Misc. Arizona Barnfind, 1984 CJ7 that is 95% original - Opinions sought.

[rainmaker702]

Arizona Barnfind, 1984 CJ7 that is 95% original - Opinions sought.
I have recently purchased a original Arizona registered CJ7 that has spent its entire life in the desert and the last 20 years in a barn.
I would like to know if other people have encountered something like this and wanted to get ahead of the restoration process.
With the exception of the probable Gas Tank swap and EFI conversion, I would like to keep this as original as possible.
Has anyone else done anything like this?

 

[Jeep Soup]

You are asking the "Condemned" for "Salvation"......LOL
Welcome to the Insanity of being a Vintage Jeep Owner.
There is Not Enough Therapy!

Just a heads up......
Being a Desert BARN Find, take your baseball bat and pound on ALL the Seats.......
See how many Mice, Rats, Or Snakes come out !! And Open Every Compartment Slowly to expose Wasps, Bees, Bats, and the Above Mentioned.
Plan on replacing EVERYTHING that has or was Rubber at one time.

Party On !!!
It is Only Money Now.

 

[TSB8C]

Congrats on the find! You've entered into the world or "carcheology". I have an '84 CJ7 and love it. Obviously check the engine, tranny and Transfer Case (test the oils for any metals, etc) and engine compression. Determine if any rebuilds are in order. Like "Jeep Soup" said, critters/varmints are common in vehicles sitting in barns for decades. And most rubber/vinyl and plastic components are probably dry rotted (heater hoses, fuel lines, seats, dash pad, etc). I've even seen fiberglass that is warped from the heat. So check the top for fitment if it has one.

 

[jzak]

I agree with what everybody is saying. I think Barnfinds are kind of blown out of proportion. I'd rather have a CJ5 with 200K that's been driven and maintained regularly, then a low-milage barnfind that hasn't been touched in 20+ years.

 

[pat76cj]

Open wallet, be ready!

Like others have said, you're going to have to go through everything. 20 years of not moving, most seals, hoses, anything rubber is going to need to be replaced. While you're at it, go ahead and replace everything before and after the rubber stuff.

 

[KRUPP]

My current '86 CJ7 sat in a shed in Southern Colorado from 1998 to 2020. So, I have a similar experience. I logged the build in my "1986 CJ7 Build" thread. Not a build to be original, but had the basic fundamentals, nonetheless.


Your biggest PLUS is it hopefully has no rust or rot. To me, that's the most important thing.

Your gas tank may be fine. Mine was. Still needs removed and cleaned out. The hard fuel lines are probably fine. They too will need flushed/blown out. The rest of the fuel make-it-happen-stuff (to borrow from Bieri) should probably just go away when you convert to EFI. The computer-controlled carbs on the later CJs are an abomination and all the related wires, relays, hoses, other is best thrown away, in my opinion.

TRASH!


As previously mentioned, every fluid will need changed and everything rubber (even the motor mounts & Transmission mount) will likely need replaced.

Seals and gaskets may be ok. But, better off replaced as you go through things, tip to tail.

Bearings will likely be fine.

Motor will probably be fine, mechanically. Replace plugs, wires & distributer. But, while you have the valve cover off to replace it/or just the gasket, carefully remove/vacuum out the crud you'll find under there. After a couple decades, it can look like crusty tar at the rockers and pushrods area.

Radiator is probably fine. Replace the water pump and t-stat anyway.

Steering is likely fine.

Exhaust is probably fine.

For the brake system, I'd replace the MC & Booster, the Calipers and the Rear Wheel Cylinders. Better safe than sorry.
Bleed/Blow/Flush out the lines as best you can. Replace the rubber lines.
The rotors may need replaced, because after decades of not rotating, the pads tend to leave a noticeable mark on them and will cause a shimmy when braking hard. Basically, a full brake job, F & R, is likely.

Electrical depends alot on what sorta critters have decided to chew on and nest in all the crevices and behind the dash. Luckily, mine was fine with only minor chassis rewiring necessary. A few light bulbs here and there too.
The motor wiring will mostly be replaced with the EFI and HEI conversion. You might want to replace the alternator and starter. I did, but just for assurance because they still functioned fine.

The paint may be ok. Probably not rusty, which is most important. Mine had been frequented by what appears to be cat(s) and coon(s) who had left their mark. Paint still has an oddly different sheen to it in a couple areas on the hood and fender. Ha!

Have fun with it!