AZ.Jay

Well it looks like a 1976 258. Here is the carb number, looks like 71093. And a few of the distributor. I was going to tackle the rear main seal today, until I found the ONE oil pan bolt you can't get a wrench on due to the right side engine mount. I'll just have to live with the leak a while longer.

Looks fantastic!

Sorry Moses, no chance for pics today. We spent all day fighting the tie rods. Had to make two trips into town for tools I didn't have, wound up getting a nut splitter to get the old frozen castle nuts off. Then found the old ends so frozen in 35 years of dried grease, dirt, rust and paint we couldn't get them out even with a torch to try and melt the old grease etc. So I ordered a new one from Autozone which won't get to their store until Tuesday. The old drag link came right out at least, and I already had a complete replacement for it, since the old one is bent, I guess from a rock. Tomorrow we're going out after quail, I can get to my favorite spot with just my car. So it will probably be Monday before I can take some pictures. Today was a long frustrating experience, hopefully things will get easier Which side of the head will the casting number be on?

Thanks for the great pictures Case. I wasn't able to get back under it today. Picked up an old friend at the airport today. We're going to do some bird hunting over the next week. He's also an A&P certified mechanic so I'm putting him to work on the Frankenjeep too . So tomorrow while we're doing the tie rods and putting on the new top I'll compare my frame to yours, although from memory I think it's close. My crossmember might be a few inches farther forward. I'll get some pics of the distributor too, Moses.

That's a great looking jeep, Case!

Thanks Moses. I had already read Howell's installation instructions, which is why what he was saying was so confusing to me. Hopefully, by the time I can afford a kit and put it on it will just pass, and there won't be any referees involved. So do you believe I have a 1980 frame, then?

I took a look today, and I have a crossmember that looks to be in the same place as No. 4 on the diagram. Just forward of right over the pumpkin. Yesterday I talked to a waiver referee about my plan with the TBI kit. He said that since 1980 required an air pump, I would still have to have one. This contradicts the install instructions from Howell as well as two separate write ups on installing it I read online. One from a guy in California with an 81 CJ-7 with the 258, and an article on JP mags website about an Arizona based J10 with a 304. I sure hope that guy is wrong. What do you think?

OK, I crawled under it again today and this is what I found. The transmission appears to be a T-150, the number on the side matches what i found at this site: http://www.jeeptech.com/trans/t150.html The transfer case appears to be a Dana 20. I think this is the Texas you were describing: A close up of the rear: I could not find any numbers stamped on the frame near the passenger rear wheel. So I am going to operate on the theory that it is a 1980, since at one point the State of Pennsylvania said so. I guess when someone switched it from auto to manual they took the easy way and grabbed if not the whole drivetrain (including engine) at least the t-case and trans from an earlier jeep. Perhaps swapping in the radiator support with the 1976 label was an attempt to fool some emissions inspector somewhere. Anyway, I read over the Howell install instructions and it looks like any air injection is no longer required with it to be legal, since they tell you to remove it. I think that if I put a cat and the Howell kit on it will then be legal. Please give me your thoughts on that, maybe I'm missing something.

I'll do some more crawling around in the morning, but I wanted to mention that the sticker is in front of the radiator. I also found a couple of other VIN decoders online that showed trans code D as meaning "Automatic, left hand drive, part time 4wd" so I guess it's not the the original transmission (which is cool, wouldn't want an auto in a jeep ). Maybe they had to change carbs to swap the trans? Glad to hear that intakes are easy to find, as I think the Howell kit is going to be the best long term solution. I'm not despairing , I have a running jeep in pretty good shape overall. Just need to iron out the details.

Frankenjeep. It may be this should have a salvage title, although it isn't titled that way. Here is the only plate I can find, the VIN matches the title I have. Notice it's a "Pennsylvania Special Plate", It's located on the passenger side next to the battery tray. Here is the transfer case: Here is a shot I tried of the exhaust pipe, from just in front of the new muffler towards the engine. It's old, but maybe not original. No cat. The VIN is J0D93EC034453 which decodes as 1980, transmission not listed in the chart above, CJ7, GVW 4150, 258 2 BBL !! Front brakes are disc. The frame is boxed.

Just got caught up on all of your picures, that looks fantastic!

Ok Moses, here is the only label under the hood. I don't know if it's even original. Here are some other photos in the engine compartment. air cleaner carb evap canister PCV in PCV valve For the time being I'll be going with Plan B, which is "selling" it to my Mom for $1. She lives up in Wickenburg and does not have to do emissions. Then she can add me as a driver on her insurance and I can pay her for that. It will buy me some time to get it squared away. I'd eventually like to do the Howell kit, but I know I'd have to get a 2 bbl intake for that to install to. What years would fit? Thanks

Well, it turns out none of the collector insurance companies will insure a vehicle that goes off-road. If I wanted a street only Jeep they'd do it, but who'd want a street only jeep? Anyway, I don't think there is much if anything missing from this jeep. For those not familiar with my other thread abut hunting and buying, it's a 1980 CJ-7, 258 1 bbl carb, with 3 spd manual and Dana 300. Did they put cats on these in 1980, with the one bbl carb setup? I don't have a cat. There is a sticker under the hood referencing 1976 emissions, and no cat. I do have an evap canister, with 3 ports. I have an EGR valve. What else should be on there? I'm at work right now but I can take as many photos as will help in the morning. Thanks, Jay

Thanks for the nice comments everyone. I'll be starting a new thread though about emissions

Thanks Case. Yes there is a mileage limitation. I opted for 5000 per year which should be plenty. It'll be used as a hunting and general bumming around the desert vehicle. The other requirement of that insurance is that you do have another vehicle to use as a DD. So it would not work for everyone. But here is the real pisser, I live in far west Maricopa county, and the dividing line for whether you have to do emissions or not is 2 blocks west of my address. TWO BLOCKS! I didn't know that when I bought the place .

Thanks Moses. Yes the body is straight and rust free, Here are a few pictures. I took it for a short drive in the dirt out here where I live, it will crawl in 4 low at idle. Haven't figured out the axle ratio yet but I'll probably get on that tomorrow. I also drove it down to the local general store and gas station to see how much gas it burned getting it home. 5.22 gallons for 94 miles on the odo. I'm not sure it's right though. I took a longer route home with it to avoid getting on the freeway but it should have been about 70 miles, plus the 5 today. While I was there I had two different guys come up and ask me about it and compliment it.

Well I bought this one for $2800. It has no cat but the collector insurance is supposed to exempt me from testing. It does need a few things done. Tie rod ends need to be replaced as at least the drivers side has a lot of slop. I've never done these before but I assume I should do both sides regardless. It has a small oil leak, he said he replaced the rear main seal with a O'reillys one and it started leaking again. it also has a leak around the exhaust manifold gasket. Heater controls are missing, except fan switch. Wiper motor no good. Air box ? under the front cowl he said was rotten so he removed it. I have the cover. The transfer case shifter needs a boot. Fuel sender float is adrift in the tank. Those are the main things. Anyway it's a 258 with an estimated 80,000 miles. 3 speed manual, is that original in a 1980? Not sure if it is a Dana 300 either but it does shift very easily at least. Shift pattern for the xfer case is front to back: 4H-2H-N-4L if that helps ID it. 4 inch Rough Country lift which I guess a lot of people don't care for, and a mixed bag of 31x10.50 tires with enough tread to last me a little while, But I think I got my money's worth. Only came with a Bikini top which is pretty cold this time of year (for us wimpy desert types anyway). I'll probably buy a new soft top/doors this week. I got home too late to take any good pictures, I'll get some tomorrow and post a few if anyone wants to see yet another jeep

Yes I hear you on the YJ Moses, but Chrysler made a lifelong enemy out of me back in 1987 . I also just learned about the possibility of collector insurance exempting a vehicle from testing requirements here in AZ. I'm going to check into that some more and check out a 1980 CJ-7 tomorrow which is a mostly finished project I guess. Rhino lined all over, he's only asking $3000 since he has to close on a house in about a week.

Well I did not buy that jeep. It ran very well and drove nicely. But all the emissions stuff was gone, Weber carb, no cat etc. I figured with a Howell kit and a new cat I'd have to spend $1500 at least to get it legal. I offered him $3300, 1200 less than he was asking but he wouldn't go below 4k. And for someone who doesn't have to go through the emissions BS it would be a pretty good deal at that price I think. Other than smog stuff, the one thing that concerned me was how difficult it was to get into and out of 4wd. Is that normal with the Dana 300? Supposedly it had been rebuilt too.

Thanks for the very informative reply Moses. Several days before I found this website I ordered a copy of your book off of ebay. I'll get it next week I think. The jeep I'm going to look at tomorrow has about 1000 miles on a rebuilt 258. That's good, but of course my worry is that rebuild time is when a lot of people decide to trash all the emissions parts. Now that I have a good idea of what should be there I'll be able to decide if I should buy it and offer price etc. I'd like to do the Howell kit install but it wouldn't be within my budget as an immediate upgrade. If I bring it home with me I'll post some pictures

Hi all, first post here. I am looking for a CJ-7. I live in the Phoenix metro and have to pass emissions. A lot of listings I find are outside of that area and do not have to pass emissions. What do I need to look for to know if it's all still there? This Friday I'll be checking out a 1984 with the 258. Thanks in advance, Jay