Hi all, am looking for a CJ5 and was wondering what is the best engine/tranny combo in your opinions? I am leaning towards the AMC 304 with 4 spd but dont know much about them. What years(s) of CJ5 would I find the best or most desirable engine/tranny and axles? I plan to use it as a daily driver with light off road stuff on the weekends. I am on a budget, of course but would appreciate any ideas/expereinces you all have.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
See if you can find a good CJ5 with a AMC 304 They were made from '71 to '81 but you will also want to get it with the 4 speed T-18 . Those were available from '71 to '79.
The emission laws of the late '70s caused a drop in performance in the AMC 304 but mods can bring that performance back up.
It's always nice to get a jeep with the configuration your looking for but these CJs are 30 to 40 years old. It might be hard to find just what you are looking for in good condition. I happen to have a '79 CJ5 with a AMC 304 and a T-18 . I had to replace the T-18
Good luck on your hunting.
Thank you, was beginning to wonder if anyone was going to respond. Back in 2004 I hade an 83 CJ5 with a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l and 5 spd, unfortunately I did not know what I had and sold it. I have always regretted that decision. It was a good little truck but I had always wondered what a difference the AMC 304 would make. It would seem that a 3 spd would make highway travel slow and not too practical. Anyway thanks again I appreciate it.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
A lot of those 304s came with 3 speeds. With a little luck you should be able to find one with a T-18 . Most of the T18s had a granny low first. They were meant to be started out in 2nd. It is possible to install bigger tires without regearing the axles. You could then start out in 1st and top gear would almost like an Overdrive . That's how my CJ5 was when I bought it. The previous owner put on 35 inch tires and the axles had 4.1 gears from the factory. I have since put in 4.88 gears.
