Jeeps

I cant help you with the time and money questions, just the which one question, which is a lot like chocolate and vanilla...your choice.

Don't konw how old you mean by old, but if you mean old, I would opt for a CJ vs a wrangler. I have had one of each. CJs are much jeepier than wranglers, when jeep started turning jeeps into SUVs/cars. I also like CJ5s rather than cJ7s but thats just a preference thing. Same reason that I own a Ski Tique vs a Nautiqe. The CJ5s are small but a hoot. If you are diligent and patient in your search, you can get the CJ5 with the AMC 304.   The V8 CJs are very cool in my mind.(especially when outfitted with headers and side pipes... I would advise against any 4 cylinder jeep as they cant get out of their own way, unless you go way back and get an old Willys (which are also cool, and kind of on my wish list). The 4 liter straight 6s are bullet proof and will go forever.

I never restored a jeep, but I dont think it is too hard. Absolutely everything you need is available aftermarket. Thats a real easy google seach.

Good luck with it.

Okie Boarder wrote: My wife and I are thinking about getting an old Jeep in the next couple of years. The idea would be to involve our boys in fixing it up and it would be the vehicle they get to drive while finishing high school. What years and styles should I be looking at? What kind of money should I expect to spend? How much project time should I consider allowing to get it fixed up and ready for driving?

Need more info.
I have built many off roaders and if you want to drive it go with a yj or newer.The older Jeeps will be very $$$ and will more than likely need every part touched to get it to a reliable safe ride.CJ5s can be deadly for young men to drive to (short of wheel base).I would never let my kids have a CJ5

I've got a 99 Cherokee Classic and am in the middle of debating wether to sell it or not (bought an 06 durango a few weeks ago.)

Its got 140k but the 4.0 runs like a top. Outside of not starting last week for my GF (-20 windchill) it hasn't let me down. She was pretty upset it wouldn't start and I was sure it would have if I was there, I have more confidence in the Jeep than She jumped in it the next morning and it fired right up. Ha, told ya so!!!

Other than that It hasn't given me anything unexpected. I did go ahead and replace wheel bearings and u-joints as preventative maintenance. Thats about the only things I've spent money on.

If I werent looking to get a farm truck I'd keep it in a heart beat. Worth it's weight in gold on a snowy/winter day. I know it doesn't help you as far as a project standpoint, but I fully endorse the 4.0 and having it as a safe, reliable car for youngsters. Bullet proof and a go-anywhere ride.

I found that if they are well taken care of (the cherokee's atleast) they will last forever. If I keep mine I'm fully confident my kids will drive it some day

Cherokees are an awseome rig great milage for size (4.0)and safe stable.The V8 versions are nice but crappy mpg.

I have had 2 Grand Chreokees and both would keep going and going....Great platform for offraoder too.

Steve check out this Jeepster. Cant remember the year but a nice specimen!

Keeganino wrote: Steve check out this Jeepster. Cant remember the year but a nice specimen!

Very cool indeed. Even that was way more practical than my gpw.

Here is my 1976 CJ5.   I bought it for $2,000 here in Atlanta. Identical to what I had in High School and College.

Like you plan to do, I pulled the Six cylinder motor and rebuilt it.   Also found the Wide Trac Axles that came later on CJ7's and went through them and put the under a new suspension kit (gives it much more stability than the original narrow trac axles).

Found a nice Warn 8274 Winch for $300 and bought a rebuild kit from Warn for less than $50 and cleaned it up.

New top and mounted three point seat belts to the roll bar and she is good to go.

Very fun project and my boys loved the work!   We're now working on getting the Southwind all polished up and looking new again!

Thats another cool one Pete. Although I have only owned two and own none now, I feel much the same about old jeeps as I do old CCs and like old CCs have a wish list that would include an old Willys jeep, an old Willys pick up, a Pheaton Jeepster like the red one above, a late 60s to 71 commando, like the one you pictured and a 70s and/or 80s CJ Renegade, maybe even something a little bodacious like a Golden Eagle. Here's my 81 CJ-5, my daily driver for a while. Here, exploring the back roads of Big Bend Park in Texas. The trip continued to the back roads of Arches and Capitol Reef, then on to Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, a snowy unplowed mountain road (it was October) between Utah and Colorado, over Independence Pass, into Aspen, then Denver and then back to Houston. Fun trip.

Dave, That is the perfect CJ project!! You really captured the escence.
(the cherry on top would be a V8, but that's ok)

I had a 93 ZJ grand with the 4.0 and the unbreakable AW4 tranny.

It was literally one of the first ever grands to roll off the line in early 1992. The parents have their 99 4.7 wj grand, but they are selling it.

I did a frame on restomod of a 86 cj7 with the 4.2 and the 5 speed. Decent rig, but with most jeeps, you fix them more than you drive them. My 93 ZJ was an exception to that rule as it was very dependable.

BFNSport, your "jeep" looks to have a hint of samurai in it. looks like fun.

67425ks wrote: BFNSport, your "jeep" looks to have a hint of samurai in it. looks like fun.

Yup just the hood
I started out with a Samurai, full bodied but like anything its never enough.
Everyone called it a jeep it was a on going joke in our 4X4 group we had 2, 67 Broncos 2, Samurais and my buggy and to outsiders they were always called Jeeps lol

75Tique - my first Jeep was a 78 CJ5 and looked exactly like yours.

Wish I could have found an New Old Stock Black vinyl top like the one on your Jeep.   No where to be found today ... So I went with the Best Top Tiger Top.   Not as good as their Super Top, but more closely resembles the look of my old "Original" top then made by Whitco!!!

Thanks for the info so fa all. I'd definitely like to get something that will be a good daily driver for the boys when they're in the last couple years of high school and be something fun for the family. We'll probably do somoe minor off roading. I definitely like the idea of something in the 80's or 90's. I'm partial to the round headlights and I would definitely want a hard and soft top. I like the idea of the straight 6 engine the most. One suggestion from another forum was to get a mid 90's model and swap the front section with new style or old CJ style to get the round headlight look but get some of the benefits of something a little newer than the old CJ's. Ideally, I'd like my budget to be $10K or less. I'd also like it to be cool looking...probably a minor lift and some nice sized tires with a nice wheel combo.

Ya'll made me want to dig up some pics of my old 42. Enjoy!

P.S. After uploading, the resolution stinks. Don't know why

I'm kinda partial to Cherokee's.We have had 2 '95's and my current '01.We also have a '98 Grand. My wife wanted the 1st one,thought it was crazy to have 4wd for the couple of times a year you'd use it.Man was I wrong. I really miss the 1st one,it saved our lifes. Got hit in the rear passengers door by a driver who ran a red light.Whole family was in it,the most damage was right where our son was sitting. It launched us into the air and we landed on the hood of another car on our drivers side. There was not a straight panel on the car anywhere,the only door that would open was the drivers side passengers door.Police said she had to be doing the speed limit at least,which was 50.We walked away without a scratch,not so with the others in the accident.