1985 J20 Project Restore/Build

[GrCherokeeL]

After looking at the Gladiators a little while longer, and then looking to the J-20, I realized the AMC era is more favorable to me.

It's not too often I see a J-truck, and when I do they're either too far gone or they're in pretty good shape but not for sale.

I have been looking online for another J-truck, but haven't found anything close.

I think that may be another reason why I'm still holding on to this truck. It doesn't start, or drive, but..until one can replace it..I think this truck may just end up as a parts truck.

[bufurd]

To answer your what's it worth question, if you can get out of it what you got into it, dump it. But keep them bucket seats and tailgate, if the buckets are for a FSJ and the tail gate is good they'd be worth more to me than the rest of the truck.

[bufurd]

Welcome to big Jeeps. You have taken on a huge project, I've built many J-trucks, and what you have there would make me look for a solid one and use that for parts or sell it and start again, (please start again) these things are great fun, easy to work on, reliable and very capable. The Gladiators your looking at are sweet, but they have issues of there own due to archaic tech. Funky engines, steering, brakes, axles, etc., but they are beautiful. I would rather start out with them than the roached J-20 you have, they need saving. Out of the pan into the fire kinda thing. I applaud your enthusiasm, my 2 cents would be to find a driver, or at least one that isn't so beat down. They're out there, and fix it up as you go, it's very satisfying. If you need parts, advise, or even a truck (I turn em down a lot, people that know me call me when they see one) I'm not far away... Good luck

[GrCherokeeL]

Well,

I never thought it would happen but I went outside today and saw the hood on my J20 was kinda falling, my mother saw a piece of paper underneath my windshield wiper.

After reading the letter, I realized...maybe my hood was off-center because my engine was being checked out.



Now I'm pretty darn attached to this old but rusty J20, but...out of curiosity what would it be worth as it sits?

Engine may be toast...cause I left water in the radiator, but there is a brand new carburetor sitting on top of the engine, never started with it on, that part alone cost me $302

It comes with a spare tailgate, has 4 shiny Chevy Silverado HD rims, I have a bench seat and bucket seats for the truck, lots of random other parts I'm sure I have listed in my thread.

But...I guess the main reason I've held on to it was because its an 8,400 GVWR truck, it has rear tow hooks, and it has the sliding rear window. And of course the cool little tiny horn button.

Plus I got the truck for free except paying the $550 or so for two trucks to haul it home.

Now, the only reason I'm thinking of giving this guy a call, is because I spotted this...





Two for one deal, guy says he'll sell them for $1,200 obo. They're both 1963 Jeep J200's with less than 200 apart on the VIN, he won't separate the two.

He says they do have rust issues but are in restorable condition. They're both manual, is it easy to make one of them an automatic? Bed on green one is kinda rough, cab isn;t terrible. Red has a nice bed and the cab isn't terrible but it does need a new floor. Oh, and only one of them has a title.

I'm thinking of maybe going to check these two out, and if they're not as bad as my J20 with rust issues...I may just sell the J20 to pick these two up.

They both have the straight 6 230 tornado engine, he says one will run but isn't sure about the other. Have only sat outside for 5 years. Which can be a little 50-50 seeing as they have been outside and the grass chews them up.

But...two for one...and make one heck of a jeep?

I don't know, I'd go for it depending on how much you guys think I could possibly get for my J20.

Either way I want to have a Jeep truck, I just want to also know if selling the J20 won't be a mistake.

[GrCherokeeL]

glad to hear it isnt 6ft under yet. As rough as it is, its cool that you want to restore it, just dont let it "empty every pocket". id start wire wheeling all the rusty spots and getting rid of any rot. Youre going to have to sooner or later, and it wont get any better untouched. then once its clean of rust for the most part, rustproof it. Does it run at all?

Last time it ran was...back in 2010/2011 I believe. Last time it was officially registered and on the road...2008.

Couple years ago in college I had a couple of friends help me start the truck up. Sounded amazing, sputtered a little but it was either the chopped up exhaust or the broken carburetor that did it. Which is why I spent so much on the re-manufactured carburetor . Thought it was a really good idea at the time.

Fuel lines, brake lines are rusty and mostly gone. All the wiring is either chopped or unplugged. The bed sides of the truck are somewhat rotted through, but the solid flooring is what keeps me interested in keeping it original.

Back of the cab is rotted through and the floor on the driver side is partially gone.

It's figuring out where to start to take off the rust. I thought about taking the cab and bed off to clean the frame...but...I wasn't sure how long of a process that would take, when I kinda want to get the truck to just....drive so I can feel and see how much needs fixing.

It's not running right now, the last time I heard it run...gave me a lot of hope. But for how many years I let it sit...has me worried.

The Empty Every Pocket has happened to my Grand Cherokee. I've spoiled it too much.

[mnewxcv]

glad to hear it isnt 6ft under yet. As rough as it is, its cool that you want to restore it, just dont let it "empty every pocket". id start wire wheeling all the rusty spots and getting rid of any rot. Youre going to have to sooner or later, and it wont get any better untouched. then once its clean of rust for the most part, rustproof it. Does it run at all?

[GrCherokeeL]

I know I'm bumping an oldish thread but did anything become of this OP? very interested to see how far along it is.

I still have it! That's always a plus

Sadly no other work has been done on it. Except I did take it to a local mechanic a block away from my house, figured he could help with the carburetor and to just...get the old truck to start up again.

He glanced at it and told me it was a lost cause . I only brought my truck up to him because he has a J400. Never once did he drive his classic truck until he saw me pull in with my truck.

I've been trying to decide whether or not to keep the original 360 that's in it, or to try putting in a 5.7 or possibly a 5.3.

Leaning towards original since the re-manufactured carburetor was not cheap.

[mnewxcv]

I know I'm bumping an oldish thread but did anything become of this OP? very interested to see how far along it is.

[GrCherokeeL]

Well, I finally decided to work on the truck. Even if its little by little.

I decided to take out the nasty original carpet, because it was wet, had mouse poop and it stunk terribly. I hung a "Black Ice" tree in there to make it smell better.

Had the windows rolled down, and worked on it for hours.

I even cleared the bench seat out and decided to use a dust pan and small brush to sweep up the rust that was all over the floor.

Looking at the floor of the cab, makes me realize just how crazy I am for keeping such a rusty truck. New floor pans are definitely going to need to be bought!

And although I was perfectly fine with the bed truck because the tailgate worked so nicely...I'm starting to think maybe I should scrap the bed and find a new one

Here is the results for today:

Passenger side





Back of cab is rotted out but...possibly fixable? maybe?...



Driver side, yep...that's a hole!




And now pictures of the truck bed

[GrCherokeeL]

What's been happening so far with my truck?

Well, before winter I had finally decided that if I am going to keep this truck it has to come home.

If one Jeep is being driven constantly, the older Jeep needs motivation to see it'll come back to life...one day

So, I took my Grand Cherokee and went to grandma's house, borrowed a trailer and brought my truck home.















And just to see how tall my truck is compared to my mom's truck. I WISH my truck was this height, coming out of the factory. But, I know I have pretty bad lift kit underneath it.






It's good to see my truck every day now, I've had a few Jeepers take the back road behind my house and do a slow drive by to glance and see what the tan truck is.

I've had one of the towns people tell me I had a monster truck too.


The weather has been very cold here in Michigan, and I haven't had much time to work on the truck. Still trying to decide whether or not to get it started first...or to take the cab and bed off and make the frame clean and rust proof along with the axles and then began working on getting it started.

[mike12]

lets all go

j tkn , love the j20s

[GrCherokeeL]

for a cool thread & for having an awesome attitude

keep up the good work

C

Thanks

Been trying to get back to working on this truck. Haven't decided whether or not to keep it at its current location, or move it to where I can work on it every day.

Although I prefer the later choice, it's current location keeps it from being looked at too closely by unwelcomed viewers.

My grandma got all upset when I promised her I would remove it from her property as soon as possible. My aunt has been giving me a really hard time, telling me that my Jeep truck and the Wagoneer are taking up a lot of space, and are in the way of the building process of my Grandma's new garden.

When I told my Grandma that, she kept apologizing, saying she wasn't complaining about having the Jeep moved. Just that....one day it would have to go haha.

I've been too busy spoiling the baby Jeep Grand Cherokee. Hmm...maybe tomorrow I will take a look at the wheel wells and figure out what bolts I'll need to get things put back together.

Maybe if I see the truck as one thing, instead of a mess of parts...I'll be motivated to work on it again.

You wouldn't believe how many times this truck would've come in handy.

[Out in the Bushes]

Thanks...

for a cool thread & for having an awesome attitude

keep up the good work

C

[GrCherokeeL]

Well, after paying for the carburetor today, my uncle thought about selling me his Holly carb. It's tempting, but....it's keeping the truck original that makes me hesitate.

The carb originally came off of a Off-Road racing truck, so it has lots of power...but...I'd just rather have something that will work, won't kill my mileage way too low to 6 mpg haha, and be able to tow just great

I took some pictures of my truck today

[GrCherokeeL]

The carburetor came in today!!

And I'll be paying for it tomorrow at work, only if it is the right one though.

I had it ordered, but there are some parts where I'm unsure if they're supposed to be there or not, and if it would even work on my truck....



Old








New








I've never put one of these on before, and of course I'm worrying that I'll mess up or break something. I just want to hear my engine again

Debating whether or not to try hauling my truck over to work and have some help with this, I know my uncle has dealt with some carburetors, but for this being a good $300....well, I just don't want to see it turn to junk in a matter of seconds.