s - early 60s. Hard to tell ... Jeeps did not change a lot in that era. The battery cover on the cowl is meaningful, as are the small turn indicators in the front grille. What engine does it have now?

 

Check this:
http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/show...-number&highlight=frame+stamped+serial+number

You may have to scrape rust/paint but the frame is likely stamped with the second part (sequential number) of the sn. I believe the battery box lid on the cowl suggest is pre 64. As far as parts go, there isn't a lot of difference in any of the 4 cylinder-F head versions from 1955 though 1971. About the only major change was the switch from the T90A to the T90C with a corresponding change of standard differential ratios from 5.38 to 4.27. You could check the diff covers to see if the tags are still there and if so and 4.27 gears, probably 62 to 64.

 

Well if the S/N is supposed to be on the frame by the rear shock mounts then I must defer to the "spotted past" statement above. That part of the frame has been cut out and repaired.......
It has now become a 63, unless someone else comes up with a way to identify it.

Yep, just what I was thinking, I'll know more when I get the pan off. I have found the project I was looking for.
Thanks all.

 

I could almost go with that - by ignoring the later add-ons and swap-outs. Not so sure about those rear corner top bow mounts, though.

 

What years had those corner mounts? Not on my '56/'57.

 

My '60 came with them.

 

Interesting, my '56 doesn't have the bow mounts on the rear corners either, but I just assumed someone had removed them.

It has cutouts in the body and holes in the fenderwells for the other bow mounts, but no tubes. I don't know if those were removed or if they were never there. I plan to fill those all in anyway.

 

My 55 has them. Im pretty darn sure that it came that way too. I removed one to do a little body work and on the backside you could see some factory paint/primer.

 

My one owner stock original '56 (sold as a '57) has nothing on the rear corners for top mounting. It does have the tubes just behind the seats however

 

My 64 has the corner mounts..

 

"The speedo doesn't look right for '55 or '56 either. "

He says the dash was changed out. Maybe with the speedo?

 

The front end is a dead ringer for my 57, the back is almost the same. The bow mounts match mine, however the tailgate is slightly different and of course the tail and back up lights have been added later. My guess is late 50's
Cheers,