When Rebuilding A Jeep, Do You Think It’s..

Voted B......I do believe in keeping a proto type or a rare model as original as possible. Do to twice having steering and brake failures on my '46 & '47 2As, I strongly believe in upgrading steering and brakes to modern types. The build I'm doing now will be 95% Jeep.

 

Mine was a plow truck for a long time and they barely kept it running to push snow. I've had too many close calls to be proud of 9" drums or ross steering.
I've got a Carbureted 4.3 because it was the cheapest swap overall, and the f-134 couldn't fight the traffic here (I did gave the 134 a fighting chance you can read my build thread) overall I'm trying to keep my build 1985 if it could have been done in 1985 and makes it safer I'll consider it.

Bam bam is the bees knees. Made from spair jeeps and a lot of time. Everything is planned and engineered. Nothing is safe from a revision on bam bam. Jerry can shock towers and a big rope hide a lot of mods without being out of place.

 

just about everyone likes to see an all original survivor but I have no problem with modifications especially for safety , reliability ,or drivability. I never met a jeep I didnt like. I say the same things about pick up trucks and blondes too.

 

I love period correct Jeeps. It's a slice of history. I can see adding the safety features, and using the Jeep as intended.
That being said, there is a place for modified Jeeps. Some fantastic engineering going on in these posts. I've seen some really useful and great looking Jeeps on these forums. Some of the Jeeps I see were not feasible to restore to be period correct condition and were modified to be useful and still keep their original "Jeep" character. I like that.
Seems at shows people are quick to point out whats not exactly correct on a Jeep being shown. That's when you ask them, "Where's your Jeep so I can see a perfect example of this?", they usually don't have one.
At the East Southeast Willys Get Together, there was an MB with great Patina. They used it to show how to properly tune the engine with a vacuum gauge and a dwell meter. The owner said someone told him at the show the windshield was the incorrect year for that Jeep. How can you say that when in the field the military took parts off one and used it on another? Point is this hobby is great fun and I don't want to be critical. I love them all.
I like watching those videos of the classic Jeeps off road.
All depends.
Keep on building, restoring, and driving those classic Jeeps and one day I'll try to get one finished and on the road. Then I'll come visit my friends for a trail ride. Have to get a bigger hard drive to store all those pictures of the great Jeeps the people on this forum have built.


Dave

 

I like stock, but did put safety up grades, like better brakes, on mine. Now working on 11" front brakes and duel master cylinder. Good Luck

 

I voted, but none of the categories actually fit. I love stock old Jeeps, I love modified Jeeps, and I probably best love old Jeeps modified period correctly to enhance their usefulness to the owners. But I waver between stock stock and mods. Best off to have a bunch, some stock restored and some with period correct mods, some with all mods.

 

I'm another one that thinks there is a place for all three of those categories. I have a difficult time putting up with 134's anymore and I have no desire to board garage queens. That said, if I did acquire a largely unmolested CJ, I would not likely be modifying it. But a small block Chevy flat fender always makes me grin-----

 

Gotta say these are interesting responses. I agree they all have their place.
I want to put the 11" brakes on the CJ because when I drove it before the restoration began, it was like pushing on a stone, and slowly decreasing speed.


Dave

 

I already have a JK and a TJ that I’ve modified for Offroad use. So the plan is to keep the CJ as-is and use it for cruising around town.

PO already installed a small lift, v6 and an sm420 transmission. So it’s definitely not stock. My plan is to just get it running well, and maybe add larger tires (while sticking with a period look)

if I owned an unmolested period correct cj, I would certainly keep it that way. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to bring a modded Jeep back to its original glory.

 

An original early Jeep is special and rare now. But just about everyone loves a tastefully modified rig that keeps its classic appeal. To me, that too is a part of Jeep history...this forum is certainly testament to that. So much clever, inspiring and amazing craftsmanship here.

 

To me it depends on two main things.

1. the starting point IE what is the condition of what you have to work with is it a serial number tag intact frame engine tub? (yes I know they do not all match but they can still be matching Or does the jeep no longer have its original engine or other major part.
2. what do you want the end point to be. Its your Jeep there are LOTS of jeeps I would venture you would be hard pressed to find another vehicle 60-75 years old in the numbers that jeeps exist. SO if you want something you don't have to feel like your butchering a Rag top 1970 Cuda or Z-16 Chevelle so you can have a what ever.

As an example in 1962 my dad bought my jeep. It was at the time a titled 1948 CJ-2A but it was in reality a 48 body and drive train on a 56-57 CJ5 frame and suspension somewhere it ended up with a 1958-59 DJ-3A 134L engine and a 49 3A windshield. SO now I get it in 2002 when dad passes its now has parts from at least 6 different jeeps in it. WHAT would I restore the vehicle from the title? Which would mean the Transmission Transfer case and axles with a Tub and Front Fenders was what I had to start with! As the tail gate, frame, windshield, suspension, wheels, and engine were all from different jeeps. SO I am building what I wanted. it now have parts from 29 different jeeps in it dating from Body mounts taken from a scrapped 46 frame to a Master Cylinder from a 72 CJ-5 And a zillion hand made parts (including the majority of the Tub) But its what I want.

 

I guess my approach fits option B, but does not have the defiant tone of that option.

What I would do - 1) make it mechanically sound; runs and drives, no issues. 2) Consider invisible upgrades like brakes and steering, 3) leave the appearance alone, ie do nothing in the way of paint and body work. JMO.

 

Well, its your Jeep and you can do what you want to with it. That said, you have a Tuxedo Park that retains most of the original unique features. That is fairly uncommon. Many of the Tuxes today are only Tuxes according to the 8322 serial tag, but have few, if any original unique parts, so to me, are just regular CJ5's.
Your Tux has already been repainted red from its original blue, and your top is likely not original to your Jeep, so its not like it's a "time capsule". You have the opportunity, if you choose, to "restore" your Tux back close to its original specification which seems to bring values up on this model.
If I owned your Tux, I would likely repaint it back to the original color, and get the Jeep running and driving safely. Many folks will suggest you need to upgrade your brakes to either larger drums, or disc brakes. In my opinion, the stock 10" drum brakes are more than adequate for most situations provided they are in good order. I would consider swapping to a dual-circuit master cylinder from a few years later.
Same with the steering; everyone is going to suggest a Saginaw swap, but in reality, the stock Ross box was adequate provided you replace the worn/sloppy parts. Again, I would recommend a one-piece tie rod from a later model intermediate Jeep. This alone can cure the "death wobble" you experienced.
Both these "upgrades" are bolt-on, and can be swapped back with no permanant changes, but can make your Jeep a bit safer. Your Tux doesn't have, and didn't come with a rollbar. Many folks will tell you it needs a rollbar for safety. This requires drilling a bunch of holes in the tub. I'll leave this up to you. I won't be putting rollbars in either of my Tuxes, but my other CJ's will/do have them.
As far as rims, you have what are possibly the stock ones, and the standard dogdish hubcaps. Check to see how many "nubs" retain the hubcaps, and what the pattern is surrounding the lugnuts. It seems many '66/'67 Jeeps had a different style than was most common. Your rims should be 5 1/2" wide, but there are later 6" rims that look very similar.
The easy part here is, keep what is stock and original, and then have a second set to change up the look and/or function for more serious offroading.
Also, keep a lookout for a set of the trademark Tux full turbine hubcaps. They are hard to find and can be expensive, but they really set the Tux apart from other CJ's, but thats just me.
At least your Tux isn't the first generation of the MKlV, with the F134 (like mine) with the column shift transmission, and two-stage springs. These parts are really hard to find as they often got changed out over the years. Your Dauntless Tux is a much better Jeep than the early ones, but wasn't as "special" either. The '64/'65 Tuxes only came in 4 colors (red, white, blue, and green), usually with unique soft top and interior seat colors like red, green, or blue, depending on the body color.
Your later V6 Tux could be any regular CJ color, and typically had black or white tops and interiors. Your V6 version just got all the chrome trim that otherwise set the Tux apart.
In the end, you need to figure out how you are going to use your Jeep. Just because its a Tux doesn't make it any less capable off road, but it is a somewhat limited model that hopefully will be preserved for its uniqueness. Try not to make substantial changes that would be difficult to un-do.
-Donny

 

Do you know what color blue it was? And I believe it had white seats. It’s gonna be an around town cruiser. And taking it clay shooting on the weekends

 

From the blue showing on the rear wheel housing top, and the few patches on the firewall, my best guess is Empire Blue, code 385. Do you have a foil trim tag on the firewall around/above the battery? The contact cement dries out causing the tag to fall off, but because the numbers were embossed, you can sometimes read the imprint in the glue. Empire Blue is a "poly" or light metallic color. Look up under the dash at the underside of the cowl, or in the underseat tool box.
-Donny

 

If it's in good enough to restore, put it back to original as much as possible. There are less and less originals. They should be respected and restored. There are enough mod CJ's already. Please don't kill another nice jeep. Just my purist opinion. YMMV

 

I’m fortunate to have found a Tux Mark III in great shape. I have it torn down and just about finished the frame, suspension and brakes. I upgraded the front brakes to 11 inch, I upgraded the suspension with a 2.5 inch lift by BDS, and I’m going with 31 inch tires. Everything else will be stock. I’m keeping the original color, Indian ceramic, but will have some graphics that have my honey business logo on the body. All of the changes I made can be undone so when the next guy gets it in 25 years he can change it if he wants. I’m trying to get my second wind going so I can finish it up.