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1975 Brutally Simple Daily Driver


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I should really start with saying that I've had my eye on this Jeep for a very long time. It's been around the shop I work at quite a bit for one thing or another and I always found myself doing some other thing or another on it while I was there. The history as far as I know is that it came from a previous employee who really didn't care for it, then it was traded to the owner of the shop for a square body Chevy, then it really had no direction until I started picking at it, and now it's mine. This is my newly acquired 1975 CJ5. His name is Pinky.

 

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Pinky?... why not? It was originally a cool gray color but at some point it was obviously (poorly) repainted red. Then it faded... and faded.. and then faded some more. Overall, it's a solid little Jeep. There is some rust and bondo hiding under that thin layer of single stage paint, but it's in great shape where it counts. Is it all original? Absolutely not. I'd call this CJ "unmolested", but nowhere near a "survivor". It's still rocking the drum brakes, narrow track Dana 30/44, a 258, and a T14 three speed. It sports such options like a passenger seat. The engine is a later model but otherwise stockish. I'll be adding Howell fuel injection soon. Anyways... here's more pictures of it's transformations as it came in and out of the shop for random prototyping...

 

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As it sits now is with the drop dead gorgeous Meyer tin top and doors. Kinda postal looking? I love it! My plans are to leave it alone for the most part. With building a new shop this year I don't have too much of an interest of building another wheeler only to have to deal with the potential fixing of parts and finding time to do such things. Right now I want a little mountain road runner that I can comfortably daily drive. I think this fits the bill beautifully.

 

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Nutter bypass and an Affordable Fuel Injection setup (Howell sucks) are all you need to have a very dependable driver. At times I miss my CJ5. The super short wheel base was too sketchy for me. I will be building a YJ7 next. I'm very jealous of that top. It is worth more than the Jeep!

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On 3/27/2018 at 9:06 PM, neohic said:

The engine is a later model but otherwise stockish. I'll be adding Howell fuel injection soon. Anyways... here's more pictures of it's transformations as it came in and out of the shop for random prototyping...

 

The Howell 2-barrel TBI kit Ben? Looks like a nice kit for the 4.2. 

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7 hours ago, HOrnbrod said:

 

The Howell 2-barrel TBI kit Ben? Looks like a nice kit for the 4.2. 

 

Yessir. I cloned a Howell kit years ago on a ‘90 YJ. This time around I don’t have access to a junk GM 4.3 like I did. Time is a factor too that I like the idea of opening a box and just start throwing parts on. I can get a full kit for around $1k.

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14 minutes ago, neohic said:

 

Yessir. I cloned a Howell kit years ago on a ‘90 YJ. This time around I don’t have access to a junk GM 4.3 like I did. Time is a factor too that I like the idea of opening a box and just start throwing parts on. I can get a full kit for around $1k.

 

That's less than half of what the Mopar kit would cost. Course the Mopar's MPI too...

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The kit I’m getting isn’t technically a “Howell” setup, but it runs most of the same components. It’s close to the Affordable kit though. A lot of the same stuff along with electronic ignition. I’ll look more into it. 

 

On another note, Pinky came home tonight. 

 

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Thanks!

 

Did some fluid checks the other day and noticed that the axles still have their I.D. tags. Won’t know for sure but I looked through the full hole in the rear to find what I think is a Powerlock diff. Nice! Also, the gears are for sure 4.27s. Super nice!!

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30 minutes ago, neohic said:

Just keeps getting better! I wanted “sewing machine status” with the exhaust so I took care of that yesterday. Funny what others find to be acceptable. :crazy:

 

Did you use scrap exhaust pipe pieces off the floor this time?   :laugh: 

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1 hour ago, HOrnbrod said:

 

Did you use scrap exhaust pipe pieces off the floor this time?   :laugh: 

 

:peep: ... I had a stash of leftover pieces and a hand-me-down from our local muffler shop. :laugh:

 

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Thanks! Having an early CJ has been a learning curve for daily driver usage. I’ve really enjoyed the minimalist driving style. Really just enough to be a practical vehicle, but just barely. :D

 

Been noticing more things on it that I’d like to be upgrading and fixing. Nothing really pressing... just things to make it more driveable. Power brakes is on the list. Fuel injection soon too. Got a big box in the mail that’ll help with one of those things. Goodbye carburetor!

 

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