Anyone built a CJ from parts?

[JeeperChris]

..I mean like buying a frame from ThrottleDownCustoms and a body from another place and put all the stuff together?

It just seems like it would almost be easier than restoring a CJ. Might cost a little less too.... haha

Just curious. I'm sure a few here have at least thought about it.

 

[caveman]

I believe it could be done but some of the pieces will not be of original quality. When I first got into rebuilding CJs, I started to price parts out to build one with new parts. You had better have deep pockets. It's not going to be cheap.

 

[HackFabrication]

The sum of the parts, will easily exceed the price of a new vehicle. Yeah, it won't be a CJ, but....

Most of the parts on my 76 CJ5 resto/mod, are new.

I reused the front/rear axles and Transfer Case . All had complete rebuilds/upgrades. Brakes are all new, with the exception of a few rear drum parts that couldn't be sourced.

The frame is original, but has been strengthened in weak areas. It was chemically dipped, rustproofed, and painted with POR-15.

The original heater was re-used, but totally gone through and upgraded.

The wiring harness is original, but was in very good condition. I thoroughly cleaned and inspected it.

The pedal assemblies are all original, but re-furbished.

All the sheet metal is new, either aftermarket or new OEM.

Everything else was either new OEM (yeah, some stuff can still be bought), or new aftermarket.

I did a lot of the work myself. A lot was done by specialty shops: Axles, frame work, roll cage, body/paint.

It all added up to an embarrassing amount of money. I track my finances with Quicken, so I can pull a report on cost, anytime I feel the desire to tackle another project....

 

[RiverandSand]

The way mine was done before I got it, I would no be surprised if a PO had a pile jeep parts laying around and said let's build a jeep.

Unfortunately if your were to do it some of your parts may not be the of the highest of quality. It's not like we have a Danchuk or a LMC to go to for parts. We do have Quadratec, Morris and a few others, but most carry Crown and Omix Chinese junk.

 

[JeeperChris]

I didn't think about things like the axles. Maybe it would be better to buy a junker CJ that one could salvage everything else from and just swap out the body and frame.

I was thinking since mine needs a new body and I'm not sure how much work the frame will need yet, if I end up replacing the frame I might just get a CJ7 frame since I'll be replacing the body too and then get the CJ7 body. I'd have everything else to move over to the new frame.

 

[Basod]

I'd imagine by the time you're done with it, you'd be better served to find a relatively rust free or older restored CJ from down south.
Unless you're sentimental on the 5 you have now.
By the time you add up a frame, tub, roll bar, sheet metal, body mounts, suspension, fuel & brake lines, driveshafts etc you'd be well over 5-7k

Good clean 7's show up down here for low end 5k -going to need a bunch of work, ~7-8k for a good bones driver, to 10-12k near perfect but not the showroom restores.
The guys that have gone overboard on the upgrades are wanting 15-20k