Sorry this is another Open ended question. My dad wants to get a jeep and build it for under $8,000.00, Wants an automatic, lockers, nice interior & exterior. Doesn't want to do hard trails mostly light trails and not have to worry much about breaking. Wants to be able to drive it down the hwy doing 65 mph too.
My ideas are CJ-7 (have a good one nearby for 1000 bucks, has good body and frame. Swap in some 44's, maybe a rear 60, 4-5"s of lift, 33" tires, 4.10-4.56 gears, ez lockers, 4.3 or chevy 350, th350, dana 300. Think it can be done for under 8,000? or what ideas do you have?
thanks
bob

Originally posted by RockJeep
Sorry this is another Open ended question. My dad wants to get a jeep and build it for under $8,000.00, Wants an automatic, lockers, nice interior & exterior. Doesn't want to do hard trails mostly light trails and not have to worry much about breaking. Wants to be able to drive it down the hwy doing 65 mph too.
My ideas are CJ-7 (have a good one nearby for 1000 bucks, has good body and frame. Swap in some 44's, maybe a rear 60, 4-5"s of lift, 33" tires, 4.10-4.56 gears, ez lockers, 4.3 or chevy 350, th350, dana 300. Think it can be done for under 8,000? or what ideas do you have?
thanks
bob


WAY open ended. :D

CJ-7 - Good
44's - Scout rear, stock. Chero front, cut down.
60 - Bad, with only 33's?


Personally, I'd go the 350 route, cheaper, just get an adapter for the t-case and call it good.

Shouldn't be a problem, probably less than 8k. Depends on how much you really want to build.

If I had $8k laying around, I'ld buy something already built like this.
http://bb.tennesseeoffroad.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=42;t=000491
It's alot cheaper that way

I have about $7000 into my project with nearly all the parts; I just have to finish it. It's a 78 CJ7 bought for $400, sold off the parts that came on it, 60 front welded, 14 bolt rear detriot, 5.13's, a chevy 305 bored/stroked to 334 (almost 400/400 hp and tq.), SM465/205 tubing bender for the roll cage and fenders, 40" boggers on beadlocks, springs, and driveshafts + a bunch of fab with a welder and metal. The key is (if he wants to build it) buy slightly used stuff in great shape that the people lose money on after they fix it up, then build it all yourself. It's a hell of a lot of fun too.

if its a Budget build I would skip the motor swap, expecially if it has a I-6. The 6 cyl is a good motor and will crawl well if mated to a stock auto and dana 300. Add a set of wagoneer 44's a SOA and some 35's and a couple lock rights.

Get a 91 YJ, spring it over, buy a rusted out 77-79 F250 or 350, swap the axles under, high clearance steering, spend the rest of the cash on a low geared t-case (atlas or tera-low kit)

That should get you done for less than 8k

Get a 91 YJ, spring it over, buy a rusted out 77-79 F250 or 350,

yea because a 88-90 or a 92-95 wouldnt work and 77-79 rusted out ford trucks are sooo easy to find. :rolleyes:

If you want an extreme rig, and your not one that finds pleasure in building your own, It would be cheaper to buy a competition rig (last years) outdated machine, that someone else spent too much on just to set out like leftovers.:rolleyes:

Originally posted by gumbojeepyj


yea because a 88-90 or a 92-95 wouldnt work and 77-79 rusted out ford trucks are sooo easy to find. :rolleyes:

91 is the cheapest year for the 4.0l. and yes, those trucks are everywhere up here. i can think of at least 4 rotting away off the top of my head right now behind barns.

91 is the cheapest year for the 4.0l.

well i be damned..... that's a pretty good reason.

up there those trucks are more common because of the winters. and they are really rusted out because some guy way back when thought it would be a great idea to put salt on icy roads. but i guess it does work out for us....:D