To buy or not to buy that is the question

OK guys, I have had many jeeps, scouts, and cruisers over the years but never a jeepster. I have found one for sale locally for $500 and wanted some opinions on whether you guys thought it a worth while purchase from what I can tell you about it.

It is a '66 225/ TH400 that last ran a couple of years ago. I went to look at it yesterday in the pouring rain just before dark. (yes it was the soonest and earliest the owner could get out to take a look with me) It has sat outside with no top, the front seats are there and they are shot, the rear seat along with the console and ratty top are inside the farm house it's located at.

The tranny and engine both have fluid in them, but upon trying to turn the engine over with a 1/2" ratchet and socket it did not budge, the rust is bad in the lower section of the passenger door, and there is also a little in the rockers on both sides, but not as bad as the door. It is pretty straight with some surface in areas here and there.

The only thing that I noticed out of the norm is lockouts on the rear(it has a tow bar on the front). Upon having the guy call his uncle (who he is selling it for) it was explained this rear end was built by summers brothers out of California with, I assume, a lock out kit for flat towing.

Just wondering if its worth the 500 bucks, since this is a jeepster only category I am sure you guys will know what it's worth. I am thinking it's the first year for the jeepster, 225, and auto- that is worth something I guess, and the full float kit is worth something as well I assume. Any thoughts would be great , thanks, guys

 

So your asking the crack addicts if you should buy more crack?

YES

 

with a lot of time and money, anything can be accomplished
do you have lots of both ?
sometimes you're better off paying more and getting a driver...
on the other hand, the rear axle might be worth the asking price alone
we need pics of the rear axle please

 

Nicely said, MB. I'd have to agree, when in doubt, BUY IT.

As far as dealing with Mrs Gman...its easier to beg forgiveness afterwards than ask permission beforehand.

 

sounds like you cant loose

 

Sounds interesting but if you're going to buy one you might as well start looking for another R). Jeepsters are the Frito Lays of the Jeep world.
Don't know that the rear diff would be worth a whole lot even with the lock out hubs.All early Jeepster were D30 and they are definitely not a desirable rear end in any form. In all honesty there's just nobody looking for them. Never seen a D30 with lock outs but have seen D44's with it. Maybe it got changed out to a later D44, hard to say. $500 isn't bad, I'd probably try around$250/ $300.

 

Buy it. Try to get the price down a bit.

 

What you guys have said here were pretty much my thoughts on the vehicle as well. I did some research and also came up with the fact that early jeepsters had 30 rears. I never knew that, but you learn something new everyday I suppose. I did look at the rear end while standing on my head in the 6" deep mud and the chunk appeared to look like a 44, hard to say for 100% sure in those conditions though. I am thinking about the difficulty of finding a replacement passenger side door. I think the rest would be salvageable. One last question, since the console was out of it there was no designation as far as what gear was selected. We tried to turn the crank nut as I mentioned and there was no movement. Is it possible that, even though we tried to move the shifter to all positions, that I missed neutral thus causing the engine not to budge? Thanks for your time, Chris.

 

Wouldn't matter on an auto, it would turn over no matter where the shifter was. Here's a diff ID by cover shape.

 

But along those lines, everyone needs a parts jeep or three. Why not buy this one, that way if he can't get it running, it could just be for parts? At least, that's what I'd be telling myself while I was towing it home.

 

i say go back,,haggle,,if you get it great,,post pics,,,if you dont,,post pics and then go back later and haggle some more,,,i wonder what the floors are like around the seat mount points,,,,no top for a few years huh?,,,

 

Haha he. said. crack. addicts.....R)

That monkeys on my back sez buy buy buy

 

Well guys called the guy and made an offer of 400 bucks and after a couple of days he called me back and said he would take it. I went to get the old girl on Christmas eve and have been tinkering on it here and there. It has more rust in the floor than I thought initially (has a fiberglass sheet molded in it)and that will need to be addressed eventually. More importantly the 225 is locked up SUPER tight. I have pulled all the plugs and put mystery marvel liquid in all cylinders and, after a day or two of soaking, tried to turn it via the crank a few times with no luck! Any suggestions would be great as I am at a standstill on the issue (its got the 4 barrel by the way). By the way the full float conversion on the rear looks like is was applied to the original dana 30 rear. Looks like a 30 and too small to be a 44, can't find a number stamped on the axle anywhere, not in the webs or anything. Thanks for any advice

 

We need pics
Yes I am an addict there I said it.
The fiberglass doesnt sound good but who knows forsure.

Wasnt it coke that can loosen stuff up also?
Seems really wierd that someone who would know how to convert to a full floater,
would do so on a d30.

Shoot us some pics maybe we can help solve some of this .

 

I don't know if coke still works as good as it used to, I think that was more the old coke. Not the new old coke the old, old coke. Diesel fuel is supposed to be good for freeing up engines, as long as it's not seized because of the bearings or it spit a rod or something, then you're kind of screwed :smash:.
Ya, pictures of the diff, I'd like to see that and pictures of the Jeepster too .

 

I will try to get some pics tonight. I will probably have to get you guys to help me get them loaded on here though, as I am not too computer savvy. Thanks for your input, Chris.

 

Time to pull the heads and take a look-see.

Pics, pics, pics.

 

Got some pics guys how do I get them in a post from my PC?

 

I think I figured it out guys! Tell me what you think



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