My FSJ Jeep Cherokee. From Ugly Wreck to Pretty Wreck! 1
As a follow up to my story on beaters, here’s why I think it’s a good idea to buy a cheap old beater. Sometimes, it turns into a project and becomes a long term part of your life.
When my wife said she wanted to buy a house, I decided I needed a truck first. I’d seen some of these more rare early Jeep Cherokees, but until I started researching I hadn’t realized how hard they were to find. There are lots of Wagoneers of the same era, but finding these 2 door “wide track” Cherokees is becoming increasing difficult.
In the middle of a hunt I spotted this jeep DEEP in the corner of a lot south on Broadway in Denver. Here is a photo that I took with my state-of-the-art-at-the-time digital camera!
I didn’t take a photo from the other side, because it was all bent up - as was the back. It ran horribly, and the guy tried in vain to talk me out of buying it from him, but $400 later I was driving it home on temporary plates. That was one scary drive.. as the revs dipped, the power steering and brake servos crapped out, and I was suddenly fighting a monstor.
For about a year it sat in the driveway as I worked on the body one panel at a time. When we actually did by the new house, I dropped about $500 into some engine work, and miraculously I had my emissions pass and was on the road!
For THREE YEARS it looked like this!
It was my primary vehicle, although I had a motorbike for thrills, but in the same vein, it was a 1978 Honda CB750 picked up for $1000 that, after some love, looked much better than it was.
I modified this 1982 Jeep to 70s spec at the front for that retro grill and round headlights, and over three years probably spent about $300 / year on it. Parts came from the scrap yard if I needed them, and I did most of my own work - but it needs little to keep it going.
Eventually with all the dents and dings straightened out of it I setup a make shift cover in my driveway, bought a compressor and shot it with a weather resistant primer.
It stayed like this for a couple of years, but then one magical day, I dropped it off at Macco for this Orange paint job. It came out pretty well.
With the purchase price, engine work, new wheels, paint job and bits and pieces, I’d say that over the course of 8 years this jeep has cost me probably $3000 TOTAL, and on a good day I could sell it for that. It’s one of the reasons I’m sold on old cars.. I’ve got a Triumph Spitfire too, but it’s not the same dependable work horse as the Jeep, and I’m happy to leave the Porsche 911 Convertible in the garage all winter, and tootle around in Big Orange.
