Vehicle Description
We move a lot of Jeeps around here, but this 1974 Jeep CJ5 is the
first one we've had that seems to think it's a hotrod. Bright
colors, a cool bucket seat interior, a big lift, and a thumping
small block 383 V8 with throttle-body injection. If you're not
going to go tearing up trails, why carry all the hardware around?
Instead, this is a quick, fun city cruiser with a lot of punch and
great road manners, all wrapped up in that cool Jeep CJ look.
Wow, this rig sure does make an entrance, doesn't it? The bright
blue paint and green flames look fantastic, especially since it
only has 543 miles on the build, so it's still quite fresh. The
hood and windshield frame are steel, but the tub is made from
heavy-duty fiberglass, which means you never have to worry about
rust and you can plow straight through the brush with nary a
concern. The wheel arches are clean, the bed corners are solid, and
the windshield frame looks great, and despite a few signs of use
here and there, this CJ5 presents incredibly well both on the trail
and off. There have been no exterior modifications beyond some
dress-up parts, so the look is pure tradition, including the
seven-slot grille up front. Of course, there's brightwork abound to
dress it up, including chrome upgrades on the hinges, mirrors, step
bars, and tubular bumpers, and they all sparkle against that lovely
turquoise paint. In back, the tailgate is gone, so the Jeep has a
smooth look with integrated taillights, as well as the bright fuel
door that's a nice touch.
Despite the CJ-5s shorter wheelbase (compared to the big-brother
CJ-7s and CJ-8s), this Jeep has room for four, with Bestop buckets
seats up front and stock bench in the rear. Both aesthetically
appealing and very comfortable under the sun, the plain, durable
upholstery works rather well with the bright blue bodywork and
chrome roll bar. The dash was neatly painted blue to match the
exterior with a custom Painless switch panel in the center,
white-face AutoMeter gauges, and a modern AM/FM/AUX stereo that
provides the tunes. There's also an aftermarket steering wheel that
adds some upscale sportiness to the all-business interior and the
B&M shifter for the TH350 automatic transmission is right
between the seats where it falls easily to hand when you're running
fast. There's a padded black dash and black carpets on the floor,
which do make the Jeep feel at least a little bit civilized, but
there are no doors or top (only a bikini top), so it's still an
elemental experience. Fairly spartan yet very comfortable, the
cabin of this Jeep is very nice place to be.
The engine is a 383 cubic inch Chevy V8 stroker motor, which is a
popular swap if you're looking for more pop under the hood. Here,
it's built to rock, with a responsive throttle-body injection
system, a polished intake manifold, and plenty of power on tap at
any speed. Chrome Chevrolet valve covers remind onlookers that this
is a street machine built for performance, not slogging through the
mud, and a few more chrome dress-up items make it look great in the
satin black engine bay. Fresh wiring, a dual master cylinder, a big
aluminum radiator, and long-tube headers all help with its
street-friendly image. The powerful small block is backed by a
TH350 automatic transmission feeding what appears to be the
standard Jeep rear end. The lifted stance is still pure Jeep and
you shouldn't be afraid of rough roads or venturing onto light
trails with it, especially with those big 36x14.50-15 off-road
tires wrapped around shiny alloy wheels.
This is a fun open CJ-5 with a big V8 up front and a classic look.
What else might you want from a weekend toy? Call today!
