Talk me out of a Heep...

[timmbuck2]

OK, so I have always had a "fun" weekend car to drive to work on Friday and around town on the weekends....for years I had a 72 convertible and loved it. I drove a 2001 Wrangler for 2 years until I bought my first 80 last year, and there is no way I would go away from an 80 for my daily driver/offroad truck. However, I still crave that 'convertible' fun weekend vehicle. I would love a 40 to wrench on weekends and drive on sunny days with the top down, but I have been searching for over a year, and the timing is always wrong, or they change their mind then sell it to someone else 3 months later (you know who you are. ) I am almost giving up on finding a drivable 40 project, but I can find tons of cheap Jeeps...parts are easy to find, relatively reliable, I would never take it anywhere tough off-road, that is for the 80. Am I crazy? Or just frustrated at finding a 40? Or just drunk again?

T

 

[lfd270ben]

thats nonsense and I hope your excuse is you are drunk I picked my 40 up for 1400 from a farmer it ran great and didn't stop (well one wheel stopped but thats it) the joy I think is getting a turd and making it into something . Keep tryin you will find one. And dont say the j$$p word around here its just fowl!!!!

 

[FJBen]

Or just drunk again?

T

I would guess drunk again....finding one is frustrating as all hell...I have never REALLY stopped looking for a 40...they are around...you just REALLY have to be ready to pull the trigger at any second to get one.

Pass on the Jeep...there's a reason you drive/like Land Cruisers...

 

[subzali]

Everybody and his brother has a heep...be original. Count 'em...around here *almost* one vehicle in 20 is some sort of heep, not all CJs, YJs or TJs, but even those are pretty common. 40s look better anyway.

Take my friend, and I'll make this quick: Sept. 02 bought '81 CJ7 for $4200. Needed steering box but that was about it. Couple weeks later his engine developed a knock, and while they were inspecting it they found 3 of 9 front pinion teeth missing. Transmission didn't shift good. So they decided they had to rebuild the engine, main bearings were gone, so they ended up replacing the tranny and rebuilding the x-fer at the same time. Got it running by Nov. or so, he took it driving in 2wd around town then his rear end blew up on him! So he spent the rest of the winter swapping out front and rear axles to Dana 44. By Spring 03 he was driving again, but didn't like the carb so in summer 03 he got fuel injection. Then in fall 04 the body started showing MAJOR rust bubbles that had been covered up with a paint job. So he's talking about replacing the body/tub and he still doesn't like the power of the 258 so he's talking about swapping engines again. He's also still on 31 x 10.50's with 3.56 gearing and now he's got somewhere around $15 grand total in it.

My truck: bought in Jan 05 for $3500, drove back from GJ the day we bought it. Needed small stuff, fuel tank vent leak, exhaust leak, heater broke, no w/s washer assy, some other odds and ends, but ran pretty good etc. I've spent the last couple years working on mostly the little things, but the tranny, t-case, diffs and front axle either showed no signs of heavy wear/breakage, or just needed to be cleaned up and new seals, parts etc. I've spent a total of around $7 grand not including tires on my truck, and I have a heavier duty drivetrain and more body clearance than my buddy plus a rear locker.

Obviously the story could have been reversed, and his truck is still cleaner than mine, but I still think that I've gotten away for a pretty good deal considering mine's 30 years old and seems to have been somewhat neglected/unmaintained. Obviously a newer TJ is going to require less maintenance etc., and older 40s and heeps are going to necessarily require more maintenance time, or in my case, more time to bring the truck up to an acceptable level for normal regular operation, but that comes with a territory. But there's lots of guys here and on MUD that have found cleaner trucks than mine for about the same money; my dad and I were kinda looking for a running project truck that I could dink around with but that started out running and I could go bash in the woods. That's prolly more than , but that's still my

 

[Nay]

OK, so I have always had a "fun" weekend car to drive to work on Friday and around town on the weekends....for years I had a 72 convertible and loved it. I drove a 2001 Wrangler for 2 years until I bought my first 80 last year, and there is no way I would go away from an 80 for my daily driver/offroad truck. However, I still crave that 'convertible' fun weekend vehicle. I would love a 40 to wrench on weekends and drive on sunny days with the top down, but I have been searching for over a year, and the timing is always wrong, or they change their mind then sell it to someone else 3 months later (you know who you are. ) I am almost giving up on finding a drivable 40 project, but I can find tons of cheap Jeeps...parts are easy to find, relatively reliable, I would never take it anywhere tough off-road, that is for the 80. Am I crazy? Or just frustrated at finding a 40? Or just drunk again?

T

The only real problem with Wranglers is everybody has one. There isn't really any other downside except asking a Land Cruiser club what they think

Since you don't appear to want to modify it for offroad use, the question is whether you want a project (40) or just a soft top to drive (TJ). Personally, I'd need to be desperately in love with the 40 series to trade the conveniences of a late model vehicle for a true project. A TJ Rubicon is out of the box all you'd ever need, no wrenches required.

 

[FJBen]

I think that is the best part of a 40...the fact you CAN love it. The Jeeps just lack soul...as do most new(ish) vehicles...you can't throw a dead hooker without hitting a Jeep in Greeley...

A 40 has soul, mojo, bondo, tetanus and possibly hanta-virus but thats why you love them...Old iron...how much wrenching do you need?

get the brakes working good, tune up the engine and just drive/love her!

Sometimes technology is bad...

 

[timmbuck2]

...you can't throw a dead hooker without hitting a Jeep in Greeley...

speaking from experience????!!!!!

 

[FJBen]

speaking from experience????!!!!!

of course...you've heard of dwarf tossing right? well in Greeley, we have the "hooker huck"

and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree on the CJ being POS...I had an 85....ran like shit with that crappy Carter BBD carb only had 112K. Blew the headgasket, frame was bent to shit, broke the rear axle (AMC20) with stock tires shifting gears at 25mph, put a nice 4.0L (actually the best upgrade but at a price $$$$) cheap thin body, felt REALLY wimpy compared to a cruiser...glad that only lasted a year

And mine actually looked really nice/clean run away...and Wrangler/TJ...good engine...99% have crappy axles...unless you want to spend 25K+ for a boobicon...

 

[corsair23]

...I would love a 40 to wrench on weekends and drive on sunny days with the top down, but I have been searching for over a year...

You could always borrow my '74 FJ40 to wrench on the weekends to get your Cruiser fill

Heck, I'd even be willing to let you put on my new Kayline soft top that you could then drop down for some open top running! After you are done with that I've got plenty of other items that should keep you busy for a summer of wrenching

 

[leiniesred]

Had a Jeep CJ5 (1980) it was cold, but very fun and cheap to fix. It was totally worn out in every way, but always ran. Swapped the engine for the same junkyard engine and it got 24MPG (once.) It had tons of personality.

For example: "Winter Jeep operation instructions."

Stick Budweiser cardboard between grill and radiator to prevent frostbite. Open door. Brush snow off seat. Try not to slip on iced, rusty floorboard. (no carpet or floor mats in this stripper) grab top corner of window and give it a good YANK to frature the ice on the outside of the glass. Start scraping frost from the inside of the glass. start truck. Allow to warm (the engine, not you) while you scrape the ice from the outside of the window.

Use both feet to kick the Dana 300 T-case "NASCAR style " into 4x4.
There. Off ya go. Turn on headlight. (one is good enough). 45 mph on the two lane, oncoming big rig. Hold onto the d---Too late. vacuum from big rig sucks the doors off the Jeep. Stop, backup to retrieve doors. Off ya go again!

My Toyota has been much more comfortable and reliable, but alas, the windshield will never fold down.

 

[leiniesred]

To Jeep or hold out for a 40.

Here is a picture of the Jeep being flat towed to Michigan behind my Mom's FJ62. The best was when the Jeep (with all of it's "personality") would decide to turn right while The Cruiser was towing it around a LEFT-HAND corner. The first time we stopped. After that, we just dragged the Jeep sideways until it got the idea we were turning the OTHER way. *shrugs*

 

[farnhamstj]

Don't they revoke your TLCA membership if you buy a jeep? Jeeps are super easy to come by but will require lots of labor and $$$. FJ40's are also easy to come by and require lots of labor and $$$, but you have friends that will help you. What's the problem finding one? Pull the trigger.
Have you thought about a VW/dune buggy? Do a e-bay search for sandrails. I've always wanted a metalic purple speedbuggy myself. Beep Beep.
I've got no problems with Jeeps only the idiots driving them.

 

[Rezarf]

I can't resist chiming in on a possible jeep purchase. I just have one thing to say...

Cruisers are flat out cooler.

I think there are a lot of options for finding a 40, but like it has been said before you have to just dive in head first, tune it up, then fix all the PO stuff, and you are up and running.

Get a 40 and DD the poo out of it... however, I got my wrenching fix satisfied a long time ago.

This is the part of the thread where you tell us you were just joking.

Drew

 

[Rezarf]

Come on seriously is there a choice?
Both of these cost about the same...

 

[timmbuck2]

hey, I agree there is no choice.....but if I can't find a 40.....

 

[subzali]

Then you stay 40-less and Jeep-less. Come on, it's winter time, you only take the top off during the winter the first winter you own it (ask me how I know mister drive with my ski-goggles on ), so you have a few months to find one in good shape before taking the top off even becomes an issue. more

 

[Kipper]

<edited>

 

[MDH33]

hey, I agree there is no choice.....but if I can't find a 40.....

Speaking from recent experience, if you look hard enough you will find a great 40. There are A LOT of them here in Colorado that need a good home. You have to live, eat, breath, 40! Everyday I would look in the paper, on Craigslist, the other online auto traders, etc. Every day. They come up for sale often but they sell quick, so you have to be quicker than the rest. Two words: Cruiser Fund. Keep the cash handy for the quick purchase. Keep the word out that you're looking and cruiserheads will help you out when they see one.

Don't give up and settle for a lesser vehicle.

 

[farnhamstj]

hey, I agree there is no choice.....but if I can't find a 40.....

There are at least 10 40's on e-bay at the moment and 7 in TT. Come on are you actually looking? Sure you won't find a rust free runner for under 3K but there are tons of 40's out there. How many does Mike have in his backyard? You can get rust free or runner for under 4K. You will get a similar condition vehical for similar cash jeep or Toyota. I guess I don't really care go ahead buy the jeep. How about posting up a photo of the one your thinking about.

 

[timmbuck2]

I am checking newspapers, mud, here, craigslist, etc, several times per day. I would prefer to find something local I can check out myself rather than take a chance on an eBay beast. I don't have a heep in mind, just getting frustrated with the search.

There are at least 10 40's on e-bay at the moment and 7 in TT. Come on are you actually looking? Sure you won't find a rust free runner for under 3K but there are tons of 40's out there. How many does Mike have in his backyard? You can get rust free or runner for under 4K. You will get a similar condition vehical for similar cash jeep or Toyota. I guess I don't really care go ahead buy the jeep. How about posting up a photo of the one your thinking about.