My "new" 1971 CJ5 Jeep

[hancadam]

What do you guys think about my jeep? Its the first one I own. The good:
New tires/wheels, new carb, new battery, new seat and carpet, rebuilt motor, new exhaust, and newer top. 4x4 works great.

The bad, floor boards are rusted out, but new metal has been put on top. The throw out bearing is noisy, may need to be replaced. Could just be from sitting. Its been used very little the past year.

How do you guys think I did? I paid 1900.

[hancadam]

Also, its just the 4 cylinder with 3 speed manual.

[cattle-dog]

not to bad hows the window frame where the defrost ducts are ? most are pretty rough there, how are the tub mounts? frame and cross members are also a known rust area.

[Jeepermc]

Not bad if it's a good runner for a vintage CJ. Lot of good parts on those, but alot of room for upgrades too.... decent running gear. Upgrades to disc brakes in the front is easier with a Dana 30 (bolt in). Steering is better upgraded to a saginaw box on the frame.... You can definitely have alot of fun with it playing and upgrading it.

[Jerm1179]

and you thought trikes were addicting.....

[falloutboy]

looks good. $1900 isn't bad. I paid $2300 for mine and it's taken over $1k in upgrades.

one thing I would do, especially if you plan to off road it any, is rip out the carpet, all it's going to do is hold moisture.

[plastikosmd]

also a big CJ fan. I just dont have room for more stuff. I had a CJ7, was a blast. With the 5's back in the day there were some insurance hurdles. When I first got the 7 I was my insurance doubled and I was told if I had bought a 5, they would not have covered me. (roll over etc) now it seems everything rolls over so maybe there is no issue?

[Jerm1179]

yeah id remove the carpet and get some lizard skin to spray in there....i sp[rayed my intereior with POR-15 product..its an epoxy truck bed coating...harder than the rubber stuff..and start looking for a 304!

[rdlsz24]

That's a 71? I would have guessed like mid 90's lol. They look the same

Rob

[Jeepermc]

304 will be a tough fit in a 71...71 was the last year for the short fender 5... If he's looking to do a motor swap a V-6 would fit nicely in there. 304's are a pretty long motor. I've seen it done but he'll likely have to cut the grill to move the radiator forward and also upgrade the transmission and probably the front end to at least a model 30.

[posty2100]

awesome, I have always wanted to get a CJ5 or CJ7

[Jerm1179]

i wouldnt even mess with dana 30s...anything over a 31 inch tire and your getting into some weak spots...i just demolished my inner and outer axles on mine....everytime you upgrade one thing the next in line is bound to break lol i have seen alot of buick 6's swapped into cj5's

[hancadam]

Well, looks like I get to try rebuilding a motor. Boiled over today and had antifreeze in the oil. Now its knocking. Changed oil, coolant came right back. The knocking is not consistent with engine speed, and not constant. Comes and goes.

Knock starts a 6 second mark:
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/1631/mov01435.mp4

[Dirtcrasher]

Back in 89 we built a fiberglass bodied jeep with a new 383 we also built. My god, the power that thing had; We could climb anything, it was a total blast. The fiberglass bodies are quite a bit of work though! I think we ate a half dozen driveshafts :lol:

Hope it works out for you or you get a better powerplant in there.......

[CI250SX]

I did a SAS with a Dana 30 on my Ranger. I run 37 inch tires with moly axle and a powertrax lunchbox locer. Holding up pretty good so far.

[Jeepermc]

I run 35's on my flattie with a model 30 and a mild built small block Ford, with plenty of gearing down low. ARB locked and I've gone through 2 shafts in about 5 years time... Not bad considering the u-joints were 72 vintage when they popped.

It has alot to do with how you drive...I have a friend with a 4 cylinder TJ on 35's with rubicon dana 44's front and rear and he's broken more shafts than I have... Neither of us are very timid with getting over difficult obstacles....I just get out of the gas faster than he does so I'm not coming down on the front end under power...I still get through the obstacle...I just get to keep going once on the other side...lol