Basic question for determining new FSJ project..

[CJ5]

New to board, hello all.

I am interested in doing a FSJ project in the near future. I finished last year a complete restore of a '72CJ5. In the AMC manual I have it shows the pickup as a J2000 or J3000. Since I want a pick-up I was thinking of looking for this as a project. I like the look of the '72 and around trucks.

Are these the J10 or J20 pickups? Is it possible to do a complete restore on one of these. I know with my AMC '72CJ it was dificult to find some parts. I assume it will be the same for the truck but will it be impossible? Any ideas or tips to point me in the right direction to start?

[J4GRAND]

The J-2000/3000/4000 were redesignated in 74 to J10 and J20. I have done a resto of a 73 J4000, and although it was difficult finding some parts, it's not impossible. Basic sheet metal stayed the same throughout the J series run, but there are quite a few differences interior-wise (73 & up)and with the suspension (74 and up). There was also a bed and tailgate change in 73.
The best thing you did was to log onto IFSJA for info and advice. Many of the guys here have parts and are more than willing to help in that area and with their technical expertise. Good luck on what you decide to do. Make sure the truck you find will leave you something to work with. My truck was a total basket case body-wise when I bought it, but it only had 47k on the drivetrain and ran like a top.

[Marvin Gates]

Welcome to the board, it is not a problem finding parts for the J trucks because from the cab forward everything (body parts)interchanges with a Wag. When you get serious looking for a rig, the 73 and down had closed knuckle axles in the front and takes a half an acre to turn around, if you drive a 74 and up,it has open knuckles and turns on a dime. Thats the one reason I went with the 74,as far as looks you can't tell the difference except for the badges.
Good luck and enjoy your FSJ when you get it. MG
As far as parts, Crazyjeepman can fix you up with just about anything you might need. :D :D :cool:

[Marvin Gates]

I'm not an expert on J trucks by any means, Patrick can tell you a lot more about them than I can (I've only had mine about two weeks) but learning. Patrick's truck is the perfect example of what you want your project to turn out like! I personally love the truck, wouldn't have anything else.
Enjoy the forum its the greatest place for FSJ info that you will find. MG

[CJ5]

Ok..so it seems that something '74 and later may be the way to go. J4grand, that is a nice J4000. Kinda the way I want to go. As far as terminology do you guys refer to them as J trucks? Or J2000, J3000, J4000 and them J10 and J20? Based on my manual is the difference in the J10, 20 (J2000, 3000, 4000) payload weight?

Yes, Marvin I definately don't want to get into closed knuckles.

I'm guessing the Honcho is a Jtruck with stickers kinda like the Golden Eagle Cherokee right? What year did they start with front disc? Basically the hard parts are going to be the same as I am use to with the standard jeep line right? Dana 20, Dana 44, 360, etc etc.

[RustyJeep]

Yup...the Honcho was just a short bed J10 with the exterior stickers, some trim upgrades on the interior, and the white rally wheels. Pretty much, the drivelines are the same as baby Jeeps. The J20...my favorite, had Dana 60 rear/44HD front. Are you looking for a manual or an automatic?
You can always buy an earlier truck (pre-74) then put different axles under it like I did. I put axles from a 3/4 ton Dodge under mine. Also some earlier J-trucks, known as Gladiators then, came with Buick 350's.
Just let me/us know if you have anymore questions. ;) :cool:

[Rande]

74 was the change-over year to disc brakes. There have been a few 74s found with drum brakes so watch for that. In 1980, the front pumpkin changed to the driver's side and the tranny went from the GM Turbo400 to the Chryco 727. Around 1981 or 1982, the J-trucks lost the little "visor" above the windshield. Pre'74 doors aren't a direct bolt-on to the post-'74 trucks due to a change in the door latches. Pre-74 wheel bolt pattern is 5-on-5 1/2, post 74 is 6 bolt on the j10 and 8 bolt on the j20.

[J4GRAND]

Answering your question about the 10s and 20s; these designated load capacity. The J10s were the 1/2 tons and 20s the 3/4 tons whereas earlier designations denoted wheel base. My J4000 was originally a 1/2 ton long bed, but I used HD springs from a 3/4 ton model.
The front discs began as an option in 74 with the open knuckle steering. As for the closed knuckle Dana 44 on my rig; I rarely get into a stuation where I need a really tight turning radius anyway. The closed knuckle also keeps mud, water, etc. out of the outer axle joints when fording streams- which I do quite often on my hunting property.
Some of the older J trucks (that's what we usually call them unless you need a year specific part) had weird axles whose parts are made of "unobtainium" i.e the dana 53 rear axle and dana 27 front.
The 360 was standard after 71 and before then they used I-6 230 Tornadoes; 327 V8s; Buick 350s; and I believe even 232s. From 74 to 78, some had 401s, and the 258 was available when AMC took over.

[desert_freak]

See there you've got some great info already! One answer that doens't seem to have been answered yet is the J2000, J3000, J4000, J10, J20 difference. Yes there is different GVWs for the trucks (check driver door jam)and the difference in bed lengths as well. I have a J10 (shortbed) and really like the looks of the shortbed (even though I was looking for a J20 (longbed)). If you plan to wheel it the 1 foot shorter wheelbase of the J10 can be helpful. If you can find a TH400/D20 rig you have found what most of us only dream about.

Other nice features are that you can stuff narrow 33's or 32x11.50 in the wheel wells with no mods what so ever :D

Riverbeast sells a kit to relocate and invert your rear shackle which will net a gain of typically 6-7" of lift to match a front SOA for trucks 76 and later (75 if it doesn't have post mount springs), eliminates the need for lift blocks :D

Just more food for thought, and welcome!

P.J.

Look at that J4000 beats me to the posting, now you have weight info

[ May 08, 2002: Message edited by: desert_freak ]</p>

[CJ5]

Thanks for all the great info! I know nothing about "Big Jeeps" so I came to the right place.

I look forward to chating with you guys. I will start looking around and confer with you guys till I find what I want. I know my wife will be pleased when I bring another jeep home. I just don't seem to have enough to do keeping my 3 others going smile.gif .

[Josh D]

First off, good choice on picking a J-truck as a project, you won't be dissapointed regardless of what year you choose. Second, there is a lot to say for the later '74-later trucks, but I personally like the '71-'72 because they came with the AMC 360 with relitively no emissions equipment to deal with (later J-trucks are a plumbing nightmare), I prefer the earlier Kaiser era dash board (much more vintage), 360V8 fender badging (again, vintage and very muscle car like), TH400/D20 combo (no quadra-trac), and good gearing (most have 4.10). It comes down to personal preference and what you can and can't live without. I like sticking my key into the dash, not the steering column. Why? Cause they just don't make it that way anymore. I'll give up some turning radius to drive an older model. Front disc brakes would be nice though! ;)

Josh

[CJ5]

Josh I noticed a Gladiator as well as a J2000 in ebay right now. The Gladiator looks good. I agree with what you say about the more vintage look. Thats why I choose my '72CJ. Notice on the J2000 he has a d60 front and d70 rear.

[jode]

One item of onterest that was touched on only lightly above, is the parts availability.
The cab of a J truck is for the most part the same as the cab of a Wagoneer or Cherokee. That means that parts are interchangeable. Here in Boise, Wag/cheros are everywhere. I just bought a J4000 this week and plan to hit the junkyards this wknd for a new seat, window mechanisms, window glass, etc. I expect to be abloe to find what I need very easily. In fact, I am hoping to find a newer grand wag to grab the seat out of...hopefully in real nice condition. I figure the width will be the same and maybe even the mounting points (although I may avoid the grand wags cause I don wanna mess with the power seat crap)

[joe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by CJ5:
Josh I noticed a Gladiator as well as a J2000 in ebay right now. The Gladiator looks good. I agree with what you say about the more vintage look. Thats why I choose my '72CJ. Notice on the J2000 he has a d60 front and d70 rear.<hr></blockquote>
If that ebay truck has a D60 it's either not stock or he doesn't know what he's selling(typical ebay snafu). No FSJ ever came stock with a D60 front axle.

[joe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by desert_freak:
See there you've got some great info already! One answer that doens't seem to have been answered yet is the J2000, J3000, J4000, J10, J20 difference. Yes there is different GVWs for the trucks (check driver door jam)and the difference in bed lengths as well. <hr></blockquote>
To clarify that some J200/2000/3000/4000 refers to wheelbase lengths and any of them can be 5000 GVWR, 6000, 7000 etc.
Where as the J-10/20 refers to GVWR. All J-10's are 1/2 tons and all J-20's are 3/4 tons.

[Rande]

The only FSJ that came with the Dana60 front axle was the military version of the Gladiator pickup called "M-715" You can find pics of these at several places on the web and there will likely be on in the "Reader's Rigs" section of thios site. They had a Dana60 front and a Dana70 rear. they were unique versions with their own wheel lug bolt pattern to make their wheels compatable with other military trucks so they could grab a spare from each other. Also the Dana60 front on those military trucks had no lock-out hubs, they had a drive flange. There was a place making lock-out hubs for them but I'm not sure who it was and if they are still available. If you want the meanest looking J-truck of all time, look at those M-715s.

[Josh D]

I got on e-bay to check out those two trucks. The J-4000 was quite a monster! Definitely suited to the beach thrashing that the owner used it for. Wouldn't buy it site unseen! Couldn't see the suspension to clearly, but looked like it might have front lift blocks. The other '68 looked pretty solid and the bids were still real low. Good $500-$700 truck. The '68-'70 J-trucks with the Buick 350 would be my second pick.

Josh

[JEEPGUZZZI]

I just feel the need to clarify a little further. All J10's are 1/2 tons, true. But you can have a long wheelbase J10 (131") or a short wheelbase J10 (108"?). I have a long wheelbase. The coolest looking ones, in my opinion, are the stepside versions. :cool: :cool: