75 CJ-5 custom build

[BrianD]

Well it's been 16 long and painful years since I last owned a Jeep. Finally got one a month or so ago. I've been working on it since and thought I would share it will you all. Here is what she looked like the day I picked it up. She came with lots of newer parts already installed. Aluminum radiator, 2.5 rough country springs, Best top, and rear seat. The Frame is solid but the body it's self was in really rough shape.


It's got the 258 I6, 3 speed manual. It had a horibble miss just off of idle so i swapped out the factory distributer, and upgraded to a GM HEI.


She runs like a top now!

 

[BrianD]

After I got it running right again, I started taring into the body and realized in a hurry she needed a major overhaul...

 

[BrianD]

With my little helper by my side I got the body separated from the frame.


I was able to save some of the tub, and will use the rest as a template to rebuild off of.

I will be reusing the hood, firewall, transmission tunnel, and front grill. The rest of the body I will be remaking myself.

 

[BrianD]

Cleaned up the frame and staring mocking up the new body. My plan is to recreate the tub and fender frame using roll cage tubing. It's been coming along very well.



Got all my pipe delivered about a week ago and have gotten the tub bars bent, just have to weld in the stand offs and get everything squared up.

 

[TerryMason]

Great build! You're making me want a new project Jeep.

 

[BrianD]

I know one thing for sure, there are a lot of similarities and a ton of difference between building a jeep that you wanna take down the road, and building a race car you wanna go fast in a circle! lol

 

[69jeepcj]

One thing I would do is check the side of the engine block and make sure you have the 258. The 232 inline 6cy was sold that year side by side with the 258. That was the last year for the 232 in a cj and was the base model engine with the 258 being a upgrade option. In 76 and on, the 258 was the only 6 available in the cj. The displacement should be stamped into the side of the block.

 

[BrianD]

I did vin code look up on it, and the vin code says it came originally with the 258, but I will verify tonight. Will it say 258, or 232 right on the block?

 

[BrianD]

Short night in the shop, but I did manage to get the stand off pipes I need to connect the top and bottom rails done.

 

[69jeepcj]

Yes the displacement should be stamped on the side of all AMC blocks. I just didn't know if you knew it could of been either engine..

 

[BrianD]

checked the engine this weekend and yes it is a 258. Would have been disappointed had it turned out someone swapped in the 232! Thanks again for the heads up cause I wouldn't have checked to make sure till I needed to install parts, lol

 

[Andy77]

Nice build man!! Looking forward to seeing ur progress

 

[flatie46]

I like the cherry picker idea, I saw that on the Scrambler forum. Also saw where the same guy used 2 engine stands as a rotissery for the tub. He had a long piece of pipe clamped to the front leg of each of em to make it stable. Looks like your doing a great job, good luck with it.

 

[BrianD]

Been on and off this last few weeks. Got the tub all welded up and mounted on the frame. Have two more mounts to make and then I'll be working on the role cage.

 

[69jeepcj]

waiting to see the body on this thing.. im digging the body cage so far.

 

[BrianD]

Here is where i'm at on the body.. I've got just one mount to make on the passenger side. Then I'll start putting the floor in and building the rest of the cage.. My brother and I keep going back in forth about how to plate the side... One idea is to fill the cut outs between all the stand offs. Doing this would expose half the pipe on both the inner and the outer part of the cage. The other would be to rap the tub and make it look more traditional.. Thoughts?

 

[BrianD]

Here is where i'm at on the body.. I've got just one mount to make on the passenger side. Then I'll start putting the floor in and building the rest of the cage.. My brother and I keep going back in forth about how to plate the side... One idea is to fill the cut outs between all the stand offs. Doing this would expose half the pipe on both the inner and the outer part of the cage. The other would be to rap the tub and make it look more traditional.. Thoughts?

 

[69jeepcj]

IDK! Half the cage pipe showing would give it a brutal look, but I don't know if that would be too much of a buggy look. I don't now If wraping it would make it still look like a jeep or a homebuild. You are facing a tough choice. I think I would try a test piece on each side of the jeep to see which you like better.

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

Wow, I can't believe how much your jeep looks like mine.
Mine was the same green, and now is mainly the flat military green, with flat black mixed in.
You sure are doing a lot of work to it.
I will eventually restore mine, but I want to play for a while.
I am looking forward to seeing the after pictures.
I bet you are too....

 

[BrianD]

Sorry for no updates. Planting season is rapped up and we will be done with first crop hay this week. Then it's back to the jeep.