1978 Jeep CJ5

Description

We move a lot of Jeeps around here, but this 1978 Jeep CJ5 is the first one we've had that seems to think it's a muscle car. Bright colors, cool bucket seat interior, rear-wheel-drive, and a thumping small block V8. 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 look.

Nobody's going to know the difference at a glance, so you might even call this Jeep a sleeper. The bright turquoise paint looks fantastic, especially since it only has 853 miles on the build, so it's still quite fresh. The body is 100% steel, no fiberglass parts here, and you can easily see that it's been living in a warm climate because none of the usual Jeep problem areas show any issues at all. The rear wheel arches are clean, the bed corners are solid, and the windshield frame looks great. There have been no exterior modifications beyond dome dress-up parts, so the look is pure tradition, including the seven-slot grille up front. Of course, there's a stainless surround to dress it up, as well as a bunch of chrome upgrades including the hinges, mirrors, and hood locks, 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 familiar diamond plate bumpers that always look sturdy.

This Jeep is now a two-seater, with two fresh gray vinyl buckets seats up front. More appealing and comfortable in the sun than black, the gray upholstery works rather well with the turquoise bodywork and silver roll bar. The dash was neatly refinished with a stainless panel that retains all the original controls and gauges, with a newer AM/FM/cassette stereo in the middle. There's also a wood-rimmed steering wheel that adds some upscale warmth to the all-business interior and the shifter for the 4-speed manual is right between the seats where it falls easily to hand when you're running fast. There are black carpets on the floor, which does make the Jeep feel at least a little bit civilized, but there are no doors or top, so it's still an elemental experience. The back seat is gone, with the cargo bay lined with diamond plate and fitted with a matching tool box that can securely store valuables.

The engine is a 350 cubic inch Chevy V8, which is a popular swap into an old Jeep. Here, it's built to rock, with a big Holley 4-barrel carburetor, an Edelbrock medium-rise intake manifold, and plenty of power on tap at any speed. Finned valve covers remind onlookers that this is a street machine built for performance, not slogging through the mud, and a few chrome dress-up items make it look great in the satin black engine bay. Fresh wiring, a dual master cylinder, and cast iron exhaust manifolds all help with its street-friendly image. It's backed by a 4-speed manual gearbox feeding what appears to be the standard Jeep rear end. The front axle, of course, is a simple tubular setup, and you'd be amazed by how much quicker a Jeep gets when you dump 1000 pounds of heavy hardware. The 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 32x11.50-15 off-road tires on shiny Mickey Thompson aluminum wheels.

This is a fun open two-seater with a big V8 up front and a classic look. What else might you want from a summertime toy? Call today!