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Which Type of CJ to Buy?

2K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  CopperCJ7 
#1 ·
i have the opportunity to buy any type of CJ i want, what should i be looking for? Years? Style? Engines? Axles?
 
#2 ·
I don't konw jack about 75 or earlier cjs so if you are looking to buy one of those don't bother reading this.

Different people will probably tell you different things. It will probably boil down to personal preference.

I personally like the 5 because it is shorter but tall people will like the extra 10 inches you get with a cj7. If it will be used a lot for manual labor or if you plan on hauling a bunch of stuff then you might check out the cj8s.

As for drivetrain, I like my T18a four speed (6.32 1st gear) but cjs (i think just 7s) were available with the th400 auto.

T-case will be either the dana 18, 20, or 300. There is more aftermarket stuff available for the 300, but I haven't found anything wrong with my 20 yet.

The engine will more than likely be the 258 I6 or the 304 V8. I dont know much about the V8 but my I6 hasn't let me down yet and it has been submerged a couple times.:brickwall

I don't know a lot about axles either so someone else will have to elaborate on that for you. I know my dana 30 front is bone stock and my AMC 20 rear only has one piece axle shafts and I have not had any problems with them yet.

CJOffroad.com has a ton of information about CJ drivetrain availability and such, but their website wasn't working when I last tried it.

Again, I am just going by what I know, which isn't much. If I am mistaken please correct me and elaborate where needed.
 
#3 ·
well, which type of CJ do YOU want?

flat fender or round? low hood or high? how long of a wheel base? rare or common? short nose or long? stick or auto? custom or original?...and what do you want to do with it? DD, rock crawler, mud slinger, pre-runner.....

the list goes on, and on, and on...

Hoss
 
#4 ·
I only have personal experiences with my cj5 and a bunch of cj7's

this is all in my opinion

the 258 i-6 is a good motor. all the cj7's ive driven with the 258 have been nice to drive and were really "torquey"

my cj5 has a 360 v8 out of a wagoneer and it has tons of power and kicks butt compared to what I was used to when driving jeeps

and the only other thing I have to add is that if you are tall and/or heavy and cj5 might not "fit" you. Im kindof short and the cj5s "fit" me better than my friends cj7's. and the smaller door opening makes it tuff for some (heavy and/or tall) people when they go to sit in mine.

and i believe the later 70's and all of the 80's cj's and stronger frames than the pre 76(??) cj's ( I'm not sure what year exactlly)

good luck finding one :tea:
 
#11 ·
I only have personal experiences with my cj5 and a bunch of cj7's

the 258 i-6 is a good motor.
You didn't finish that statement... The motors are great, BUT the carb and vacuum systems are NIGHTMARES! :brickwall That's why I swapped in a 4.0 motor from a 1993 Wrangler. Fuel injection is the way to go with a CJ - for sure! :thumbsup:
 
#7 ·
That's an interesting way of putting it. :rolleyes:

Wish my wife were like that, 'dear you can get any TJ you like' though it's more like 'dear do you REALLY need another one...' :p

As others have said depends on what you want, long or short WB, are you good mechanically and if yes then you might go for a fixer upper.....

Kevin
 
#8 ·
Like stated before it depends what you want.... BUT if it were me... I would go for the 86 CJ7 with the D44 rear axle and the straight 6.....gonna be hard to find though. I had an 85 and rebuilt the engine, then added the Mopar fuel Injection kit.... was one of the best Jeeps I ever owned.
I like the longer wheelbase of the CJ7's, but if you do lots of tight trails and don't plan on lifting it too much, then the CJ5 might work....
 
#9 ·
"Any CJ" Nice dilema to have! :)

I ddn't read everyones posts so please pardon repeats...

A few things from me...

I think the 1st thing you need to do is go drive one...any one you find. The ride, handling, and marginal creature comforts might dissuade you immediatly. I sell lots of CJs and always urge the 1st time CJ'er to try before they buy. Some people get all geeked up to own one and will come drive my best one and say "is that really how they handle or ride or".... They can be made to be respectable, but IMO, never like a stock coil sprung TJ.

Going backwards many people have forgotten the issues with carbs too. We have grown accustomed to Fuel injection...esp on a cold winter day, ABS, lack of wind noise, little things like good defrosters and guages that aren't in front of the passenger :). They do have FI kits but cost $1k to $2k or so.

My knowledge is 76 to 86. I never messed with older as they appear to have never really been intended for 70 mph highways on a regular basis and I am mostly a pavement guy.

Fives are fun but hard to get in and out of...esp as we get older or if you are bigger (as stated earlier) or have a gut...Tilt column is about mandatory. You have to swing your butt over the rear sheet metal to get to the seat. They are fun, turn on a dime, feel like a big go-cart...go anywhere on a trail, bad on the highway or esp on ice we have up North here (ever heard the phrase spin so fast you're looking at yourself?"). Also, hard tops are hard to come by and pricey. No storage if you have a back seat.

Sevens are most common, ride better than a 5 due to a little longer wb, can have AC, hard tops and doors are still out there. A potential bonus comes in to play in 1982 with wider differentials for the 7's and 8's (Scramblers). A little extra stability. 5's stayed narrow thru their last model year in 83.

Scramblers ride best on the road due to the longer wheelbase and slightly heavier weight. They are sought after and pricey if rustless. Have a "tail" on them that hangs over the rear axle that can limit wheeling (often called tail-draggers). If you go really big (tall), this can largely be avoided.

Dana 44's in 86's are the king rear as stated but very elusive. One piece axle upgrades in the normal model 20 resolve this for most wheelers. My favorite driveline is the 82 and up wide diffs, T176 4 speed and Dana 300, followed closely by 77-79 T18a (4 spd w/ granny), Dana 20 (making sure I got the disc brake option on the front diff).

For best value for the money, all around purpose and hard-tops and family etc, I'd buy a 7. Primarily wheeling or in town, fair weather driving...a 5. Higher budget, "look at me uniqueness", 2 rows of rear seating availability for the big fam...Scrambler

Just for the record, they had auto CJ's in 76 as well...I have one with 49k miles on it.

Having written this.. I have several CJ's for sale...76 CJ7 49k miles Auto, winch etc; 82 CJ10 (export only pick-up truck, less than 10 in the USA); 83 Scrambler w/ LT1 / NV4500; 84 CJ7 Renegade on 35's; 84 CJ7 Laredo (very original); and an 86 CJ7 Laredo w/ Mopar Port FI. All of them are originally rust free. No patching etc.

Good luck!
Rudy
614-203-1947
 
#13 ·
If you plan on trail riding/rock crawling more than most people do, I'd look for a CJ8 "Scrambler. It has a longer wheel base and it's really a CJ7 with a pickup rear so it's a 2-seater unless you throw in a back seat. They made far fewer CJ8s, so they will cost you more money but they're worth it.

If you're going to use it as a mostly pavement pounder, I'd say get a CJ7 and if you have the cash, do a coil suspension swap and get rid of (sell) the leaf srpings.

TIP: Buying a CJ is usually a crap shoot UNLESS the previous owner really took care of her and restored her well. Things wear out and rust on CJs over the years. Be prepared to replace MANY things. Check ALL the rubber on the doors, windshield, etc. One thing (from personal experience I strongly recommend: REPLACE the front shackle hangers right away. Those things ALWAYS crack. Warrior makes a gusseted set for around $50. Do it. Or this will happen out on a trail... :hahaha:



About the engine: Two engines that the CJs came with are the straight 6 (258) or the V8 (304). Many younger guys think having a V8 in a CJ is the shiznit. You can achieve just as much torque with a 6 cylinder engine and the right gears. WHile I like the straight 6, the carb and vac systems were a nightmare. I swapped in a 4.0 from a Wrangler - it has fuel injection. Better way to go.

About the wheels: They came stock with 15x8 rims with a bolt pattern of 5 on 5.5. This is a tricky thing because Jeep has vaselated between 5 on 5, 5 on 4.5 and 5 on 5.5 - so make sure before you buy anything. I would swap out for 16" wheels. Many more tire options and aftermarket brake items available in 16" size.

About years & axles: CJ7s were made from 1976 to 1986. The latter three years were the best (in my opinion). In some earlier years and 1986, they came with Dana 44 axles. Dana 44s are a bit better than Dana 30s or 20s. Mine came with a Dana 20 in the rear but I swapped in Superior axles. The other weak point to the Dana 20 is the axle tubing wall thickness. But nothing a simple truss couldn't fix, eh? Bottom line, try to find a CJ with Dana 44 axles or at least the rear. If you need a visual on the different differentials, try Google - click on "images" and then type in the Dana 20, Dana 30, Dana 44, Dana 60, Ford 9", etc.

In my opinion, I would stay away from the CJ5 if you're only going to use it as a DD (daily driver). It's shorter wheel base gave CJs the rep for flipping and the space from seat to steering wheel is shorter - not so great for a larger guy.

CJ6s are nice, even more rare than the CJ8s - might be harder to find "SOME" parts though. Same goes for the CJ10. I don't know if you're even considering an old CJ2 or CJ3, but they're a whole other headache with parts and old technologies - BUT they look even more cool. That's why a lot of guys run with "flat fenders" on newer Jeeps to look like the older style and better clearance.

A word about YJs. 1987-1991, the Wrangler had a style change but MANY parts are the same as the later model CJs. I just don't like the square headlights and square indicators, square car-like dashboard, etc.

Remember: MANY parts from the newer Wranglers can and will work with the older CJs. I used many on my CJ.

BUYING TIPS: When buying a CJ, I can't impress upon you enough...bring a MAGNET! Place the magnet on various places on the body. If it falls off...bondo (or filler) is under that area as a magnet will only stick to metal. UNLESS the Jeep has a fiberglass tub. In that case run away. Fiberglass might be lighter, but it's NOT safer and tends to crack easier while offroading. While I know that anyone who takes their rig off the pavement will probably have some body damage showing or some that has been repaired, you just don't want one that is mostly Bondo. Especially because odds are good that the frame is tweaked as well.

Also check for rust - on the frame, pull up the carpet and look at the tub (especially under the dash areas) and make sure to fold the windshield down. Look for rust under the rubber cowl and the frame. Look to see of the windshield frame is the same color as the Jeep. That's a sure sign it rolled over at some point.
 
#14 ·
If you plan on trail riding/rock crawling more than most people do, I'd look for a CJ8 "Scrambler. It has a longer wheel base and it's really a CJ7 with a pickup rear so it's a 2-seater unless you throw in a back seat. They made far fewer CJ8s, so they will cost you more money but they're worth it.

If you're going to use it as a mostly pavement pounder, I'd say get a CJ7 and if you have the cash, do a coil suspension swap and get rid of (sell) the leaf srpings.

TIP: Buying a CJ is usually a crap shoot UNLESS the previous owner really took care of her and restored her well. Things wear out and rust on CJs over the years. Be prepared to replace MANY things. Check ALL the rubber on the doors, windshield, etc. One thing (from personal experience I strongl;y recommend: REPLACE the front shackle hangers right away. Those things ALWAYS crack. Warrior makes a gusseted set fro around $50. Do it. Or this will happen out on a trail... :hahaha:



About the engine: Two engines that the CJs came with are the straight 6 (258) or the V8 (304). Many younger guys think having a V8 in a CJ is the shiznit. You can achieve just as much torque with a 6 cylinder engine and the right gears. WHile I like the straight 6, the carb and vac systems were a nightmare. I swapped in a 4.0 from a Wrangler - it has fuel injection. Better way to go.

About the wheels: They came stock with 15x8 rims with a bolt pattern of 5 on 5.5. This is a tricky thing because Jeep has vaselated between 5 on 5, 5 on 4.5 and 5 on 5.5 - so make sure before you buy anything. I would swap out for 16" wheels. Many more tire options and aftermarket brake items available in 16" size.

About years & axles: CJ7s were made from 1976 to 1986. The latter three years were the best (in my opinion). In some earlier years and 1986, they came with Dana 44 axles. Dana 44s are a bit better than Dana 30s or 20s. Mine came with a Dana 20 in the rear but I swapped in Superior axles. The other weak point to the Dana 20 is the axle tubing wall thickness. But nothing a simple truss couldn't fix, eh? Bottom line, try to find a CJ with Dana 44 axles or at least the rear. If you need a visual on the different differentials, try Google - click on "images" and then type in the Dana 20, Dana 30, Dana 44, Dana 60, Ford 9", etc.

In my opinion, I would stay away from the CJ5 if you're only going to use it as a DD (daily driver). It's shorter wheel base gave CJs the rep for flipping and the space from seat to steering wheel is shorter - not so great for a larger guy.

CJ6s are nice, even more rare than the CJ8s - might be harder to find "SOME" parts though. Same goes for the CJ10. I don't know if you're even considering an old CJ2 or CJ3, but they're a whole other headache with parts and old technologies - BUT they look even more cool. That's why a lot of guys run with "flat fenders" on newer Jeeps to look like the older style and better clearance.

A word about YJs. 1987-1991, the Wrangler had a style change but MANY parts are the same as the later model CJs. I just don't like the square headlights and square indicators, square car-like dashboard, etc.

Remember: MANY parts from the newer Wranglers can and will work with the older CJs. I used many on my CJ.

BUYING TIPS: When buying a CJ, I can't impress upon you enough...bring a MAGNET! Place the magnet on various places on the body. If it falls off...bondo (or filler) is under that area as a magnet will only stick to metal. UNLESS the Jeep has a fiberglass tub. In that case run away. Fiberglass might be lighter, but it's NOT safer and tends to crack easier while offroading. Also check for rust - on the frame, pull up the carpet and look at the tub (especially under the dash areas) and make sure to fold the windshield down. Look for rust under the rubber cowl and the frame. Look to see of the windshield frame is the same color as the Jeep. That's a sure sign it rolled over at some point.
 
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