Yeah, I'm a noob , so in advance :flipoff2: me. Now that that's out of the way.

I've been looking for a decent looking wheeler with a little character and some functionality for the better part of the year. I think I've found what I'm looking for but there's so few of them I have no idea what they are worth in the real world. So here it is:

1953 CJ-3B
V8 327 , holly 600 carb ect and runs like a top.
Headers , new exhaust
4 speed manual tranny with Hurst shifter.
Electronic ignition
dana 30/35?? front
44 rear with limited slip.
drum brakes
Don't know the trans case.
4 inch shackle lift
New Rancho shocks
New Rough Country steering stabalizer
No power steering but tilt column w/turn signals
33 at's with 75% ish tread on centerline wheels.
Full cage tied into seats
Summit seats with 5 point and padded covers .
Solid aftermarket crawler bumpers.
Custom rear cooler/highlift/tool rack/spare tire carrier
The body and frame on this thing are solid and the paint is a good looking white. Just a little bit on the hood looks like someone painted over some sort of mickey mouse repair/rust?.

Driving it is much more cozy then every other older Jeep I've driven. Since I'm a big guy the seats with the tilt make for a much more drivable Jeep for me. It runs very strong and shifts well. You have to stand on the brakes but I'd think that's expected. The idle is set a bit high with the new carb but other than that it runs like a top.

So help me out guys. What's this thing worth ?

Being that its all drums still I wouldnt pay over 3500 for it.

the reasons for that thinking is this, Why put a V8 in and change teh axles over if your not going todo it right the first time. Just to make this thing road worthy I would switch it to Discs.

Even 3500 is a bit on the high side.

It's probably the orignal Dana 27 front, closed knuckle? Or it could be a 30, but why? T-case should be a Dana 18, look for an offset rear axle. Hurst Shifter? look underneath and make sure that isn't some funky car trans, the shifter should go into the top of the trans, if it has linkage going into the side, it's a car tranny, not very good for wheelin' Find out for user waht trans and transfer case it has.

Originally posted by 4Bangler
look underneath and make sure that isn't some funky car trans, the shifter should go into the top of the trans, if it has linkage going into the side, it's a car tranny, not very good for wheelin' Find out for user waht trans and transfer case it has.


First of all, thanks for the info. I got under there last night and verified a few things. First of all , nice call on the transmission. It was stamped as a GM 3885010. After checking it out , it turns out it's a four speed Muncie that was originally from a 1966-67 Corvette , Camaro, or Chevelle. Basically similar to a Saginaw or a borg-Warner with 7 bolts instead of 9 on the side cover.

The guy probably used the same trans when he swapped in the 327.

So where does this leave me? He was origionally asking $5,000 which was rediculous and came down to $3,800 which at the time seemed reasonable. Now that I know it's a car tranny do I blow the thing off or make a low ball offer since I'm going to end up putting something else in?

Is this thing a boulevard cruiser destined for parades or does it have potential? Thank again for your help.

the tranny is not that big of a deal unless it is set up with a divorced t-case... you will need a new front axle to do any real wheelin.

the $$ is your call when i buy stuff i figure out what the parts are worth and dont include any $$ for labor... i usually pay about 70-80 % of what the parts would cost... just remember to deduct the cost of your new front axle (which can net you disc brakes also)

You will also need to add power brakes when you do the axle if you really want to stop.

Values are tough. It may be worth $3800 to someone but to others it wouldn't be worth the same. If you are going to wheel it in the rocks you are getting a body, frame, engine, a rear rack, and some bumpers from the sound of it. You are going to eventually throw the rest of it away. On the plus side it currently can take you to Taco Bell and back. Minus is it can't stop, or wheel in the rocks.

How good of a fabricator are you? Or are you the type that would prefer to bolt/weld on some pre engineered parts to make your rig extremelly capable for less effort?

Do you like huge projects? Or do you prefer a drive it during the week wrench on the weekends sort of project.

Do you want to be "the old school" guy? Or do you just want to go wheeling in something you can actually buy parts for at a regular auto store?


These are better questions to ask yourself. The answers will determine what is the right way to go.

SCalPunk,
Even though that stuff has no value to us (4wd crowd), it is worth something to someone else. You may want to get one of your buddies to run the VIN code on the 327, see what it is and consider parting out the motor/trans combo to someone who would like to have it. That way you can recoop some of your cash.
Like Steve N said, you are the only one able to answer some of your questions and only you know the level of tools and equipment that are available to you.:D