derf Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 I was keeping an eye on craigslist and this popped up for a reasonable price and I snagged it. The paint is shot and there are some mechanical issues but it's basically straight and it runs. The hard top is in decent shape, as are the factory doors. I need to fix some of the seals though. 258 L6, Tremec T176 4 speed manual, Dana 300 transfer case. Front Dana 30 and rear AMC 20. It looks to have a mild lift kit, maybe 2" or so. 31x10.50 tires. I'm not going to mod it much. First round will be some basic maintenance and getting it to pass emissions. The "big" tires don't play well with what I believe is 2.73 axle gears so I'll probably step up a bit there. Probably throw a trueteac or two in while I'm there. I have an old Warn 8274 winch that will go on. And I'll likely swap out the janky bumpers that are on it now. It will eventually get a full repaint as the clear coat is shot. This is going to be a fun weekend driver for mild trails. I may even find a soft top and doors for summer driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 looks like fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 Careful… CJs are a slippery slope that tend to lead to other questionable decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted June 11 Author Share Posted June 11 45 minutes ago, neohic said: Careful… CJs are a slippery slope that tend to lead to other questionable decisions. I know that slope too well. I'm already well down towards the bottom. I have my two other MJ projects to go crazy with. I wanted this one specifically to keep as a mild Jeep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 1 hour ago, neohic said: Careful… CJs are a slippery slope that tend to lead to other questionable decisions. I think any Jeep prior to the JK do this. Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted June 11 Author Share Posted June 11 4 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: I think any Jeep prior to the JK do this. Haha Even the JK and JL do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 2 hours ago, derf said: Even the JK and JL do that. I feel like yes that’s true but they’re so new that it’s not hard to keep those stock right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchamakalit Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 More cj's on the forum is a good thing!!! Maybe I should get mine out and back in service...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 That thing looks like it’ll be a blast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted June 12 Author Share Posted June 12 7 hours ago, eaglescout526 said: I feel like yes that’s true but they’re so new that it’s not hard to keep those stock right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 Dig it, first Jeep I had was a 75 CJ7 my dad and I built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted August 16 Author Share Posted August 16 Garage is (semi) clean and the CJ is now ready to get some love. First thing is to pull off the heavy front bumper that weighs too much and hangs low. It was probably good for the tow bar but I don't want or need that. The Warn 8274 rebuild is coming along nicely. I think I have all the replacement parts I need to get it back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted August 16 Author Share Posted August 16 And that's how you do that... A few jack stands to catch it as it comes off. 4 bolts, and it's free. The front end came up a good ¼ to ½ inch as I took it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted August 16 Author Share Posted August 16 BTW, I love how much easier these things are to work on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted August 16 Author Share Posted August 16 So, I uncovered a pretty disappointing fact. While the Jeep does have a mild lift, there is a problem. It's hard to read in the picture but it's a Rough Country lift. So, when it's time to regear, a BDS kit will go on to replace it. In the mean time I'm going to do a MORE steering box mount before the new bumper goes on. Most likely going with a Rock Hard 4x4 narrow bumper with no hoop. And they sell an 8274 mount that bolts on. It's reasonably priced for the way things are going right now. And it's simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZLAJeep Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 12 hours ago, derf said: So, I uncovered a pretty disappointing fact. While the Jeep does have a mild lift, there is a problem. It's hard to read in the picture but it's a Rough Country lift. So, when it's time to regear, a BDS kit will go on to replace it. We are about to pull off the lift on an XJ because the Rough Country lift kit makes it ride so poorly compared to stock hardware. Previous owner of our CJ rebent the factory leaf springs and ended up lifting it just from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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