I am wanting to find a decent looking wrangler style Jeep. Not really sure if its a tj, yj, cj or what but the 2 door jeeps. I know I do not want a Cherokee. I am looking to start a project with my dad on a rock crawler and need a decent frame and body to go off of. I have looked as early as 1973 for jeeps. I do not need a drive train or anything. I am going to replace the engine, trans, t-case, axles any ways. I am looking for something that isn't rust bad. Most floor pans I expect to be rusted out but that not a big deal. The big concern is some parts of the body and frame. I am looking for one cheap. I have found some but they are so far away it wouldn't be worth the drive. Let me know if anyone has something I can use or if you know of one that is sitting in someone's yard that I can go ask about. Can message me here or text/call 843-833-2167. Thanks!
Looking for an older model Jeep Wrangler, CJ, etc
- Thread starter Jason Patrick Kufen
- Start date
YJ's are a better platform than a tj in my mind. Less stuff to cut off the frame, big wheel wells, flat dash for easy cage work, and all around a good platform. If you plan to daily drive then a tj has better creature comforts, but I wouldn't pick it if I was doing a full build. Skip the CJ's the frames are garbage, and most are going to be rusted piles of crap.
My thoughts are that with just a little digging he can find the newest possible platform (theoretically no rust, not as much of a basket case) for not much more than the mess of a YJ that he would probably find. I'm thinking he can do this for less than $1,000. In fact there is a candidate in the for sale section as we speak (the camo looking TJ that says make offer on frame, tank and tub.)
Well the reason I was looking at a CJ was because of the basic platform. I am a novice builder. I have just enough know how to get me in trouble. I have a few friends that could do the welding for me as long as I can do the reading and researching on what needs to be done. I am not really sure the which model is a tj, yj, xj or whatever lol. I am just getting into the jeep scene. As far as my price range for a body and frame I was looking at $500 or less. It will be a frame up build and that is why I liked the CJ. The dash is simple and there is only the necessities when it comes to equipment on the truck. Also when it came to rust repair or anything like that the CJ seems the easiest because all of the panels besides the hood seemed flat. You wouldn't have to pay someone to roll the panels or anything. It looked like you could just put up a piece of sheet metal weld it on and smooth everything out. Now there is a strong chance that I am under the wrong impression. I do not know anything about other platforms with jeeps. Just need something simple to take down to the frame and bring back up. Found a 1976 CJ-5 in mount pleasant, NC for $450 was gonna offer $300. He says the engine is bad which isnt a deal breaker for me. I am not a professional so I am limited on some of the platforms I can get. This isn't going to be a daily driver. I am no professional rock climber either but it is a hobby I have enjoyed and I would like to upgrade to a more serious rig than my stock B2.
The last time I sold a YJ tub, I got $500 for it, just the tub, no tailgate, and sold the frame for $400. I do have a roller 89? YJ coming in a week or two, no motor trans or tcase. The body has one dent in the right rear, just wavy not a big dent. No top, may not have seats, dash was removed a custom dash made. I am afraid I can't do $500. Maybe we will be able to work out something depending on how much of the other parts you need or don't need. And I am right up in Summerville.