'75 CJ5 Renegade sat 15 years in a Backyard!

by Rick Lewis
(Marysville, WA)

My dad had purchased this 1975 CJ5 Renegade Levi Edition with a 304 V8 AMC engine in 1976. It only had 1100 miles on it. He only drove it to and from work for several years. After awhile he bought a van and drove that instead of the Jeep. It was used occasionally to haul a trailer to the dump.

Finally in 1994, the last year it was registered it sat in his back yard for the next 15 to 16 years. He would cover it and when the cover would wear out he would re-tarp it. I finally asked if he was going to sell it and he said that I could have it.

There is some surface rust and slight damage to the rear panel. I got it running after replacing all the filters and plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. My plan is to restore her to her original condition. My wife and I go back and forth on whether I paint it the same color or a different one.

Larry's Comment: Good start to a great project Rick! My opinion (for what it's worth) is to keep the same paint scheme..especially if you are planning a complete original restoration.