Swap or Not - CJ5 vs YJ

Now I have a bit of a decision to make. I found a 94 YJ for sale cheap and I've been debating on picking this up for a 350 swap instead of using the 62 CJ5. The 134 F in the 62 CJ5 needs at least honed and rings since it sat for a while and the cylinders have surface rust. We all know that once the engine is out, I'll wind up with a complete rebuild. On the other hand, I have a complete drive train from a 77 Chevy 1 Ton 4x4 - Running Chevy 350, SM465, NP205, Bell Housing, New Clutch, new pressure plate, and Flywheel. I could use an adapter to get the engine to the T90 or one to get the SM465 to the D18. Not sure which is better, but keeping the T90 is cheaper, but not sure if it uses the Chevy clutch/pp. I know the SM465 is a great tranny. Novak's site says they are both capable behind a 350. I figure the stock 77 350 has about 220HP.

Question is, am I better off using the CJ or the YJ? Should I keep the CJ original and hack the YJ? I think the YJ is longer and wider? I do have 2 kids that would tag along most of the time. I also want to have some fun and bang it around a bit - maybe not the best thing to do with an original 62 CJ5? Any collector value to these? I've been into classic cars for a while and know what to do, but new to Jeeps.

Thanks,
Dan

 

Hack the YJ. Much easier to build in a lot of ways including space for driveline swap. Already has Saginaw steering. Save the CJ for a resto-mod.

 

Were it me, I would get a YJ. It is better suited to mod for a 350 than a CJ.

The CJ is quite a bit shorter than the YJ. Really shorter in the engine bay. The YJ has a better frame, it's made of square tube and it's galvanized. Parts for the YJ are eaiser to find and much less expensive. The YJ frame is wider and you can swap in bigger axles. You will have to. THe CJ stock axles will not hold up to a 350. The YJ axles will be OK if you go easy but I'm guessing they will not hold up either. So, with a YJ, you have an eaiser time of swaping axles. More kits and more aftermarket parts for a full width axle swap on a YJ than an old CJ.

Keep the CJ as it is and just freshen it up. Build the snot out of the YJ.

 

Well, 2 to 0! I kind of figured it would go this way. Now I have to convince my better half to let me have 2 Jeeps (actually 3, but the Cherokee is FS)

 

Make it 3 to 0.
I have wheeled them all. Two simple thoughts.

1)
Obviously anything older is more collectable as original.
2)
The YJ makes a much more capable and safer off-road vehicle.

 

Check the YJ frame real good for rot. May not be enuff left of it to swap your drivetrain into. If it's a good one (RARE) use the YJ, not the '62.

 

4-0. Use the YJ to hack on. Take it from someone who started to hack up a Tuxedo Park, but decided to make "modest" upgrades.

 

5-0.
There are bolt in motor mount adapters available for the SBC to YJ swap. I’ve never seen that available for a CJ so in a lot of cases custom motor mounts must be welded to the frame. When doing that you have to keep several things in mind, like the engine isn’t centered left to right it’s actually ¾ to 1 ¼” to the passenger side, it’s also not level and is tilted 6-8* towards the rear, then you have height in the chassis top to bottom and clearance fore and aft.
A lot of this has been worked out for you with the bolt in motor mount adapter kits available for the YJ.

 

I've had 2 94 YJs - a 4 and a 6 cyl and they were easy to mod and fun to wheel. Galvanized tub, boxed in frame, external slave cylinder, MPI and cheaper than the TJs. (You just have to get past the square headlights!) That being said, my next jeep will be a stockish CJ5 if for nothing more than the cool factor!

 

I didn’t know that a YJ has a boxed frame. There’s another plus because, as I’m learning, these CJ frames aren’t necessarily up to handling a Chevy V-8. I’ve actually found a crack in the frame right in the middle of the passenger side wheel arch.

 

The YJ I've been considering does already have frame patches near the PS box and rear spring shackle on driver side. I'm going to check the rest out better.