different jeep or new engine/tranny?

i love the slug
and it is too slow.
i have done a bit of looking and it seems i have two options.
1 sell the slug to the right buyer for a decent price and buy a different jeep.
2 buy a 6 cylinder and the correct tranny and pay someone to install it.$$$$$$$$$$$

installing an overdrive in the slug would be great but it wouldnt do me much good on all the mountain up and down grades i drive regularly.
what would you do?
i am trying to keep the throwing money down the toilet to a minimum.
at the rate i am going i will have a $10,000 jeep that is worth maybe $3000

 

last sentence in your sig says it...i say keep the 5 and buy a cheap yj to tackle the mountains/hills..the 2.5ers are very reasonable

 

sound advice indeed.
but i dont want 2 jeeps.
the slug is heaven on a jeep trail.
but i cant legally drive to many of them.

 

You have me thoroughly confused. How would installing a 6cyl engine in the slug make it legal to drive to the Jeep trails? If it is a Jeep trail, how do others get there?

 

they dont have a jeep that goes 25-30 mph on just about any kind of grade on the highway.
and if they do.
they trailer it.
this thing is SLOW!
i live in a very rugged mountain range and all the highways are windy and steep.
putting a dauntless for instance would give me 160 hp which is over twice what the f-head has 72hp.

 

Didn't we visit this before?

If you can't do the work yourself, there's no sense to an engine swap. That will put you in the "rich man's toy" bracket, IMO.

Surprises me that Durango would not be a good place to own a classic Jeep.

IMO a YJ would be a good choice but would be really different from what you have. A 4-cyl YJ has been recommended here before, but I'd be sure to drive it on the mountain roads first, considering your current difficulties. A V6 CJ or an intermediate CJ would solve your problem too, and give you most of the 'feel' of your F134 CJ.

 

yep
we have talked about this.
it sounds like selling it is the answer.
but i hate to get rid of it.
i dont want a modern jeep (or i wouldve bought one in the 1st place)
but as a new kid.
when i bought this one i didnt realize that this one is so underpowered i cant drive it anywhere.
except on jeep trails,in town or back roads.

 

A warn OD can be used in any gear. I live in a pretty hilly area, and I just got one from here. I can't wait to install it and see how well it works.

 

on the flats with the hurricane they are great.
but if you dont have the power to pull a grade at modern speeds I.E. at least 50mph.
it doesnt matter.
p.s.
we dont have hills.
we got mountains ...BIG ones.

 

Dye your hair grey/white. You will look like an old man driving slow

 

tim
i guess what i am asking is.
should i take a $2000-$3000 loss right now by selling it..
or sink money into it to make it more usable?
i know the T-98/dana18 is worth something.
no matter which way i go i am gonna lose my shirt.

 

how about you buy a trailer and tow it to the trails. OR post on the classifieds to trade for a cj w v6. Just to warn you though my cj sometimes idles to fast on the trails for comfort I have to put it in 4 low to slow down enough.

 

Unless you can make a business in them, cars are a money-losing proposition. No way around it.

You want advice about selling? Here's mine, worth what it cost you.

Do you need your Jeep for transportation to work and such? If not, I would sell the slug now ... this time of year is good for selling hobby cars, especially in the Rockies, I'd think. Pick your price and advertise aggressively. Put it up everywhere; Craig's List, eBay, all of the forums - local and national. Supply lots of pictures. Pick your price and stick to it. "Classic 1963 Jeep CJ-5 with hard top. Driven daily. Original F134 4-cylinder engine with rare and desirable T-98 truck 4-speed option."

Once you sell it, look around for a nice CJ-5. Cast your net over all the southwest. Set some money aside to go and look at Jeeps - no hurry, it'll be fun.

 

As I fully enjoy the Jeep experience of spending money hand over fist, i'm thinking it might be cheaper if you just moved to someplace like Kansas.

 

certainly you have highway climbs out of Durango no matter which way you go...to Mancos or Silverton...the route out to Bayfield isn't steep at all; maybe you don't go that way often.
I drove my F4 to Colorado from Calif in 1976. Yes, I had an overdrive, but I don't recall being the one holding up traffic. Most of the roads, other than the main highways, are slower speed roads anyway.....you can't go much faster than that over Red Mountain Pass anyway, the road is steep and winding.
What I'm trying to say, for carbed vehicles, high elevation is a power robber...period.
Have you advanced your timing 5* and tried to set up your carb for high elevation ?
The correct metering rod would be hard to find, but it is possible.
My V6 is pretty doggy over 8000' feet as well, unless I make the high elevation mods to it, jets and timing (which I do for an extended stay).
I say quit whining about it, drive it, and enjoy the scenery that you're lucky to live around; slower is better sometimes.
On the other hand, sell it, and drive the type of Jeep all those other people drive....

 

get a bumper sticker or license plate frame that says "ive only got 72 hp...be patient"

these old jeeps and any old not fast car, are about the drive,not how fast ya get there....heck..in any of my vehicles im just glad it doesnt break down

 

My recommendation:

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75653

 

The best trails out of Durango are up around Silverton-to get there involves not one but TWO 11,000 ft. mountain passes in a 25 mile stretch. Another 30 miles or so to Ouray-another 11,000 ft. pass. Almost all of it is 2 lane blacktop. Of course the motorhomes in the summer aren't going any faster than you're going!!
I think the previous posters are correct-if you can't or dont want to do most of the work yourself then you might be better off to sell yours & buy one that's closer to what you want.