upgrade Jeep or keep orginal for value?

[cj784]

All of the upgrades you guys have done or are working on make me want to upgrade my CJ7

examples {nutter bypass/ finish team rush /or HEI it, change the head out for better performance (upgrade the oil leak valve cover), new carb 2100 from carter, new exhaust system, new shocks, new 2" inch hitch for towing or bike rack, maybe upgrade to the Fuel injection system?; and convert the back brakes to pads, etc. OR do I just keep this jeep orginal from the factory? Currently, this jeep starts, runs, goes, stops. But I see that this Jeep needs some TLC in the future or I am going to have bigger issues because of it's age or worn out parts.

My friend said if I start removing any orginal items from the jeep I would loose value of the jeep orginality (all stock) if I ever one day decided to sell it.( which I don't at this time) Just curious what others think... will upgrading decrease the value or in the long run hold on to stock would make it more valuable?

Thank you in advance for time and thoughts!

 

[diddy2003]

I would rather the upgrades on the jeep if I was a buyer. There is a reason people do the things listed. It makes the jeep better. The carb, nutter, smog removal, etc, help to make the jeep a better driver. Those aren't really even crazy modifications IMO. I've done them all. I guess it's cool to have something all original, but I personally would rather the simple mods that make the jeep run and drive better.

 

[tjmons]

If you looking to hold or increase the value of the CJ I would keep it all original. Unless you dump a ton of money in it for mods the original are selling for more. A lot of people like to buy unmolested CJ's. Nothing like a low mileage , factory original cj.

 

[IOPort51]

As investments go I would not call a CJ a good one. Do it for fun, do it for love but don't do it for money, it will just break your heart and your bank account.

 

[tarry99]

As investments go I would not call a CJ a good one. Do it for fun, do it for love but don't do it for money, it will just break your heart and your bank account.

IO............Amen on that............if the mods are done professional and in good taste it adds to the value. The all stock jeeps with low mileage are nice but in the scheme of things what is a Jeep really good for if not off road? Therefore a stock one in my eyes is about as boring as watching paint dry!

 

[Petescj]

Lets see some pics of yours and then debate. I wanna see all of it to. Inside and out.

 

[Old Dog]

As investments go I would not call a CJ a good one. Do it for fun, do it for love but don't do it for money, it will just break your heart and your bank account.

IO............Amen on that............if the mods are done professional and in good taste it adds to the value. The all stock jeeps with low mileage are nice but in the scheme of things what is a Jeep really good for if not off road? Therefore a stock one in my eyes is about as boring as watching paint dry!

IMHO The only way it will be worth anything big is if it looks like it just came off the showroom floor and has never been touched.
Personally I bought my cj for an offroad jeep, so upgrades were mandatory.
Although I didn't want to buy someone else's upgrades so I looked for a halfway stock one.

 

[IOPort51]

I have an obligation to make it better, not just make it run.

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

Mine needed a paint job to keep the rust at bay. I drive in brush and by/over trees on occasion, SO I chose a bedliner for paint. Got one that was tinted to the original factory color. Still looks the same, but protected.

Going to do the HEI thing on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l . For more resposne and reliability, but mainly because the old ignition system needed replacing.

Didn't do the 4.0 head swap. Was torn on this one for sure. Wanted to keep it kind of original I guess in the long run.

Looking at some LED lights because I like them and they dont get bounced and broken as bad.

Went with high back seats because I like to lean back and drink beer.

Got a tilt column from a 1984 Cherokee because it was cheap and might help me gain access to the drivers seat a little better.

I will also get a radio that I can plug up phone/iPod to. I dislike regular radio commercials, especially car commercials...

These are the reasons I chose to call my build a resto-mod. Fix whats broken, but add some modern touches/technology where it seems to fit. I don't consider myself a trend follower; but why not make it better while you have the chance during a teardown and build. Like the OP, I don't plan on selling this CJ5 anytime soon. Everything has a price, it wasn't free to me after all...

 

[Peanut Butter]

Go buy some gold if you want an investment. Your CJ should be a reflection of you! Make it what you want to drive so that the driving experance will be fun. Pertty soon there won't be any CJs to modify, so have some fun. Rod

 

[Ghostship]

You can check out Collinsbrosjeep.com and Austinjeeps.com to get a feel for what restored CJs are retailing for.

 

[jdarg]

My CJ is the first Jeep I'm going to refrain from doing all the common mods to unless I start seeing a cycle of replacing the same parts over and over.

I figure if it made it 38 years with what it has now, incl. the prestolite ignition system everyone loves to hate, there isn't much point in changing things too much.

Personally if I was looking for CJ I'd want it as unmolested by POs as possible. There just aren't a lot of stock ones left anymore. I also suspect a lot of the bolt-on engine mods really give you little, if anything, in return, in normal driving situations and an otherwise stock motor internally.

 

[cj784]

Thank you all for your thoughts! I will take some pictures this weekend then post some pictures. It is not a showcase Jeep, but I think it looks nice. Your thoughts have lead me to do some important upgrades on it, just because I want to be able to drive this jeep long distances. I really want some reliablity while out on the open road.

 

[IOPort51]

I am proud of you!

there need to be some totally stock CJs. They are not going to make any more of them. someone will, one day, travel to see a bone stock Jeep CJ.

I have mixed regrets about changes I have made and I have bolted a few things on because they did improve the operation of the machine. And for the most part the parts all , pretty much, belonged on a Jeep of one style or another and one year or another.

My CJ is the first Jeep I'm going to refrain from doing all the common mods to unless I start seeing a cycle of replacing the same parts over and over.

I figure if it made it 38 years with what it has now, incl. the prestolite ignition system everyone loves to hate, there isn't much point in changing things too much.

Personally if I was looking for CJ I'd want it as unmolested by POs as possible. There just aren't a lot of stock ones left anymore. I also suspect a lot of the bolt-on engine mods really give you little, if anything, in return, in normal driving situations and an otherwise stock motor internally.

 

[83greencj7]

I bought my first jeep in May. Its an 83 CJ7 , 4 cyl, 5 spd, that I got form the original owner with only 30k miles. It is all original including the tires. A few parts have been changed with stock replacements, due to failure including the clutch master cyl., fuel pump and radiator. otherwise it runs and drives like new.

I don't plan to modify it at this time. It's just too nice and original to modify and loose the originality.

Maybe I'll get something else later to beat on and modify.

I do really enjoy the classic look and top off cruising.

 

[wm69]

I'm going to do some modifications to Dad's Scrambler, which currently sits with 4400 miles on it, because I want to use it. That said, I'll keep ALL of the factory parts, so if I ever do want to put it back to stock, I can do so. I'm not drilling any holes in the frame or doing anything permanant to it, but I can teamrush, add a MC2100 without changing anything. The aluminum valve cover I have only requires threading the two holes on the drivers side of the engine. My side steps were custom made to not require drilling of the frame. If I lift it 2.5 inches, factory springs will be kept. I even bought an extra set of axles so I can add lockers and go to 3.31's (came with 2.73's and trackloc), while putting the factory axles in the shop in case I ever want to reinstall them.

I'm not too worried about it, because I'm not gonna sell it, but if my kids want to after I'm gone, all the original parts that are removed will be there. I even have the AMC marked belts and hoses AND the factory Michelins on white steelies I took off (worried they might fail because of age, but they looked fine when I took them off and put them on a shelf in my climate controlled basement).

Enjoy your Jeep. If you want to mod it, mod it, just think about what you're doing before you do anything that can't be undone.

 

[RajahSC]

Been down this same road many times with classic mustangs and classic broncos in the last 20-odd years. It really boils down to this-what do you want out of the jeep?

IMHO, vehicles are terrible investments. They are only worth what someone will pay and not any more. The figure you have in your mind at resale time will probably NOT be what the prospective buyer has in theirs. Forget the visions of Barrett-Jackson and the 1.2 million some idiot paid for a car to show their friends that they have lost all touch with reality.

As other posters on here have said, go ahead and modify and make the Jeep YOURS. Make it what Americans have always wanted their vehicles to be-extensions of themselves. I've found usually, regarding modified vehicles, that the vehicle fits the personality of the owner.

I will modify to improve upon what the factory did. I will make my Jeep the way the passionate engineers and designers (who are like us- jeepers) envisioned it before the corporate bean-counters and stuffed shirts told them that it costs too much, or it was "too off-road" for the general public and cut 'em off at the knees. In short, I will make it mine.

Lastly, If you have any doubt, then you will be constantly second-guessing yourself. My advice then is if the Jeep is low-miles, all-original, or can be restored to factory-stock with a minimum of expenditure (hahaha) then don't modify. Sell it as soon as you can and buy something you can have some fun with! IMHO, Life is way too short to restore cars. That's a lesson it took me awhile to learn.

Just my .02
-Rajah

 

[0822]

IMHO The only way it will be worth anything big is if it looks like it just came off the showroom floor and has never been touched.
Personally I bought my cj for an offroad jeep, so upgrades were mandatory.
Although I didn't want to buy someone else's upgrades so I looked for a halfway stock one.

 

[PistolDave]

What is the point in owning a jeep if you are not going to tinker with it? I mean really, just buy a honda civic if you want a bone stock vehicle.