Stolen 1 year ago Recovered today!

[Jelwell1982]

Hello,
I am new to the group, and as you read my title my CJ was recovered today.
A year ago she was a decent 1985 CJ7 with a decent running AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l 258ci engine. It was a nice summer day July 2009 so I went to work with the top and doors off(for 3 weeks). One day I come out and she is gone. Fast foward to today I get her back from police impound. 1 year with no top and no doors=trouble...rust everywhere. The interior was completely stripped(even my shift knobs.) Engine they took the carb, battery, and AC compressor(didnt miss the vents under the dash either). The tire they left some dinky Honda looking 14" rims....Brand New BFGoodrich 31" gone forever.
So where to begin. I am trying to decide to bring her back to where she was? Or bring her back to all the glory that can become of a CJ7 .
The only positive is now I make more money, and the CJ is not my Daily Driver.
So my thoughts were to obviously drain all fluids, replace carb and battery, and see if I can fire up the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l and go from there. The rust will be dealt with. seeing as I have no seats/console/storage box in my way, I will do it the right way.
I'm sure wiring will take a bit to sort out(probably replace mostly).
I am curious to pull of the back wheel passenger side. It was not rolling off the tow truck. I'm thinking brakes locked up maybe....something is rusted...?ideas?
So that where I am at, any ideas?
I will have plenty of questions to come.
I am thinking maybe time for that v8 swap I always wanted???Guess I'll see how well I can get the ole AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l up and running.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[Out of my mind CJ5]

my thought on the wheel would be that it sat with the ebrake on and the shoe rusted to the drum as i have seen this on a few of the cars i have owned but i could very well be wrong. Sad to hear somebody stole it and most of everything on it but glad you got it back. i say go for it with the v8 im buildin 2 jeeps right now and if its not your daily driver why not put a lil fun under the hood of it.

 

[Vvajk]

I'm in a similar situation as you, except mine wasn't stolen, I sold it, and then miraculously found it for sale again 12 years later and just bought it back. It's worse for wear as far as the body goes, but over the years has had a lot of mechanical upgrades. I'm on a mission to restore the body to it's former glory. Slowly but surely. Good luck. . . I know it's tough to just abandon your Jeep. I want to see mine back to it's former self as well.

 

[Kane]

You got her back. Cherish it and keep her forever. Do the right thing and give her a proper restoration.

 

[Jelwell1982]

So I got the rear end jacked up today. The ebrake did seem stuck, but once freed and sprayed down the wheel started moving. It still sticks at one spot but with a ton of effort i can spin through it. The opposite wheel spins like a rusty old arthritic lady...lol...I pb blasted the drums and scraped the gunk coated up behind them. Tomorrow I will pop the cover plate off clean everything and do some routine maintenance on the drums. Ill probably also remove the rear diff cover clean out that and relpace fluids. Hopefully that gets things rolling smoothly. Going to pick up a haynes or chilton today see what needs greased and where also.
Anyone have any other suggestions....trying to keep from being overwhelmed.
Oh and I see they got my shocks also, might as well slap a lift on now I guess....lol

 

[CJKrawler]

I am simply amazed at all the stuff that was taken off. It seems as though they had a project at home, and needed parts cheep.

 

[Out of my mind CJ5]

thats nuts they took all of that stuff. Might as well do what you've always wanted now it seems like the perfect opportunity

 

[kickitandholdit]

wow got a stolen jeep back? usualy they go to someones farm toy and end up at the bottom of a pond haha. you and this jeep were ment to be together. fix her up and them you will have a jeep and know it like the back of your hand. any jeep is worth putting $ in.

dont forget PICTURES!

 

[Jelwell1982]

So true, so true!!
Ha they did find it at the lake! Luckily not the bottom of the lake!!

 

[fire3096]

You got her back. Cherish it and keep her forever. Do the right thing and give her a proper restoration.

-X2