Ususally I post in the Toyota section of this forum (yeah yeah, I know), however, I have been thinking about getting a jeep. Today I happend to see a 76 cj5 for sale on the side of the road. The sign said it had a V8, (I assume a 304) that did not run and needed to be rebuilt. From what I could see (on the other side of the fence), it had a bikini top and the interior was rough. The body looked pretty straight, however I could not see all the way around.
The sign said $700.00 OBO. I tried a little bit of research and found that these go fairly high when restored, however I could not find too many values regarding one in similar condition. I guess my question is whether or not $700 sounds reasonable for something like this. Obviously it would be a project (like I don't have enough) and I still have to talk to the wife (wish me luck), however I ususally get good results on this board from the yota guys and thought I would see what you Jeep fanatics think of that. I am seriously thinking of offering 400 cash and go from there. I left the guys a message saying I would like to look at it closer, however prior to going I would like to be armed with some sort of idea.

Thanks in advance.

Well Brad you didn't post where you are located.. Around here the guy driving behind you would have already purchased it.
If you could get it to run (even just a little bit) It would bring 3 grand herebouts.
Big JIm <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Around here 2k for any 4wd running well of any age. 4k for Waggies.

Up here in the North East, you will either find them fully restored, usually with a fiberglass tub, for $8 - 15K depending on how it was built. Or you would find about 2-3 parked next to each other all with rotten sheet metal, and missing parts, waiting to be taken away and built into one running rig, with most of another spare drivetrain.

I was actually looking at one such beast about 2 years ago from a friend of a friend. $1500 for 1 mostly complete æ85 CJ7 that ran when parked 5 years prior with frame rot, some body rot, and a busted 3rd gear in the trans, another with a solid frame decent sheet metal, and no known status of engine, and a third frame with axles, trans and tx case, that basically everything but those part was junk, a ônewö 10 year old tub that just had some surface rust, and a ton of extra parts. I hated to turn it down cause it was a deal and a half, I just didnÆt and still donÆt yet have the space or the time to tackle the project.

So if you plan to make it a project and you have the time and space, I would grab it, and look for a few others of the same model and pick all the best parts and build up a solid rig, and have spare parts.

Just my 2 cents.

Sean

The bigget problem you are going to have on a restoration project of a Jeep that age is the frame. Make sure the frame is not toally rusted out. A little rust, or osme bad sopts are ok, because you'll be taking it down to the frame anyway on such a project, and you can weld on repair patches on the frame. But it the frame is totally shot, it will cost you $2000 to $2500 for a new frame.

Bodies being rusted are OK, cause you can replace hose with a fiberglass body that will alst forever.

Axles are OK, cause you'll probably be upgrading those anyway.

Rebuilding an AMC 304 is not a big deal, and you should be able to get a total rebuild for less than $1500.

There is a reason that I didn't say where it was located. Since I saw it when I was coming home from night shift, I figured that while I took a nap today, someone else would sneak in and snatch it away. I am hoping the guy doesn't know what he has and hopefully does not read this board!!!, anyway I will say that it is in Az. I was thinking about frame rot eariler. Hopefully the owner will return my call this afternoon and I will go talk to him and get a chance to really crawl around under it.

I ended up looking it over and it looked pretty good. The frame is pretty much rust free, however the front floorboards are rusted out. I guess the previous owner had some carpet there a few years ago that trapped water. However it came with the weld in panels for the repair. The engine looked pretty good actually. The biggest problem I could see is that since it has not been run in the last four years that every seal on the engine and drive train is dried up. (Arizona summers). The owner said that when it was parked four years ago, the only thing it needed was a valve job. I offered him $500 and he took it. I will go get it this afternoon. I figure I will change the fluids and plugs and see if I can at least get it started. Of course I will have to change every gasket and seal in the near future before I can really drive it, and then of course I can go from there.

As I mentioned before, I ususally post in the Yota section and they are always super helpful. I am sure you guys here in the Jeep section will start hearing from me in the near future regarding various things.

If I can figure out how, I will try and post pictures of my 500 dollar Jeep.

Thanks

Congratulations, so you were able to talk the wife into a jeep project. Good deal, and welcome. I haven't spent any time in the Toyota section, but the Jeep section here has a pretty good group of people in it.

Sean

$500 Jeep.....Not for Long! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Just
Empty
Every
Pocket

Congrat's..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Congratulations -- it sounds like you made a good deal.

Now get ready for lots of fun ... as well a blood, seeat, tears, cussing, and open-wallet time! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />