1981 Jeep CJ5 Base Sport Utility 2-Door 4.2L

1981 Jeep CJ5 Description

I bought this Jeep a couple of years ago, and I believe it to have been sold new in California, with two previous owners. I also believe the Jeep to have its original paint. It ran well and had a California smog certificate when I bought it. But me never being content, I pulled the motor to add a Howell California legal fuel injection system ($1,200.00). I then completely rebuilt the engine, myself, with the best of all components and machining. This is not a rebuilt crate motor! The head work includes surfacing, all new valves, springs, Viton seals, hardened seats, etc. I have receipts for all of the machining and components along with a photo diary of the engine assembly work. The engine was bored .030 over, align honed, crank turned 10/10, Comp Cam camshaft installed, etc. The clutch, flywheel, and related components are new. The engine, flywheel ring gear, and clutch assembly have been balanced. I estimate the engine, clutch work, and related components to be approximately $4.000.00. I also replaced the entire electrical harness, from headlights to tail lights, with the latest generation of the Painless CJ kit ($850.00). The alternator is a 100 amp American made unit from Powermaster. I replaced all of the gauges with Speedhut LED gauges made in Utah ($800.00). The speedo is GPS and accurate regardless of tire size and gearing. It also shows altitude and direction. These, in my opinion, are by far the best gauges for a CJ, on the market. I installed new Pioneer speakers and foam covers behind the factory speaker locations, and the Jeep is pre-wired for a radio. All of the lighting components, interior and exterior, have been replaced along with LED tailights. The headlights, as well as all of the lights, are bright with no grounding issues. The stainless KC off road lights are new and work, wired with a relay. The radiator, hoses, and belts are new. The water pump is a high flow unit from Flowkooler ($100.00). The high flow thermostat is Robert Shaw. Virtually the entire fuel system from the gas cap and filler to the multi-port fuel injection has been replaced, including the tank, shield, and sender. The hard lines were not replaced. The seats, carpeting, dash pad, steering wheel, floor mats, visors, shifter boot, shifter knobs, lights, and controls are new. The windshield frame, wiper blades, seals, and rubber are new. The front bumper filler, flares, mirrors, and stainless hardware is new. The CB is new, but not connected as it needs to be tuned. The wheels are Jeep factory CJ 15X8 wheels, which I had powdercoated. The 5 matching tires are 32 inchers, not new but in very nice shape with great tread and no cracking. I believe the previous owner installed a 2 inch spring lift. The canvass top is a few years old, but it is in nice shape. The plastic windows do have very minor scratches. I spent days steam cleaning the entire underside of the Jeep, and it is immaculate. The tranny (T176), axles (Dana 20 & 30), and transfer case (Dana 300) have not been rebuilt, but they work as they should with no known problems. They appear original to the vehicle. I did, however, rebuild the transmission tower assembly to remove slop in the shifter, and I did replace a couple of the shifter forks. Every single thing on this Jeep works as it should, right down to the windshield washer squirter. Speaking of which, the washer and radiator reservoirs are also new. I have not mentioned everything replaced or done to this Jeep, I don't think I could. I intentionally left the original paint alone, as there are very few honest, unmolested CJ's left. I made no attempt to detail the engine compartment with a cheesy paint job. In the interest of full disclosure, there are two spots of rust in the interior floor area, in front of each rear wheel well. I suspect water got into the lower areas and never drained properly. Repairs were made by a previous owner. However, a proper repair of the rust area would have been one of my next projects. I think the repair could be made easily by anyone with basic skills without damaging any exterior paint. Other than that, the Jeep is very solid. This Jeep has a little over 100 miles on it as of the writing of this listing, and I will continue driving it to fully break in the engine. I performed the initial 20 minute cam break-in with Comp Cams break-in oil. It just ran through California smog with no problems, and it is registered through May of 2017. I hold a clear California title in my name. I am retiring and moving away, and I no longer need the Jeep like I did two years ago. I am a true perfectionist, and I have spent much more on this Jeep than my Buy It Now price. I have restored cars my entire adult life, I have passion for what I do, and I have spared no expense in the work done so far. I have almost every receipt in a binder. I welcome inspections and questions, and I can try to send all of the receipts and documentation to any serious bidder. Please understand that this is a 35 year old vehicle, it is by no means cosmetically perfect, but it is very nice for it's age. The Jeep is located a little over an hour east of Los Angeles. I am requiring an immediate PayPal deposit of $500.00 to hold the Jeep, and full payment with cash or a verified cashier's check within one week of the end of auction. The buyer is responsible for pick-up or delivery, but I will make every reasonable effort in assisting the buyer with delivery. Thank you, Jeff, 760-596-9891.
I am working on a project away from home, and I do not have the ability to respond to emails for a couple of days. I am currently using an old iPad that for some reason doesn't allow me to send emails. If you phone me I can answer questions and send text. I prefer phone calls and good old honest conversation.