Jeep Id

Hello
I am looking at what is advertised as a 1965 CJ5 with a Dauntless V6. Only have a couple of pictures , it does not have a battery box cover on the cowl. Has forward dump exhaust on driver side. It has 7 slot ,hinge mounted grille? The shackles on the steer axle are behind the bumper..
My conundrum, the CJ5 designation and V6 is too early? Was the hinged grille used on CJ's?
I thought hinged grilles were only military?
I will see if I can post the pictures I have.
Thanks Barry

 

The hinged grill is a M38A1 military grill. The military Jeeps had a functional battery box cover on the cowl, while on the civilian CJ5s this cover was welded shut. The battery box was phased out in 1964, probably because the last government contract for M38A1s was in 1963.

Pre 65 Jeep tubs whether military of civilian also had a raised rectangular bump on the driver side of the cowl for a mirror mount, this also was phased out in 64. The military version has a round recessed area on the passenger side below the cowl which is where an electrical plug was installed to access power from one vehicle to another such as jump starting an airplane. Pre 65 Jeep hoods also had a cutout on the passenger side of the hood for the fording snorkel.

I believe the "Dauntless" version of the CJ5 was first offered in 1966, and all M38A1s had the F-Head 4cyl. If this is correct a 1965 CJ5 is too early to be a true Dauntless.

 

Dauntless was used 66-71, sounds like a frankenjeep.

 

I agree, a frankenjeep. The hinged grill was only very early M38a1 (‘52-‘53), then they went to the center single bolt on the crossmember as all the CJs have. Does your grill have recessed headlights too?
The M38a1 chassis has a front reverse shackle where the leaf spring pivots on a single bolt immediately under the front bumper, with the pivoting shackle links at the rear of the spring. The -a1 also has boxed front frame horns.
If the body has no evidence of a battery “lid” on the right cowl ahead of the windshield, it is a CJ tub newer than ‘64.
There’s lots of interchangeability between parts with the military Jeep and CJ Jeep over the decades, resulting in lots of frankenjeeps.
-Donny