Need Help Figuring Out My 73 CJ5

I recently picked up my first CJ5. It is a 1973 and the previous owner has made many modifications. Being my first Jeep CJ5, I don't have a reference point for what stock was like and I am having problems identifying what is stock and what is modified. I took a bunch of photos and would like some help identying some parts and components. I will do this in several posts, so no one post has so many pictures it is to slow to view.

Here is my CJ5.



Ok, first question is about my dash. How far from stock is this guage and switch cluster?





Second question, did stock have a dual exhaust like this?

 

Dash, totally custom. Stock exhaust had a single pipe and single muffler inside the frame, exiting at the driver's side rear corner.

From the lack of windhield catches, your Jeep likely came from the factory with a steel Meyer hard top.

 

I was in the same boat. Got me a '73 and had to learn by looking at others. Takes time but it'll come.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/SwampRatt/DashShot.jpg

 

The front clip isn't stock either.

 

I'm new on Jeeps myself so besides a good book, I have saved about 100 pictures from the net and placed them in a file named Jeep.

Google and E-Bay have tons of Jeep pics....only thing slowing me down is I had to save this dash pic to a host because this site doesn't have the bandwidth to store pics...it would be a great addition here though.



Here's a 1976 dash....all your questions can be found by a quick Google search. The guys on here are great though.....have helped me a bunch. So I will help in return

 

Big changes in '76 - the dash of a '73 is totally different. Just FYI.

 

Good picture! The toggles, extra key switch (?) and radio have been added, but the gauges, knobs, labels and heater controls are original. Good shot of the bus wheel too.

 

oops...I think we should have a thread on dash pictures

my 76 has that plastic dash part...what were they on?

 

Looks like that whole front tilts forward? Fiberglass?

 

Mine is a 1974 and is about as stock as I have ever seen, down to the original color, Jet Set Blue Metallic. The only thing on my dash that is not correct is the holes to the right of the guages. The PO had a ossilating (sp) fan installed, why I can't say. Needless to say I removed it. Mine still has the original side steps, which usually get ripped off while off road. I have been a little careful & have preserved them to this point.

 

Those pictures are great. Helps a lot to see what he did. Can you show me the stock exhaust and pictures of the seat brackets and a full side shot to see how close to the dash the seat is. Thanks again. I was sure after reading the site for a few days I would get lots of answers. And some would even be correct. j/kidding lol. You are a good bunch of guys. Thanks for taking the time to help a Jeep newbee.

 

Ask and ye shall receive.

One correction to my prior statement. There is another non stock exception to my dash. The 1974 model came with a usless black dash pad that mounted to the windshield frame. It was usless & ugly & I removed it. I don't know if there was one on a 1973 model or not . I have 2 original owners manuals. One for a 72 & one for a 74. The dash photo in the 72 does NOT show a dash pad & the windshield frame is black, the 74 does have the pad, but does not show the w/s frame. Note the dash photo for the 72 is EARLY CJ5, not an intermediate, like ours (1973 through 1975).

 

Re the "padded dash", it was optional, so with or without is correct. Started in '70 or '71 IIRC. The earlier ones had a stitched cover, and the later (74-75?) was molded.

 

Damn Tim, what is with all of the rust on the seat frames and exhaust??

I believe the dash pad was an option. It came standard with the Renegade option. I like the look of the dash pad!

Tim's Jeep is amazing and one hell of a reference!!!

Tim, do you have some pics of the rearview mirror? I think when we restored mine we put on the wrong mirror nbut I am not sure.... thanx!!!!

 

Mine (73) was almost identical to this, before I started butchering it. 76 is waaay different IMHO.

 

Hey orginal cj5, When I was a kid my dad ordered a brand new 74 cj5 that looked identical to your jeep. His had a t-18 trans and biege seats with a white soft top. Everytime I see your jeep it brings back many bouncy memories of me and my brother riding in the back seat of that thing from 5 years old untill he sold it when I was about 16. I will see if dad has any pics of that thing and post them. One thing I do remember is the roll bar was blue like the rest of the jeep. I remember hitting my head on this many times. Was the color matched roll bar a normal thing in 74. It was too good of a shiny paint for my dad to have done this!

 

Tim
That sure is a nice looking Jeep. Mine was the same color originally. It's neat to see what it is supposed to look like. Let me know if you want to trade Jeeps.

 

Here is a photo of the mirror. I hope it helps to pin down the correct one.

When I was a Senior in High School, I had, IIRC, a 1973 CJ5. I graduated in 1974 & I know that I bought it used. It had a 258, gas tank filler on the rear body, white steel wheels, no radio & spare tire on the right 1/4. I do remember that the roll bar was black as was the top. Unfortunatly, I have NO PHOTOS. I only owned it for about a year & then traded it for a 69 Datsun 240Z. A much sexier car that I do still have photos of. All things being equal, I had more fun in and miss the CJ5 the most. This is my mid life crisis. Instead of a Porsche or Ferrari, I went the other way. I suppose its an open window into my true self. At least I like to think so.

As far as trades go, I'm open. However, I need to qualify that by saying it would need to be an MB, or possibly GPW, that is in "motorpool" condition at the very least. I know, I am awfully picky, but look what you get R)

 

Good eye. The hood is fiberglass and reversed.