So I just picked up a 65 CJ5... it's a navel air station jeep. I traded an 05 Jeep Liberty with a slipping transmission for it and a 1945 Bantam T3C trailer. Both are in pretty rough shape. the trailer doesn't have any cancerous rust on it (but a fair amount of surface rust) but I wish I could say the same about the CJ5. The entire floor needs replaced, both front and rear floors. It has cancer on the rocker panels on both sides in the usual spots, and a few other areas like on the back of the fenders where that weird little inner and outer panels are.

I want to restore it back to its original glory as a navel air station jeep, same original color (blue gray), military tires etc, I think that navy heritage may add a certain amount of value to it (because I think they were pretty rare), that maybe a regular CJ5 might not. I've considered doing a tub swap to save time in the rebuild process but I also like the idea of keeping as much of the original body as possible. I will end up replacing/repairing some side panels and the entire floor in the process anyway. It needs a new windshield frame because it has one from a later era CJ with the wipers on the bottom instead of the top, and as I get into it I'm sure I will find other surprises.

The question I have is: would it diminish the value of it much by doing a new tub (remanufactured) swap, as apposed to patching, repairing and replacing? I have considered trying to find an early CJ5 in fairly good condition and swapping the body with it. to this point I haven't seen much around let alone anything in good enough condition to swap!

thoughts?
-Paul