I have been looking for a classic 4x4 to restore as my mid-life crisis project, been looking at a lot of 1940s and 50s CJ and Willys jeeps, and finding them a bit overpriced for what they are, same for older Land Rover Series. Seems like a clapped out Jeep or Land Rover Series with no title and in a basket can fetch a handsome sum.
I started looking at other 4X4s that fit my criteria.

My Criteria is this. It must be fully convertible, 4X4, more than 30 years old (before smog/emissions requirements) and have a manual transmission (my personal preference) and seat four people. That's about it, other than it has to be a neat vehicle when done, and would be restored to 100% orginal or exact reproduction parts.

I found a 1971 Jimmy for $1700 that is running with a clear title and complete  that meets these requirements.



A good restoration of this truck should look a lot like Jay Leno's '72 Jimmy when done (see image).


this is what it looks like now.


Should I pull the trigger? My budget for initial investment is $2000, and then however much it takes to restore it after that. The fun for me is revitalizing and old classic 4X4 rather than just buying one already done. I know it can cost just as much or more over the long run, but that's OK.
I am leaning towards buying it.

thoughts?

buy it.

how's the rust?

this website has all the info you will need -- www.ck5.com

Quoted: buy it. how's the rust? this website has all the info you will need -- www.ck5.com

Don't know yet, supposed to see it today.
Thanks for the link, will check it out.

My first car was a '71 Jimmy which I did a lot of work over the summer to get running, but it was fun and kept me out of trouble, I would bite on this if I were you. Plus thoughs trucks are simple and fun.

Looks like there is LOTS of rot in that Red one, no glass in the cap. Just judging by that one picture, you will be spending MANY bucks to restore it.

Fenders you can get, doors you can get (expensive) quarters you have to weld new panels, who knows how the tailgate is (most likely rotted) and are a PIA to switch innards over to. Inner wheelwells are most likely rotted looking at the pic. Then you still have the engine, trans, suspension, etc. to rebuild.

Do yourself a favor and find a better example for more money, then do the resto. Much easier to start with a solid body.

That Red truck is a $500 project, not nearly $2K.

Quoted: Looks like there is LOTS of rot in that Red one, no glass in the cap. Just judging by that one picture, you will be spending MANY bucks to restore it. Fenders you can get, doors you can get (expensive) quarters you have to weld new panels, who knows how the tailgate is (most likely rotted) and are a PIA to switch innards over to. Inner wheelwells are most likely rotted looking at the pic. Then you still have the engine, trans, suspension, etc. to rebuild. Do yourself a favor and find a better example for more money, then do the resto. Much easier to start with a solid body.

'69-'72 Blazers and Jimmy's used the same tailgate as a pickup of the same vintage. There aren't any innards to worry about, unlike the later models that had the rear window glass enclosed within.

The doors are the also the same as the pickup's, with framing trimmed off. Fronts wheel wells and fenders are the same.

There was a shop in River Oaks TX that specialized in '69-'72 Chevy/GMC truck parts and rebuilds, and the owner was really helpful and reasonable with me.  I don't know if he still owns the shop, but the address is the same:

Central Classic Connection
1001 Red Oak Ln W
River Oaks, TX 76114
(817) 740-0850

Gunny(I have a '72 Blazer)G ....

(....sitting under a tarp, awaiting some money and TLC)

How full of rust is it? Can you do most of the work yourself, especially body work? Also you have something else to drive while restoring the Jimmy?

Quoted: How full of rust is it? Can you do most of the work yourself, especially body work? Also you have something else to drive while restoring the Jimmy?

Do you have an air compressor,die grinder,and a simple tool set? If you have those,you can bring this down to the bare floor/firewall,as it's bolted in. Where it's welded in is at the rear quarter(front)and at the rear.

I haven't looked,but what kind of quality are the repro parts? Taiwanese? OEM?

BTW,how are the doors? Do they make specific Jimmy/Blazer doors? I had a 75 Blazer,had to cut pick-up doors.

Yes,I would buy it!

Quoted: ... BTW,how are the doors? Do they make specific Jimmy/Blazer doors? I had a 75 Blazer,had to cut pick-up doors. Yes,I would buy it!

The Blazer/Jimmy doors from the '69-'72 era are pickup doors, cut down. It is a fairly simple cut, one at the bottom rear of the window frame, and the other is above the swingout window.

Quoted: Quoted: Looks like there is LOTS of rot in that Red one, no glass in the cap. Just judging by that one picture, you will be spending MANY bucks to restore it. Fenders you can get, doors you can get (expensive) quarters you have to weld new panels, who knows how the tailgate is (most likely rotted) and are a PIA to switch innards over to. Inner wheelwells are most likely rotted looking at the pic. Then you still have the engine, trans, suspension, etc. to rebuild. Do yourself a favor and find a better example for more money, then do the resto. Much easier to start with a solid body. '69-'72 Blazers and Jimmy's used the same tailgate as a pickup of the same vintage. There aren't any innards to worry about, unlike the later models that had the rear window glass enclosed within. The doors are the also the same as the pickup's, with framing trimmed off. Fronts wheel wells and fenders are the same. There was a shop in River Oaks TX that specialized in '69-'72 Chevy/GMC truck parts and rebuilds, and the owner was really helpful and reasonable with me.  I don't know if he still owns the shop, but the address is the same: Central Classic Connection 1001 Red Oak Ln W River Oaks, TX 76114 (817) 740-0850 Gunny(I have a '72 Blazer)G .... (....sitting under a tarp, awaiting some money and TLC)

All that is just fine, but............ He is looking for something to restore and then is going to have to dump a boatload of money into new or used panels, floors might be gone, then he has suspension, axles, drivetrain, etc. Definitely not a $2K vehicle. No way, no how.

I have built and owned MANY trucks (mostly FORD), and now full well the ins and outs. Start with a respectable shell and anything goes. Start with a rust bucket and it just goes downhill from there.

Quoted: All that is just fine, but............ He is looking for something to restore and then is going to have to dump a boatload of money into new or used panels, floors might be gone, then he has suspension, axles, drivetrain, etc. Definitely not a $2K vehicle. No way, no how. I have built and owned MANY trucks (mostly FORD), and now full well the ins and outs. Start with a respectable shell and anything goes. Start with a rust bucket and it just goes downhill from there.

Buy it, check it over, watch craigslist religiously for the next year and I will guarantee parts will come along.


For someone that said its worth $500, well let me see one that's that price..ain't happening.

Quoted: Quoted: ... BTW,how are the doors? Do they make specific Jimmy/Blazer doors? I had a 75 Blazer,had to cut pick-up doors. Yes,I would buy it! The Blazer/Jimmy doors from the '69-'72 era are pickup doors, cut down. It is a fairly simple cut, one at the bottom rear of the window frame, and the other is above the swingout window.

Yep,same as my '75. The suspension,axles,transfer case,and tranny are damned near bulletproof,the best that GM could build.(if it's the 4spd,it's the same tranny they put in 1-tons).

With a good air compressor and die grinder,and the parts,this could be done in a weekend.

Yep, looked at this this afternoon.
short version:

body not that bad, a good bit of rot in the rockers, some good dents. Bubba paint job.
Bubba bumpers, welded not bolted on the frame front and rear
shock absorber bubbafication, custom shock mounts, frankenstein job. Same for the steering dampner. Bubba lift kit, crude steel blocks. Appears to be nuts and bolts missing everywhere under the truck.
the interior was the worst. basically would have to completly ripped out and redone from the firewall to the tailgate. Completely trashed, worst have I seen short of the junkyard.

Electrical nighmare - looks like someone threw a hand grenade between the firewall and the dash, and then tried to patch it up with duct tape and pliers - didn't even have a real ignition, some radio shack keybox bs - new wiring harness a must. Seats, trashed and deat frames bubbafied. Rhino lined interior. tailgate permanently welded shut, top has no windows and no back hatch.

I didn't even want to drive it. the manual tranny shifter and transfer case lever were cobbled together with some kind of rubber innnertube wrap, god knows why or how. Didn't ask. Was to busy trying to think of an excuse to leave.

Yep, for $500, I'd do it and trash everything except for the drivetrain and the basic sheetmetal, and rebuild all of that, sure. But he was firm at $2K.

$2000?  No way, not for that. You guys have a better eye than I do.

The search continues, I do like the 71 Jimmy setup through. It is a nice truck.

Quoted: Yep, looked at this this afternoon. short version: body not that bad, a good bit of rot in the rockers, some good dents. Bubba paint job. Bubba bumpers, welded not bolted on the frame front and rear shock absorber bubbafication, custom shock mounts, frankenstein job. Same for the steering dampner. Bubba lift kit, crude stell blocks. Appears to be nuts and bolts missing everywhere under the truck. the interior was the worst. basically would have to completly ripped out and redone from the firewall to the tailgate. Completely trash, worst have I seen short of the junkyard. Electrical nighmare - looks like someone threw a handgrenade between the firewall and the dash, and then tried to patch it up with duct tape and pliers - didn't even have a real ignition, some radio shack keybox bs - new wiring harness a must. Seat, trashed. Rhino lined interior. tailgate permanently welded shut, top has no windows and no back hatch. I didn't even want to drive it. the manual tranny shifter and transfer case lever were cobbled together with some kind of rubber innnertube wrap, god knows why or how. Didn't ask. Was to busy trying to think of an excuse to leave. Yep, for $500, I'd do it and trash everything except for the drivetrain and the basic sheetmetal, and rebuild all of that, sure. But he was firm at $2K. $2000?  No way, not for that. You guys have a better eye than I do. The search continues, I do like the 71 Jimmy setup through. It is a nice truck.

Don't forget,the 73-75 were full convertibles too! Yep,sounded like a junker!

Good choice you never want to buy anything with extensive "customization" of that sort.

Electrical can be a nightmare on something that hasn't been hacked on and is very expensive to replace properly.

As for the people nay-saying the rust and shit that is all up to you and what you are willing to do yourself or pay to have done.

Also make sure you bring a good stong magnet with you when checking them out. Use it on all rockers, cab corners, doors along the bottom and wheel wells. Also if possible check out the floor boards cancer is common there also.

Also keep in mind alot of interior parts will cost you out the ass. Sometimes you are better off finding a good clean interior w/ a rough body than the other way around.

Sounds like you already have a good notion on what you want and what to look for so happy hunting.

Quoted: Yep, looked at this this afternoon. short version: SNIP

To the OP...... Good move.

To all the other internet commandos.........Guess I do know what I am talking about after all, huh? I've been doing this shit for over 30 years.

Quoted: Quoted: Yep, looked at this this afternoon. short version: SNIP To the OP...... Good move. To all the other internet commandos.........Guess I do know what I am talking about after all, huh? I've been doing this shit for over 30 years.

Yeah, ......but, as you pointed out, that was on Fords....us GM guys have much better reason to be optimistic!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yep, looked at this this afternoon. short version: SNIP To the OP...... Good move. To all the other internet commandos.........Guess I do know what I am talking about after all, huh? I've been doing this shit for over 30 years. Yeah, ......but, as you pointed out, that was on Fords....us GM guys have much better reason to be optimistic!

LOL!

Mine needed some floor pan work, the rockers under the doors replaced, both door rear corners, and a lot of work to the windshield frame.  It wasn't too bad, but I have been welding and working sheet metal for quite a while.  

If it has a lot of rot and you can't weld, pass.



I bought this '70 about 9 years ago for $4500.  I sold it for $9500 a few months after I took the photo.

Quoted: Mine needed some floor pan work, the rockers under the doors replaced, both door rear corners, and a lot of work to the windshield frame.  It wasn't too bad, but I have been welding and working sheet metal for quite a while.   If it has a lot of rot and you can't weld, pass. i25.tinypic.com/29f6m45.jpg I bought this '70 about 9 years ago for $4500.  I sold it for $9500 a few months after I took the photo.

That is a sweet rig! I'd say you did great on that. Did you have to do much work on it?

With whatever you get, don't let a bird's nest in the electrical system get you down. Even if the wiring hasn't been hacked into, it's likely so brittle that wherever you touch it it'll fall apart. For $300-$400 you can get a beautiful Painless wiring harness, put it in over a day or 2 (read the instructions several times before starting and follow them to a T!) and you'll never have to worry about electrical problems again.

I'd look around for a Scout or Scout II. They're enormously strong vehicles that were made with the best components on the market (Borg-Warner manuals or Chrysler automatics, Dana axles & transfer cases), and the 304 & 345 IH V8s used in them are the same ones used in medium-duty trucks like Loadstars - real truck engines, with a lot of nickel in the block for strength and longevity. They're not HP monsters but they make a lot of torque -  you can brake a 304 down to 400rpm without touching the clutch, and the 345 is even more ballsy with its longer stroke. If you can find a 392 (not installed in Scouts, but available in Travellalls & pickups) grab it because it was rated as a better engine than both the 454 and 460. Plus, old Chevys & Fords are everywhere, while a nice Scout is pretty rare.

My advice? If you're not a bodyman or aren't willing to put in a LOT of time learning, spend extra for a straight body. If that means buying something with no engine to stay within your budget, go for it. Engines are a dime a dozen but a lot of bodywork will eat all your time and/or money. Invest about $500 in a Lincoln SP-135T MIG welder and practice on as much sheetmetal as you can before starting for real. A gantry and chainfall will be very handy, as will a pressure washer or steam cleaner.

Question is,what kind of panels do you want to put in? You're in TX,no stinkin' salt trucks to make your ride return to the dirt it sprang from. I went the easy/cheap way and used Chang Fong Taiwanese complete body parts.OEM would have been way too much $$$ for my limited budget.

Any full topper is rare up here in the KY,even older Jeeps,thanks to the salt. Wish I had a pic of my '75,it was really a head turner.