Four CJ-5 Questions for you all:
- Anyone know when (month/year or vin) that the CJ-5 switched from the side tank to the rear? I’ve seen dates between mid 1970 through early 1972.
- Similarly, when was the PTO draw bar dropped (month/year or vin)?
- When did the CJ-5 spare tire mount move from the side to the back (month/year or vin)?
- When was JEEP changed to Jeep on the side of the CJ-5 cowl (month/year or vin)? (somewhere on eWillys I’ve answered this question, as I remember doing the research, but now I can’t find it!)
1. Mid 70. One of the first changes by AMC but still on a “Shorty” But through 75 you could order an extyra capacity side tank to supplement the rear one.
2. Draw bar hitch dropped at end of ’75 which year most of us consider the last of the Ag/industrial CJs.
3. Side spare ended with the last CJ5 in ’83 which also was the last chained tailgate.
4. 1971 was the last year for the all caps JEEP on the side cowl. 71 of course was the last “shorty” before they lengthened the front clip 4″ for AMC’s engine line. It was a year model change. Starting in 72 you could get any of AMC’s 5 engines including the 401 … ((232 (dropped in early 74 except postal), 258, 304, 360 and 401 the last I understand to be a special order but dealer swap out.)) The 70 – 71 had the revised Jeep in block letters on the tailgate though.
5 engines, not 4: 232 (dropped in early 74 except postal), 258, 304, 360 and 401 the last I understand to be a special order but dealer swap out.
Questions 1. and 2. are inter-connected. Once the tank moved to the rear the PTO and drawbar was no longer possible because the tank occupied the space where both sat in the frame.
Only semi-reliable source I have for a date is “mid-1970”: http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php?threads/when-did-the-fuel-tank-go-from-under-the-seat-to-under-the-tub.100121/#:~:text=Mid%201970%20they%20switched%20the%20to%20the%20rear.
This would closely correlate to when AMC purchased Jeep from Kaiser (February 1970).
Awesome thanks for the info!
– Dave
C. I can’t speak to the PTO, but the drawbar was still available with the rear tank installed. They just changed the supports to clear the tank and optional skid plate. Our 71 (shown in the ad to the right) has that setup. That’s why we always have to ask the year and tank location before selling the correct bar. As to the PTO and driveline, my assumption is that the purchaser would order or outfit the 70 – 75 CJ with an under seat tank and delete the rear tank – all possible from the factory or dealer in those days. I’ve seen PTO powered equip on the back of these years, just never climbed under them to see what they did.
A lot of great trivia questions that now have answers.
Jeep had two different powered 360’s. One had a bigger carburetor. I can’t remember the horse power. I had a quadratrac (sp) Wagoneer with the bigger 360. It was fast from a green light. Jeep did use the regular drawbar on early rear tank CJ’s. They changed the braces on the frame to the drawbar to clear the gas tank. In fact I took the drawbar off of a wrecked CJ, with are rear gas tank, I was going to use it to convert my 1970 CJ to a rear gas tank. I have one of the first 500 Renegade I’s Jeep built. They were a special order in 1970. I believe they may have been the first Jeeps with the rear spare tire carriers. The 1971 Renegades II had a rear gas tank. We had one in the shop that I put a drawbar on. It was the original stye drawbar with the revised frame braces. 1972 is the year AMC increased the length of the CJ’s so they could use the AMC engines. It was the end of the best high altitude mountain trail Jeep engines. The old odd fire Buick 225. However, the straight six was very good. Getting off the subject, AMC would have a special sale of stock at almost give away prices, Dealer only. I bought a new V6 engine for $100. You had to be quick buying these Items as you were competing with other Jeep dealers. I still have this engine in Kansas
Are you sure the 232 was dropped in 1974? I’m looking at a 1975 CJ6 that claims to have a 232. Also I found this article showing specs for a 1975 CJ with the 232. https://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1975/1296155/jeep_cj-6_232_six.html
It could be incorrect, but just wanted to bring it up for discussion.
Scott, Thanks for the opportunity to clarify my post. So I went to an 1975 NOS Jeep 4WD booklet where they compare the technical info of the 1975 Jeep lineup against the competition and sure enough it does list the 232. I then check a 76 Jeep CJ owner’s manual and it shows it also. So I’m glad to be corrected. From a practical standpoint, I cannot remember a customer referring to one after 1974. And I thought I had heard at one point that was because the 232 was underpowered with the pollution controls and so they put it in the DJ5 postal jeeps contract for those years. It is good for discussion, Scott. thanks for bringing it up.
Chilton’s, NAPA and Auto Zone shows the 232 last listed for 1978. Rockauto shows it until 1979 (probably an error). 1979 was the 258.
I went to look at new Jeeps in the ’78 model year, when I was a young-en. I still have the brochure somewhere ’round here, but can’t quite put my fingers on it. I do recall the 232 being offered as base engine.
Bought a new CJ5 back in 1975 – paid extra for the 258 as an option over the baseline 232. Last year for the toolbox under the passenger seat. Found an almost identical twin on EBay a few years back (304), had to buy it of course. BTW, some refer ’72 to ’75 as the ‘lost’ or ‘orphan’ years.
Related to number 2 –
A. When was the last year a rear PTO and hydraulic lift could be ordered from the factory?
B. When did the hydraulic lift switch from the Monroe model to the Stratton model?
This is the kind of info that needs to be documented and time-lined in a more permanent fashion . I’ve been wondering the best foundation for such a resource, because it would sure be useful for me! I think a separate site would be necessary.
There doesn’t seem to be a CJ5 (or CJ6/7/8) Web page home. Not sure why. I am interested in the farm side and can certainly help some there. But totally agree this needs to be documented. You saw how quickly I jumped in here. There is no good collection and I’ve been researching some of these questions for years.