Miss my '66 CJ5

by Tony
(Pittsburgh)

My parents owned a 1966 CJ5 with the Dauntless V6 from before I was born. It was the "other" family car in the household.

Sometime around 1983, when I was 15, it was given to my grandfather, who used it occasionally around his property dragging trees he had cut down. I have always wanted that vehicle so I began "borrowing" it from my grandfather after I turned 16.

I used to drive it to high school. In the warm weather with the top off it really attracted the girls, who all seemed to clammer for a ride. As I went off to college, it followed me there too. It came in very handy as my school was in the Lake Erie snow belt. I was a very popular person on campus as often times I was the only one who could get around after repeated 2 and 3 foot snowfalls. Unfortunately a gear tore out of the transmission, forced me to park and eventually sell it. I felt horrible when I did it.

Now I am 41 and I have decided i really want another old jeep. I absolutely love the no redeeming quality of the ride, the feeble, at best, heat, and I'm curious if I still remember how to double clutch.

Now all I have to do is find an unmolested one in good shape that won't cost me an arm and a leg.....


Larry's Comment: There are some good restored CJ5's out there Tony...but like you said they are often quite expensive, if not over-priced, in my opinion. I recently saw a very nice one on craigslist.org in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for $7500.