Vehicle Description
This Jeep is among the last of the short-wheelbase CJ5s. Their
maneuverability and light weight made them very desirable for off
road use and also fun to sport around town in. But they fell victim
to a controversial test done by the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety that aired on 60 minutes which portrayed them as unsafe. It
was later revealed that the test was rigged, but by that time, the
CJ5 had already been replaced by the CJ7 with its longer wheel
base. This CJ5, short wheel base and all, could be yours. Check it
out.
This little Jeep looks like a party waiting to happen. As you
approach it, the Cardinal Red paint really jumps out at you. There
are tri-colored gray stripes on the hood along with Renegade in
script. Up front is the iconic 7-slot grill that has been on every
Jeep since WWII and a simple bumper. The hood is held down with
spring loaded latches, and there are rubber edges on the fenders.
Those 35X12.50s make this little truck sit up a bit over stock, so
there is an aluminum step offering an assist up and into the seat.
A padded roll bar looks classically great for top off cruising, but
there is also a new Bestop soft top that can be popped on for all
weather or winter driving. An extra set of driving lights are
mounted on each side of the windshield and there is a trailer hitch
on the back. A rare feature on the CJ5s is the tailgate that this
one has. It's a handy little convenience.
Open the door, (if it's on there), and step inside. The high-backed
bucket seats are comfortable and supportive. There is a beefy Grant
three-spoke steering wheel that feels good in your hands. To the
right is a Hurst T-handle shifter for the manual transmission, and
a mini-me Hurst handle for the 4WD transfer case. Switches and
speedometer are off to the right of the wheel with a trio of engine
gauges in the center of the dash. Just below them is a Kenwood head
unit that feeds its signal to a power amp which pumps plenty of
power out of the Rockford Fosgate sub-woofer hiding behind that
tailgate, and the 6x9 speakers mounted on the fender wells. It
sounds like an awesome bon-fire sound system to us!
Open that hood, set that prop rod, and you will find a 304-cubic
inch V8 nestled in a neat and clean engine compartment. It looks
good with a chrome air filter housing and chromed valve covers. The
engine has been warmed over a bit by using a Holley carburetor and
an Edelbrock intake manifold. Long tube headers add their
efficiency to the power equation and also make sweets sounds as the
exhaust makes the short trip through Flowmaster mufflers and out
the side of the truck. Power flows back through the 4-speed
transmission and then the 4WD transfer cast to solid axles front
and rear mounted on leaf springs. 4-wheel disc brakes assure good
stopping power and everything sits up on those 35s mounted on
American Racing wheels.
Check out this CJ5. It might be just the vehicle you have been
looking for to have some fun in this summer.
