CJ5 or CJ3B?

The body on my new to me Jeep is definately a CJ5 but there's a "Navy Department" plack on the fire wall that says it's a CJ3B. I thought maybe it was some kind of inbreeding thing until I saw the spare parts that came with it. They include a hood, front fenders, and 2 grills that are off a CJ3B. The title says it's a 1959 Willys. It there another way to tell what model it is? Numbers on the engine or frame? Or something in the suspension or drivetrain that would give it away? Thanks in advance.

 

Picture is worth a thousand words.

 

Like I said. It looks like a cj5.

 

Any pics of the data plate?
The body is a 5, like Sparky said the wheel base will tell.
Could also be the vin/title was lost and the 3b was popped on.

 

The vin number will also tell if it is a cj5 of cj3b. So far, the picture indicates a cj5, so if the serial number indicates it is a cj5 as well, then someone simply typed cj3b as the model number instead of ch5.

Seems to me that this jeep was on ebay a couple of weeks ago and was listed as a 3B at that time as well.

I could be mistaken..........

 

Where can I find what the VIN number means? I haven't measured anything yet. Thanks for the info. I just bought it a week or so ago locally. I don't think he tried ebay before that but maybe.

 

Post the VIN here.

 

The vin number will most likely be in one of two places. It will be on a tag (approx 2 x 4 inches) on the drivers side on the firewall, just above the heater box, or where the heater box would be if the jeep does not have a heater.

the other location would be on the firewall on the passenger side near the air cleaner.

The tag is really obvious, even if it has been painted over.

If you are really unlucky you'll see four empty holes where the mounting screws for the tag used to be.


There is also the possibility that the serial number is actually the engine number. If so, the serial number on the title should begin with a letter instead of a number.

The engine serial number is on a flat section of the engine block, just above the water pump. It is virtually impossible to find without cleaning off the flat spot.

 

Hard to read and I don't have the title with me. But I found an old WV registration in it that read 5754881329 for the VIN.

 

wheel base is 81"

 

Sounds like a 1958 CJ5, according to this....
http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/WOfigures.html

 

Well my 3B was titled as a CJ-5 for years. I had to go through a bunch of paper work at the DMV to get them to title it as a CJ-3B. I could have just traded you titles!!!R)

 

Here's a picture of the Navy plaque. I'm happy with the jeep either way, but if it matched the plaque it would be a little more interesting.

 

The 57548 tells us it is a cj5.

If it was a 3B the number would be 57348.

So you have a cj5 with a cj3b tag on it. wonder what the title says....

It is interesting that the rivets on the 3B tag appear to be standard automotive OEM (illegal for normal people to own these rivets) rivets and not pop rivets.

Jeep did not rivet the serial numbers to the body tub 'till 'round 68 or so. Prior to that they used screws.