daddyusmaximus
Explorer
I picked up a 1980 Jeep CJ7 this week that I intend to build as an adventure rig. My skills are limited, so I will have to hire some of the work done, but I want to do as much of it as I can myself. As we all know, there is great satisfaction in standing back and looking at something you built with your own hands. A thing America is losing these days, as is so accurately reported by public figure Mike Rowe. I like him... he's cool in my book.
Anyway, She isn't running now, but she is complete, and 100% stock, so that gives me a known starting point. That is something lacking in so many old Jeeps, including my current CJ5 I will scavenge for parts. The "new": CJ7 has a 258 I-6 and the auto (TF999) trans. The shifter is on the tilt column with a very nice Lecarra wheel. The dash, seats, everything about the interior and hardtop is complete and in nice shape. The hardtop even has a defroster in the back glass and a rear wiper. The doors are great and the roll up windows work perfectly. The windshield is a goner, and there are some panels on the tub that will require attention.
So I met a fellow combat vet at a 4x4 meet. He also has 3 tours. He also drives a '79 CJ5. (way nicer than mine) He's trying to get out of paying storage on two old Jeeps he was going to build, and he sells me one, and a buddy one. I got mine for $120. Yeah, that's right. $120. I didn't miss a zero. He just wanted me to cover the last months storage fee. He's younger, still in, and single. I'm old, fat, crippled, retired, wife is a teachers aid that has no paychecks in the summer, and we have two kids in college, but man he hooked me up!
Now the CJ5 i already have just happens to have a very strong power train in it from a Dodge truck. It has a built Dodge 360 (4V, headers, cam, MSD ignition...) , a TF 727 and full width Dana 44 front and Chrysler 9.25 rear axles with 4 wheels discs. This is on a spring over axle lift that allows for a 35" or 37" tires on the CJ5 tub. Do I really need to go that high? No. Is it a bit of a pain to climb in and out of with my injuries? Yes. Is it fun, and cool? Yes.
The CJ7 has a much more sensible straight six that would be plenty for adventuring around this beautiful nation of ours and I do like how easy it is to climb into and out of as it sits now in stock form. However, she isn't running at the moment and who knows what it would take to get it that way...
I'll be using the power train from the CJ5. I may be old enough to complain about stuff, but I'm still young enough to enjoy the roar of a good old American V-8. I'll duplicate the spring over setup on the CJ7 but go with YJ springs that are known to soften up the ride and allow for more flex. The Hardtop will give me a more secure vehicle in bad weather travels. Its still allows for the normal door off Jeep driving on nice days. I have found Jeep forums and facebook pages that are fun to talk on, but will also make it easy to sell off remaining parts from either vehicle I don't use.
I started today with cleaning out the garage a bit getting ready for teardown of the CJ5. Still have to make some room in the shed, get rid of some stuff. I picked up a couple commercial grade steel shelving units from a college that went under. With my injuries, and inability to handle much heat, I have to do my work in short spurts in cool evenings right now. I'm also under the typical buy a part or two each month budget of a retired disabled soldier. This will be a 2 year project (or more) as I'm taking two vehicles down to the frames.. to build one back up.
I will build the inside up to be user friendly as an adventure/overland vehicle with stuff I've learned traveling on my own, in groups, with the Army, and on sites like this. The outside of the Jeep will be a tribute to my time in the military. (and to my brothers and sisters who serve now) I will do it up in desert sand much like the trucks we had on my last tour in Iraq, but with the bumper numbers from my first tank I had in West Germany back in 1981.
Here she is, the $120 wonder...
Anyway, She isn't running now, but she is complete, and 100% stock, so that gives me a known starting point. That is something lacking in so many old Jeeps, including my current CJ5 I will scavenge for parts. The "new": CJ7 has a 258 I-6 and the auto (TF999) trans. The shifter is on the tilt column with a very nice Lecarra wheel. The dash, seats, everything about the interior and hardtop is complete and in nice shape. The hardtop even has a defroster in the back glass and a rear wiper. The doors are great and the roll up windows work perfectly. The windshield is a goner, and there are some panels on the tub that will require attention.
So I met a fellow combat vet at a 4x4 meet. He also has 3 tours. He also drives a '79 CJ5. (way nicer than mine) He's trying to get out of paying storage on two old Jeeps he was going to build, and he sells me one, and a buddy one. I got mine for $120. Yeah, that's right. $120. I didn't miss a zero. He just wanted me to cover the last months storage fee. He's younger, still in, and single. I'm old, fat, crippled, retired, wife is a teachers aid that has no paychecks in the summer, and we have two kids in college, but man he hooked me up!
Now the CJ5 i already have just happens to have a very strong power train in it from a Dodge truck. It has a built Dodge 360 (4V, headers, cam, MSD ignition...) , a TF 727 and full width Dana 44 front and Chrysler 9.25 rear axles with 4 wheels discs. This is on a spring over axle lift that allows for a 35" or 37" tires on the CJ5 tub. Do I really need to go that high? No. Is it a bit of a pain to climb in and out of with my injuries? Yes. Is it fun, and cool? Yes.
The CJ7 has a much more sensible straight six that would be plenty for adventuring around this beautiful nation of ours and I do like how easy it is to climb into and out of as it sits now in stock form. However, she isn't running at the moment and who knows what it would take to get it that way...
I'll be using the power train from the CJ5. I may be old enough to complain about stuff, but I'm still young enough to enjoy the roar of a good old American V-8. I'll duplicate the spring over setup on the CJ7 but go with YJ springs that are known to soften up the ride and allow for more flex. The Hardtop will give me a more secure vehicle in bad weather travels. Its still allows for the normal door off Jeep driving on nice days. I have found Jeep forums and facebook pages that are fun to talk on, but will also make it easy to sell off remaining parts from either vehicle I don't use.
I started today with cleaning out the garage a bit getting ready for teardown of the CJ5. Still have to make some room in the shed, get rid of some stuff. I picked up a couple commercial grade steel shelving units from a college that went under. With my injuries, and inability to handle much heat, I have to do my work in short spurts in cool evenings right now. I'm also under the typical buy a part or two each month budget of a retired disabled soldier. This will be a 2 year project (or more) as I'm taking two vehicles down to the frames.. to build one back up.
I will build the inside up to be user friendly as an adventure/overland vehicle with stuff I've learned traveling on my own, in groups, with the Army, and on sites like this. The outside of the Jeep will be a tribute to my time in the military. (and to my brothers and sisters who serve now) I will do it up in desert sand much like the trucks we had on my last tour in Iraq, but with the bumper numbers from my first tank I had in West Germany back in 1981.
Here she is, the $120 wonder...
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