Jeep CJ-5
Willys based the CJ-5 on the Korean War M38A1, giving the civilian Jeep rounded front fenders, a bigger windshield, longer springs, and a roomier body, and kept the basic shape for almost three decades. Kaiser added a Perkins diesel, the Tuxedo Park dress-up models, and Buick's Dauntless V6, which most buyers chose by the late 1960s. After AMC bought Jeep in 1970 it stretched the CJ-5 to fit AMC sixes and a 304 V8 for 1972 and pushed it toward fun and leisure with packages like the Renegade and Golden Eagle. Demand shifted to the longer CJ-7, and the CJ-5 ended after 1983.
Engines
| Engine | Power | Torque | Fuel | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 L (134 cu in) Willys Hurricane F-head I4 Gross rating. JeepTech lists 72 hp for the early (1950 to 1960) low-compression version and 75 hp from 1961. |
75 hp (56 kW) | 114 lb-ft (155 N·m) | Gasoline | 1955 to 1971 |
| 3.1 L (192 cu in) Perkins 4.192 diesel I4 Gross rating; optional. |
62 hp (46 kW) | 143 lb-ft (194 N·m) | Diesel | 1961 to 1965 |
| 3.7 L (225 cu in) Buick Dauntless V6 JeepTech gives 160 hp and 235 lb-ft; Wikipedia and Hagerty UK give about 155 hp. Kaiser bought the rights in 1965. |
160 hp (119 kW) | 235 lb-ft (319 N·m) | Gasoline | 1966 to 1971 |
| 3.8 L (232 cu in) AMC I6, 1-barrel Net rating; standard engine. |
100 hp (75 kW) | 185 lb-ft (251 N·m) | Gasoline | 1972 to 1978 |
| 4.2 L (258 cu in) AMC I6 Net rating; optional from 1972, standard from 1979 with a 2-barrel, optional again from 1980. JeepTech gives 115 hp and 210 lb-ft for 1982 on. |
110 hp (82 kW) | 195 lb-ft (264 N·m) | Gasoline | 1972 to 1983 |
| 5.0 L (304 cu in) AMC V8, 2-barrel Net rating for 1972 to 1978; 130 hp in 1979 and 125 hp with 220 lb-ft in 1980 and 1981 (JeepTech). |
150 hp (112 kW) | 245 lb-ft (332 N·m) | Gasoline | 1972 to 1981 |
| 2.5 L (151 cu in) GM Iron Duke I4 (badged Hurricane) Net rating; standard engine. |
82 hp (61 kW) | 125 lb-ft (169 N·m) | Gasoline | 1980 to 1983 |
Transmissions
- Warner T-90 3-speed manual (1955 to 1971)
- Warner T-86 3-speed manual (with the V6) (1966 to 1971)
- Warner T-98 4-speed manual (1955 to 1971)
- Warner T-14 (six) and T-15 (V8) 3-speed manuals (1972 to 1975)
- Warner T-18 4-speed manual (1971 to 1979)
- Tremec T-150 3-speed manual (1976 to 1979)
- Warner SR-4 and Tremec T-176 4-speed manuals (1980 to 1983)
- Borg-Warner T-5 5-speed manual (Early 1980s)
Sizes and weights
| Measure | Size |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 81–83.5 in2,057–2,121 mm |
A range covers the body styles and trims of this generation.
Trims and editions
- Base
- Tuxedo Park (1961 to 1968; CJ-5A from 1964)
- Camper (1969 to 1970)
- 462 (1969)
- Renegade I (1970)
- Renegade II (1971)
- Renegade (1972 to 1983)
- Super Jeep (1973)
- Golden Eagle (1977 to 1983)
- Silver Anniversary (1979)
- Golden Hawk (1980)
- Laredo (1980 to 1983)
Worth knowing
- 603,303 built, by far the most of any CJ.
- No factory automatic was ever offered.
- The 1972 Renegade's 304 V8 was billed as the first V8 in a short-wheelbase utility vehicle.
- Licensed versions were built in Brazil, Australia, Iran, South Korea, and other countries.
- A December 1980 60 Minutes segment on rollover tests (using hidden weights) is often linked to its decline.
Year by year, newest first
- Final year; buyers had moved to the CJ-7.
- 3,085 built.
- 6,080 built.
- 17-character VINs began; AM/FM radio optional.
- Last year for the 304 V8 (per JeepTech).
- 13,477 built.
- GM-built four, badged Hurricane, became standard, with the 258 optional; lighter-duty four-speeds and the Dana 300 transfer case.
- Laredo and Golden Hawk packages added.
- 24,574 built.
- 258 six with a two-barrel carburetor became standard.
- Silver Anniversary edition of 1,000.
- 41,501 built.
- Roll bar mounting changed to a slanted design.
- 37,611 built.
- Frame fully boxed; power front disc brakes and air conditioning offered.
- Golden Eagle package added.
- 32,996 built.
- Rounder body tub and a new windshield frame and angle, so tops do not swap with earlier years.
- Mostly boxed frame, AMC 20 rear axle, T-150 three-speed, front anti-roll bar, and truck-style taillights.
- 31,116 built.
- Dealer-installed air conditioning available.
- 32,486 built.
- 43,087 built, the highest yearly figure in the jeepfan list.
- Super Jeep edition (a few hundred, limited by a shortage of aluminum wheels).
- Dealer-installed radio available.
- 30,449 built.
- AMC's 232 six (standard), 258 six, and 304 V8 arrived; wheelbase grew to 83.5 in with a longer hood and front fenders.
- New frame, open-knuckle Dana 30 front axle, Dana 20 transfer case, and a fuel tank moved to the rear.
- Renegade became a regular package with the V8; 22,601 built.
- Renegade II (600 built); Trac-Lok replaced Powr-Lok, and power take-offs were dropped.
- T-18 replaced the T-98 four-speed; last year for the Hurricane four, the V6, and the Dana 27 front axle.
- 12,559 built.
- AMC bought Kaiser Jeep.
- Renegade I special edition.
- Rear axle switched to one-piece shafts mid-year; 13,518 built.
- Camper package (1969 to 1970, 336 built) and the 462 package.
- 20,262 built.
- Last year of the CJ-5A Tuxedo Park; about three-quarters of CJ-5s now had the V6.
- 19,683 built.
- 18,186 built.
- Buick Dauntless V6 became optional.
- 17,974 built.
- Dana 27 front axle replaced the Dana 25.
- Last year for the Perkins diesel.
- 21,014 built.
- Sold as the Jeep CJ-5 rather than the Willys CJ-5.
- Tuxedo Park Mark IV became a separate CJ-5A model.
- 16,029 built.
- Tuxedo Park Mark III.
- 12,499 built.
- Tuxedo Park Mark II.
- 14,072 built.
- Tuxedo Park package and the Perkins diesel option arrived.
- Higher-compression Hurricane rated 75 hp.
- 15,208 built by serial range, plus 152 diesels.
- 21,621 built by serial range.
- 15,040 built by serial range.
- 14,062 built by serial range.
- 22,893 built by serial range.
- 18,915 built by serial range.
- Production began October 11, 1954; first model year 1955.
- New heavier body, longer springs, larger windshield, softer three-position seats, a back-lit instrument cluster, and President's Red paint.
- 17,006 built by serial range.
Notes
Code and slug: one generation, so the slug is 'first' and the code is the model name. Yearly figures for 1955 to 1961 are counts from serial-number ranges on JeepTech; figures for 1962 to 1983 come from an enthusiast spreadsheet linked from jeepfan.com that says its accuracy is unverified and may be calendar-year based (its 1955 and 1961 figures, 23,595 and 2,064, differ sharply from the serial counts). The spreadsheet also credits 3,883 to 1954. Its total matches the commonly cited 603,303. Wheelbase: 81 in to 1971 and 83.5 in from 1972 (Wikipedia, Jeep's history page, Hagerty UK); jeepfan.com says 84 in. The 1972 nose stretch is given as 3 in (jeepfan.com) or 5 in (Wikipedia). Wikipedia's dimensions (138.2 in long, 68.5 in wide, 2,665 lb) were not cross-checked, so they are null. Special editions disagree: Super Jeep is 1972 (cj3b.info poster) or 1973 (Wikipedia, jeepfan.com), and Jeep's Australian page says it returned in 1976; Golden Eagle is 1977 to 1983 (Jeep AU, cj3b.info) or 1977 to 1980; Hagerty UK captions a Silver Anniversary as 1978 and Wikipedia says 1979. The V6 is dated 1965 (Hagerty UK) or 1966 (cj3b.info, JeepTech). Hagerty UK says AMC dropped the Hurricane for the 232 in 1970; other sources say 1972. The 1972 to 1975 3-speed and the T-5 years are not fully confirmed.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Jeep_CJ
- cj3b.info /Siblings/1955.html
- cj3b.info /Poster/CJ5.html
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/models/cj-5
- hagerty.co.uk /articles/buying-guide-jeep-cj-5-1955-83/
- automotivehistory.org /?p=27802
- jeep.com.au /history/1970s.html
- jeepfan.com /tech/spotters-guide-to-the-72-75-amc-cj-5/
- jeepfan.com /blog/cool-little-jeep-cj-facts-mini-spotters-guide
- jeepfan.com /tech/prod-numbers.htm
- docs.google.com /spreadsheets/d/14nWifEb393mD3_TGOSVLgAFt3trz6jNcwSuGJcpWB-k
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/hurricane134/
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/perkins192/
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/dauntless225/
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/amc232
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/amc258
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/amc304
- terryhowe.github.io /JeepTech/engine/factory/gm151