One of the straightest, most original 1974 Jeep CJ5's that you will find. A California Jeep through and through, it is a great example of a CJ from the hey day of Off Road Hall of Fame inductee Brian Chuchua's famous Fullerton, CA dealership.
Other than the adjustable 9000 shocks, suspension, wheels and tires, and large capacity fuel tank and steering wheel, the Jeep is ridiculously original. Most of the paint seems to be original. It is not perfect, but has a perfect small nick here and there patina. There is some surface rust, the floors are incredibly solid, maintaining most of the original paint. There is one very tiny dent on the hood where it lays on the windshield frame open. Could be easily banged out. Never bothered me. Been there since long before I got the Jeep.
The frame is very solid with only surface rust. I was about to POR it, but then I decided to sell it, so I've left it alone, as this Jeep has nothing to hide.
It's rare to find a CJ5 that still has the original long throw steering column, as well as the original tailgate that still funnctions. This one has both.
One of the rarest and greatest options it has is the factory power steering. It is therefore super easy to turn and drive.
It once had a removable hard top and still carries the attachment hardware.
It has a brand new battery, starts up and runs great. I had the famous 4X Doctor in Burbank, CA rebuild the original straight 6 engine, less than 2,000 miles ago. I also had them rebuild the fuel lines and replace the large capacity gas tank, which is practically new, as well as new exhaust pipes. The only thing that they did not address is the original carb, which needs to be rebuilt. It runs fine, but would run even better if the carb was rebuilt. Mike at the 4X Doctor suggested I replace it with an EFI set-up.
Years earlier, I had the also SoCal famous TransaXion rebuild the original transmission. And 4 Wheel Parts in Burbank helped me rebuild and upgrade the suspension, which was already set up at pretty much the same height and stance when I got it, which is, in my opinion, just right and perfect.
Years ago I did some very basic electrical repair. The electric on these is basic to begin with. The wipers work, the fan works, the headlights work, but the gas tank sender is not reading on the gauge.
The GT wheel is now period cool. Again, it's been on the Jeep since before I got it. The only other thing that I replaced are the fender rubbers. The originals were like old dinosaur skin or a 90 year-old Vegas tan that never knew what sun block was, so I replaced 'em.
The original shorty buckets are still there but need to be recovered. I also have the original back seat which has been out of it for many years and outside, so it needs to be reupholstered. You'll just need bolts, nuts and washers to put it back in, but I like running the Jeep without it.
The only noticeable damage is on the rear floor of the bed, under where the back seat goes. The floor is dented there, though still very solid, with one stress crack about 3 inches long which would be easy to weld and repair. I cannot tell if it was dented from weight being thrown into it, or if it was dented by pulling too much weight at one time, or from tying off to a tree or rock and winching. Hard for me to imagine it was from pulling too much weight, as it easily pulls my old 1950 Boles Aero trailer that is in one of the photos. Especially with the factory granny gear in 1st.
I just recently used the low 4X, so I know it's all working just fine.
The small towing ball was welded on at one time in the past, so if I were you, I would torch or saw the ball off to create more towing flexibility.
The Bikini Top has been on it for all the years that I have had the Jeep.
Even the paint on the hood brackets and original storage box door under the passenger seat is original, as are all the seat brackets and frames. There were old cushions on the vertical roll bars, so there is some surface pitting on the original bar paint under where those once were.
The original gauge trim has a rusty patina. I like it that way, but that's just me. Easily replaced or chromed.
There are really solid old rear corner brackets which I'm pretty sure supported a cross bar for a spare tire and/or spare tanks and gear, therefore the tail gate was never welded. And there is a hole in the right rear corner that had a trick little air compressor in it, which somehow disappeared out from under it when I was having some of the work done years ago.
Those two parts of its history point to it being a very well cared for off-road Jeep that was never driven too hard and was thoughtfully put together, very possibly by Brian Chuchua himself.
Floors are solid, and the inner wheel wells are remarkably straight and original. If you have been looking for an honest, vintage Jeep, look no further. If you are looking for great bones to restore, here they are. If, like me, you want great bones to leave alone and never worry about, look no further.
Bid with confidence, as I have perfect feedback here on eBay for many years now. I do not need to sell the Jeep and don't really want to, but it's time to let it go to someone who is going to use it more than I do, and really appreciate it's SoCal history.
To that, if you don't know who Off-Road Hall of Fame inductee Brian Chuchua is:
"Off-Road Hall of Famer Brian Chuchua helped off-road racing grow through both his support and participation in the sport. In 1965 he hosted the National Four- Wheel Drive Grand Prix, the first modern off-road race staged for spectators. He is also known for driving in world class cross country events such as the London to Sydney Marathon, running rallies and sponsoring numerous entries in off-road events such as the Stardust 7-11 and the Mint 400.
By the age of 21 he was considered a very experienced off-road driver. With his understanding of Jeeps and their mechanics he opened a Jeep dealership in April of 1963 with Doug Olson in Fullerton, California. The dealership grew to be one of the most successful Jeep dealerships in the United States. In the late 1960s he also began the sale of aftermarket Jeep products. His dealership sold the first aftermarket roll bars and V-8 conversion kits for both Jeeps and Corvettes. His involvement and knowledge of after market parts led him to join a group of individuals who became the founding fathers of the Specialty Equipment Manufactures Association (SEMA) in 1963.
Chuchua went beyond sponsoring and organizing races - he also collected records at famous drag races such as Bonneville, Dry Lakes including El Mirage, and quarter mile drags at Pomona, Santa Ana and Long Beach. He raced his Jeep with a super charged V-8. Recognizing his skill, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) asked him to captain the 1965 United States Drag team at expositions in England. He traveled far beyond the race circuits and participated in numerous international rallies. He drove the London to Mexico Rally, traveling from England to Bulgaria to Portugal, then onto a ship across to Brazil only to be time bared in Uruguay. He completed the London to Sydney, traveling through the Middle East, into India, through Singapore and across Australia, coming in 2nd place in his class and 5th overall. He also raced his CJ-6 Jeep across the African continent en route through Turkey where the Jeep crashed."
The Jeep is listed locally and I reserve the right to end the auction at any time. The Jeep is sold AS-IS. There is absolutely no warranty implied in this offering. The buyer is responsible for shipping or for local pickup. I will help in any way that I can to make either of those options easier. A non-refunable deposit of $1,000 is due within 48 hours of the auction's end, so please only bid if you have the funds available. The full balance is due within 7 days after the auction's end. The Jeep nor the title will be released until full payment has been received and verified by the bank. I will accept PayPal for the Deposit. Cash in person or Cashiers Check.
If you have any questions, you can e-mail me at speedshopfilms@me.com
Please only ask if you are a serious buyer. We are all busy with work and life, and it will just save us all a little of both if only the truly interested parties contact me. Thanks for your understanding.
And thanks for looking!
Jeep CJ for Sale
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Auto blog
Fri, Apr 3 2015
FCA US continues to fight allegations that some Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty sport-utility vehicles are unsafe because of the possibility of fires in rear-end collisions. In one recently decided case, a jury in Georgia awarded $150 million in damages to a family whose child died in a blaze in 2012 in a 1999 Grand Cherokee. The jury believed that FCA acted with "reckless and wanton disregard," and didn't do enough to warn owners, according to Reuters. The automaker was found liable for 99 percent of the damages, and the remaining one percent was for the driver who rear-ended the family's SUV. In a statement from FCA US, the company said that it is considering an appeal. Under Georgia law, the automaker was allegedly unable to present a three-year investigation of rear-impact data to jurors. This was the same information the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration used to decide that the '99 Grand Cherokee "did not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety." The original recall for the models covered 1.56 million examples of the 2002-2007 Liberty and 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee. With the fuel tank located between the rear axle and bumper, NHTSA and FCA eventually agreed to install a trailer hitch for extra protection. A further 1.2 million 1999-2004 Grand Cherokees owners received notice of a customer service action to have their vehicles inspected, though no hitch installed. Subsequent tests showed this remedy to be effective for impacts below 40 miles per hour. The automaker has maintained the SUVs met the applicable safety standards of the period when they were built. The company was chastised by NHTSA last year for low repair rates of the problem. FCA US LLC Statement Regarding Walden v Chrysler Group Verdict: April 2, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US is disappointed and will consider an appeal of this verdict. It is unfortunate that under Georgia Law the jury was prevented from taking into account extensive data submitted to NHTSA during a three year investigation, which included more than 20 years of rear impact accident data for tens of millions of vehicles. This and other information provided the basis for NHTSA's determination that the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee did not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.
Wed, 11 Dec 2013
There will forever be a soft spot in my heart for the Jeep Wrangler. The last one I owned was red, and, as a 1990 model, had the square headlights derided by Jeep enthusiasts who grew up on the Civilian Jeeps that descended from their General Purpose military ancestors. As a teenager, I couldn't have cared less what shape its headlights happened to be - to me, a Jeep Wrangler represented freedom; a carefree do-it-all machine equally at home with the top stowed away in the summer or with the heater on full blast in the snowy clutches of Old Man Winter. In Dr. Seuss parlance, my square-headlighted Sneetch was just as worthy as any round-headlighted Sneetch.
All that said, I'll be the first person to advise against buying a Jeep Wrangler of any sort for owners who don't plan to use it as its makers intend. There's no good reason to punish yourself with a stiff and springy ride, a loud and somewhat drafty (though generally water-resistant) interior or the poor fuel economy expected of a block-shaped vehicle if you don't enjoy its other, more exciting benefits.
Of course, Jeep has done its darndest over the years to make the Wrangler as civilized as possible while keeping it as capable as federal law will allow. The 2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab edition is one of Jeep's latest attempts to attract attention from the upper reaches of the active lifestyle set, and I spent a week with one to see what makes the Moab special.
Tue, 03 Sep 2013
Old technology has a way of lingering on, particularly at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills. So while the Pentastar V6 has replaced the older engine architecture in just about every application, it still soldiered on in some export markets. But the introduction of a new 3.0-liter Pentastar V6, produced in Michigan and meant only for the Chinese market, has put the final nail in the old engine's coffin.
Fitted into the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler just introduced to China at the Chengdu Motor Show, the downsized six uses the same architecture as the larger 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. But because of its 2,997cc capacity, it can be exported to China without the increased duty the 3.6-liter or even 3.2-liter Pentastar engines would incur. The 3.0-liter V6 develops 230 horsepower at 6,350 rpm and 210 pound-feet at 4,400 rpm.
Admittedly, it's unlikely, but even though the engine was said to be created solely to undercut tax thresholds in China and Europe, the 3.0-liter Pentastar has recently surfaced in rumors of an application here: as the boosted heart of a potential Cherokee SRT with anywhere from 375 to 410 hp.