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Rebuilding An Old High School Friend!

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Fly Navy, Feb 11, 2015.

  1. Feb 11, 2015
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    Well ENOUGH procrastinating! Time to start my own thread. After many hours of enjoyment, looking over the work of others and learning what I can, I guess it is my turn to contribute.

    So the project: My Dad always referred to it as a 56, but I noticed the other day as I was cleaning it out that it was titled as a 58... I checked the serial number but it came up as a 57. Regardless, I decided it was time to bring my, take your pick, 56.. 57.. 58.. CJ5 back to life. Here are some old pictures of it back in the day.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    My Dad bought the jeep when I was in elementary school. Turned out the old F-head had a burnt valve so it sat in the yard until I was in middle school at which point he had me pull the engine apart only to find it had a crack running between the two middle exhaust valves. It took a while to find a good block but ultimately I rebuilt the engine and drove it all through high school. I bounced it all over central Colorado up until I went to college, at which point my brother drove it for a little bit while I was at school but largely it's just been sitting and waiting. Fast forward a few YEARS... and as I get ready to retire from the Navy, I've decided it's time to rebuild it.

    I was looking over some UTV's one day thinking it might be nice to have one for work around the farm and hunting, when I realized for the same money I could rebuild my Jeep and actually have something I could drive up and down the road as well! So that is the plan. Build it into a farm/hunting rig. My budget... $10k.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2017
    Valentino84, 71CJ54WD and Hellion like this.
  2. Feb 11, 2015
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    So here I am picking it up from the family farm in all her... er.. Glory?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Over the years, my parents had moved back to Iowa to take over the family farm. Fortunately my little CJ5 made the trip as well. Unfortunately, the humid wet Midwest and a deteriorating top worked together to rot out the floors. But aside from that, at it's heart, it is a solid Colorado Jeep and rust free. :)
     
  3. Feb 11, 2015
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2003
    Messages:
    8,513
    Nice story and pics.
    Nice Jeep.
    Fun project you'll enjoy.
     
  4. Feb 11, 2015
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    X2! :):coffee:
     
  5. Feb 11, 2015
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
    Messages:
    5,593
    Nice - anything with 5 shifters is worth a little effort to get it back up and running.

    Have fun and keep us posted.
     
  6. Feb 11, 2015
    IRQVET

    IRQVET Bubbaification Exorcist

    Tallahassee, FL.
    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2015
    Messages:
    680
    How many shifters do you need, lol.

    Nice project, that will be fun.
     
  7. Feb 12, 2015
    73 cj5

    73 cj5 Not ready for the junkyard yet

    Clinton, Mississippi
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2014
    Messages:
    2,137
    I like it.
    5 shifters would be what? 2 4wd, 2 for pto, one for driving right?
     
  8. Feb 12, 2015
    uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Greeley CO
    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,104
    You forgot the OD lever, if he has one. if you had a 2 lever PTO, you could have 6 sticks in it. The 5 in mine confuse must of the people.
    I really can't tell what he has from the pictures.
     
  9. Feb 12, 2015
    73 cj5

    73 cj5 Not ready for the junkyard yet

    Clinton, Mississippi
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2014
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    You can have a pto and overdrive combo?
     
  10. Feb 12, 2015
    uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Greeley CO
    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,104
    Certainly, do a search here on the forum or check out a few of the better vendors sites out there. They are still being made.
    Expect to pay a bit for one however.
     
  11. Feb 12, 2015
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2006
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    5,798
    That thing looks like a great candidate to repair.
     
  12. Feb 12, 2015
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    Yep, 5 levers... 1 for the transmission, 2 for the transfer case and 2 for the PTO. But yes, the plan is for 6!! :cool:
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2017
  13. Feb 12, 2015
    73 cj5

    73 cj5 Not ready for the junkyard yet

    Clinton, Mississippi
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2014
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    Just curious but what were the plans for the rebuild. Restomod or just fix up? Boy I'm good^;)
     
  14. Feb 12, 2015
    rons75

    rons75 Member

    Joined:
    May 7, 2014
    Messages:
    87
    Love the story/background, now time for an old friend to come back around!
     
  15. Feb 12, 2015
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

    At the foot of...
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    Just curious....do you have any idea where those old pics were taken?
     
  16. Feb 12, 2015
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
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    Yes, I know EXACTLY where those pictures were taken. I grew up in Buena Vista, CO and those pictures were taken on the backside (western) side of Mount Princeton. Ahhh the good ole days:D
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2017
  17. Feb 12, 2015
    Johns1967CJ5

    Johns1967CJ5 Sponsor

    Northern NJ
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2013
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    1,694
    Looks like a good jeep, have fun doing it. Say goodbye to your money :tea:
     
  18. Feb 12, 2015
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
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    361
    So the plan! I thought seriously about keeping the F-head given that it is the first engine I ever rebuilt and in fact has very few miles on it. But memories of having to stop continually to re-tune it as we climbed up and down the Colorado mountains in order to maintain some level power and the fact their parts are becoming very expensive and the fuel mileage is poor indeed considering the power they put out all convinced me to re-power it.

    I wanted to put a little diesel in it... a 1.9L VW diesel to be specific but it became evident that would push the project well beyond my $10k budget. As it turned out however, it just so happened we had a 1990 Buick Lasabre with only 120k miles on it sitting on the farm waiting for us to salvage it. So I decided, given the long history of Buick engines in Jeeps, I'd put the little 3800 from the Lasabre in it. This way I would have fuel injection and a level of drivability the old F-head never possessed.

    I will also dump the three speed for a four speed... I have sourced a T18/T98 from my Dad's old IH farm truck who's life was prematurely cut short by a road grader.

    So there it is... a "free" 3800 V6 and "free" T18. I'll rebuild the tranfer-case, PTO and throw an overdrive at it. Overall my theory is that I have more time than money so I'll be using alot of elbow grease and try to strategically spend money where it really matters. So not a restoration by any means. Just an honest farm/hunting/hill crawling Willys:D
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2015
    Valentino84 and Hellion like this.
  19. Feb 12, 2015
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sedalia MO.
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    Don't forget the brakes. And what area of iowa?
     
  20. Feb 12, 2015
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

    At the foot of...
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    I've spent a lot of time in that area....thought it looked familiar.
    I like your plans for the Jeep!
     
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