Jeep CJ Tub Swap
As our Jeep CJs get older and more rusty, we’re
all looking for ways to keep them rolling on down the road. Although a
good option, aftermarket tubs can cost $2000+, so it's also an expensive
one. An alternative solution is to recover a YJ tub from an insurance
write-off and adapt it to the CJ. The tubs are identical in size, but
they do require a few modifications to drop onto the CJ frame.
First off, find a tub! In some areas, they can be hard to find, leaving the aftermarket as your only alternative. With a little luck, there are some out there to be found. Being situated in Victoria, we were not able to find a tub anywhere on Vancouver Island. So, with our trusty Vancouver Yellow pages in hand, we started dialing. After a few dead ends, we found a cash crop of YJ stuff for $500 at Garry’s Auto Wrecking in Maple Ridge BC, just outside of Vancouver. Bingo! We were on the ferry to get our tub in no time flat! While we were there we also bought a YJ window and two fenders--half a truck for $800!! By the way, a body tub fits perfectly in a full size, long box pick-up with the truck tailgate closed.
Now down to the good stuff. If you’re not familiar with welding you might prefer to farm the tub work out. You will also need some parts from your old tub, so don’t get excited and toss all that stuff out. As you’re looking at your new body, you'll notice some differences. Here’s a list of what we found:
- gas tank filler is on the wrong side
- heating vent holes are different on YJ
- no holes on the tailgate (YJ tailgate swings sideways, not down)
- no holes for clutch rod in firewall for standard shift Jeeps
- a few of the factory holes (ie body mounts) won’t quite line up.