Vehicle Description
Jeep created an undeniable winner when it rolled out the CJ-5. Such
was the car's appeal that its manufacturer kept it in production
for a full three decades while continuing to release new lines
alongside it. This early 1965 Jeep CJ-5 is a solid, highly-original
representative of the model - it's an agile mountain goat on wheels
and it has fun written all over it. Its bright white exterior
features some nice touches and there's some old-school, dependable
power under the hood to propel it over any obstacle that dares
stand in the way.
While the CJ5 has an extensive military heritage and was designed
with a sort of "no-nonsense" functionality in mind, its appealingly
rugged demeanor attracted quite a legion of civilian fans over the
years. By 1965, the CJ-5 was being produced by Kaiser, making this
one of the rarest models you'll find on the market. This CJ-5
arrives at the present looking pretty darned sharp, with appealing
white paint that shows off enough bumps and bruises accrued through
the years that it might even be original. Despite several
imperfections, it still has a decent shine, and you can't argue
with the curb appeal. The close-set headlights have a definite
military spirit to them as they sit in a painted grille that
matches perfectly with the rest of the exterior, while the black
windshield frame and roll bar add some distinction and contrast.
Come around to the side and you'll find another clue that this Jeep
was designed for real off-road action - its compact wheelbase
contributes to its ability to navigate challenging terrain. The
aggressive 'bash' bumper was painted black to match the roll bar,
rear bumper, and side steps - and that contrast really turns this
CJ into a good-looking cruiser you could easily see cruising down
the beach. This Jeep just looks like vintage fun on wheels,
period.
The stock and spartan interior features bright red front buckets,
and they're relatively recent units so everyone rides in comfort in
this open-air classic. The buckets straddle the tall shifters for
the 3-speed manual transmission and 2-speed transfer case, and the
windshield ahead of the driver still drops down - one of the
coolest features of a classic Jeep. A big, original steering wheel
sits atop an angled column to give the driver more space at the
helm, while just in front of it the painted dash area is all
original and features a stock all-in-one gauge and a couple
auxiliary units to the left. You get seatbelts, but other than that
there are no options to speak of, which makes sense because this
Jeep is essentially a tool to be wielded, and anything else would
just get in the way. It's not gorgeous inside, but it's utilitarian
and serves the purpose.
A 134 cubic inch I4 'Willys Hurricane' motor sits under the hood to
power this Jeep over any terrain you might wish to conquer. The
engine is in good form, starting up promptly and running strong
thanks to a very recent rebuild that was just completed in 2020,
and with signs of maintenance throughout, it appears it's been
serviced very well ever since. Should you decide to take temporary
leave of the road, with a flick of the lever just in front of the
distinctive shifter, you can engage 4-wheel drive and, with this
CJ-5's generous wheel clearance and body height, its ability to
handle obstacles is substantial. There are accommodations for more
civilized conditions, as well, with front disc brakes that help
stopping power and upgraded shocks up front that provide the road
manners you'd prefer in a frequent driver. This timeless 4-wheel
drive classic sits on a set of flashy 'bullet hole' wheels,
outfitted with sizable 30x9.5x15 all-terrain tires.
Looking sharp, packing plenty of reliable grit and offering
undeniable nostalgic appeal, this Kaiser Jeep CJ-5 would be a great
acquisition for the collector and off-road enthusiast alike. Call
today!
