CJ7 Build Questions (20k Budget)

[Tehdood]

So I am looking a purchasing a CJ7 used sometime in the next few months and building a trail toy, not something that will be driven as a grocery or errand runner. The vehicle would be driven to and from trails since my Ranger is not big enough to tow much past 2200lbs so it has to be street legal. The Ranger is my daily driver.

I must admit that I don't know much about wrenching aside from the basics like oil changes and very minor repairs that don't require removing or messing with major components (Tires, oil, air filters and minor electrical) although I could probably learn especially with someone in my area who has the tools and knowledge. As such this would be mostly built by a shop. I also do not know much about good and bad 4x4 parts so that is why I am here.

I will be wheeling in Colorado (I live 25 minutes north of Denver). I am not looking for a beast jeep that will take me up Carnage Canyon or Holy Cross or Patriot trail for that matter. I am looking to build something that I can take just about anywhere on moderate/easy trails and have the flexibility for bigger trails if I desire. Many of these trails out here run the spectrum of conditions from rocky to sandy to muddy so please take that into consideration.

Here's where all you experienced jeepers come in;

You have 20k to build said CJ7 . Average price of decent late 80's CJ7 around here is about $3.5k. Assume solid straight frame and minimal to 0 rust problems. This is a complete tear down and rebuild/replace of drive train, engine, wheels, tires, brakes, armor, electrical etc. Heat and AC are nice but not necessary. This thing should be pretty damn tough and durable, capable of taking a beating if needed. I could care less about the paint since I would rather NOT worry about scratching it up. You can use as little or as much of the budget as you would like. Parts can be new or used but prefer new unless a rebuild wouldn't be much different in terms of durability.

Parts I think I would like:
Rebuilt AMC 304 V8 or Chevy 350 V8
Dana 44 Front and Rear with Lockers
2-3.5' Suspension Lift
33-35' Tires
Full Disc Brakes
Beefed up steering

Any input on this is GREATLY appreciated. Really hope you guys can help me out. Go crazy, go wild, just let me know what YOU would do with the given budget.

 

[PaRenegade]

Well this will be fun. I get to spend your money on my idea. Heck with 20k I could build a completely new Jeep.
Since I'm a bit of a purist I'd choose the AMC 304 completely rebuild top and bottom.
T-19 Transmission . and a Dana 300 Transfer Case twin sticked tied to some Tom Woods CV driveshafts.
Both axles would be Dana 44 custom built differentials w/ 4.56 gears and E-lockers.
2 1/2" Old Man Emu springs, sprung over, Crabtree shackles mounts and 3" HD shackles w/ front reversal and Fox shocks all around.
A full DOM roll cage tied to the frame.
35" tires and a waterproof 9000 winch
That should still leave me with a couple thousand for odds and ends.

 

[harleydragon]

Here is one that we finished recently..everything except the 80 CJ7 body and frame has less than 5000 miles on it..Nothing on this jeep is 80 jeep parts except the body and frame and even they have been modified.wheel base has been stretched 14 inches.It performs like a 68 camaro SS on the street and is a badboy in the mud.I am probably going to sell this one for $15,000 and I have nearly that in parts alone plus hundreds of hours of labor..we don't have mountains or big rocks in south Georgia so I did not set the suspension up to have a lot of flex but that could be modified if that was what someone desired.I have built a lot of jeeps over the last 30+ years and for my uses this is by far the best...here are it's specs...


350 Chevy Engine:
aluminum heads
aluminum intake
600 holley
serpentine belt
electronic ignition
corvette ramhorn exhaust manifolds
flowmaster mufflers
aluminum radiator
electric fan
electric fuel pump

Tranny and Case:
350 turbo
NP 208
Custom shifters
Transmission and Transfer Case just built by Godley's Performance Transmissions

Axles:
Front:
dana 60 w/
4.56 gears
disc brakes w/hydraulic power assist
Warn locking hubs
yj stock springs
gabriel offroad airshocks

Rear:
14 bolt w/
4.56 gears
locker
disc brakes with hydraulic power assist
yj stock springs
gabriel offroad airshocks
custom traction bars

Other:
Tires: NEW 37x12.50-16.5 Good Year Wrangler MT Military
Wheels: Centerline Aluminum 16.5x9.75
Fuel Cell:NEW in bed 19 gallon,aluminum
Gauges: NEW Equus (all work as they should)
Seats:Corbeau w/ 4 point harness

 

[IOPort51]

it is all about the gears. T-18A 4 speed in front of a Dana 300 TC, Terra low conversion if you got all the money in the world. If I could have any axles in the world they would be 9 inch fords with OX or ARB lockers and 4 wheel power disks with 4 something gears. A 4 inch lift, SUA, with 1 inch body lift riding on 35" KM2s. A 10,000 lb Warn is always a handy thing to have on the front bumper.

I have never understood the fascination for the SBC but what ever floats your boat. A stroked 4.0 with MPI would be an incredibly easy swap if you felt the need and would keep your Jeep all Jeep.


with this package you should be able to keep up with anything that can still be driven on the street and more than handle anything on the Colorado trails.

this should come pretty close to spending your 20K if you are paying someone to build it for you.

 

[Old Dog]

Buying a cj and building it for 20K would not be hard IF YOU did all the work, if your paying a shop to do the work I don't think much will get done for that amount.
Just off the top of my head I can see...
5000 in buying & rebuilding the 44 diff's with lockers and cromo shafts. (gears set up by a shop)
1000 in suspension
5000 in 350 engine, Transmission , t/c adapters and mods. (clocking the t/c, twin stick, and flat belly skid)
500 for new drive shafts
1500 for a roll cage (installed by a shop)
1500 for a winch and front and rear bumpers
2000 for tires and beadlock wheels
looks like 16,500 for parts. I have no idea how much a shop would charge for labor to install most of this, as I do my own work.

 

[cj7inthetwigs]

Buying a cj and building it for 20K would not be hard IF YOU did all the work, if your paying a shop to do the work I don't think much will get done for that amount.
Just off the top of my head I can see...
5000 in buying & rebuilding the 44 diff's with lockers and cromo shafts. (gears set up by a shop)
1000 in suspension
5000 in 350 engine, Transmission , t/c adapters and mods. (clocking the t/c, twin stick, and flat belly skid)
500 for new drive shafts
1500 for a roll cage (installed by a shop)
1500 for a winch and front and rear bumpers
2000 for tires and beadlock wheels
looks like 16,500 for parts. I have no idea how much a shop would charge for labor to install most of this, as I do my own work.

Im agreeing with this, harley mentioned what he had in the one he built and wasn't counting labor. I always see trail ready beast in craigslist or Want for that matter and always in the $8500-15000 range...
IMO it would seem easier to buy one built if your paying for everything. Things get expensive fast if not. Good luck
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[PaRenegade]

Yeah, I guess I forgot about the labor cost. I'm used to doing most stuff myself.

 

[Old Dog]

IMO it would seem easier to buy one built if your paying for everything. Things get expensive fast if not. Good luck

I have to agree. If you are going to pay to have it built rather than build it yourself you might as well buy one for less money than the sum of the parts. Just make sure you are not buying someone's problems.
It would also be a good time to learn as you go, most things are bolt on and not that hard. I leave the welding to a pro but do everything else.

 

[PaRenegade]

Ya know, in all seriousness I think I agree with the above comments. You yourself stated "I don't know much about wrenching aside from the basics" so don't take this wrong, and I also don't know where your skill level with vehicles is but this is a big undertaking and somethings aren't always obvious to do. We do things some by habit, some because it's second nature. So if your going to do this alone..... ehhh. I wouldn't advise it. Buy one done right closest to your liking. But it was fun spendin' yer money!:wasted:
But if you'll have help throughout the project, then by all means "go forth and learn". You'll have a great time. (and you'll be grateful for the knowledge if you own it more than.... 6 months )

 

[Tehdood]

Ya know, in all seriousness I think I agree with the above comments. You yourself stated "I don't know much about wrenching aside from the basics" so don't take this wrong, and I also don't know where your skill level with vehicles is but this is a big undertaking and somethings aren't always obvious to do. We do things some by habit, some because it's second nature. So if your going to do this alone..... ehhh. I wouldn't advise it. Buy one done right closest to your liking. But it was fun spendin' yer money!:wasted:
But if you'll have help throughout the project, then by all means "go forth and learn". You'll have a great time. (and you'll be grateful for the knowledge if you own it more than.... 6 months )

Yea after reading all the replies I may just buy an already modded/lightly modded TJ/Rubi and go from there or if I can find someone in my area that likes this sorta thing and really knows their stuff I may undertake the project and learn some stuff along the way.

I appreciate everyone chipping in and steering me in the right direction!

 

[cj7inthetwigs]

How did our comments persuade you into a TJ? Just curious.

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[PaRenegade]

^^ That was my first thought exactly. I thought you were looking to own a Jeep not a wrangler. I would think they would cost you even more being that their a newer vehicle but would still need modified to do as you want.

 

[harleydragon]

he ain't gonna get no stinking tj

 

[Peanut Butter]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that I would look into a Jeep Cherokee. I wheeled many a back woods trail in mine while working large wildland fires, and not just in Colorado. I went to Rusty's Off Road for my parts and advice. I did a 3" lift, 50 lbs front springs instead of 30 lbs for the additional weight up front, ARB bumper, Warn winch 9000 lbs, and put it all together in my garage one winter. This is something I think you could easily do. The 4.0L fuel injected engine was great on the trails and street. Elevation made no difference ( from 4500 to 11,500 ). The longer wheel base and wider stance made it very stable. You also have the advantage of being able to carry extra gear inside of the vehile with ease. Tires were MT Baja Claws with rock crawler wheels. This vehicle preformed very well in the snow, on muddy trails, and through the rocks as long as they were not boulders. You would also have some money left over for a few other goodies. Keep in mind this was a mild lift, but well balanced. Also had A/C and Heat.

Don't get me wrong, I love my CJ7 . Will most likely drive it till I die. But, my Cherokee was a really good vehicle for the area I was in. I use to live in Rye, SW of Pueblo at 7000 ft. Traveled all over the mountains of Colorado with the Fire Service. Good condition Cherokees are easy to find too. So no flames, this is just a suggestion. And here are a couple of pic of my Cherokee. Rod











And finally to see it run down the road, go here: Rye Fire Unit 16

 

[thescot]

That is one nice XJ there Peanut Butter. My personal experience is you put a 98 TJ and a 98 XJ in the same pot to compare, you'd think the Wrangler was made in a 3rd world country. Cherokees are one of the best things to roll off a assembly line. Far as your Jeep needs it sounds like you think you need a whole lot to do a little really. Light trails etc wont require a loaded and locked CJ. Ive seen plenty of stellar condition CJ's on places like Ebay or Colling Bros website. Do a rear locker or LSD and some muds and have fun. I will admit constant wrenching on your rig can get old, in all fairness a hop in it and go factory built package has its benefits, but If you go that route beware big tires and automatic trannys on the TJ's

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Id stay away from the TJ's. You will drop 15000-20,000 for one that "trail ready" but wont e what you want it to be.

Id look first at a custom frame. They can be bought already set up for what ever motor you want, if you want to use Dana 44 axles they can be built for that so it will cut alot of "fab" and special work to be done. really a CJ can be built from a magazine. Id buy a custon fram set up for a chevy 5.3 motor and Wagoneer 44 front and 20 rear axles. The rear 20 axle is a solid platform for a rear and they are pretty cheap. $5000 for 44 axles set up is quite a bit of cash.

5 grand in motor should get you a motor, Transmission and hopefully an atlas Transfer Case .

1000 for suspension sounds about right

$1500 for a cage sounds a bit high.

I dont know if its the geographic area that sets the prices on these things. I thing 20k can build a really nice and capable CJ.

 

[Old Dog]

Jimbo, I admit my prices were on the high side but he did say he preferred new, so I went high rather than low, figured that was better than running out of money before the build was done.
Your right 20K will build a really nice cj, just not sure when he said it will be built by a shop. I see 20k going mighty fast than.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Yeah.. I half read his first post. IF he stays leaf springs nad get a frame built for what he needs it will have him a ton of money in shop fees.

 

[deadfeat]

Save a ton. Buy a really well built jeep. Let the seller take tje loss

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