1977 Jeep CJ5 - Frame Off Restoration - Media Blasted Original Body!!!!!!!!!!!

1977 Jeep CJ

I spent over a year and close to $30K restoring this Jeep from top to bottom with the intention of keeping it forever. This is not a flip vehicle that I cut corners on to try and sell. It is not perfect and it won't win any big national shows but it damn sure could win some smaller shows. It has the original steel tub, hood, fenders, and grille. The only new reproduction pieces are the tailgate and windshield frame. All media blasted to start and all rust removed and new steel welded in. NOT A BONDO FILLED HACK JOB. I have more pictures of the restoration process if you want to see. It is not an ultra high-end finish and is not laser straight but it is probably as straight as a CJ was rolling off of the assembly line in 1977.
Overall there is next to nothing on this CJ that wasn't either replaced or refurbished. I used as few OMIX / Crown replacement parts as possible.
BODY
- As stated, media blasted to start and all rust cut out- All original body except for windshield frame and tailgate which are new. New glass and seal as well- Rear section of the tub under rear seat was replaced with high quality American reproduction piece. (not thing guage cheap asian panel)- Not laser straight but very nice- Medium quality paint used which is grey with a blue tint- Underside finished with black bedliner- Inside of tub finished with light grey Monstaliner. Not super high textured and doesnt get hot in the sun. I have a complete one gallon Monstaliner kit that I will include which you can use down the line to refinish if you gouge it up.- Inside of engine compartment and under hood finished with durable black semi-gloss finish.- New poly body mounts- New OEM style front bumper which has faded slightly from the sun- Rear bumper is a Warn bumper with hitch receiver built in (not for heavy towing)- New Renegade decal kit- All new stainless kit - mirrors, hood grate, hinges, etc.- There is a rock chip on the drivers side fender- The leading edge of the hood on the passenger side corner was scraped by my garage door when I had the jeep on dollies and didn't realize the hood wasn't going to clear (I almost cried). It has been touched up and is not highly noticeable but it isn't perfect.- There is one small spot below the fuel filler on the rear corner that looks like a small amount of rust had been missed and has slightly bubbled.- There is a small bump on the right front fender a few inches from the front edge of the over plate portion. I dont think it is rust because the top plate steel was replaced with new steel. I believe it is something that got on the panel right before paint.
Frame
The frame was in surprisingly really good shape to start with. There was no real rust except around the rear body mounts. Those mounts were cut out and new steel welded in. The frame was stripped down and painted with in black semi gloss.
Engine / Trans / Driveline / Axles / Brakes
The engine is a 258 straight 6 out of a 1986 CJ that was rebuilt by the previous owner around 2005. I have no records of this but I did partially disassemble the motor and it was in great shape and it runs well. I replaced all gaskets while I had it apart. Motor and transmission mounts are all new. The transmission is a 3-speed manual that I believe is original to the Jeep. It was shifting good when I bought it but I also partially disassembled it and everything was tight and in good shape, I believe it was rebuilt at some point. Transfer case shifts into and out of 4WD well and I partially rebuilt both hubs.
I replaced all bearings and seals in both axles and the gears are in great shape. The suspension is mostly new including a 3" lift with brand new shocks. All U-joints are new in the driveline, the front drive shaft is new, ball joints are new.
All brake parts are new including stainless steel lines, and master cylinder.
This CJ rides as smooth as you could expect a CJ5 with 33" tires to ride. No shake or rattle.
Electrical
The gauges are the Speed Hut CJ GPS cluster ($750) so no matter what size tires you run you do not have to calibrate the speedo. The temp gauge and oil pressure gauge both function.
The whole jeep was rewired with a new Painless wiring system. The wiring was done with the help of an experienced friend. All lights operate as they are supposed to except for what is listed below.
Wheels / Tires
- 4 like new 33" B F Goodrich All Terrain T/A- Wheels are AR wheels that are decent. They have some occidation from age but could be polished by someone with experience. Rear center caps are new polished caps. Lugs are new polished.
Stereo
- New Kenwood marine bluetooth head unit mounted in locking center console - play your music through your phone with no wires- New Centrapod with New dual Polk 6" marine speakers- New Versapods mounted on the outside of front seats with new Polk 5.5" marine speakers- New JBL marine amplifier and 10" kicker subwoofer mounted behind the back seat
Other
- Almost all hardware is new. I have $400+ invested in stainless bolts and screws alone. I converted the button/Allen style bolts to mostly all standard hex style- I have a brand new Bestop bikini top in the box but could not bring myself to drill holes into the windshield frame for the mount. I have all parts if you wish to do so. I also have a bestop frame for a soft top if you wish to install that as well. I hope you decide not to drill holes into the tub rails but you can if you wish. I also have both soft doors. They are a little worn and the windows are pretty cloudy.
- Front seats are Bestop high back sliding/reclining. They show very little wear- Rear seat is a Bestop tumble seat that can be removed without tools. Shows very little wear- Center console is new Tuffy locking unit with stereo head unit built in- Dash pad is brand new- Seat belts are new- Gas tank is poly unit originally installed by previous owner so it is pretty new
I could list everything done to this Jeep but it will take me days. To save your time and mine I will list the few non-completed items that don't matter to me because of how I use it.
- No windshield washer nozzle. There is a new tank and pump but it is not hosed to anything.- Heater box is rebuilt with a new core but the cables for this style are impossible to find in decent condition. I have new cables and knobs which are simply for asthetics because the cables aren't the right length to open and close the vents. I was never going to put a full top on this CJ so I do not care about the heat.- The fuel tank has to be filled slowly or the nozzle will cut off thinking it is full. It is vented properly so I believe it is a design flaw in the poly tank.- The fuel sensor is new but does not register to the gauge. It could be a calibration issue with the SpeedHut gauge. I often fuel up my vehicles based on mileage so this doesn't bother me and I did not spend much time trying to correct it.- The 4wd light to the gauge is not hooked up. I could not find a good replacement wire that runs from the gauge to the transfer case.- I didnt wire up the side marker lights as they are not required in my state and I did not want to run wires in the wheel well.
Thanks for checking out my CJ and send me any questions you have. I like in Maryland and encourage you to come check the Jeep out and drive it before bidding.

• Condition: Used
• Make: Jeep
• Model: CJ
• Type: SUV
• Trim: CJ5
• Year: 1977
• Mileage: 158
• VIN: J7F83AE074323
• Color: Gray
• Engine size: 258 Straight 6 Cyl
• Number of cylinders: 6
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive type: 4WD
• Interior color: Black / Light Gray
• Options: 4-Wheel Drive, CD Player, Convertible
• Vehicle Title: Clear
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