1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

help identify

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by ggreenwood37, Aug 27, 2010.

  1. Aug 27, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    My first jeep, and it seems strange.. Couldn't find any pictures of one like it..

    Titled as a '59 CJ5, but the VIN doesn't fit in the range for that year, also titled as a Antique, and Foreign. No tailgate, Gas in rear, No Jeep/Willys markings, Battery cover and snorkel cutout on hood, wipers on top. Any ideas?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I'm new to this, help is appreciated.
     
  2. Aug 27, 2010
    Chuck

    Chuck Sponsor

    Southshore Ma
    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2004
    Messages:
    1,463
    I can see a seam where the tailgate was...
     
  3. Aug 27, 2010
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    What year does the VIN indicate it is?

    Looks like a '59 CJ-5 with some owner modifications. The fast-back top is just a style of soft top. The fenders are unique - I expect someone made them.
     
  4. Aug 27, 2010
    rusty

    rusty Well-Known Member

    norfolk,va
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2006
    Messages:
    1,652
    Not sure. Love that top. Never saw fenders quite like that . What kind of trans. and front, rear ends does it have?
     
  5. Aug 27, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    Not sure about any of the specifics just yet, i'll post some more pictures. VIN is 5754882603.
     
  6. Aug 27, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    This is the inside, I didn't think the box was factory.

    [​IMG]
    front end
    [​IMG]
    Shouldn't there be a gas line hole here?
    [​IMG]
     
  7. Aug 27, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    and the motor

    [​IMG]

    The guy I purchased from didn't have much info on it. He was actually surprised that the title had an F for foreign on it. Regardless of its shortcomings, I'm still happy that I bought it. He said the motor may be out of a 70's, I didn't see any distinctive markings on it. Just brought it home last night and didn't have the chance to tinker with it very much. Still basking in the glory of my first jeep.
     
  8. Aug 27, 2010
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Have you read the VIN document? 82603 could be titled as a '58 or '59.

    The previous owner made a lot of cosmetic changes (like the storage box), but the bones are right for a '59 CJ-5.
     
  9. Aug 27, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    Didn't read that VIN article, I looked it up before I bought by doing Google searches. The reference I used had that VIN out of Range for the '59, but it did mention that those ranges aren't always accurate. I wonder why the title is marked as a foreign made? The ID plate on the drivers side of the engine is covered with a good bit of paint, I need to clean it up to see if it says anything meaningful. Any suggestions on a good way to do this without ruining it? Wire brush? Paint thinner?
     
  10. Aug 27, 2010
    all4jpn

    all4jpn Member

    fredericksburg,va
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2006
    Messages:
    363
    no gas fill indent or JEEP stampings on the tub..and different wheelhouses
     
  11. Aug 27, 2010
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Yeah, but that's all a part with the other smoothing changes that one of the POs did.
     
  12. Aug 27, 2010
    texas62cj5

    texas62cj5 New Member

    Texas
    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2009
    Messages:
    2
    Looks like home made front inner/outer fenders (1/8" plate rolled,bent and welded, look at cutout by the new battery location), also the rear inner fenders are rounded and look welded at the edge. Looks strange compared to original but someone can cut, roll, bend and weld heavy guage metal.

    I am by no means an expert, but my 62 is pretty much original sheet metal wise.:)
     
  13. Aug 27, 2010
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    Looks like a car motor - HEI with a Ballast Resistor wired on the Firewall? Definate recent spray paint to make it look good over the hoses and such.

    Lots o custom body work... Rear fenders rounded like that on the inside?
     
  14. Aug 27, 2010
    groomer_guy

    groomer_guy Member

    Western...
    Joined:
    May 12, 2007
    Messages:
    233
    The body mods are very unique. The grill and hood and windshield look right though. Looks neat though. The front fenders are just neat.
     
  15. Aug 28, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    I wish I could figure out why it is titled foreign. I'd like to think that I liberated it from a South American country or even worse - France.
     
  16. Aug 28, 2010
    ojgrsoi

    ojgrsoi Retired 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2002
    Messages:
    2,231
    Welcome. Looks like you have a neat jeep with some great options. The air cleaner looks similar to the one I had on my 71. Do you have more photos of the steering set up? Looks like a steering box on the front of the frame.

    Maybe the foreign indicates that evidence of ownership when brought to PA was not from this country. Since you are up north it may have been titled in Canada and then brought to PA.

    You might request a title history from your DMV. A title history should provide all documents associated with the vehicle in PA. If is has always been registered in PA you should be able to trace the history of title transactions back to origin. If it came from out of state it will stop and you would have to pursue the previous state where registered. But I would guess since PA marked it foreign they were provided evidence of ownership from another country and not another state.

    http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/dl_forms/dl-135.pdf


    Whatever you use to uncover the VIN tag, be careful. Obviously it could damage the surrounding paint and the plate as well. Hopefully someone has done this and may have a suggestion.
     
  17. Aug 29, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    I started checking things out today... I have a Warn Overdrive with A PTO. Four sticks in total, which is crazy... Just getting used to what they do. It looks like I have a T-90 tranny that has a an adapter for the engine, which is still unknown. Engine runs very strong, but the tranny slips out of gear when you give it some juice going uphill. I'm thinking a rebuild is gonna happen this winter. I'll post pics of what I can see soon. After some investigation, it looks like one of the previous owners built an entire body of of sheet metal.. looks good, but totally homebrewed. I'm thinking that it gives me some freedom to express myself and go crazy with the body. With moderate work, i think i can make it look like an icon 4X4 cj3.. flat black, cut the fenders to make them flat etc.. not stock, but I think it will be a nice, unique build. Any thoughts?
     
  18. Aug 29, 2010
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2002
    Messages:
    12,529
    The engine is a Buick 231/252. Get the numbers cast in the back of the block where the bellhousing bolts up and look it up in the archives/technical section here. That will help pinpoint what year and displacement you are dealing with.
     
  19. Aug 29, 2010
    ggreenwood37

    ggreenwood37 Member

    Pittsburgh PA
    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Messages:
    88
    awesome, thanks for the input! I really appreciate it.
     
  20. Aug 29, 2010
    andy howell

    andy howell Member

    Thomastown...
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2008
    Messages:
    115
    that is just a too cool jeep! md juan? i don't need no stinking md juan!
    andy
     
New Posts