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Yet another $500 craigslist CJ buildup

15K views 74 replies 15 participants last post by  1971cj6man 
#1 ·
Ok here it goes.... I have WAY to many jeep parts laying around the house and instead of selling or junking them, I figured I would just keep my eyes open and find a cheap jeep I could throw my extra parts in.

Well it didn't take long to find the prefect one, I really like jeeps that a tweaker has owned because most of the time they just take **** apart for no flipping reason, and my little cj5 was a perfect example. Brand new tires and rims, new brakes and a bunch of other stuff, what made this thing a mess was dmv back reg.... no big deal! and no wiring of any sort!! Haha Looks like I got what I wanted. P.s. I am going to do this on the cheap...umm maybe

SO far
1972 cj5 inline 258, t18, dana 20 dana 30 front 44 rear $500

sold the 258 t18 combo $400

got a running 350/th350 from a friend who also gave me a warn 8274 winch $450

sold the winch $400 after I rebuilt it. Got a th350 to dana 20 adapter off of craigs $350

chevy tilt,alum conv rad, unused painless harness, s10 power steering box
1998 xj power brakes. aa motor mounts, late model cj swing pedals. Free ''side of the house"
 
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#3 ·
This is after the first day of me bringing the old girl home!
I got to work very quick, pulled the body off with my redneck tree crane... Rated at 2500 lbs!
Then I set about looking the frame over, which was not too bad. While the body was off I pulled the 258/t18
and sold the combo! Love the 258 to death... But after owning a few, I am over the whole inline thing!


 
#4 ·
So next was getting the motor, I already have a 350 Sbc in my cj6 so I guess it's little brother also needed one!
The motor and tranny came from a friends k5 and the best part was I got to test drive the truck!
I pulled the motor on a Friday and by Saturday had everything in place!
 
#5 ·
On Saturday morning I had everything I needed to mount the motor, tranny and tcase in the car. Dummy rad motor mounts, tcase adapter, old cross member and the body bolted on. I was thinking I would be in for it... After putting the v8 in my short nose 6 I was getting ready for battle!!! As I started playing with the whole package in the engine bay I soon found out how much the extra 5'' made with the long nose. WOW! After I checked everything over I.e. Exhaust,drive shaft, steering shaft, how the motor sat. I looked at my firewall,it was all there not one cut!
 
#7 ·
So just this last week I gave it a power steering box from a xj, cool part is that it went right in! HAHA I also put in some late model cj7 swing pedals. And with that I was able to rid myself of that big *** wheel because I then put in a chevy tilt wheel. When I killed the xj I stole the power brakes off it so I put that in too. Some fine print I left out.... First off the box is out of a 1998 xj with the o ring style fitting, well my p/s pump off the 73 k5 so it has flare style fittings, no big deal got the high press line off a 95 s10 blazer 4x4 and I have a newer p/s pump off a chevy with the o rings. Because the chevy tilt is a 1990 the end is not splined, but rather a square shape! It took me a couple xj steering shafts to make one but it is just as nice as the $300 ones
 
#19 ·
Today was pretty wet outside, but I was still able spin wrenches.… got the pitman arm swapped off the old the old p/s box, then picked up a soft top that a friend was getting rid of.


Here is a pic of my other jeep... She is not far off but will take more detailed work then the cj5
 
#21 ·
awsome jeeps man i love the white one cant wait to see it finished
 
#24 ·
Haha, don't worry the 6 will get it's fair share of the action. Wish I had taken the time to do a write up on the 6... Way more interesting of a build then this jacked up cj5!!! In other news I pulled the gas tank to have it boiled out. I had to work fast between downpours of this damn rain
 
#25 ·
Yesterday I put the guts in the advanced adapter.... Had been waiting on a part from A.A., they did me right and got it to me in only a couple of days! So now everything is in the car, I want to hear the motor run and tranny go into gear. I was able to drive the donor, but I just want to see everything work!! After that I am running new fuel and brake lines. I haven't made my mind up on boxing the frame... This isn't going to be a trail rig or getting jumped! Haha, But rather a girl jeep. Before the body goes down the last time,I will need to Address a few more things, paint frame, get gas tank back in, do a little welding under the tub... Stress cracks, make a trac bar, blah blah blah
 
#27 ·
Nice 6!!! Can't wait to see how the 5 turns out too!
 
#28 ·
So I spun wrenches again tonight, with the help of a good friend. The motor runs great, the tranny is GREAT and the whole mess shifted into 3rd gear!! So now for tomorrow I will be running everything getting a radiator in there, and getting it to operating temp. After all that I'll be looking for leaks, and pretty much shake down the drivetrain in the driveway!!!
 
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