The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (MD, VA, West VA, DC, DE and PA) My newest toy - 1978 Jeep CJ5 4x4

I thought I'd share my newest toy with the group. It's a 1978 Jeep CJ5 4x4 with a 258 in-line 6 and a 3-speed transmission. It was born into the US Navy and served in their Recreational Department. It was bought at a surplus auction at Ft Meade in 2001 by the PO. It needs a little TLC mechanically, but will be a fun driver when I'm done. The Jeep's are now tied with the Chevrolet's in the garage at 3 each...

Mike B

A friend told me once "Don't tell anyone I bought a Jeep."

But the Navy livery is pretty cool.

I have had a couple Jeeps over the years and they can be a lot of fun. Sold a 82 CJ-8 scrambler just last year.
Still have an old J-10 out in the tree line. It needs to be parted out because it is a rust bucket. You do know that the AMC 304/360 and the 401 V-8's will bolt right in where that 258 is.
Let me know if you need any parts off that J-10. IRWIPI

Don

Mike,

Nice score! You should tell us about your adventures in getting it off the mountain ...

I hate to disagree with Kevin, though. But the Navy stuff has to go. I think repainting it a nice dark green would be much better looking. Probably make it run better, too.

Welcome from a fellow Marylander, Harford county. Love the jeep, especially the color.

Nice GP Mike! My parents had an AMC/Jeep dealership when I was in high school, so I'm partial to them. After Chrysler bought them, the smaller dealerships were forced out.
Just finished getting my 79 AMX (bought new from them) back on the road last year. Rather than rebuilding the 304, I pulled the 360 out of my 75 Wagoneer and I like it!
I had a few CJ's but am partial to the Grand Wagoneer's, which is what my wife drives now.
Have fun with it. As you know, they go almost anywhere!

Sir, Out of your 3 jeeps which 1 is your favorite? Why? This 1 will be my favorite cause it served tn the USN. I do agree with John though in that a USMC jeep wood run better, Why? The operators are smarter, tougher, and less screw-ups than USN. Thanks for sharing Mike. V/r, Nick

Very cool… except for the Swab Jockey part😂.

Yeah, Olive Drab green with Army markings would be better.

Or Marine markings. (Don't want to get on John's bad side.)

Kevin ... I'm not the one you need to worry about. NAPCOMan can take you out (assuming you are still in Alaska ...) from his mountain top in Virginia.

I could, but it would take time to call in favors, arrange assets, blah blah blah. NAPCOMan has that capability organically.

In fact, if you are still alive and reading this, it is only because he wishes it so.

Sweet dreams.

Semper Fi,
John


Break Break ....

Covey Leader to Raven, Covey Leader to Raven ... stand down. KLHansen is NOT target. Say again, klhansen is NOT target. Over.

Raven, Covey Leader ....
Designate 2-Ton as new target. New target is 2-ton. Prosecute target with extreme prejudice. Authenticate Charlie Hotel Echo Sierra Tango Yankee, over.

Thanks John

Hopefully Don has a bunker at his place.

It won't save him ....

So, when I met the PO at his mountain top cabin the Jeep was inside the one car garage. This cabin looks finished from the outside, but has been a 25 year project and the garage floor is still dirt and the inside walls are unfinished waiting on electric and plumbing to be done. The owner goes inside to open the garage door leaving my son and I outside (my wife stayed in the truck)...we can see and hear he's having trouble lifting the garage door so I go over and grab the outside handle and yank the door up. Unbeknownst to me he had laid a 2x4 across the top of the door to keep the squirrels out and when the door went up the board came down hitting me right on top of the head...after a little in the field first aid which amounted to gauze an an ace bandage going under my chin and over my head we got our first look at the Jeep. Note, the door was heavy because he hasn't put the lifting springs on the door yet.

I was told it was in running order, but discovered it had a dead battery, so the owner hiked down the hill to the road (300" long driveway that makes a 150' elevation change) and off to Tractor Supply for a battery. With the new battery in it wouldn't start, so out came the starting fluid and it ran as long as we kept spraying. Not long after that I asked my son to check the brakes...the pedal went right to the floor...that ended everything right there as there was no way to get it off the mountain without them working and it was now time for me to get real medical attention, so we headed home with my son driving and an empty trailer. Once we got close to my sons house the wife and I got dropped off at the Urgent Care facility...30 minutes later we were out the door with 4 staples in my head to hold the cut closed. The Doctor complemented the wife on her first aid skills and he said he'd be sending me out with the same style bandage she had used!

Two weeks later the owner and I made the decision to have the Jeep professionally towed off the mountain and deposited down at the county road. This turned out to be a challenge for the tow truck driver as it took him three tries with his 4x4 rollback to get to the cabin and once there he had to use his snatch block and winch to turn himself around...after all of that he loaded the Jeep and took it to the road without further issues.

With the Jeep now home I replaced both the fuel pump and filter and it runs great. I also replaced the Master Cylinder and flushed the brake lines and now have it stopping.

Next up I'll be looking at the drums and rotors to make sure they are in good order.

Chapter one of my adventures with this Jeep is done...LOL!

Mike B

Don’t need a bunker Kevin, the VW lover is already in my sights and I have good intel that there is an insider in the JCM compound as we type, executing the precision removal of the VW lover from power! His thread stealing days are over!

Good find Mike and a great story. Please keep us up to date with pictures.
Don

Kevin, I looked at your picture and you are swave and deboner standing next to that truk.

Solid Copy Covey Leader… beverage ops resumed… out.

That's not me, Ron but the guy I corresponded with that worked for the Alaska Road Commission. When that pic was taken I was 4 yrs old.

Mike,

That's awful what happened to you. However, except the split head ... great story and great find.