This section is dedicated to the build of my '72 CJ5. The pages within contain images of the work I've been doing, sort of a storyboard of the progress of this project. I hope to be completed with the main part soon then I will be posting all the Trail ride pictures I plan on taking.
Please take time to look over all my pages and visit the links above. Without the help of folks I've met online, I couldn't have been this far along this soon. The forums are the best source of information and help anyone could ever have.
Originally I purchased the Jeep at a local grocery lot where the previous owner had "$800" on the windshield. I called the number and was able to drive it home. I didnt get but a few pictures of the Jeep in the "before" state, just didn't thenk about it.
these are shots I took when taking it apart. If I find any pics I had of it before I did this, I will post them here.Well what started out as a "weekend project" to clean up some rust turned into the longest weekend which by the way is still going after a year and a half!
I found so much rust in the tub, not to mention the stop sign for a drivers' side floor, that I had to replace the tub. As luck would have it, I found a fiberglass one in South Carolina for just under $300 to perfectly fit the job
Here I am working on stripping, cleaning, and painting all the parts for the Jeep
While I had it down I found many problems with the Jeeps driveline. First the engine had been swapped from the original 304 V-8 to a 258 I-6, not a big deal, I rather like the inline 6, BUT the way they went about it was all wrong. instead of getting the correct motor mounts, they opted to just reposition to V-8 ones, there were only 2 bolts, one for each side to hold the driveline in. This I fixed right away. Other than this I found that in 1972 AMC went with an external venting system on the Jeep, it was in the form of a canister situated under the left side wheelwell in the rear. I decided I am going to change this and go with an all internal venting tank and do away with the spaghetti of vent lines in the back. Other than these two things, I pretty much cleaned and repainted the rest of the framework. it really turned out well.
The engine itself was pretty dirty but overall its in great shape. I ran a compression test and all cylinders were very close. I am hoping to be able to use the engine for a good while. If I am ever to change it, I will prob try and find a 304 like came in it originally
I am going to try and keep the site up with new photos as I progress. currently I am awaiting the fuel tank replacement as well as cage development. I will add more text as I get more pics.