CJ5 ’74 Exhaust

’74 Renegade Paint

My Renegade I purchased a few weeks ago body is shot. Last weekend I drove 800 miles to pick up a new body. It is perfect, it was owned by a welder and he replaced everything soft with 12 gauge steal and primered it up. Bad news is he primered it with black.

So I am going to have to go back through and use grey primer and find the low spots to get everything smooth on it. Does anyone have suggestions on an inexpensive primer that will do the job? And should I primer it grey with two or one coat?

I am torn on the color, the Jeep originally was white and I want to keep it as close to original as possible since Renegade's are fairly rare. I have found a few places on-line that sells the paint but don't know them from Adam, any suggestions? Also would you stay with white or would you go to a different color? This Jeep will not be a daily driver and will not be driven in the snow. Mostly driven on two tracks and brought to the sand dunes, no mud.

 

I recently purchased purchased a 2 x '74 Jeeps to make one. The problem with the primary Jeep is the header was snapped right before the flange. It is a Renegade with the v8, 304. I need to put a new exhaust setup in it but without breaking the bank. If I can save a few dollars hear and there hopefully I can get the Jeep up in the dunes before June.

So I have been looking at exhausts, I would prefer shorty headers but they are a little more than I want to spend at this point. I have found a pair of full length Hedman that I like but really don't know much about the subject. The Hedman 99200 is about $160, fairly cheap. I am thinking I should get a better gasket and have no idea on the muffler. I live in a subdivision and would prefer to have some amount of quite so my neighbors don't call the cops on me every time I leave my driveway. So no glass packs. The Flowmaster 50s are $250 for two, not out of the price range but I was hoping to find a middle ground. But again I don't want to spend too much.

Also I would love to hear everyone’s suggestion. I think I am going to take it to a local shop and have them bend the tube from the header to the muffler. My father advises against the header because it will be more headaches then it is worth, he highly recommends I go back to a Manifold. I am leaning toward the headers though.

 

Why is black primer bad?

 

Personally I would stay away from headers. My 74' originally had a 304 w/unknown headers to a pair of California Turbo mufflers. I was always chasing leaks at the header flange. It was also rather loud, but I was a lot younger then. When the 304 got tired and the clutch started to go, I stepped up to a rather built 360 (meant for someones unfinished Javelin project) but, kept the 304 exhaust system. Later I got sick of the head aches, volume and leaks, and went with stock manifolds and a single Flowmaster. (2.5") What a difference. No more leaks, a little quieter (great exhaust note though), but the biggest improvement was performance. Crisp throttle response, better torque, smoother idol, blah blah blah.

I have also heard/read? that the AMC cast manifolds are noted as having great flow properties.

I think the AMC V8's like their manifolds

Just 2 '

PS: I would bet going this route will be cheaper as well!

 

Well I have two issues with it.

First when you sand it down you can't see the high and low spots.

Second is white after black will take a ton of expensive paint.

 

Would the ball flange be any better?

 

Oh great, I just had my tub sand blasted and coated with black epoxy primer

 

Ball flange?? I don't follow.

 

It actually has a ball and socket flange like shorty headers do. There isn't a gasket.

 

Ok, I got ya. The leaks were @ the block @ the flange, not the header to pipe flange, if that helps

 

I have a 304 with stock manifolds, 2-into-1 custom bent stainless exhaust using a Flowmaster Delta 80. A 2-into-1 makes better low and mid-range torque. Duals are a race car thing meant for high revs.

I think my muffler cost $80 at AutoZone and the custom exhaust cost me $350 or so. Stock manifolds came with my Jeep.

 

You can never go wrong with repainting it the original color.
If you can't stand the white, maybe at least one of the other Renegade colors.
Most Automotive paint suppliers can do perfect matches if you give them your paint code from the body tag.
You can usually get them to put it in rattle cans for you,too.

Was yours originally Champagne White (paint code 432)?

 

first dont waste money on cheap primer get a two part (mixes w hardner) nason makes a 2k primer that dosent cost too much. 2nd spray some cheap white spray paint (just a little dust) on before you sand the black (called a guide coat)and only sand till no white shows,no more high spot. sand the black,grey sealer over that and paint white.....cheap paint over good prep ok good paint over cheap prep bad

 

I just checked online those manifold aren't cheap, actually they are more expensive then the Hedman headers I was looking at. Even eBay is asking around $170 for them both. So guess I am going to purchase a good gasket and hope for the best. Maybe someday they will be listed on craigslist for not nearly as much. I still need to check the forums here to see if anyone is selling them.

 

According to the PPG page that www.autocolorlibrary.com scanned in yes. Has anyone used them? I found their site to be really nice and would like to do business if they are good. Not to bad of a price either at $90 a gallon.

 

This is the advise I am looking for. Thank you so much, if I get the body off today this weekend I will go to one of the local auto paint shops with your suggestions written down. I am really a novice at automotive and am in need of some good advice. I have family members that can help me but I am building it for my son and myself to play with. Would like to look half way educated in front of him