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Advice needed: Looking at buying a project cj-8

D

DOJOLOACH

Member
City
Stanley
State
NC
After searching for a scrambler I've decided most are out of my price range so I started looking for unfinished ones. I found 1 about 7hrs away I'll have to fly out and box truck everything back ( still looking at other options). But he will give me everything for 8k, which seems like a good deal, considering I'd have to take apart any other jeep that's assembled already.

- New TDK frame standard build options
-New steel tub
-D300 with 2 sticks, all new seals and new paint
-T5 all new seals and paint
-AMC20 rear with 4.10 gears and Detroit lockers 1 piece axles, new seals.
-AMC 20 rear stock and original
-Dana 30 front with 4.10 gears and Detroit locker
- spare Dana 30 front
-new leaf springs 2.5" lift
-all new fenders and grill
-essentially 2 sets of everywhere part of the scrambler because he started with 2.
-360 engine that is running and original build, not much else is known.
-doors, half cab, sports bar.
-clean title with matching numbers

This will be my first project and first cj, seemed like a good starting point for a restorations but wanted to hear some input from the guys already down this road before
 
That sounds like a sweet deal. Just research this forum on the MD Juan tubs and modifications needed to make everything line up. Make sure you get the VIN on the old windshield frame around the wiper motor. Sell the T5 if you are going with the 360. Look up my build under Meet Rusty.
 
STSFCTN said:
That sounds like a sweet deal. Just research this forum on the MD Juan tubs and modifications needed to make everything line up. Make sure you get the VIN on the old windshield frame around the wiper motor. Sell the T5 if you are going with the 360. Look up my build under Meet Rusty.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was told it's a "corrected " tub from willys overland and they say it can be installed in 1 hour or less supposedly. Thanks for the note about the windshield VIN. Is that the only one I need to verify?
 
DOJOLOACH said:
After searching for a scrambler I've decided most are out of my price range so I started looking for unfinished ones. I found 1 about 7hrs away I'll have to fly out and box truck everything back ( still looking at other options). But he will give me everything for 8k, which seems like a good deal, considering I'd have to take apart any other jeep that's assembled already.

- New TDK frame standard build options
-New steel tub
-D300 with 2 sticks, all new seals and new paint
-T5 all new seals and paint
-AMC20 rear with 4.10 gears and Detroit lockers 1 piece axles, new seals.
-AMC 20 rear stock and original
-Dana 30 front with 4.10 gears and Detroit locker
- spare Dana 30 front
-new leaf springs 2.5" lift
-all new fenders and grill
-essentially 2 sets of everywhere part of the scrambler because he started with 2.
-360 engine that is running and original build, not much else is known.
-doors, half cab, sports bar.
-clean title with matching numbers

This will be my first project and first cj, seemed like a good starting point for a restorations but wanted to hear some input from the guys already down this road before
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good project.
Do you have any pics you can share?

As far as transporting...
If it's together enough to roll onto a trailer just set the tub on it and temporarily bolt it to the frame.
I transported mine ~12 hours on a U-haul trailer with all the additional parts, tools, etc. in the truck.
If it's not together enough to roll I think I would still set the frame on the trailer and bolt the tub to it, seems to me it would be the easiest to load and unload. (a bare tub can be handled with two people if you have enough room to move around.)
 
DOJOLOACH said:
Yeah I was told it's a "corrected " tub from willys overland and they say it can be installed in 1 hour or less supposedly. Thanks for the note about the windshield VIN. Is that the only one I need to verify?
Click to expand...
Just from experience, the previous owner of mine threw it away when he replaced the windshield. The VIN should match the one under the hood near the fuse box. ALSO invest in a new Painless Harness.
 
He had a 4.2L as well but didn't know if it ran at all. Definitely not together, around 10 boxes of parts he said and all the large parts i mentioned.

It's only letting me attach one pic at a time right now, must be a new poster rule.
 

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Rust on the bulkhead needs repair.

Apparently the donor jeep was hit front end and possibly knocked a tree on it so the half cab is dented and has a botch repair job, along with 1 of the doors
 

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I would call that an excellent purchase. They go together so much faster than they come apart. Make sure you get all parts from the old tub that are useful.
 
I would buy that immediately just for the parts. Great deal, jump on it!
 
Thanks for the input guys, ill have to do some more research on transport options but sounds like I found a winner.

Definitely taking every part he has as long as I have the room!
 
Maybe somebody on here is close and could lay eyes on it before you commit to a plan ticket and box truck reservations.
 
It will be hard to tell if all the parts are there. With a scrambler, there are some parts that are unique and hard to get.

These include the rear tailgate brackets that bolt to the body tub. The plastic channel at the wheel well to route the wiring to the tail lights. Roll bar, half cab top, and bulkhead. I am sure there are more unique parts, but most of the front parts are the same as CJ-7 parts and are easier to find.

Try to get an inventory of what you get with the purchase.
 
DOJOLOACH said:
Yeah I was told it's a "corrected " tub from willys overland and they say it can be installed in 1 hour or less supposedly. Thanks for the note about the windshield VIN. Is that the only one I need to verify?
Click to expand...
A little research on the tub and you will see that even the "corrected" tubs take many, many (sometimes hundreds) of hours to get right.
Deal is still pretty sweet though overall.

cb
 
certifiablejeep said:
A little research on the tub and you will see that even the "corrected" tubs take many, many (sometimes hundreds) of hours to get right.
Deal is still pretty sweet though overall.

cb
Click to expand...
I believe that, seemed like a no-brainer for me because of my limited welding experience. I definitely wouldn't make a body panel weld look nice but i can handle structural stuff.

Would a good service manual or restoration manual detail all the wire channels? He is passing this book along but I'll probably pick up a Haynes service manual as well. Most the boxes at least looked labeled and he had lots of pictures.

Anyone near Columbus Ohio?
 

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My experience is that Chilton's and Haynes manuals are not worth the money. I suggest an AMC technical service manual (TSM) for your model year Jeep as a starting point. Unfortunately no manual is going to really tell you how to reassemble a Jeep. Lots of trial and error, and the brainpower of this forum is what you'll need. This place is hands down better than any manual.
 
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