Newby cj5 question

[Tommy Longo]

A guy I know is selling a 81 CJ5 . It's pretty much in great condition but the clutch isn't engaging and some rust repair on the frame. It has a 350 in it that was put in by a previous owner. It's lifted about 2 inches, new tires, paint etc. he wants 6k for it but not sure if it's worth it. Can anyone give me some pointers?

 

[Peanut Butter]

It's definitely been modified. Some people know what they are doing when they modify a Jeep, and others don't. A good test drive is in order and maybe a look by a good mechanic. If that's not possible, how do you know everything works as it should with now vibrations, etc. As for the frame rust, tap it with a hammer. The sound and feel will tell you on how bad that rust might be. Look for places where the frame was patched if any. Look under the carpet. Carpet can hide a lot of problems. Make sure all the gauges work, and peek up under the dash to see if the wiring harness is in tack or has it been modified too. Wiring issues are some of the toughest problems for some people. Get a magnet and see how much bondo was used on the body. Who did the Chevy SB conversion. If it's the guy selling it, you'll be able to ask questions. If it is somebody else, your out of luck if you have to search for special parts replacement. Like what Transmission was used, what Transfer Case , adapters?

That's all the bad stuff. The good is the color looks like new paint. If the conversion was done the right way, you'll have lots of horsepower and torque. It could be a great daily drive and good for some off-roading too. Meaning you have very little to mess with, or a major overhaul with the clutch problems.

Ask lots of questions, straight quick answers are positive. Remarks like I'm not sure or I don't know are negatives. Remember, It's your money. Does the price seem appropriate to what your getting. I did a Craig's List look for your area, there are other options out there. Just make sure your getting what you want. Good luck! Hope you get a Jeep and have some fun.

 

[Tommy Longo]

Thanks for the reply and advice. I have only bought one jeep before and it was a new wrangler. Now I want a toy. I just didn't know if 6k is a good deal or not. Guess it's depending on how good it was complete and if the frame is rotted. No test drives because I think the clutch master cylinder is bad. Clutch won't engage so I it doesn't move.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Thanks for the reply and advice. I have only bought one jeep before and it was a new wrangler. Now I want a toy. I just didn't know if 6k is a good deal or not. Guess it's depending on how good it was complete and if the frame is rotted. No test drives because I think the clutch master cylinder is bad. Clutch won't engage so I it doesn't move.

That makes it tough to know if the conversion was complete with no problems. Not being able to dive it at highway speeds leaves doubt about vibrations etc. This kind of stuff is important because somebody changed the original Jeep design. Did they do it correctly? Why hasn't the guy fixed the clutch? Is the clutch problem a really big problem, like it didn't last very long? Hard to say. I edited my original post, and added some things. Take a look at Craig's List for your area. There are some other options. A lot of this depends on how good of a mechanic you are. You may be able to find and easily fix the current problems. Hard decision. If you look at what I bought, I've had to make a lot of improvements. (build link below).

 

[Tommy Longo]

Well I went to see the jeep today. The Transfer Case is a Dana 300 but couldn't figure out the Transmission . He doesn't know either because he didn't build it. I couldn't see any markings on the trans to get a good idea. All I know is it's a four speed and the shifter is basically straight up and down. No bends except at the very bottom. I asked the guy to see if he can contact the original owner to figure out what trans he put in. The clutch problem was just low on fluid apparently. He did pull it out of the garage before I got there and there was already a spot on the driveway. No rot under the carpet and the pin is in ok shape.

 

[Tommy Longo]

More pics

 

[Peanut Butter]

Couldn't really tell from the pictures on the Transmission , but the Dana 300 on back is stock Jeep. Sounds like it has a hydraulic clutch that is leaking. So figure that replacement price into the overall budget. The rear end is an AMC Corporate 20. Stock these were two piece axles. With that Chevy SB engine you'll need one piece axles. A quick look at the rear wheels should tell you what it has. The two piece axles have a cap on them just like a lot of front axles on 2wd cars. It would also be nice to know what the gears are in the differentials. Most came with 2:73's. Most people don't like that setup. This is important because it's an expensive project. 6 grand for a no rust Jeep is a good deal, but the modifications made to it lower it in value to me. I would try talking him down some. The final decision is yours though. What is expensive to me may not be expensive to you, so the price could be just right. It would be nice to have someone that really knows Jeeps to look at it for you, but ultimately you have to decide.

 

[Tommy Longo]

Awesome information. Thanks so much for all your advice and help. The lower I can get him the better. This information definitely helps.

 

[Posi]

I would suggest you inspect the frame closely, it has been worked on and patched.

 

[tarry99]

I would suggest you inspect the frame closely, it has been worked on and patched.

What Posi said above............Jeep frames from the East "Rust Wise" , don't last very long. The rear enclosed sections near the fuel tank where that other repair is are area's to look at.........although I would look at it all from front to rear................take a long center punch , hammer and some goggles and crawl under it and start probing..........if there is allot of scale on the metal that falls off or easily breaks away that frame may be toast..........

Lots of Jeeps out there For Sale..........I would do some more looking, research and comparison shopping before I would buy anything............the looking is Free so be patient.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

IMHO-If you can't test drive it-PASS
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

Be nervous. If the hydraulic parts of the clutch are bad it's a relatively easy and not terribly expensive fix. But, for the money he wants the CJ needs to be in better condition and drive able condition.

Love the color though, hate the radio. .... but I'm not much for radios in an open jeep so discount that part of my response. ....did I say that I love the color! ...... didn't I see that dash in another post?

Edit: Looked around and found that your dash and speaker arrangement looks very similar to the dash in the "Ticking" video.

 

[Petescj]

By the shifter it sounds like a T-176 Transmission . But it wouldn't have a hydraulic clutch. Are we sure the linkage is hooked up correctly? Does the seller have any idea what he's selling?

 

[Petescj]

Looked at the pics and that shifter sure looks like a T-176 to me.

 

[jzak]

My feeling, with all the unknowns, its worth maybe $4,000. If it had a Dana 44 and a NV4500, then $6000 could be reasonable, but with the exception of the 350, everything else looks stock. I bought my CJ5 with a factory AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l engine, T-176 /Dana 300 , and AMC20 for $3000. For $6,000, you should expect everything to be working well. Good Luck!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

The OP hasn't been 'on' since 12/9.
LG