Will it hurt the Value?

Ok, I have a 63 CJ-5 Willys, it has the stock 134 4cyl, 3 sp, it has 37,000 original miles, I have pictures, but haven't figured out the shrinkage to show them, and not sure how to do the gallery. but anyways, it is in great shape, no rust, has lived its life in the mountains here by Yosemite where it is nice and dry, I now have it, and am debating which course to take with it. Modify it from stock, add rear seats, change front to bucket, maybe swap in V6, lift it and re-gear it, add towbar so I can drag it behind RV,,,, or leave it stock. Not sure,,,, is it worth much stock, or are there so many out there just do what I want ?? I had been told since it was the last year of the Willys it would be worth more stock, just not sure,,, so please chime in and give me your 2 cents..
Thanks
Joe

 

You might find someone who wants to spend what you ask on a restored Jeep when the time comes to sell... you may not. You may find someone who wants to spend what you ask on a modded Jeep... you may not. The only sure bet with these Jeeps is if you add an overdrive your jeep will be worth more.

 

Joe,
I live just up he road from you. Congrats on the Jeep. Gasman on this forum has a 61, and also lives in the area.

I don't know how you intend to use the jeep, but I am in the process of dealing with some of the same issues. I started out with a bone stock 75/5 that my wife purchased new, then eventually sold to her son, who gave it back to us. I had the whole "it's gotta be kept perfectly stock, right down to the original nuts and bolts" school, since the thing was in pretty good shape (I thought).
But then, I got a deal on a winch. Not stock. Then there is the DUI ignition (best upgrade ever, in the whole history of Jeeps) Not stock. Added a rollbar, prefered the 76 & up slanted style for head clearance, 'cause I'm tall, Not stock.

So I'm finding myslef wanting to keep it stock as much as I can, but I also wheel the thing a lot, and some stuff is just too essential for the trails here. I work as hard as I can to keep the stock look though, I went nuts looking for tires to wheel with that were period correct so I could keep the sidemount spare, for example.

My advise would be to drive the thing for a while, run it off road if that's in the picture, and see what it needs. If you're anything like me, you're gonna find a bunch of oddball little gremlins to chase. Plenty to keep you busy while you think of what you really want from the Jeep. If you want/need to modify it, I say go ahead. When I do anything to mine, I save everything that came off it (nuts/bolts, everything) and so far I have managed not to do any mods that cannot be easily reversed.

Should the day ever come that the thing becomes worth so much more $$ in stock form, I can put everything back and make the big bucks (fat chance). A lot of the fun for me is doing little mods without altering appearance and keeping everything period correct. The big fun is on the trail though.

Oh, and welcome to ECJ5. The most amazing tech site on the net. Killer tech knowledge, no jerks in the forums, the only Jeep tech site you need. Look no further.

Dave

 

I think you could do the seats and tow-bar without permanently altering the stock nature. Just keep the old seats.

 

Thanks Gents, I have had it for about a month or so, I basically just tuned it up, carb kit, plugs/wires/cap and rotor, points were good. I haven't taken it wheelin yet, it has some pretty chinsy/cheesy 215/75/15 ruber on it, and they are old, so that will be the first, and I think I will keep it fairly stock, maybe a winch and some smaller stuff. I have a 'few" other trucks that fight for what little time I have in the garage, between yardwork, the wife and 7 yr old daughter. A 63 F-250 4x4/292/4sp original Ford flatbed, (old Raymond ranch truck) a 66 F-250 2wd, 300 I-6, 4sp, a 77 F-150 4x4/4sp/short bed so in between all the other stuff,,,,, I will tinker with Willie
Thanks again guys,
Joe

 

Joe, about 10 years ago, I was in the same position as you are now. Over the years, I've done a ton of mods too numerous to list and have a fairly nice built up 55 and as I look around now I'm finding some of the following:

1. My Jeep is capable of going places I don't want to go.

2. I don't like playing on rocks.

3. All of my friends have sold their Jeeps.

4. For what I use it for now, ( towing behind camper, exploring, hauling canoe, etc ) I find that its way overbuilt for my needs.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Jeep and I'm kind of proud of the way it turned out but getting back to your question, I'd offer this: Spend your time and money making it safe and reliable for now. Use it in the manner that you enjoy and only make modifications that are required to enhance your enjoyment, not what others say you " need " to do.

If your ever near Antioch, stop by and I'll be glad to share whatever info I can.

 

Resale value..why would you want to sell a Jeep:?R):?

 

I agree with the stock and dependable route, that's the way I'm going with my '56. A few upgrades for safety and reliability, like 11" brakes, dual-chamber master cylinder, 12 volt electrics, Pertronix electronic ignition, and a V6 steering box. But I'm sticking with stock lift and tall skinny tires. I'm keeping the F-head motor, it's more than capable of taking me anywhere I want to go, just not very fast. And there's places here in Colorado that I DON'T want to go, I'm sure!

And like somebody said, if you change the seats, DON'T get rid of the originals!!!! Those are VERY hard to find!!!

And we need photos please! I use Microsoft Office Photo Manager, it's easy to change the photo sizes with, and get a free Photobucket account. You upload your photos to that, then link them to your post here by copying the IMG line under the photos, works very well!

Welcome from Denver!

 

Here are pics, finally!! 1963 CJ5 37,550 original miles, I really like the bench seat

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260253.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260255.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260257.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260259.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260260.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260261.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260264.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260268.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260269.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260276.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260277.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/pickupmanx2/P7260278.jpg

 

Also I was told by an older gentleman up here, that there were only like 2500 or so of them made in 63?? was he smokin somthing

 

Wow that is in incredible shape.

 

That's in great shape. I can see why you're wondering if you should mod it.

Personally, I like to wheel my jeep out on the rocks here, so a lift, low low gears and a cage were all pretty much necessary. I bought a jeep that had that already so I didn't need to deal with it.

If you want to cruise around and do some moderate wheeling that should do ok, but wheeling a jeep is going to hurt value. Plants and brush scratch the paint, it's harder on the drive train. I don't think I'll ever be worrying about resale value on my jeep, because if I did I wouldn't do half the stuff I do with it.

If you want a nice little jeep to wheel around town in then sure, keep it stock to preserve its value. If you want to wheel it just make it what you want it to be without really worrying if its stock.

 

Being a fellow Yosemiteite, I'd take it out to some fire roads and wheel it a little. If you take it easy, the worst thing that will happen is it will get dusty/muddy. Maybe an occasional scratch. You can have a lot of fun up here in a stock old CJ. Yours is sure a beauty, but not so unblemished that I wouldn't play with it. The high dollar resto money goes to frame off trailer queens anyway. I'd take it out and have some fun.

 

WOW that is a really good looking CJ. I,m jealous as mine sure did,nt even look that good it only had 26,000 but was a ranch JEEP.

 

there is an ECJ5 hit sqaud that will come after you if you mod something that nice! R)R)

just kidding. fantastic looking original 5. IIWM, I'd leave that one alone, except for maintenance, and find another if you want to mod one. I wouldn't even restore that one, because if you are talking actual value, unmodified originals in good shape are bringing more money sometimes that restored cars. either way, it is a very nice looking rig. stock, with some good skinnys on it, it will take you most anywhere you want to go.....

 

Wow, that is in really good shape.

I think you have to be a little philosophical about driving it though. There are still quite a few of these vehicles out there, and the ones that are left are only made valuable by the ones that are no longer on the road. It's not a Bugatti or a Duesenberg... If you searched for a few months and paid a few thousand dollars, you could find another one.

If it were mine, I'd probably leave it alone except for 11" brakes and some discreet rock rails. But if you decide to modify it, it won't be the first time a fine example of a desirable but not rare classic car is radically modified. If you do your mods right, the market for your Jeep will still be there, but you'll likely have fewer buyers. The stock vehicle may not have the highest value, but it will have the broadest appeal.

hth!