Jordan offered to share some pics of his uniquely modified CJ-5. It’s a pretty cool jeep with lots of details. It looks like it was a serious jeep for off road exploration. Here’s Jordan’s story:
I call it the GoGo Gadget Jeep. I bought this CJ-5 about 7 years ago in the foothills between Sacramento and Tahoe. The guy I bought it from had not had it very long and had not done much with it. He bought it from the estate of the guy who built it. It probably sat around since the early ’90’s when the guy died or just stopped driving it.
Apparently the original owner did search and rescue work with it in the Sierras. I have taken some stuff off that I did not want, a rack over the rear bumper, 9 horns, a single side band radio, a winch fairlead that folded down (probably built to pull rigs up cliffs), and a few other things.
The wiring is still a mess, but I am driving it around the Estacada, Oregon, area. It came with a brand new in the box full top (white), the bikini top in the pice, a worn out full top, some extra motor parts (Buick 225), a second set of tires that are in some of the pictures-I had to get new rims because I got 5 tires, but 3 rims of one type and 3 of another), and a few other odds and ends.
The extra set of tires are Goodyear Wrangler Mud Grips. I have only found one picture of them online, and no info.
It runs great with about 40,000 miles, overdrive, PTO Winch, turning brakes (those are the tall levers between the seats). The levers between the seats are the turning brakes, then the PTO engagement lever, then the overdrive lever, and then the shifter. The transfer case shift or is down below the dash.
I wish I would have met the guy that built it. It seems he was an aerospace engineer, based on some of the stickers on it. It may be that someone on your site will recognize the jeep. I would love to hear from them if so. I imagine that it was well known when it was running around the Sierras way back when.
Mud Grip Tires:
It’s nice to see readers’ rides instead of just “for sale”, and to see all of the variations of “creativity” and “personalization”, and examples of after-market products available too. I think I spotted a space missed for a decal. Possibly a “racer”? It must be well “lubricated” considering all of the sponsored stickers. I wonder what “load” required the extra helper springs, and quad shocks with coils? It seems ready to take on anythinf any where. Thanks for sharing. I hope the PO sees it and responds.
So this is a Tuxedo Park model, where is it?
I think it may give Chug a runs for its money for the amount of gadgets on it.
Jay
Steve: I haven’t gotten too many readers jeeps recently. Most folks are posting that stuff to Facebook.
Mike: It was forsaken long ago in favor of stickers and gadgets!
Jay: This is one jeep I definitely want to jump into and figure out just what everything does!
Is it possible the mud grip tires could be retreads on Goodyear carcasses? The seemingly simple tread pattern and the wide, flat band on the sidewall between the lettering and tread could be tell-tale signs.
Hi Chad-I don’t think so. The tires say Goodyear Wrangler Mud Grip on the side walls. Seems OEM to me. Also, I have seen a picture of these tires online, but have not found any information on them. I will take another look, but they do not look like re-treads to me.
Jordan
Jordan, I found a photo of tires with that exact tread on a “Vintage Tire Tread Thread” on the The CJ2A Page (it may be the same photo you saw). The description was “1982 vintage Goodyear Wrangler Mud Grip 7.50-16.”
Hi Chad-Yes, my tires are the same as the ones you found on the CJ2A page. They seem to be from the early 80’s as well. Sure wish I could find some info from Goodyear on them…..
Thanks,
Jordan
He wasn’t “an aerospace engineer”. No engineer would put those kind of stickers on his dash. In the bottom right corner of the windscreen you can see his IAM union sticker; he was a machinist. The official name of the union is “International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers”, but it’s 95% machinists. I started out in the machine shop. The level of random gadgetry and DIY mods is typical of someone who has an imagination and access to the facilities to make it happen (in other words, a machinist!) Been there! 🙂 I’d love to get my hands on this CJ, but then again, it’s sort of a unique snapshot of one man’s vision, and maybe deserves to be preserved as-is. It’s an awesome little Jeep.
Can anyone tell what make of winch is mounted on this Jeep? Also, I’m guessing it doesn’t have a locker or limited slip. The levers aren’t steering brakes, they’re a poor man’s posi-trac: When one wheel starts to spin and you lose traction, you pull the brake lever for the spinning wheel and engage the brake. That transfers the drive to the opposite side.
It might be a Ramsey winch, but I can’t say for sure on that.
= Dave
I have to wonder how the weight of all the accessories effected it’s performance?
I think you’re right, Dave. I gurgled Ramsey PTO’s and it looks right, and they were a common accessory on Jeeps. Ramsey or a close-lookalike.
*close look-alike
JohnB, the only accessories packing much weight would be the winch and overdrive, which were practical additions, and the back rack and convertible fairlead. Those two are gone now, of course, but the rack in particular looked weighty. On the other hand, it’s a small Jeep with a V-6 under its’ tiny hood, so I don’t know. Weight distribution, rather than outright weight, might be a bigger concern, if that rack were loaded up. The bulk of the accessories are in that confusing clutter in the driving compartment, and those don’t actually weigh much. The disorganized cluster of mis-matched and possibly redundant gauges, switches, and levers (not to mention the decals on the dash!) rather support James’ contention that the builder wasn’t an engineer, but likely a machinist or aero-tech of some sort. He had the skills to do the work, but it wasn’t planned out as a system. Everything just seemed to be added on as it occurred to him. At the very least, the average engineer’s OCD would never have tolerated mis-matched pieces! Trust me on that, I worked with engineers for years. All that said, I kind of agree with James about leaving it more or less as is, other than repairing the worn stuff. This Jeep is almost like a piece of mechanical folk art, fascinating just to look at. It’s interesting enough that I’ve actually added it to the slideshow on my screensaver.
Jeeps as folk art. That is a central theme of ewillys, though I have never articulated it as such. Whether utilitarian, necessitated, whimsical, or weathered, Jeeps reflect the owners purposes and personalities. I don’t think it gets more folky than the gogo gadget jeep!
David, good take on it.
The trouble with various “art cars”, is sometimes they go too far and are disrespectful of the vehicle, or its purpose.
Not saying that’s the case here, but there is a fine line between having fun and going too far.
Very true.
JohnB,
Agreed.