1983 Jeep CJ-5

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This build started with a 1983 CJ-5 that had rolled on a trail in Kentucky.  I purchased it from a friend in my Jeep club at the time (2003), who was getting out of four-wheeling.  He  had done a good deal of work to the CJ, and mechanically, it was in good condition. However, on one of the club runs, he was climbing a steep ledge while “overloaded” (his words) with passengers and cargo, and he broke a rear axle shaft. The CJ began sliding backward, and did two slow rolls before coming to a stop against a tree. It had sat beside his garage under a tarp for about a year.  I bought the Jeep for $2500.

The CJ had originally come with an "Iron Duke" four-cylinder from the factory, along with a T-176 4-speed manual, a Dana 300 transfer-case, front Dana 30 and rear AMC 20 axles with 3.54 gear ratios.   At the time of purchase, the Jeep had the following modifications;

• An AMC 304 V8 from a 70s CJ
• An oil filter relocation kit for ease of maintenance
• A late-model Jeep hydraulic clutch to replace the stock mechanical linkage
• Fenderwell Hedman Hedders with header mufflers
• K&N Air filter element
• Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor
• An electric fuel pump (firewall mounted)
• A York a/c pump converted to serve as an onboard air compressor
• A polyethylene 15-gallon gas tank
• A hand throttle, mounted on the transmission shift lever
• A steering column-mounted aftermarket tachometer 
• A larger capacity GM heater blower motor, and a stock replacement heater core
• A 2" spring lift
• 33x12.5x15” Goodyear Wrangler MTR tires
• 15x10” black RockCrawler steel wheels
• A new aluminum radiator (increased capacity for the V8)
• A new belt-driven fan clutch and an auxiliary electric fan mounted in front of the radiator
• Hella Vision Plus replacement headlights with dual relays
• Rebuilt T-176 4-speed transmission
• New clutch, pressure plate, and throw-out bearing
• Rebuilt Dana 300 transfer-case with aftermarket 4:1 low-range gears
• Tomken Machine rear rock bumper and swing-out tire carrier

The body was unusable.  The tub was dented and twisted, the rollbar was bent to one side, the windshield was gone as was most of the windshield frame, and the hood and grill were crushed.  I began by removing all of the components from the body including from the interior, firewall, fenders, and grill.  Once stripped down to the frame, I could take stock of what would need replaced.  I power-washed the rolling chassis and fixed two sections of rust on the frame by welding in replacement steel plate.  With that done, I coated the frame with POR-15 rust preventative and top-coated it black.  

For the body replacement, I ordered a deluxe fiberglass body kit from 4-Wheel Drive Hardware which included the tub, front fenders, hood, and windshield frame.  I also purchased a used grill that I refurbished and covered with a chrome overlay.  For the body hardware, I installed Kentrol polished stainless steel bits.  For the top, I went with a black Bestop Supertop.  I installed ProComp Super Seats, new 3 point seatbelts, and a Tuffy locking center console in the interior.  Luckily, the original dash and gauges were able to be reused.  I refurbished a used rollbar from an older CJ, painted it black, added new rollbar padding, and installed it into the tub by reinforcing the under-body mounts with 3/16" steel plate.  

Mechanically, there wasn't too much that needed to be addressed.  The Motorcraft carburetor needed to be rebuilt from sitting outside.  And although the York a/c compressor had been added, the hoses, fittings, and auxiliary air tank hadn't been installed, so I purchased all the necessary pieces from Kilby Enterprises.   The Hedman headers were in good shape, but the glasspack, straight-through mufflers were just way too loud. I replaced them with a set of Dynomax mufflers that provide a really mellow sound.  

The main mechanical issue to be addressed was the broken rear axle shaft on the passenger side of the AMC 20.  Because the two piece axle shafts are a notorious weak point, I installed a set of one piece Moser axle shafts, and replaced the rear brakes at the same time.  Along with the new shafts, I installed an ARB Air Locker in the rear, reusing the original ring and pinion gears.  This was a super stout setup and only made sense with the York onboard air system.  I installed a new 2.5" 4-Wheel Drive Hardware suspension lift to freshen up the ride and articulation.  I also ditched the original black steel wheels for a set of ProComp 15" polished alloy wheels.  The Goodyear MTR tires were like new, so I installed them on the new wheels.

For the last bit of trail readiness, I installed a winch mounting plate with a Ramsey 8000 lb. winch up front, and a set of custom rock rails crafted from 2x4" steel tube.  Overall, this was a super capable trail Jeep and an excellent daily driver as well.  Check out the pictures below.