Body Info & FAQ's

How do you tell what year a CJ-5 is?

The Early (Short 81 inch wheel base) CJ-5 was manufactured from 1954 through 1971.

Identifying features include:

• Engines
• 1955-1971 - 72hp Hurricane F-head 134 cubic inch I-4
• 1961-1965 - 62hp Perkins 192 cubic inch diesel
• 1966-1971 - 160hp 225 cubic inch Dauntless V6
• Fuel tank was located under the drivers seat with the fuel-fill on the side just behind the drivers door opening. This was moved to the rear of the Jeep somewhere in 1970 to comply with federal regulations that fuel tanks could not be in the passenger compartment.
• Short hood and front fenders. The fender makes a triangle with the cowl.
• Snorkel cut-out on passenger side of hood before 1965
• Faux battery box cover on passenger side cowl, 1955-1965
• Ross steering box (mounted on the frame behind the front axle, Saginaw steering boxes are mounted on the front of the frame in front of the axle on the left hand side)
• Dana Model 18 transfer case (4 cylinder with dual lever through 1966(?), V6 with single lever shift). Twin sticks can be retrofitted to a single stick transfer case.
• Front Axle (Beginning production through Nov. of 1960 was the Dana 25, with SN 57548 - 121248 beginning the Model 27 front axle)
• Rear Axle Dana Model 44 two-piece rear axle until 1970 when it became one-piece flanged (desirable). A two-piece rear axle has an axle shaft and a hub that slides over the tapered outer end of the shaft and is secured with a nut. To determine which it is, if the axle is rounded on the end (dust cap) it's a two-piece, if it's flat it's flanged, see this picture Flanged Axle ID.
• Three speed transmission T-90 or four speed T-98 (rare) for F-head, T-86 and later T-14, or T-18 (even rarer than the T98) used in V6 models
• Narrow windshield frame with fold-down latches, wipers mounted on top through '68, on bottom from '69 on, the hinges are two piece and come apart for easy windshield removal. The windshield is nearly 90* upright but not quite
• Exterior wiper motor bottom mounted from '68 on
• No door hinges
• Tool box located under passenger seat
• Side-marker reflectors installed on hood in 1969 and throught mid-1970. Side markers appeared on front fenders mid-1970 onward.

This special limited-production vehicle leaves little doubt about its true purpose.The sporty Jeep Renegade is built for the man who wants all the excitement he can get out of 4-wheel drive. That's why the specially priced Renegade equipment package includes a hefty 304 cubic inch V8. A Track-lok differential is included too. And that's not all. Cast-aluminum 7" wheels, bucket seats, heavy-duty cooling system, fuel tank skid plate, roll bar, custom pain job and many other features which are available only as separately priced options on ordinary 4-wheel drive vehicles are all part of the Renegade package. This one has what it takes to do just about anything for fun. If you're in the market for this kind of excitement, better see your Jeep dealer soon. Scheduled Renegade production is limited.

Manufactured from 1972 through 1975. Identifying features include:

• Longer hood and front fenders to accommodate the AMC I-6 engines
• Engine(s) AMC 232 CID or 258 CID I-6, AMC 304 V-8
• Fuel tank and fuel-fill located at rear. Narrow windshield frame with fold-down latches with wipers mounted on bottom. Exterior wiper motor
• Saginaw steering box (power steering optional)
• Dana Model 20 transfer case
• Dana Model 30 open knuckle front axle
• Dana 44 Centered output differential, 30 spline, flanged
• Three speed transmission T-14, 6 cylinder models, T-15 three speed transmission, V-8 models
• Four speed transmission optional
• Most Renegade models had the tailgate deleted, spare tire mounted on rear
• Levi edition trim level introduced

Identifying features include:

• Longer hood and front fenders to accommodate the AMC I-6 engines
• Engine(s) AMC 232 CID or 258 CID I-6, AMC 304 V-8
• New stronger, wider frame with longer springs for softer ride
• Fuel tank and fuel-fill located in rear of the tub
• Wide windshield frame with built-in door hinges fold-down knobs with wipers mounted on bottom and motor mounted on the inside
• New floorboard and changed seating bracket design
• Saginaw steering box (power steering optional)
• Dana Model 20, after 1979, Dana Model 300 transfer case
• Dana Model 30 front axle
• AMC Model 20 2 peice rear axle identified by it's "WWI Round Helmet" style differential cover
• Three speed transmission T-150, T-18 Four speed transmission optional
• Laredo and Renegade models had the tailgate deleted, spare tire mounted on rear, models with a tailgate had a swing away tire carrier
• Levi and Golden Eagle trim levels available
• Silver Anniversary edition released for 79 only

Note: The fuel tank was moved to the rear during the 1970 model year after AMC bought the product line.

Did that "4 Wheel Drive" tailgate logo come on all CJ's? Were the tailgate "Jeep" letters painted to contrast the body color?

I hung around the local dealer's quite a bit in the mid-'60's. The '66's had "4-Wheel-Drive" silkscreen-painted on the right quarter of the tailgate -- no "Jeep" lettering on the tailgate at that time. (The embossed "Jeep" lettering did not appear on the tailgate until AMC took over.) The embossed "WILLYS" lettering disappeared in 1963, not long after the Wagoneer came out. For years, there was simply a blank rectangle in the middle of the tailgate where "WILLYS" had been -- it looked mighty odd.

My CJ-5 has a split windshield, I thought this wasn't an option?

CJ-5s up to 1959 had the option of buying a split windshield as a factory option. CJ-5's for export were commonly if not always equipped with split windshields that fold out, much like the M38A1. It is possible to swap the windshield frames between the two models too. So your CJ-5 may have an M38A1 windshield frame on it.

Where are the data plates located on my CJ-5?

For CJ-5s manufactured from 1955 through 1970, The vehicle serial number is stamped on a metal plate located on the firewall, under the hood, on the driver's side. There is or was a paint and trim plate on the passenger side of the firewall too.

How do I improve the operation of my vacuum motors?

Vacuum windshield wiper motors work using a leather or rubber flap which is sealed with grease in the casing. Since these motors are usually 40+ years old, the grease can dry up. If the flap itself is not rotted or worn out, you can often get a vacuum motor working again by following these steps:

- Remove the wiper motor from the car.

- Find a clean spot and lay out paper (to catch small parts).

- Remove the screws (sometimes special square-headed) that secure the top plate to the half-round main body.

- Make sure you note the position of any hardware, sliding parts, etc.

- Lift the top plate off and set it aside.

- Examine the flap. If it is rotted or obviously damaged, you need to get it rebuilt. Hemmings Motor News lists several services that rebuild wiper motors.

- Use brake cleaner to remove all old grease from the inside of the half-round main body.

- Apply a thin layer of smooth, NON-DETERGENT grease to the inside. DO NOT use wheel bearing grease.

- Detergent grease will eat up the flap.

- Reassemble and reinstall the vacuum motor. If it still doesn't work, send it off to be rebuilt or replace it. To lube the vacuum motor, I use graphite in an alcohol base.

- It is watery thin so gives good penetration to the moving parts, and then the alcohol evaporates and you have a non- sticky lubricant.

What model year tops are compatible with my Jeep?

- 1955-1975 tops and Jeep windshield frames interchange

- 1976-1983 tops and Jeep windshield frames interchange

The top fitment is determined by the windshield style only. The year of the Jeep does not matter. If a windshield frame has been swapped, e.g., 1976 frame onto a 1965 CJ-5, a later style top should be used on the 1965 Jeep.

I am having trouble fitting my top. Why?

Remember, tops should only be fitted when warm... COLD tops will NEVER FIT properly. They need to be stretched. Perhaps the bows you have were made to fit another top, and MAY need to be adjusted ( shortened or lengthened ) BUT NOT ON A COLD TOP. Find a car dealer who will let you put your Jeep in over night, with the top loose. Then go in on a Saturday if they will let you, and fit the top, and adjust the bows. I have had good luck fitting tops that way. You will also need some support rods or whatever, going from the front bow to the windshield, inserted in the black strips on the underside of the top.

Will a 72-75 tub fit my 55-71 Jeep and vice-versa?

YES! There were no major changes in the tubs for those years, just cosmetic.

Will a '76+ tub fit my 55-75 Jeep and vice versa?

The answer is a definitive MAYBE. The framerails on a 76 are wider apart in the rear, up to 75, they were parallel.

Therefore, the mounting points will be different. The floor of a 75 is mostly flat. 76 up are high and low in places. Your 75 seat brackets won't work.

Will it be structurally sound? Will it be for your use only? I would never buy from ANYONE a vehicle that had the wrong year tub rigged onto it.

Is it a fiberglass tub or a steel tub that you are looking to buy? Steel would work better, IMHO. Fiberglass is reinforced in the areas that the tub bolts to the frame. Wrong frame beneath it might not bolt through the right spots.

So, yes, it is possible, but probably more expensive to make a frankenjeep. So what if the aftermarket only supports 76+? You really don't need chrome windshield hinges. Revel in the fact that you own one of the last true Jeeps, and put a 72-75 tub on it.

Specifically, there are a lot of changes between 1975 and '76. The external sheet metal of the two bodies is the same, but interior and floors changed. The dashes are different. The floors were changed to eliminate the tool box and to accomodate a new frame design. The seat mounts were changed.

You could make it work if you either change the floors to the pre-76 style, or if you move the mounts around and adopt the '76-on interior style. If you need new exterior sheet metal, and the '76 tub is cheap, it may be easier to replace the floors and dash in the '76 tub (making it into a '75 tub) than to repair a '55-'75 tub. Otherwise repair your existing tub.