EarlyCJ5.com Technical Library

A technical library for classic Jeeps

462, Renegade I, and Renegade II Jeep CJ-5 Option Packages


Please keep in mind a couple of things

  1. Some of the options came on other CJ-5s.

  2. This was the last of the old style before AMC bought Jeep and made their model change so they may have been using a lot of parts that they could get locally; consequently parts weren't always the same.

It's the new style...

Throughout the 1960s Kaiser's Jeep sales had been sagging. Their previous effort the more up-scale Jeep, the Tuxedo Park was a failure. The general public never saw the Jeep as the perfect, affordable, second car as Kaiser tried to sell it. The Tux Parks were intended to draw in a different crowd than the normal buyers of the Jeep Universal. Those buyers included municipalities, farmers, industrialists, and other folks who had special needs for a vehicle, and of course hunters, and a small off-roading crowd. This left Kaiser in a sticky situation. Over half of their sales came from their military contracts in the mid 1960s (Foster, 2006). With sagging sales facing them they had to do something to turn around their fortune.

The 462 was the first step in the direction that gave Jeep the image it enjoys today. Today the Jeep Wrangler is seen as a sporty, go anywhere, do anything vehicle for fun loving people, not some farm implement or a vehicle used to maintain highway right-of-ways. The 462 was a radical departure from that previous image. It had the sporty look, big tires (for that day), a V6, extra gauges, a hood stripe, and a roll bar. All of which probably seem tame today when you look at a Wrangler Rubicon or Rubicon Unlimited that come with a 4.0L I6, 4.10 gears in the axles, a 4:1 low range in the transfer case, 31" tires, and electronic lockers. But without the direction of the 462 Jeep might not have started down the road to the TJ and LJ Rubicon models. Ultimately it was the Renegades that came onto the scene that made a bigger splash. Even though there were only a couple hundred of both the Renegade I and Renegade IIs made, the Renegade name was what AMC cashed in on in the 1970s after the Kaiser buyout.

Press Releases

From a Kaiser Jeep Corp. Press Release

Way-out action is what is happening with the way-out vehicle. The 'Jeep' Renegade I built by Kaiser Jeep Corporation. Based on the renowned 'Jeep' Universal CJ-5, the special "er" accessory package adds a racing-type roll bar, rear swing-away spare tire carrier, heavy duty oil pan skid plate and electric ammeter and oil gauges. Dressing comes in the form of a racy black Renegade stripe and five 8-inch wide wheels fitted with G-70 x 15 4-ply "Polyglas" white-striped tubeless tires. Four stainless steel wheel covers round out the special trim. Standard Renegade I equipment include the sizzling 160-h.p. "Dauntless" V-6 engine, front passenger bucket seat, rear seat with dual seat belts, draw bar, safety rail, heavy duty frame and suspension and rear locking differential. A full safety package, including dual sun visors and padded instrument panel, provides everything the four-wheel-drive buff could want in a vehicle. 'Jeep' vehicles were the first to open up 'Jeep' trails. The 'Jeep' Renegade 1 is the latest in the unequalled line of 'Jeep' sports-utility models --- the way-out vehicles carrying on that growing outdoor recreation tradition of the 'Jeep' way out."

From 4 Wheeler

Kaiser Jeep began a sales offensive on the four-wheeling market in 1969 by building a limited number of CJ-5s with a goodies package that included a V-6, rollbar, limited-slip axle, big tires, extra gauges, and other accouterments. It was called the 462 package and as far as we know, the only ones built were for a big press event. For 1970, the package reappeared and sold as the Renegade. When AMC took over the Jeep line that year, it grabbed the ball and ran for several touchdowns. The Renegade was the first factory high-performance 4x4 package and it had all the goodies needed to claim that title. Four Wheeler didn't test one that year and might be accused of being a little slow to grasp the significance of the Renegade, but when the V-8-powered Renegade debuted in 1972, they made up for it with an enthusiastic test.

The 1970 and 1971 Renegade I Package

Beginning with the 1970 model year the Renegade I package was available. It should be noted that it was available on 1971 model year Jeeps. This does not make the Jeep a Renegade II. These packages follow the body style and designation on the Jeep rather than model years. Thus it is possible to have a 1971 Renegade I. These Jeeps will have all the features listed below as a Renegade I, including a tailgate.

Thoughts on Production Numbers

org1970cj5 writes "I also own a 70 Renegade I in original condition. I've been researching for two years trying to find actual production numbers and the best information I've come up with is something less than 250 were made. There were 600 Renegade II's made in 71."

Renegade I Colors

There are three colors of Renegade I that I've been able to document.

Purple Renegade I

1970 Renegade I Package Options

org1970's Renegade I

org1970cj5's Renegade I

Original Paperwork for a late 1970 or 1971 Renegade I

Mike Davis was kind enough to share his original purchase paperwork with us for his Hugger Orange Renegade I. These are available as PDF files.

The 1971 Renegade II Package

1971 Renegade II

An image suitable for use as a computer desktop, 2415x1934 pixels of this image is available for download by clicking on the image above.

Renegade II Colors

There is a good bit of confusion among enthusiasts about the colors offered on the Renegade II. Most commonly acknowledged are the colors shown in the above photo. But there are also reports of the package being available in Plum and Blue (Marski 2003). In his book, The Story of Jeep, Patrick Foster writes that the Renegade IIs were available in the first four colors, two colors of orange, the yellow and green; production numbers are from Foster (1998). Paint code for all colors is 999.

The colors were to commemorate wins at Baja, Riverside and the Mint 400.

WYOMIKE's Renegade II he purchased new in 1971.

wyomike's Renegade II Bought purchased new by Mike.

Renegade II Package Options

Thanks to all the members of the Early CJ-5 and Dauntless V6 Forum that contributed to this page, especially WYOMIKE, org1970cj5, and dnb5853 for the photos of their respective Renegades.

Elsewhere on the web see

Tonka Renegade II Toy on the CJ-3B Page

Early CJ-5 Renegade hood stickers are available from Golden Eagle Decals

Early CJ-5 Renegade hood stickers are also available here Phoenix Graphix

Frank Sanborn, fellow Jeep owner offer's them, fsanborn@cablespeed.com, I've met Frank and purchased a 1/2 cab from him and will say you can't do business with a nicer more helpful guy.

  1. Standard V-6 was ten Front and five Rear, RI had 12 Front 13 Rear.
  2. Early RI's did not have charcoal hood blister, the last RI's titled as 1971 model year Jeeps appear to have had this feature.
  3. Some were round, some were rectangular.
  4. Photo here, other options were apparently available through the dealers such as these diamond tuck seats
  5. The RI still had a tailgate, pictured here , note the bracket for the carrier to attach to on the left.
  6. Two kinds were plied, American Racing may have been the source for them, picture of what is thought to be the Renegade II style, the later (Intermediate?) Renegade wheels had more of an oval and less "D" shape slot.
  7. Standard V-6 was ten front leaves, five rear leaves. The RII had 10 front leaves, 12 rear leaves

References

  1. Davis, M. 1970. Original Purchase Paperwork for 1970 Renegade I

  2. Foster, P.R. The Story of Jeep. 1998. Iola: Krause Publications, 1998.

  3. Foster, P.R., "2006 Spring Midwest Willys Reunion Keynote Speaker", Presentation, 2006.

  4. Harkins, M., "RenII Tire Size" Thread in Earlycj5.com Forums, 2008, <http://earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54879>.

  5. Marski, J., "Unofficial 'Jeep' History", webpage, 2003, <http://www.civilianjeeps.com/history.html>.