Weasling in with an Army CJ5 rebuild

[Hoefler]

Its a civilian Jeep bought and put into service by the US Army-so I figure its ok to post here. This '77 Jeep was won on GL and came out of Sparta. It served as a fire truck in a presumably dry area. No rust anywhere. Took a bit to get her to run, but unfortunately, the transmission has water in it. The rubber boot on tunnel cover was missing. Guessing that rain ran down shift lever and ruined transmission. Engine is the 232 (smaller version of the venerable 25. Ran terrible which required a carb rebuild and a new HEI distributor.
One thing lead to another which ended up doing a body off fix. I have swapped out the T150 3-speed with a T18 four speed and Dana 20. Replaced the sagging leaf springs and shocks along with bushings and new beefy shackles. Replaced the rear floor due to a big jagged hole cut into original for water pump piping. Sandblasted the underside and prime and painted with Rapco desert tan. Sandblasted the frame and coated with Eastwood ceramic frame paint. Just got the body sitting on frame this weekend.
I plan on painting the rest of the body in desert tan and same color lineX. Will post up more photos as the Jeep more progress is made.
Pete

 

[kblazer87]

Nice looking Jeep.

 

[jeeplvr247]

Very cool. Any CJ with no rust is a rare find. Have you considered keeping the exterior the same? It might be a cool way to recognize its past.

 

[KaiserM109]

Not a CJ5, I believe it's a CJ7.

 

[porkysplace]

Not a CJ5, I believe it's a CJ7.

It is a CJ5 , CJ7's had a longer wheelbase and the door cutout was pretty much square .

 

[mutt1966]

Its a CJ-5, I'd like to ask what is the color of the engine and trans and who makes it a very close match for the paint they used on the 225ci V-6 that Iam restoring for my 1971 CJ-5

 

[Hoefler]

I got my paint from Eastwood-its engine enamel called AMC blue.
Pete

 

[M813rc]

As far as our club is concerned, (and fortunately, in Texas HMV registration law) most any vehicle once used by the military is an MV. Your jeep certainly fits.

Is the fire gear going to be part of the restoration? It is an interesting vehicle, I'd love to see a few more "before" pictures, if you might post them?

Cheers

 

[Hoefler]

I have not planned on putting the tank back in. It requires the front seat to be pushed far forward making it tough to get in and out. I have kept the truck stock outside of the tank stuff. The tank itself has two powered hose reals on it. The pump was on the front but was missing. There is a nice winch that was mounted on the rear-I may relocate to the front.
My plan was to paint entire vehicle in desert tan and have the seats recovered in canvas. The seats are interesting-they are black vinyl with the seating portion having canvas inserts.
Here are some interesting pictures of it. I have more on another computer-will post when I find them. The image with the old guy was taken on the day I recovered it from Sparta. That old guy is my wifes uncle from Queens. He went with to help recover it.
Pete

 

[CUCVLOVER]

Cool build.

I have the 232 in 74 cj 5 I beat around off road. The engine is more than capable of pulling the jeep.

 

[Scar59]

Cool build.

I have the 232 in 74 cj 5 I beat around off road. The engine is more than capable of pulling the jeep.

I also have a '74 w/ factory hard top, originally issued to the USMC, data plates still attached to the dash. In the shed waiting restoration. Seeing Pete's work, gives me hope.

 

[KaiserM109]

It is a CJ5 , CJ7's had a longer wheelbase and the door cutout was pretty much square .

You seem to be more familiar with the different models of Jeeps, so I will defer to you.

I was saying it was not a 5 because the 5s I was familiar with and my '70 Commando had a shorter fender where the wheel opening went all the way back to the end of the fender sheet metal. I looked on the Internet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_CJ#CJ-5 and found it a bit confusing:

If you look at the CJ5 it has the short fender and round door. If you look at the CJ7 it has the long fender and the square door. Some early CJ5s had the cover over the battery hole for the M38, but I don't see that on this one.

I know that Jeep, particularly pre-1970, changed things in the middle of the year, so I won't try to second guess things.

 

[m16ty]

I've got a '74 cj5 that I have militarized. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?136949-My-M38A2-(CJ5)&highlight=M38a2

I'd love to see a pic of the data plate the military CJ5 used so I can get one reproduced.

 

[m16ty]

You seem to be more familiar with the different models of Jeeps, so I will defer to you.

I was saying it was not a 5 because the 5s I was familiar with and my '70 Commando had a shorter fender where the wheel opening went all the way back to the end of the fender sheet metal. I looked on the Internet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_CJ#CJ-5 and found it a bit confusing:

If you look at the CJ5 it has the short fender and round door. If you look at the CJ7 it has the long fender and the square door. Some early CJ5s had the cover over the battery hole for the M38, but I don't see that on this one.

I know that Jeep, particularly pre-1970, changed things in the middle of the year, so I won't try to second guess things.

Once you see the difference in the door openings, there's no mistaking a cj5 for a cj7. All cj5s have a rounded back door opening and narrow at the bottom. The cj7 is pretty much as wide at the bottom as it is at the top and goes straight up in the back. The cj7 didn't come about until 1976.

 

[Hoefler]

I've got a '74 cj5 that I have militarized. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?136949-My-M38A2-(CJ5)&highlight=M38a2

I'd love to see a pic of the data plate the military CJ5 used so I can get one reproduced.

I like your Jeep. On the data plate-mine did not get one.
Pete

 

[Hoefler]

More pictures in fire truck dress
Pete

 

[gerrykan]

I know that Jeep, particularly pre-1970, changed things in the middle of the year,

Fenders and hood became longer to accommodate the 232/258 inline six-cylinder motor.

 

[mutt1966]

Up to 1971 they are called Short Nose CJ-5's, 1972 brought you the inline 6cyl. and the 304cu in 8 cyl. those are the Long Nose CJ-5's the tub dimensions remained the same... 1976 on the frame, tub, just about everything changed...

 

[KaiserM109]

Up to 1971 they are called Short Nose CJ-5's, 1972 brought you the inline 6cyl. and the 304cu in 8 cyl. those are the Long Nose CJ-5's the tub dimensions remained the same... 1976 on the frame, tub, just about everything changed...

I suspected the length of the hood and fenders had something to do with the engine. My Commando had the Buick 225 V6 which was short. Thanks for that clarification.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

Can you say more on the distributer?
Also which carb is on it?
Thanks