Looking to buy a Chero - need advice...

[Kimbrough]

Seriously guys, I need good advice!
I looked at a '77 Cherokee Chief today. Didn't note mileage. It has a 2v 360 in it. It runs good, engine bay is clean and dry - no noticeable oil leaks. Passed the "dollar bill" test. Oil level good but dark. very little rust in entire body. Filthy interior.
Right rear fender flare missing.
Lots of old acid in battery tray but current battery looks good and clean.
The carb choke is broken (he stuck a piece of hose in the top flap so it wouldn't close all the way). There is a little oil in the air cleaner tray.
Rearend clunks around corners. It also has manual hubs in front. What does this mean?
Brakes are good. Steering good but the tilt column is loose.
Its a TH400 tranny - and here's the thing - the AT fluid is milky. I found a thread that points to a bad radiator/tranny cooler. The grill is a plastic piece with square head lights (not original) - makes me wonder...
No front end damage I could see.
He's asking $1000. Seriously, whadya think?

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74 Wagoneer
360 v8
TH400
D44s F&R
soon to be 4" lift 31x10.5 mud tires
dual exhaust
Marvin the Martian floor mats.

[YaZahX]

http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/mad.gif No Comment! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/mad.gif

Really though, I think it sounds good, you’re getting a better deal than I did with my rust bucket http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

The transfer case I think is a select trac.

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John Z.
YaZahX@aol.com
"Yes that is a Real Jeep, yes the Jeep is older than me."

[Dave _S]

Milky colored trans fluid means water has infiltrated the fluid. It most likely also means the tranny is finished. Water infiltrated my TH400 through the radiator trans cooler and even though I stopped that, it didn't save the trans. Basically, the clutch packs turn to mush and while the trans will still run for awhile, it won't last long. Given the other problems, i.e., the missing rear flare which probably indicates more substantial rust than is at first apparent, i.e, the inner wheel housing has also rusted away, I would pass it by. You can get better rigs for a 1000 bucks.

[Chiefly77]

Although I'm kinda partial to that year and model http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif I would have to agree that it might not be worth it. You're looking at a trans rebuild and maybe some diff damage. Its up to you and how much money you're looking to invest. I payed $500 for my '77 but I got a REALLY good deal. My rust on the flares was already repaired and nothing was broken on it except a slashed radiator. Even with everything working when I bought it I've spent close to $2000 on minor repairs since I bought it over a year ago. The good thing is that after a while you'll run out of things to fix http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif As I said, its all up to how much you want to spend.

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Charlie Nimitz
'77 Cherokee Chief W/T
360/TH-400,
QT w/low range
31" x 10.50" General Grabbers

My FSJ page (http://www.angelfire.com/nc2/chesterspage)

[Chiefly77]

I forgot to try and answer you questions. If the rear end clunks around corners it may have a locker that either the owner forgot to tell you about or doesn't know about. It could also be trac-lock that was a factory limited slip diff option that was avialable with the dana44 that the Chiefs came with. About the manual hubs, they could be an after-market conversion or they could be factory. You can tell if they are factory if there is a 2wd-4wd switch inside the chief under the dash, beside the steering wheel on the right. If you have to switch the E-drive switch or another non-factory looking switch to engage the 4wd its not factory. Its hard to say what t-case you have if the manual hubs are not factory you can convert a QT to part time or get a different t-case put in. Hope this helps, also you can see what I've done to my chief and pictures of it on my page, the link is in my signature.

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Charlie Nimitz
'77 Cherokee Chief W/T
360/TH-400,
QT w/low range
31" x 10.50" General Grabbers

My FSJ page (http://www.angelfire.com/nc2/chesterspage)

[FSFrank]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chiefly77:
The good thing is that after a while you'll run out of things to fix.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

WOW!! That really happens! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

What does it feel like? I always thought that when I stopped fixing things it was time to start the modifications http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif



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FSFrank ... fgeorge@techcom.net
http://www.techcom.net/~fgeorge/Image/General/License_1tn.jpg (http://www.techcom.net/~fgeorge)
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI> 1983 Cherokee Laredo (project truck)
<LI> 1979 Cherokee Chief (organ doner)
<LI> 1983 Moto Guzzi LeMans III (2-wheeled diversion)[/list]

[78Chief]

Chiefly77 is lying. I know him very well, and have been in and around his Jeep long enough to know that he has not run out of things to fix. I am not sure if any of our Jeeps will ever run out of things to fix. What fun would that be anyway?

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78 Chief
401 (The Beast)
33" BFG a/t
Hey It's Big and Green!

[jeepbob]

Sounds like a very close examination is necessary before buying and even then oil in the air cleaner means blow by. Sounds like a $500 at most (on a good day) truck to me.

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65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud

[Chiefly77]

"after a while you'll run out of things to fix"


Hey its just a theory its not proven and even so I didn't mean that my Chief had run out of things to fix....believe me it hasn't, but it has a span of about a month between repairs before I find something else broken http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif

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Charlie Nimitz
'77 Cherokee Chief W/T
360/TH-400,
QT w/low range
31" x 10.50" General Grabbers

My FSJ page (http://www.angelfire.com/nc2/chesterspage)

[ClarkGriswald]

Thats good,, start keeping track of how much time between contraptions