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CJ3B Body on a CJ5 Chassis?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by xl1200r, Oct 6, 2005.

  1. xl1200r

    xl1200r Confused

    Anyone have experience with this? I have seen the stuff on the CJ3B page, just looking for more info if possible. The main reason for this is I really want the 225 out of my CJ5 in my 3B, but you have to modify EVERYTHING, down to all of the pedals, and the front driveshaft will still hit the bellhousing. It seemed like putting a 3B body on a 5 chassis is much easier, only havng to add one body mount. Any thoughts?
     
  2. jflots

    jflots Member

    I'm interested for a different reason. I think my cj5 body is on a 3b frame. The number on the engine says it's a 3b. Anyway what's the body mount difference? Thanks
     
  3. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    If the wheelbase is 81" either it's a CJ5 frame, or someone went to a lot of trouble to modify things cause the spring lengths are different also. Can you post a picture of the front crossmember, showing how the grill is mounted, and a clear shot of the crossmember itself?
     
  4. xl1200r

    xl1200r Confused

    I guess the bodymounts are on the side of the frame on CJ5, and on top on a CJ3B - plus you have to add one more to the driver's side.
     
  5. Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    There are bodymounts both on the side and on the top of the CJ5 frame.
     
  6. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    I think you've been misled somewhere along the way regarding the engine swap.
    Stock steering, pedals, and the front d/shaft can be retained, although the shaft will possibly have to be lengthened. True, there a lot of mods necc, but the body swap won't be a walk in the park either IMO.
    No I don't own a 3B, but the conversion basics are all about the same on any flat fender.
    If well though out and planned, you'd be very happy.
    If you lack the skills to do the mods yourself, then that might be a different story as well.
     
  7. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    It seems to me the engine swap would be easier than the body swap.
     
  8. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    x2
    thanks Glenn
    that's what I was trying to say......
     
  9. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    That's what I thought. :) :hurrican:
     
  10. xl1200r

    xl1200r Confused

    This is what I was told. To put a CJ3B body on a CJ5 frame you needed to add one body mount. If you felt the need, you could use 3B springs so you could cut the 3" overhang off the back of the frame as well.

    To put the 225 in the 3B frame you need to (I have read) position the engine as far forward and to the driver's side as possible to minimize front driveshaft contact with the bellhousing. Because of this you need to lengthen the rear shaft and shorten the front shaft, and the pedals will come in contact with the bellhousing. You will need to fabricate custom motormounts, figure out a radiator, figure out clutch and throttle linkages, as well as get the correct input shaft into the trans to make it all work.

    The work is not above me, not by far. I just can't see the sense in it if I have a 3B and a 5 to work from.
     
  11. Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    xl1200r - I have put a CJ2 body on a CJ5 and put a 225 in a friends CJ3b. The body swap IS the more difficult. From a simplistic point - with minor firewall modifications you can put the CJ5 drive train in the 3b with STOCK tranny and Tcase mounting locations. Personal preferance is to move the setup forward a couple inches so as to not need to modify the firewall. I have always pulled the ross setup and put saginaw in mine, so I refab the front cross member and radiator mounts anyway.

    If you sit down and think it through, 90% of the 'stuff' to put the 225 in the 3b are sitting in the 5 and will swap across with little to no modifications. The frame widths are the same, it is only a little longer. A T90, D18 setup is the same in the 5 or the 3b. Some clutch linkages might be different, but they normally swap across.

    Just do some measuring, it's really not that tough.
     
  12. brandon11130

    brandon11130 Master ghetto fabricator

    hey sorry to bring back a dead thread but can somone walk me through putting the cj3b body on a cj5 frame, i only have a cj5 frame so it deffinantly has to work that way,

    i just have to add one bodymount on the driver side(under the gastank) and the pedals and steering wheel will all line up right? just the rear crossmember will stickout a few inches correct?

    i found a great deal on an awesome cj3b body for a few hundered bucks, and i really want to use it. its in way better shape than my cj5 body
     
  13. brandon11130

    brandon11130 Master ghetto fabricator

  14. jd7

    jd7 Sponsor