Trying to figure out what I have

[imacarfan2]

Hi all. I was pulling the engine from my 72 CJ5 (73 by the VIN, actually) and when I went underneath to disconnect some things, I noticed the body mounts don't seem to line up. I know the frame is the older style as it's straight. The VIN on the front of the dash is gone and you can tell the one in the engine compartment was cut out and welded onto a different tub. So now I'm wondering if I have a newer tub on an older frame. Some details on the tub: there's no tailgate, but there is a storage compartment under the passenger's seat. There's a gas tank under the driver's seat, but the previous owner also put one in the back, which is the one that's plumbed in to work (but there is a switch in between the front seats that would be used to switch tanks). There's also no heater, it has the later PS setup, and manual steering with a funky looking turn signal lever. Is there anyway I can tell which tub I have, early or late? Maybe they sliced two in half and combined the front part of an old with the back part of a newer? Help?

 

[grub]

pictures brother.

 

[CJ]

In 72 and up the tank should only be in the rear - if you have a tank under the drivers seat, sounds like some one swapped on an earlier body.

As Grub said - can you take some under body shots?

 

[imacarfan2]

I'll get 'em and post them up.

 

[BajaEdition]

actually tanks changed in 68. 1n 72 the made the front of the hood longer so a strait 6 would fit.
OK, look at the rear pumpkin, is it offset to the passenger? if so it is a earlier drivetrain.
oh measure the wheel base, a 71 and earlier is 81 inches, a 72 or later is 84, longer hood.
many times the welds on the body mounts broke on CJs and guys welded anything they could findd in there and it did not line up correctly.
look at pumpkin, measure wheel base, post up and we can check other things

 

[BajaEdition]

from rereading your post, I would think you have a early tub, intermediate front clip and intermediate frame.
my clues are the fact it is vin numbered a 73, for the frame
under seat gas tank are early items, the floor structure is entirely different from later ones. And makes retro fitting on unlikely.

Now I really cannot say if the tub was changed from 71 to 72, but know the front clip grew 3 inches, so the body mounts could have changed, however I would think that the more likely reason for the mounts to be off is that the tub you have was made for a under seat tank and your frame was not so they had to do something to make it fit.

show pics of the turn signal, rear pumpkin, front tank filler, front clip, rear tank filler. and non aligning body mount and then we can see what is up.

 

[dunerunner09]

i have a 1973 CJ5 the vin looks like it has never been tampered with. since this is my first jeep ever. i have two taks also one under the seat and one in the back with a selector switch in which i have no idea what position to put it in for each tank....just my input....thanks