Ultimate Off-Roader? 1974 Jeep CJ-5 6×6
In the automotive engineering world, there’s a fundamental technical term called “roughly about right.” It is generally used to describe how many engines a vehicle will have or how many road wheels. However, it appears that the owner of this Jeep CJ-5 may have taken one look at the book containing these technical terms and thrown it out the nearest window. He has done an excellent job converting it from a four-wheel drive to a six-wheel drive. That should allow it to access areas never before imagined. The project is effectively complete, but the owner feels that now is the time to part with it. Located in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, you will find the Jeep listed for sale here on Craigslist. You can park this classic in your garage for $20,000. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder MikeP for spotting this quirky classic for us.
Finished in Mellow Yellow, this Jeep makes a stunning first impression. Your eyes are not deceiving you because it does feature six wheels. We’ll get to the engineering shortly, but it is worth noting that all of the body modifications involved in this upgrade are real steel. The owner indicates that there is no plastic or fiberglass anywhere in this conversion. The level of finish is impressive in that case, with no evidence of any joins where the builder has made his striking changes. The panels look remarkably straight for an off-roader of this vintage, while the paint shines nicely. The glass appears in good order, and for all-weather protection, this Jeep comes with a modified and extended steel hardtop, a half cap, and for those warmer days, a bikini top. The owner says that the half cap has seen better days while the hardtop and bikini top are in good order. It may be restorable, and this would be worth considering to increase this CJ-5’s already incredible versatility. It appears that there are no rust issues and that the vehicle is structurally sound. The frame has been carefully engineered and extended, ensuring that this car is structurally safe and sound. Overall, this Jeep shows plenty of promise for anybody who wants to get out and commune with nature in the great outdoors.
It isn’t clear which engine originally resided under the hood of this Jeep, but whichever one it was, the owner threw it out the window right behind the rulebook. The engine bay now houses a Chevrolet 350 small-block. That should provide considerably more torque and power than the factory unit and increase this classic’s ability to find its way into the wilderness. The owner says that the engine is in good health, but it currently runs rough. It may only take some minor tweaking and tuning to rectify this issue. Many people in the past have attempted to buck the trend when it comes to how many wheels a vehicle should have, and some have achieved more success than others. It seems that the owner of this Jeep has done okay because its 6×6 system will work correctly with some minor work. He indicates that the carrier bearing in the middle axle requires a rebuild, but with this work done, this will be a genuine 6×6 off-roader. He says that the vehicle runs and drives well, and the small-block allows it to scream down the road. We don’t get a clear look at the interior, but the brief glimpses the supplied photos allow suggest that all is well with that aspect of this beauty.
There’s no denying that this 1974 Jeep CJ-5 is a distinctive vehicle. You will struggle to ever find one similar or that is likely to gain the level of attention that this one will. Its operational six-wheel-drive configuration means that it will either allow the new owner to access areas never before imagined or to find themselves stranded in even more inaccessible areas than normally expected. It shows all the hallmarks of being nicely engineered and executed. It may not be an off-roader that appeals to all tastes, but I’m pretty sure that somebody will slap down their cash for this classic.
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Comments
Why?
Why not?
Why not?
1- the cj5 it is cobbled out of is worth more stock than this thing
2- its way more complex, its hard enough to keep all the u-joints, cv’s, driveshafts, bearings, etc. together offroading in a stock vehicle, now you’ve added more to that list.
3- its so long now your limiting the areas it can access….try going thru a tight woods trail in this…
4- after all the time an $ put into it now he wants to trade it for another cj, landrover, fj…he would of had a much better chance trading up the stock cj5 for one of them…no one in their right mind is gona give him 20 grand for that….maybe figured wasnt such a good idea after all?
on the plus side if you an your buddys want to get into desert warfare heres your rig…..
Twins should be able to support a hot tub properly, for backwoods bathing.
6 wheels not good for the sorta trailblazing Jeeps do…their shortness is whats lets em get about in janky spots…this is a cruiser for posing..nothing more..looks cool as heck though :P
exactly…..looks like something I would of bought when I was 20…..two weeks later wished I hadn’t…..
Definitely not the ultimate off-roader.
well if the definition of ‘off roader’ meant it was going to be parked somewhere off the road, then I’d say it was correctly identified. :)
When you want to show up your friend with a 4X4.
Interesting toy, but I would have to fly or drive the 2000+ miles to inspect it in person and get it on a lift before dropping that kind of money and I’m not sure it would fit on a Uhaul auto transport to drag it home
Well if he had done this on a G wagon it would of been worth north of $100k.. do it on a CJ and guys are scratching heads… go figure.. I would guess a dealer will buy this put on a nice color some crazy interior and wheels and post on bring a trailer.. next time we see it will be up for $50 or more?.. it’s all about presentation
Anvil salesman’s dream!
Should be able to go in the snow, but who knows
I would like to see some pictures of the underside and the engine compartment before I decide if it is done properly. A friend who did pipeline x-ray 50 years ago liked to say that a 4X4 got you twice as far into the woods and twice as stuck when you got there. Wonder what he would say about this.
It will be the envy of all the angry eye Jeeps at the Mall. After having said that, I really like it. Not 20K worth but different.
Yeah- why is it assumed that two rear axles is better than one off road? And this thing not even working right?
I’d say it’s a bad joke.
Would love to have this @ Jeep Beach in Daytona
Not a new idea by any means. 6×6 Jeeps not much different than this were made in WW2. And trucks? The 6×6 GMC “Deuce & a half ” was built in large numbers (over 500,000) and was the most common transport truck of the war. The last surplus WW2 truck I saw was on the farm in the 50s & 60’s and was built by Studebaker. The extra drive axle was very useful in mud or sand. :-) Terry J
I think it is very cool, i see it needs some work though, i would paint it one solid color.
This Jeep is big snow ready. With a 6 or 7 foot blade and a few tire chains look out 3 foot drifts!
Jim
Put a winch on the front and don’t worry about being stuck too far in the woods.
This thing is a mechanical nightmare. This was obviously built by some one who knows very little about twin screw rear axles. It would being interesting to know what type of axles were used. This setup on something this small will require constant maintenance.
The original flat head 4 cylinder Jeep went every where I needed it to and it didn’t tear itself up getting there.
Why not?
This is a common conversion of Landcruisers in Australia in the North many station owners have them for traversing the country in the wet season and the army had 6×6 diesel powered County Land Rovers that did sterling service till they got Mercedes G wagens some are also 6×6 for load carrying and Ambulances and communication vehicles and anti-aircraft platforms, they mightn’t be as agile as a shorty Jeep but still very versatile
If I decide to head to Australia for the wet season I’ll check an see if its still available…..