When the Jeep CJ-5 hit the market in 1954 for the 1955 model year, nobody could have envisaged how resilient it would prove to be. So accomplished was it that it soldiered on against more modern opposition until the company retired it in 1983. During that time, more than 600,000 CJ-5s rolled off production lines across the globe, and many continue to ply our roads. This 1974 CJ-5 Renegade is a solid off-roader. It would benefit from a cosmetic refresh, but with a healthy V8 under the hood, it promises to be an enjoyable and accomplished adventure vehicle for its new owner. If you wish to be that person, the owner offers it exclusively at Barn Finds Auctions.
The seller states this Renegade is a rare Hardtop version, and I admit I haven’t seen many of them. Most feature a canvas top, but this vehicle offers better weather protection should Mother Nature unleash her worst during an outdoor adventure. Its Black paint shows its age, but it remains presentable if the new owner wishes to retain the Jeep untouched. There are a few spots of surface corrosion but no evidence of penetrating rust of any consequence. The aluminum plating on the rockers and lower rear corners is a sensible addition because the added strength offers extra protection to the damage-prone areas. The stainless front bumper adds a touch of class, while the newer winch is good insurance for an owner who confuses ambitions and abilities deep in the wilderness. This Jeep rolls on a set of Centerline-style aluminum wheels with chunky tires that look excellent and add a sense of purpose.
The interiors of vehicles of this type can become tired and damaged over time due to the kind of life they generally lead. That hasn’t been the fate of this Renegade because the seats feature Black vinyl covers that are free from wear and physical damage. The carpet requires some tweaking to fit better, but that’s a task that will cost the buyer time rather than money. The wheel looks excellent for a vehicle of this age, and the seller sensibly added aftermarket gauges to monitor the health of the powerhouse under the hood. Comfort features include a Sony CD player and a heater to make life pleasant under any circumstances. There is a fire extinguisher, while the substantial roll cage offers safety and reassurance should this Jeep find itself “shiny side down” at any point. You always hope that you never need these items, but it is better to have them and not need them rather than need them and not have them.
Powering this Jeep is a 401ci V8 that would have produced 235hp and 335 ft/lbs of torque when new. The figure may be higher because the V8 inhales deeply through an Edelbrock intake and carburetor. The power feeds to the road via a manual transmission and dual-range transfer case. Power steering should make life effortless in the tightest spaces and will be welcome when the new owner is negotiating a twisting forest track. The 401 is an almost perfect motor for this application, producing 75% of its power and a staggering 95% of its torque at 2,500 rpm. That means it can easily crawl over harsh terrain without placing undue strain on the powerplant. The seller says the V8 fired up effortlessly last week after four years in hibernation, they even took it for one last drive before listing it. The engine is strong, with no smoke or odd noises. They feed fuel from an external can and electric pump because the original tank is rusty. They recommend replacing the tank and flushing the lines to prevent rubbish from getting into the carburetor.
Delving deep into the wilderness can be a wonderful experience. Doing so in an accomplished off-roader like this 1974 Jeep CJ-5 Renegade means the occupants can do so with confidence that it will return them safely home once the adventure ends. The 401ci V8 under the hood means it should be equally at home on the open road as it would be clambering over boulders or dragging its way through mud and sand. Leaving it cosmetically untouched means the new owner could undertake these activities, safe in the knowledge that the occasional scratch or scrape will not mar an otherwise perfect vehicle. However, returning the panels and paint to a factory fresh state would be a task the new owner could potentially tackle in a home workshop. I don’t know which path I’d choose, but do you?
- Location: Frisco, Texas
- Mileage: 125,000
- Engine: V8
- Transmission: Manual
- VIN: J4F835TH83580
- Title Status: Clean
Bid On This Auction
- Rich bid $4,900.00 2023-02-23 10:45:34
- Deano bid $4,800.00 2023-02-23 10:19:41
- Rich bid $4,509.00 2023-02-23 08:18:26
- John VanGorder bid $4,400.00 2023-02-23 08:12:56
- Rich bid $4,300.00 2023-02-22 20:56:09
- 2manyvettes bid $4,200.00 2023-02-21 11:52:50
Dondoneright bid $4,100.00 2023-02-21 05:34:56- 2manyvettes bid $4,000.00 2023-02-21 05:24:00
- Dondoneright bid $3,900.00 2023-02-21 05:16:23
- Rich bid $3,750.00 2023-02-20 22:43:47
- Dondoneright bid $3,650.00 2023-02-20 18:10:16
- 2manyvettes bid $3,350.00 2023-02-18 15:13:40
- Jesse Lee bid $3,100.00 2023-02-17 20:52:54
- Deano bid $3,000.00 2023-02-17 10:28:43
- Ybuck bid $2,600.00 2023-02-16 18:17:21
- Deano bid $2,500.00 2023-02-16 14:33:13
- 2manyvettes bid $1,750.00 2023-02-16 12:17:46
- Garagegeezer bid $1,500.00 2023-02-16 11:25:19
- Fogey bid $1,200.00 2023-02-16 10:30:38
papalou67 bid $950.00 2023-02-16 10:23:57- Ybuck bid $850.00 2023-02-16 10:00:09
- 2manyvettes bid $750.00 2023-02-16 09:52:14
- Carbinator bid $400.00 2023-02-15 22:20:18
- Alex100 bid $200.00 2023-02-15 09:45:06
Apparently, there’s the “more is better V8” camp, and then me, all alone in the “a 6 is what it was designed for” camp. I’ll maintain to the end, a V8 is simply not needed on a vehicle like this. I made my living with primarily in line 6 cylinders, and I feel, the best all around motor ever made.
A “RENEGADE”!! Just screams excitement, or an old Styx song of that name. The hardtop, I think, is nothing special. There were a slew of aftermarket companies,( I think this is a Koenig hardtop) and it could be removed. Mine is screwed on the same way. It’s clear to me by looking at the pictures, it reminds me of some owner/operator trucks I saw, with wires hanging, torn shift boot, pic#26, has the non-self cancelling “Signal Stat 900( a chrome one, nice), in the “left turn” mode, WHERE ARE YOU TURNING?,,,was the CB call, and general disarray of those types.
So, where you at? Big, heavy, lumbering gas hog, death wobbling, hard to start when hot V8, or the humble, post office proven, snow plow approved, in line 6, like Willys intended? Regardless, it’s a nice CJ.
I’m with you on the 6!
I had a 77 CJ5 when I lived in Utah 6 cld was good enough the rumble of a 8 sounded nice but all it was a street jeep and in the wrong hands well let’s say things will go sideways quick I stay in Alabama now originally from New Orleans
No need for giant motor in this, 6 is the best, also do not believe there were any Renegade models then. Also sticker looks cheap and much newer.
Howard your slipping buddy, you should have spotted those generic Renegade decals…
Is there anything that identifies this as a Renegade beyond the incorrect decals on the hood?
I had a 79 with the six and with a partner had 60 plowing accounts in northern Indiana and Southern Michigan. I beat that thing summer 4 wheeling and winter plowing to death. Only the body gave up. Wasn’t the V8 a 304?
Correct, Brent. IIRC The biggest V8 was the 304 and though I can appreciate keeping with the family lineage by using the biggest V8 they offered at the time it was never a factory installed option.
I had the 304 in my ‘79 4 spd CJ5 (4:1 reduction gearbox?) and it was MORE than enough on the Rubicon Trail for instance.
That 401 has Gotta have some major grunt but a handful when the loud pedal is mashed and I’ll bet it tears up some metal on occasion.
The write up says it’s a manual, the listing says automatic, the shift looks like a manual shifter, but I don’t see a third pedal. I agree that a 401 is probably too much. That 268 cu in engine is really good, but if you must have a V8, the 304 can provide an almost scary level of power.
Manual. Clutch and brake pedals with flat gas pedal shown in full dash pic.
Thanks Capndan
If you’ve ever “piloted” A short wb CJ5 on the open road, you know they’re a handful to keep in a straight line, especially if they have a lift and/or larger wheels and tires.
If you’ve ever been in one with a dropped in 360 or especially a 401, you know they are death traps in “loose hands” and even in a longer wb CJ7 they’re still trying to kill you every moment of the drive.
BTW, it does have a manual transmission and there is a clutch.
They could definitely be a handful If you weren’t careful. It’s amazing I survived my youth driving my 75 CJ-5. It had a tired 304 in it when I bought it in the summer of 1980 and by New Years day it was fully rebuilt. It was bored .30, balanced, 10.5:1 pistons, shaved heads, hotter cam, headers, 4V carb, and an Edelbrock intake manifold. I held my own against a lot of vehicles even though off-roading was its main activity. I did add a roll-cage for added protection and thankfully I never used it.
The aluminum sill plates and rear corners are usually to cover rust. Just sayin.
Price has moved out of parts car range so I’d want an assurance.
In 1974 the Renegade’s base engine was the 304 V-8 and I bought a brand new one that year. The only objection I had was that the V-8 did not come with a 4 speed, only a 3 speed. If you wanted the 4 speed you were stuck with the 232 or 258 cubic inch, inline 6 engines and, while both were adequate, or better, for “Jeepin”, I have always preferred a V-8…just personal; preference. The 304 was more power than my CJ-5 needed and the 401 would almost insist that you thrashed the poor vehicle to death.
The reserve is off!