recent vehicle sales reports shows chrysler admitting that sales of amc's wrangler are responsible for the pitiful sales gains reported by that company. they shouldda kept the entire amc jeep line instead of systematically destroying it with their dumb and crude make-overs....The end of the Jeep heritage is at hand. Have you seen krysler's ideas for jeep's future? Hold on to the old ones. There won't be any more.. (sigh) NOTE: see liberty
It's alright though they starting making the improved ones after they stopped making the real ones.
Yeah, my `79 CJ-5 is just a Fake Jeep, rattles, leaks and all.
Come to think of it, it prolly is. I didn't do a restoration so much as an amazingly life-like re-creation.
--=20 "doing whatever it took to capture world marketing shares, even as far as having multiple satellites circling the globe to ensure complete coverage and maximum profit potential."
Tealady spills the beans on AFU's new business plan.
On 06 Dec 2003 09:44 AM, L.W.(?ill) Hughes III posted the following:
You mean the ones that broke frequently when they switched to the straight 6, right?
---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
Yeah, the phrases "strong chassis" and "Jeep" don't exactly go well together even now.
Dave
On 06 Dec 2003 11:45 AM, L.W.(?ill) Hughes III posted the following:
I wouldn't know, the only time I have driven it was behind a strap. Right now it is still stuck behind one airplane and 2 MGs in the project qeue. I thought about dragging it to Anchorage this year but it would just sit in the backyard and annoy my wife, so I am leaving it in storage down in Cordova until we get the hangar built.
The TJ isn't perfect but for the winters up here it is way better than the old Jeep would have been, even when new. Float carbs are just a pain in the ass in the cold, and the CJ's heater looks like a joke. The suspension and steering of the TJ is light years ahead of the pre '72 Jeeps and while not absolutely necessary, the ABS was nice to have the other day when the idiot in the Suburban ahead of me plowed into the snowbank, swinging his vehicle across both lanes of traffic.
About the only area where the CJ has any advantage is in the transfer case and rear axle. I lucked out and my CJ has the relatively rare offset pumpkin Dana 44 rear axle with 30 spline, single piece axle shafts. I got it for $200 and got the rest of the Jeep for free. 8^) The model 18 transfer case is the final version of that model with all of the upgrades incorporated. There are more modern cases available, but nothing that would really be an improvement in this application. Additionally, the model 18 has the parking brake between the rear output and the driveshaft, so I can install rear disc brakes without hassling with parking brakes. I bought a set of twin stick shift levers for it off ebay.
Unfortunately, I also got the 3 speed transmission which will get replaced, with either an SM420 or some sort of automatic transmission. The closed knuckle dana 27 front axle is going away, and I will install either a 30 or 44, whichever is most conveniently available at the time. I'm not sure if I will retain the buick V6 or go for a 350 Chevrolet V-8. I'm going to attempt to use an inside the framerail exhaust system, and a saginaw steering conversion. How the exhaust will affect my desire to convert to a rear mounted gas tank remains to be seen, but the existing fenderwell headers are just poor taste, in my opinion.
The body is mostly shot which is why I never tried to get it running, the mounting points are downright scary! If I can't find a decent tub to use, I may stretch the frame and build my own pickup or SUV style body, which would add enough driveline length to make the aforementioned automatic work. By the time I get around to it the TJ will be getting long in the tooth anyway, and I will probably need a new utility vehicle.
---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
I was going to say "It won't fit" but poking around and doing a bit of research before shooting off my mouth it looks like the change from a 81" to 83.5" (1972) wheelbase wasn't coincident with the change to a boxed frame (1976) -- although I'm not sure that there weren't other frame changes in 1976.
In any case, I'm happy with my current frame, salvaged from a `78 CJ-5. I replaced the inner box section from the top of the wheel arch to the back cross member and replaced the last foot of the lower lip of the frame. The top and outer sides of the frame (still in good shape) were sistered from the top of the wheel arch to the rear cross member, with a new heavy-gauge rear member added. All of the frame-to-body mount brackets have new repair plates welded to the top of the brackets.
I didn't want to have to do any of this over again in 5 years. The whole frame was painted with POR and top coated with POR's Frame Paint. True, the inside of the box is still vunerable and I suppose that I could buy an undercoating kit and get in there with some wands, but all in all I'm happy with the result.
--=20 "doing whatever it took to capture world marketing shares, even as far as having multiple satellites circling the globe to ensure complete coverage and maximum profit potential."
Tealady spills the beans on AFU's new business plan.
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