1963 J-300 - Don’t know where to start.

Hey everyone! I’m so glad to find some people to chat ‘Jeep’ with! I’m not a mechanic but I am ready to take on my project. Any and all help greatly appreciated!!

About 4 years ago my husband and I were helping an acquaintance clear her property after her husband passed. He was a scrapper so there were cars everywhere. I saw this jeep… MY Jeep… sitting, and I fell in love. I convinced my husband to let me ask her about it. She swore she could get good money for it but I didn’t have it to offer. A few months passed as I offered her $200. It was all I had. I was on my way to her house, money in hand, and she called me to back out. She said she was just sure she could get more money for it so I said ok, and hung up. I was devastated, but let it go. Almost a year later she calls me and asked me if I still wanted it. I told her yes. She said she still thought it was worth more than $200. I knew it was but was but only offered to go to $300. She took it!!! We drug it from a patch of poison oak and took it home!! We washed it all up (a couple times as hubby is highly allergic) aired up the tires and started tinkering. I pulled out the interior because it was trashed and started making shopping lists! We did a little to check if it would crank but when the answer didn’t come easy my husband lost interest. I’m not a mechanic and have been researching and grasping at straws trying to get moving on this gem.I’m about to go at it 100% by myself because my love of this truck is not shared.

At this point here’s what I know: it has the original 230 Tornado OHC six. It appears to have 63,000 miles on it. The lady said she thought it ran when her husband parked it 13 years earlier.. I can’t get it to turn so I don’t know if it’s seized or if it’s salvageable. BUT… I turned the key and the dome light turned on!! I feel like I got an excellent deal. I just wish I knew where to go from here. Help!!

Welcome Kimberly J-300,

Be rest assured you have come to the right place. We don't claim to know everything, but there is a good base of knowledge on here, and what we don't know, we can research. We look forward to seeing more about your truck!

Excellent start Kim! You have a good start that's for sure. I am sure you will need time and money to bring it back but, when you are done you will have something no one can buy. Clean it up and drain all the fluids and replace them if it will turn. You want to try to turn the motor over by hand first. Pull the spark plugs out so it turns easier. Just a rotation to be sure ts not seized up. A socket and a big wrench on the front crankshaft bolt should do it. If it turns over you are ahead of the game. You want to make sure it will turn before you dump it full of fresh oil and try to get it running. Here is a link with good read from LarrBeard. Take many pictures for your thread, anything you need to question. It is tough to do over the internet but pictures and questions, along with the very important service manuals, can make a great mechanic out of you. No one here will get annoyed if you need to ask for information no matter how basic. Every mechanic had to pick up the tools and get started.

https://willysjeepforum.kaiserwillys...Best-Practices

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/vehicle...-station-wagon

Thank you!! I should mention that when we initially tried to turn it we bought marvel mystery oil and put it in the spark plug holes. We let it sit for a day and then my husband used a long wrench to try to turn it. He couldn’t get it to turn. I’m not willing to accept that as it’s toast yet. If it ran when it was parked and it only has 63k miles on it then I don’t feel like it should be seized. Granted the information I have about it running could be wrong. I’m also not 100% sure that the odometer hasn’t flipped, but I was told to look at the ware on the pedals to see how much ware and tear they have. Hopefully to determine if its 63k or 163k miles. The pedals are in really good shape. I can’t imagine it being 163. I do have more of the marvel oil that I can put in it if that’s the way to keep going. It doesn’t have any fluids in it. Also the Tornado had oil leakage issues, so there is a chance that it did have a catastrophic issue before being parked. I sure hope that’s not the case, but realistically, it is possible. I’ll add a picture of the pedals to my album so you can see where I get my thoughts on the mileage.

13 years isn’t very long but the wetter the climate the less time it takes to rust things up. Other factors like getting parked with well used oil or a head gasket leak will accelerate the process and it’s always possible your friend remembers incorrectly about the Jeep’s status when parked there.

Just saw your pictures Kim, good stuff! https://willysjeepforum.kaiserwillys...hp?albumid=168 Nice find for sure. The pistons can definitely seize in the bores when they set for a long time. It sounds like you have the fundamentals. You are doing the right thing with the oil in the cylinders and attempting to turn it over by hand. Definitely the first step is to get it to roll over. In any event it is all there and I am sure it can be restored. Worst case you will learn how to rebuild an engine. An enjoyable thing if you look at it from the prospective of what you have there, a great start to a nice restore.

I feel like I totally scored for the condition and only spending $300. Even if I do have to replace the motor I don’t feel like I can go upside down in it’s value.There is no through rust anywhere except the floor pans because a window was broken out of it and the rain sat in the interior. The wheel wells, engine compartment and bed of the truck have surface rust only. I’m not looking to do a full original restoration. I want it to be usable and to have fun in it. Some of the things I do to it will be different than stock, but for reasons. Like… it came with a bench seat. I’m going to put bucket seats in it. My husband is a foot taller than me and when I drive he will be eating dash If I put a bench back in it.

Kim I guarantee you, you got a deal! Just go shopping for one as complete as yours. I doubt you will find one for 10 times what you paid.

This is gonna be fun! Mine only turned out nice with the help of forum leaders on here. Excellent knowledge and help if you need. Yours is a natural, true, and beautiful example. That rear wrap bumper, the small back window, purchase price, all pure gold. Really looking forward to your build progress.

You are definitely on the right track! The Marvel Mystery oil is good stuff, but I've been experimenting with Evop-o-Rust as of today. I bought a gallon at Wally World for $20, and am letting a one gallon steel fuel tank soaking in it to see how it does. In theory, the rust be-gone stuff may work on cylinder walls and piston rings to break them free. More to follow tomorrow evening.

Just for fun… here is what I found for decoding of the SN.

3406B 12115

34 = J-300, 4WD, Gladiator
06 = Cab & Chassis, Truck
B = 6600# Max, Truck

1 = Left hand drive
2115 = sequential serial number

https://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/vin_61-65.htm

You are "gettin' into it" now Kim! Be sure to order a service manual. Lots of good reading in there.