Why the difference in body style?

[bmorenzoni]

Maybe it doesn’t make a difference, but I was wondering why the CJ5 top tub channel is squared off, when the same year CJ7 channel is just angled. I’m talking about the lip/channel on the tub where the tops attach to. I would think the squared lip provides more support and if any would be on the longer bodied CJ7 , maybe it’s just aesthetic. IMO I think the squared looks better anyway.

 

[Petescj]

The only explanation I can come up with is that it has to do with Cj 7s getting the hardtop option. The Cj 8s are the same way and had the 1/2 hardtop. Thats just my guess. Never really thought about it before.

 

[IOPort51]

I think it's obvious, from an engineering stand point, that the CJ5 is designed to have a much more ridged structure. This is because of the compound nature of the unit structure on the upper extremity of the body unit. This, of course, gives a much solider foundation for the roll bar and , secondary to the deck and floor board. It seems pretty evident that the 5 was designed as a much more serious off road vehicle than the CJ7 and, by lennier deduction, any other vehicle of its nature , past, present, and if current standards are any indication, future.
In addition it looks so much cooler than just tapered and flat across the top off.

Maybe it doesn’t make a difference, but I was wondering why the CJ5 top tub channel is squared off, when the same year CJ7 channel is just angled. I’m talking about the lip/channel on the tub where the tops attach to. I would think the squared lip provides more support and if any would be on the longer bodied CJ7 , maybe it’s just aesthetic. IMO I think the squared looks better anyway.

 

[BajaEdition]

IO, I have to disagree, I think the CJ5 has the lip because it was designed to have qa soft top first, and the CJ7 , being a later design where it was designed with more creature comforts in mind, they decided to make hard tops a big factory option. and they decided to put it on a solid base.
I also would point out the TJ has a lipped tub from the factory and they have both a strong hardtop and softtop option. Now I really have not looked yo much at YJs as square headlights just freak me out but somehow I think that when designing tub features tops would be in mind.

 

[BrockGrimes]

If I remember right the YJ tub is the same as the 5 as far as the lip.

Plus you can do what I did and swap out the dash and grill for proper round head lights.

 

[IOPort51]

You may very well be right, I have in the past thought it may have something to do with increased rigidity for that silly side mount spare tire. Two horizontal surfaces would be stronger in that kind of load and I don't recall the 7 ever having such a mount. Everything else I wrote was pretty much a retort to someone's remark about the superiority of the 7 over the five and I could not make a viable argument with a correlation to Zen Buddhism or the phases of the moon.

I think it's obvious, from an engineering stand point, that the CJ5 is designed to have a much more ridged structure. This is because of the compound nature of the unit structure on the upper extremity of the body unit. This, of course, gives a much solider foundation for the roll bar and , secondary to the deck and floor board. It seems pretty evident that the 5 was designed as a much more serious off road vehicle than the CJ7 and, by lennier deduction, any other vehicle of its nature , past, present, and if current standards are any indication, future.
In addition it looks so much cooler than just tapered and flat across the top off.

 

[Mikedaskter]

It is simple, when AMC started making the CJ7 they made simpler mouldes for stamping the parts for the body (its cheaper) and probably just used the same old CJ5 mouldes kaiser had, until 75 or 76 when they made it bigger. With a big motor company (like amc, Gm, and Ford) They dont care about the overall stablility all they care about is money. So shortcuts were taken and still are today to a degree.
thats just my 2 cents