HEY ALL,
i have a choice and i can't make up my mind....


i have a cj5 that is about 80% done...all original, no lift, stock everything..on 29-30" tires.
needs some assembly, some new parts and basically the money i have right now would be spent on getting it running...i.e. a new gas tank, exhaust and brake work...i wouldn't have a budget for gears, lockers, lifts or anything.


the other option is a 73 dodge 3/4 pickup with a dana 44 front, dana 60 rear, np205 and a 318 v8...runs, brakes, i put it in four-by and it crawls just fine. in other words, it doesn't need much at all as far as OE stuff...i could put about 5-600 into aftermarket "fun" stuff. lift, rear locker, sliders, tires, etc.
and i could take it wheeling next weekend if i wanted to...lol


what should i do...keep the cj and make it right....or get the dodge and start building it up?

by the way, wheeling to me is mild dune running, mud(when i can find it) in the rainy season, camping at the end of an easy fire trail, but mostly rocky trails (a la the rubicon, not johnson valley...lol) that would be big enough for the dodge so no worries about size...

regards
brian

dodge, its got tons of room, good recreational vehicle, and its pretty solid from the factory, i have jumped my dodge, gotten it stuck alot, rolled it, beat it, and drifted it, and it never lets out a wimper. cj-5's are a little short for my preference. dodge's are really cheap, so are parts. throw some 33-35's on there, locker, gears, and it'll probably suprise you. keep it low, these dodges have HUGE fenderwells that are easy to modify.

hmmm. ?Buy the Dodge and and put the engine, transfercase and axles under the CJ?? Just a thought.

hmmm. ?Buy the Dodge and and put the engine, transfercase and axles under the CJ?? Just a thought.

thats what i would do
but would take some fab work
as for keeping the truck, cut the fenders, stuff the biggest meats you can find, gears, stidders, some sort of traction aid(my personal favorite is the welding cause I'm a cheap bastid) then you'll be able to play witht he big boys
later

don't have time,room, or coin for a fabbed-up build-up....thanks for the idea though:D....i like booty fabbed trucks, just not while i'm getting my graduate degree...uncle sam is getting all my dime.

regards, and keep the great opinions coming..

brian

God I hate to say it too... but get the Dodge.

J.E.E.P!!! finish it man!!
that thing stock with a locker in the back will scoot through the con!! put some $25 rocker guards on it though!! + price of fuel=expensive wheelin!!
just a thought!! less fuel = more B.E.E.R!!

by the way, wheeling to me is mild dune running, mud(when i can find it) in the rainy season, camping at the end of an easy fire trail, but mostly rocky trails (a la the rubicon, not johnson valley...lol) that would be big enough for the dodge so no worries about size...


For this the Dodge would be fine. No more than 4" lift. In fact, just get the front springs and do a shackle flip in the rear, then crossover steering. Cut the fenders to fit 35's.

Here are some pics of the full size Dodge's getting it at TruckHaven/Ocotillo

http://www.offroadexchange.com/dcity/Dctybdy.htm

http://www.offroadexchange.com/dcity/dcity_2002.htm

top...keep em coming....thanks for the input

top

I'd get the Dodge without a second thought but I've got a large, well equipped shop to fix and fab anything that might need it. Just remember, regardless of what it looks like and how it drives, it's still 32 years old and it's GONNA nickel and dime you. I've got a ,76 3/4 ton GMC (my daily driver) that I bought as a "perfect running truck" and I've put more time and parts in it over the last 3 years than I'd like to think about even though I checked it out thoroughly before I bought it. This old stuff wears out (if it isn't already) and needs to be worked on and maintained fairly regularly to be kept reliable.

My previous vehicle was a '79 Cherokee that I basically saved from the boneyard and it was worse. It got so bad that I just couldn't tolerate it's incessant demand for attention and major overhaul anymore (and I can tolerate an AWFUL LOT, ask my girlfriend!). I finally just parked the Jeep in the barn after it flattened a cam lobe, and bought the pickup. I only paid $200 for the Jeep, beat the snot out of it, and used it as my DD for about 4 years though, so it didn't owe me anything. And it had the granny gear T-18 w/Dana 20 T-case and dual 44s s behind a 360 so I made out just fine! :)

So anyway, I'd buy the old Dodge. They're tough and built with good parts and it sounds like it would be great for your purposes. Just keep in mind however, it ain't new and if you're averse to regularly working on it yourself, it'll probably run in to $$$ before long, regardless of it's current condition.

Don't mean to preach to ya, as I'm sure you know all of this stuff already, but I just wouldn't want to advise anybody to buy an old vehicle without giving the full dissertation!

Good luck,
Clark

I NEED TO BE PREACHED TO!!!!!!!!

thanks a lot for the great post....i'm an architect, so you'd think i have to be somewhat smart, right?....

I have no common sense, however, when i comes to decisions like this....lol :D

thanks again....

the Jeep'll take you places the Dodge truck never could just cause it's narry The dodge'll carry way more than the Jeep ever could (though with your wheeling type, a future trailer would fix that) fun factor blows on the Dodge relative to the Jeep open air wheeling tips it hat once again to the Jeep The jeep is way cool compared to some old truck, sorry. One is fun, the other is work the vehicle that requires more work now is the one that will have more known-good working parts than the one that doesn't get fixed right off. That is, both are old and will need work. The extra effort the Jeep needs now is less stuff to break in the future (assuming you do it right) No doubt the Dodge is the more practical right answer - but it's boring. Did you get in to this sport/hobby to be practical?

I say go Jeep. Think about which one' you'll miss the most if you let it go. That'll tell what you should keep

Good luck
Jeep owner

The jeep is way cool compared to some old truck, sorry. One is fun, the other is work

No doubt the Dodge is the more practical right answer - but it's boring. Did you get in to this sport/hobby to be practical?


Yeah, the truck would be a lot more practical (assuming you can keep it reliable), but boring!? Uncool!? C'mon now!!! How many Jeeps do you see running around? They're not exactly unusual!

Don't get me wrong, I love CJs, but for what he wants to use it for, the truck sounds like it might suit him better.

How old is the Jeep anyway? I don't know why but for some reason I was thinking it was a lot newer than the truck. If they're about the same age, then pick whichever one you really would rather have once it's all fixed. Just be honest about what you need out of a vehicle and how you're actually going to use it and choose accordingly. I wouldn't get the truck just because you think you can afford to put some fun parts on it because it's a "perfect driver". It's almost sure to need a few thing either now or in the near future. Of course the Jeep might be just as bad if it's an oldster too, but if you've had it for a while at least you know what you've got. Not so with any new (to you) vehicle.

top...again thanks for all the wisdom...lots of different perspectives...

a lot of sh#t i would never had considered! :) this is a big deal, as am on a VERY tight budget and can't afford to change my mind after its done...lol

i've just about decided on the dodge....cheap, runs well, parts are available...aftermarket is strong...drivetrain is pretty beefy in stock form....and when i pop the front 44...a front dana60 will make it bombproof....

sounds good to me...any other opinions?...thanks again everyone.

For mud, sand, etc I think the truck would be the better option. A CJ5 is short wheel base and kicks arse on tight trails... But the truck would be more practical for your use. If you want open wheeling cut the cap off of it and booty fab a soft top with an old tarp and some tube. At the same time build your self a roll bar.