Should i rescue this MJ

[MJ33]

So i have been looking for an MJ for a while, they are hard to come by 4x4 up this way. I found this one on cl and it's the all too familiar rotted floor pans.  I agreed on paying 400 with seller.  It's a cheap deal, but is it gonna cost me more in the end.  Loving the chrome.  I want to restore it to the point that it could be come my daily driver for the winter months.  I will have to pay someone to do the work for the floors and rockers, as i do not have a welder or able to do the work. any input would be great.

[MJ33]

forgot to mention she's an 86 2.8 with 4x4. I already know it will need a battery from the bat

[Minuit]

That level of floor pan rust isn't entirely uncommon on our trucks. 86 isn't the greatest year and the 2.8 V6 isn't the greatest en kind of sucks. It does have the greatest interior color of all though, so there's that.

 

If you want an MJ, I'd say get one in better shape that you can already drive. That one will probably be a pain in the @$$. That said, most MJs are at least worth $400 in parts. Interior, tail lights, tailgate, etc.

[relyt120]

your biggest issue is going to be that engine, the v6 2.8l.

they are the least desirable of mj engines.

for the price you can't go wrong but for reliability in winter, i would keep looking.

get it, grab all the nice parts and stash them, sell or scrap the rest.

for 400 you will be on top no matter what.

[neohic]

With the gold under the hood and the black exterior, there has obviously been a repaint at some point. Any filler that you know of? That'll determine how big of a job the rockers could potentially be. As for the floors... eh  :dunno: ... looks like a typical MJ floor to me. The frame is what's kind of important there. It's really too bad that most of the time these trucks rust from the inside out. How bad you figure the frame is if that's what the floor looks like?

 

For $400, if it runs and drives and everything works, I'd be all over it. Keep the thing running as cheaply and as long as you can as long as it's safe.  :thumbsup:

[MJ33]

Not sure about frame, as i have not seen it.  Not sure about filler either.  Its a couple of hours from me.  I am not really looking for a lot of power in terms of engine, but mostly reliability.

[Minuit]

The V6 isn't that hot for reliability either. A 4.0 will kick its arse in every way. That said, I've come across an 86 in the junkyard with 237,000 miles with the V6. Ultimately, it's a $400 truck and the condition of the frame and engine will determine whether or not it becomes a $4000 truck (and not in a good way).

[MJ33]

The V6 isn't that hot for reliability either. A 4.0 will kick its arse in every way. That said, I've come across an 86 in the junkyard with 237,000 miles with the V6. Ultimately, it's a $400 truck and the condition of the frame and engine will determine whether or not it becomes a $4000 truck (and not in a good way).

This is true. My other option is same year with a stuck axle, but def better body shape.

[Incommando]

I cannot do body work so I would prefer a decent body and poor mechanicals. That said this a $400 truck. Those floors are some pop rivits and street signs away from being "good enough." Worst case scenario is a couple of hundred bucks for a junkyard engine down the road. Not everyone wants or needs a top of the line restore for everything. Although not the best the 2.8 is not going to jump out of the engine bay and choke you to death as some imply. Millions of these were pumped out by gm. They were adequate for the era.

 

Make sure that none of the structural parts like the spring shackle attachments or front subframe are rusted out and that it is road worthy, use scrap metal to patch the floor, assure it's brakes and steering are good, and drive the darn thing.

[Minuit]

:agree: Not the greatest engine, but a 2.8 in good condition will get you by.

[jimoshel]

Don't need no stinkin floor boards. Let the crap fall thru to the ground. It's nice to spit without having to roll a window down.

[mpace6a]

:agree: Not the greatest engine, but a 2.8 in good condition will get you by.

This. Drove the piss out of mine for over a year. And I mean over-revving, shifting hard, pretending I'm a race car, using crap oreilly oil, late oil changes, blah blah blah. The way i saw it, when the engine blows up, i can justify the money to swap it out for something better. Engine still runs though, and the only reliability issues i've had are crappy electronic fuel pumps, and more recently the carb kicked the bucket.

[87MJTIM]

The cap alone is worth a few 100.