How much money have you sank into your FSJ?

[YoungClayB]

Hey guys,
I am curious to know how much money everyone here has put into their FSJs. And more importantly, how do you rationalize the cost to yourself (and others for that matter...half my friends think I am crazy )

I bought mine earlier this year and the engine blew up 2 months later while I was on a road trip 300 miles from home. I guess my rationalization is that these are old cars and you should go into this hobby (i call it a hobby because these are emotional vehicles...completely irrational if you think about it) understanding that things WILL go wrong and you WILL end up spending more money that you had originally planned. Don't get me wrong, its a lot of fun and I certainly enjoy driving the wagon, but you just have to think of it as a hobby - not just a car.

When I was shopping for my wagon, I really wanted to get one that was aesthetically in good shape, and thats basically what I got. If it had been all dented up with a cracked dash, I probably would have just let it go to the bone yard when the engine died, but everything else was in such good shape, I felt a duty to get her back on the road.

Once I get the wagon running again (new engine was installed yesterday), I will have spent WAY more on it than I had originally planned.

$4500 purchase price
$1100 new brake system
$400 new shocks
$400 misc parts to get all the door locks and windows working
$650 engine repair (new lifters, before the engine finally blew up)
$3000 for new engine
$1200 labor and parts to install new engine

Thats over $11k and I am sure there will be other things down the road.

Even at $11k, I challenge anyone to find a new late model car on a lot that turns heads like a GW and is as enjoyable to drive

[Lindel]

Including what I paid for it, about $1400. I'll be putting more into it in the near future (the next 2 months), starting with an AGR box and pump, and a hydro-boost brake setup.

At this point future plans (in the next 2 years) call for a 4" or 6" lift and at least 33" tires, and if I can swing it, the Edelbrock MPFI system. After that, new gauges are in order, I just haven't decided if I want the digital gauges or analog.

[cajun_lad]

Here's a cost breakdown from a thread I started a while back:
Cost breakdown (I'll try and keep this updated as I go) :
Already Spent-
'78 Jeep Cherokee (Cam's old rig) - $5000
Front and Rear 4.56 ring and pinion gears w/ master install kits - FREE (ECI Giveaway '07)
'74 J10 D44 Front and Rear axles w/ High steer setup SOA Front axle and 4 wheel disc - $850
RB's Rear shackle flip kit from TTS Fabworks (on sale)- $195
Used Set of (4) 40"R15 GroundHawgs - $150
Dana 300 for future trade - $150
=$6345
Yet to Buy-
Full Spool for D44 gearsets - $75
Budget for shocks - $150
Cost to have axles re-geared at local shop - $500
=$725
Total Estimated Cost-
=$7070
Recovered Expenses
Sold N/T axles from the 78 - $400
Sold 32" Swampers from the 78 - $350
Sold old 4" lift Rancho 5000's - $80
Trade Dana 300 for AMC TH400 w/ Dana 20 - EVEN TRADE
=($830)
Total Out of Pocket-
=$6240

[sungoesdown]

already spent-
1250- truck
175 - used 33s and body lift

already spent on stuff not installed-
95 -rhino setup
250 -used 38.5s
12 pk sam adams -cab

money recovered
75 -sold muscle grill

[Gambler68]

Sundog is at about 3k for a built truck that can do everything I want it too. The 68 cost me 500, and have prolly spent another 500 on some stuff for it. Other 79 was a freebie that I've put about $500 into. 2 free parts trucks (well one is a project I'd love to trade off for..has a clean title and great frame under it)..so 4500 over 3 or 4 years is fine with me for the fleet.

Oh..then theres a $300 401 and $600 in parts for it sitting up the road a bit..need to figure out what I'm doing with that..

[rustywagoneers_com]

which one?
or total for all of them?
or averaged out?


i am not an addict, i can stop anytime.
i dont have a problem, you people have the problem.

[krek]

No idea except for "too much".

I'm just hoping that the six I own now will be enough to make a great DD (Elwood) and trail rig (choptop).

[toyjeep]

From memory:

Built & Running:

'77 Cherk w/o axles - $100.
'79 J-10 Axles & driveshafts - $300
Rebuild 360 - $1000
Full MSD Ignition - $600
Fancy K&N FIlter - $160
36" Irocs - $800
4 x wheels - $100
T-18 w/ Dana 20 - $300
Tilt steering Column - $50
New windshield (x2 - broke one trying to install) w/ rubber - $130
Disc brakes on D44 - $250
BJ's PreRunner Bumper - $395
MM 12000 lb winch - $400
4" Lift - $400

In Garage:
D60 Front & Rear w/ OX and Detroit locks and 35 spline upgrades - $2200
NP435 w/ NP205 - $400
Misc crap to make this all work - $500

Total: $8085

First time I added it all together in a while.

And I bet I missed a bunch ...... this is going to drive me to!!!!

Still to come:
New seats, rollcage, windows that work, doubler, hydro assist ..... I'm dieing here ..

[710 Burner]

Does that include purchase price? I really don't want to know how much it is.

[crispyboy]

Do we really have to discuss this topic........
I have most things on a spreadsheet for all parts, repairs and maintenance but I am too chicken to hit the summarize icon.
Having one FSJ isn't too bad but I have too. I know deep down that one should go but I enjoy them both. With the fuel prices the way they are - they are not worth much money - at this point I had better just keep driving them on special occasions and keep the rice burner for daily driving.
I probably have close to 10K in the truck (owned 10 years) and 5K in the GW (owned 5 years).

[bigun]

Up untill this year I had about 2 grand since January I have spent another $1,500 and and probably need to spend at least another grand before Ouray

[Serious Johnson]

...half my friends think I am crazy ...

Mine too -- the other half just don't know me well.

I guess I have 10 or 12 grand in mine, absolutely none of it spent on cosmetics. I'm confident that it's still worth almost all of it's $800 purchase price.

S.J.

[Chrome]

Chromeanator: It ranges from $12,000-$15,000 depending on if you ask me or my wife the amount. The purchase price was $550 and that was the lowest price spent on it at one time.

83 Cherokee: So far roughly $3,000 has been spent on it and that's just the tip of the iceberg. This weekend we are pulling the tranny,t case, and axles from the donor Cherokee and doing a complete rebuild on everything. Also, throwing in the lift kit, wheels, and tires that will go under it while the axles are out that should bring the total to around $5,500. The interior and paint will be the next project for it so figure in another $1,500. I'm hoping the finished truck will top out around $7,500 when completed....keyword here "Hoping". {snort} {snicker}

[jkchubbes]

It was somewhere near $7000 for the year and a half I had it. I got it for $2500 so I spent $4500 on maintaining the ****ed thing. But I will tell you I miss that thing. I got a 65' Mustang, but even though a mustang is my dream car, I miss my FSJ even with the 9MPG.

[Dr.E]

How much $

First of all, I want to know if my wife put you up to this!
I have been modifing my "73" J-2000 off and on for the past 20+
years. I can conservatively estimate I've spent over 30K.
Thats only 1500 per year. I have a high stress job, and I believe that
1500 per year is cheaper than psycho-therapy, or beer, or choose your
drug!