New Body For 1968 Jeep Cj5 With 225 V6

Hi there. I'm looking to replace the body on a 1968 Jeep Cj5 with a 225 v6. The original is rusted beyond repair and I am looking to replace it. I wanted to see if anyone recommends any remanufactured body kits (like MD Juan and so on) or have any leads on a body in good condition. Any information would be helpful. Thank you!

 

All Jeep specialists are, as it seems, selling MD Juan.Maybe better to buy from a good importer because he makes tub models according to years, so if mistake you can have a warranty.
Check this before...

 

Peter Debella is, I believe, the only dealer offering an option other than MD Juan bodies.

He is the US distributor of SGI reproduction bodies and from all reports these are much better than MD Juan. They do cost a little more, but supposed to be worth the difference. I spoke with them recently and they expect the CJ5 / M38A1 bodies to be available sometime this Summer. I was going to buy one for a 67 CJ5 I have, but then I scored another 67 with a good body.

 

Any thoughts on the Willy-Overland bodies? I've heard that they modify MD Juan bodies in shop to fit perfectly.

 

Watch this:

 

what i've seen as well, and i've seen people saying great hings about them.

 

I suspect that Willys-Overland does as much as they can for the bodies. I also wonder if the quality control from MD Juan is so bad that there are some bodies W-O can't fix up. Watching some of the above video, it looks like the main problem was the pieces were welded together wrong. You would expect W-O t reject such bodies that are way out, but maybe not.

 

they cut them and re weld them properly

 

I saw this video from metal shaper. His videos have helped me with my project and I think he gives great advice. Just want to get some other perspectives.

 

I think you just pay a bunch of extra money for them to drill some holes that may or may not be a "perfect fit". I don't see how they can possibly have a jig that perfectly fits a frame that has seen half a century of getting banged up, twisted, and flexed.

I have a drill and would prefer not to have mounting holes pre-drilled in a replacement body. No matter which way you go, I think adjustments for a proper fit are always part of mounting a new body.

People do it different ways, but I always start by attaching the front clip, then position the tub from by bolting to the fenders and moving it into place before drilling holes for the mounting bolts.

 

The issue Metalshaper mentions about the body fit over the transfer case is something I encountered with a MB body going onto a CJ2A chassis. I resolved it by dropping the crossmember with 1" spacers made of heavy wall tubing. I think their military bodies may be closer to right than the CJ bodies, and because the CJ bodies come with black shipping primer and the military bodies come with epoxy primer I think they may be made by another division.

What he says about this WO "Repli-tub" is why I wouldn't pay extra for their claim of a perfect fit.

I would wait until the SGI CJ5 bodies are available. You can call Debella and find out when they expect those to be available.

 

I was able to contact Debella this morning. He said they will be taking orders in the summer for the cj5 body and was looking at a fall delivery.

 

Just wanted to get some options and opinions. I know that most body kits are not very consistent with the fitment and quality of the body.

 

I was going to order one of those CJ5 bodies from Debella, then came across a very nice, straight, nearly rust free original.

 

I have an M38 body. Same issue