Newb

[jeepguy3]

Hey all, im new to this forum, i dont actually own a cj yet, but things are looking to change come sunday. I have owned 4 jeep cherokees, with this i have had pretty much every motor/tranny combo offered in the cherokees and have done pretty much everything from motor rebuilds to lifts on them, I would consider my self pretty mechanicly inclined, but still have A LOT to learn and experiance. I have always wanted a CJ but the cherokees have been more affordable. I am currently in my 2nd year of college and am going to be graduating in june, i then plan to start looking for law enforcement jobs and start working fulltime and get my career going. Currently i have been working with a guy in my area in trading my 2004 Suzuki GS500F streetbike for a 1975 JEEP CJ5 .

I have a few questions about the CJ's and what im getting into. From what i know 55-75 are all pretty much interchangable, and then they changed it in 76. this being said i was wondering what the difference between the front bumper mounts are? i know that the early years have c channel frames and the later have boxed frames. ive been looking for bumper upgrades and cant really find much for the early year cj5's... I have some fabrication skills so making a bumper would be an option as well. Also in the pics there are some of the dash and wiring issues. ive been researching and doing some investigation and it looks like 80% of the mess shown is radio and speaker wires. i havent looked at this jeep in person, but am told it runs and drives, just needs wiring cleaned up and seats reupulstered, he told me that everything works except the auxillery off road lights, and the radio (of course its not even there)... from pictures ive shown, do you all think its a good deal? my bike blue books at $3000

pics of the jeep and the bike i am trading it for.












zooming in on the odometer it shows 36687 so im guessing it is at 136k. I am planning on using this jeep as a part time, daily driver/hunting rig. i currently have a 1989 jeep cherokee that i will be driving untill i get the jeep going the way i want, then am going to sell the cherokee and be getting a new bike, leaving me with the CJ5 and a bike. this being said, im just looking on some opinions and help if you guys think this is a good deal or not? figured id ask the pros. thanks guys

 

[gillmore]

I think you should keep looking if this is going to be a straight trade. It looks to me that this one hasn't been well cared for. For $3K you should be able to find something in much better shape.

 

[Sasquach]

A couple comments...55-75 years are not interchangeable at all, but thats a good thing for you. I think it's closer to 55-69 as being more alike but nobody quote me please, The early 70's-76 are somewhat unique an they made many changes that will make parts a bit of a challenge.
Now if that CJ is worth $3K or not is hard to say from a couple pics but if it's not a rust bucket and all bent up I think you are pretty safe at that price. I would want to see behind the diamond plate stuff, when I see that I think "what are they trying to hide?"

 

[jeepguy3]

I think you should keep looking if this is going to be a straight trade. It looks to me that this one hasn't been well cared for. For $3K you should be able to find something in much better shape.

I wish i could find a running jeep for $3k around here... heres some links to jeeps in my area... people are really proud of there pieces of .

Jeep CJ5

1972 Jeep CJ 5

...this is about average for my area

My biggest problem is there is no interest in my bike due to the weather, the guy with this CJ wants to trade, and with everything ive seen in my area over the past 2 years, a running jeep goes for about $5k. granted i still have to look at this CJ in person, but being rust free, and running ads a lot to the value around here.

 

[jeepguy3]

Now if that CJ is worth $3K or not is hard to say from a couple pics but if it's not a rust bucket and all bent up I think you are pretty safe at that price. I would want to see behind the diamond plate stuff, when I see that I think "what are they trying to hide?"

I am definitly going to give it a good look for rust, he said it has been a washington jeep its whole life (for the most part the state doesnt salt, and anything east of the mts is for the most part a really dry climate so we get lucky with not having rust problems) it being a 75 you can gurantee there will be rust, just a matter of how much and how bad/ fixable it is... ive had my bike on the market for about 3 months at $2500 and havent had any bites on it, its only a 500 so people tend to stay away.

 

[Old Dog]

It sounds like it's a pretty good deal in your area. It really depends on how much money you have to spend on the cj to make it what you want.
Parts are going to be harder to find though.

 

[jeepguy3]

It sounds like it's a pretty good deal in your area. It really depends on how much money you have to spend on the cj to make it what you want.
Parts are going to be harder to find though.

I just want something to drive in the winter, take the top off in the summer, take hunting, and maybe an occasional camping trip with a trail or two. My plans would be a winch, and 33's. I want something that I can drive but it be a project that I keep working on over the years to come. Any body have any comments on the reliablity of the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l I6s? Right now I have a couple hundred $$ a month I can play with so I think I can get it to where I want pretty quick.

 

[Jason S]

Jeepguy3: I wasoing to say check out the listings for the Sea-tac area on CL, but the prices appear to have jumped up a bit. That is probably due to a little snow and hunting season.

Be patient and keep looking, you will find a better deal.

 

[mylittlecj5]

I'd say $3000 in that area isn't too awful bad, but I'd look around a little, or wait till spring (when your bike would be 'worth' more) and see what happens. Or maybe the guy will give you some $$ in with the CJ?
BTW, that CJ looks real familiar...This is what mine looked like when I bought it a few years ago in Portland, Or.

 

[jeepguy3]

Thanks all for your input. Maybe my area is just weird, you never see Jeep CJs, YJs, or anything that people deem "real Jeeps" for under $3k. being a cherokee guy i havent spent more then 600 bucks on the purchase of a jeep, all of which ran great and had no mechanical issues. Sounds like i might just stay patient and keep looking for a better deal. Ive been waiting for a CJ for 2 years already so a little longer wouldnt hurt. i am still gonna make the 30 mile drive to look at the jeep tomorrow and see what its like in person.

 

[battleship]

I wish i could find a running jeep for $3k around here... heres some links to jeeps in my area... people are really proud of there pieces of .

Jeep CJ5

1972 Jeep CJ 5

...this is about average for my area

My biggest problem is there is no interest in my bike due to the weather, the guy with this CJ wants to trade, and with everything ive seen in my area over the past 2 years, a running jeep goes for about $5k. granted i still have to look at this CJ in person, but being rust free, and running ads a lot to the value around here.

I feel your pain I'm all the way in Pa and things are the same round here these f%x#rs think that If they got a jeep that runs consistent it's worth a fortune, Lifted is the eexclaimation point of the day round here in the titles. I know lifting costs dough but cmon.

 

[Jason S]

Thanks all for your input. Maybe my area is just weird, you never see Jeep CJs, YJs, or anything that people deem "real Jeeps" for under $3k. being a cherokee guy i havent spent more then 600 bucks on the purchase of a jeep, all of which ran great and had no mechanical issues. Sounds like i might just stay patient and keep looking for a better deal. Ive been waiting for a CJ for 2 years already so a little longer wouldnt hurt. i am still gonna make the 30 mile drive to look at the jeep tomorrow and see what its like in person.

Don't give up, they're out there. When I was looking at this one, in early Nov, there were several in the area for 2-4k that all looked good.

I got my CJ5 from a guy up in Stanwood, Wa for $1800. He thought that it had a bad Transfer Case , but it's a solid, mostly stock cj that runs fairly well. If I hadn't been lazy it would be on the road now, but it should be back on the road by the end of the week.

 

[Jason S]

I'm not sure if you're still in the market for a cj, but a few have started to show up in the Seattle CL again.

for example: 1975 Jeep CJ-5

If you have already found one, disregard this post.