For Sale 1969 Jeep Cj5, Restomod Complete

$12,000 and located in Northern California. This is a 1969 Jeep CJ5 with V6-225 motor, SM 420 transmission, Warn overdrive, Dana 18 transfer case, Dana 44 rear axle and Dana 25 front axle. It also has a Saginaw power steering conversion, Mico lock, front disk brake, and high energy ignition. I inherited this from my dad when he passed a few months ago. My dad and I did not build this Jeep. Previous owner did the restomod. My dad bought it because it was a cool Sunday driver. I just do not have the time for it. I have asked around and done a lot of research and I think that if it needed nothing then it would be worth $15,000. But right now it has flaws. It has a few minor flaws like it needs a new choke linkage and there is a bondo crack on the driver door panel and it needs a little more caster angle for the steering to tighten up a bit. It has one bigger flaw which is a drivetrain problem. The engine runs great but I think it has an issue someplace in the rear end or a rear axles. It shifts into all gears. But when running and you shift into gear and release the clutch you can hear the transmission spinning but there’s no power being transferred to the rear axles. It just doesn’t go anyplace. This happens in all gears. One of the rear hub locks turns smoothly. The other one is hard to turn and does not rotate through the full circle that you'd expect it to. I think the problem may be in there someplace. It might be a very easy fix, but again I just don't have the time for it and it's not my passion anyway. This Jeep needs somebody who has the passion to appreciate it. I will sell it as-is right now for $12,000, which is I think is a fair price for somebody who can make it right. I think my price is firm because anything less than than that and I am inclined to just get it to a good shop, pay them to make it right, then sell it for what’s it worth in prime condition. Looking to sell within the next two weeks. I have an appointment to take it into WFO Concepts in Auburn at the end of the month for them to work on it. So if it sells before May 30, then I can cancel my appointment there. If it’s not sold by May 30 then it’s going to WFO. It does have locking hubs on all 4-wheels so normally I'd say it can be safely flat towed. I have the equipment for that to give you. But if the problem is in a rear axle then the buyer may or may not want to do that. I am in Cameron Park, CA (Northern Calif, approx 40 miles east of Sacramento).

 

Does it drive normally when in 4wd ?
Could be as simple as a rear axle shaft or locking hub problem.

 

Also make sure the transfercase and overdrive are not in nuetral. The transfercase lever should be firmly all the way forward. The overdrive needs to be all the way back or forward. This Jeep has three neutrals.

 

X2 on making sure the rear hubs are locked.

 

X2 on checking to make sure the overdrive and transfer case are not in neutral.

 

OP here. I appreciate the tips about checking for neutral and the rear axles. I'm pretty certain it's not a neutral issue. However, one of the rear hubs turns normally and the other one does not. One hub is hard to turn and does not rotate through the full motion that you would expect it to. Perhaps the problem lies in there. I updated the ad accordingly, but probably doesn't change my thoughts on selling. I hope that might make it an easy fix for somebody and so maybe even a better value, but that somebody isn't me. My dad passed away. I'm still dealing with his estate. Trying to sell his house. Already losing out on time for the other activities and trips that I had planned for this summer. And this Jeep is now taking up the space in my garage where I want to park my truck. This Jeep and me were just not meant to be wedded together. LOL

 

The Warn locking hubs can sometimes- almost always actually, get stuck when the splines do not align perfectly. I usually just rock the jeep back and forth while turning the knob to lock and you can feel it click into place. If one of the rear hubs is not locked completely on an axle with an open differential that is all it takes to keep the axle from turning.

 

I am going to try that. Thank you.

It does drive on the front axles in 4X4 so that's more evidence I suppose that the issue is limited to the rear end or axles.

 

Not trying to talk you into keeping it. These old things aren't for everybody. Just trying to make it an easier sell for you. If I was closer and didn't already have 4 Jeeps, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

Gorgeous jeep, good luck with the sale! If I wasn't 20 years into my summer project, I'd be interested!

 

Damn. I'm only 4 years into my summer project. You mean I have at least another 16 to go? Sheesh. Not sure I'll live that long--

 

Yeah it sounds like just your hubs. How long since it's been driven? Drive it around with the front wheels, forward and reverse, and stop at some point to see if you can get the rears to lock in. A little highway heat and motion may free it all up. Seems like your Dad would have said something if the rig wouldn't drive right. My guess is that it's a pretty minor problem.

Did he ever mention that he broke an axle while out wheeling?

 

Sending you a PM

 

Thank you. I replied and also reached out to your friend.

 

My dad never did any wheeling in this. He had it for 7 or 8 years and he only ever drove it to coffee a few times a year in good weather. He put less than a few hundred miles on it in all the time he owned it. LOL... Hardest obstacle he ever navigated was a parking lot pothole. I have tried messing with the hubs and one of them is definitely stuck. I can't get that one to turn. I think the problem is that axle. And he passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly so if even if he knew there was a problem it's probably not something that we would have talked about. It would have been just another project that he'd have planned on getting to someday.

 

If I still had the house in the Air Park, I would probably own this Jeep.

 

I agree with the others, it sounds like the problem is that rear hub not engaging. It's easy to remove that rear hub and take a quick look inside. It may just have something inside that will not allow it to turn easily. Even though it's not your passion less than an hour of work could identify, and possibly solve the problem.

 

I have to rock mine back and forth often to get the rear hubs locked. Once, I even had to jack up the right rear in the air to rotate it and get it to lock when moving the whole Jeep wouldn’t work.

 

Wow clean Jeep it will sell.
Sorry about your dad.