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CJ conversion to Roxor engine and running gear.

Joe1877

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Has anyone looked into this? I have a beautiful old CJ5 that could use an update. The Roxor engine and running gear seems like a match made in heaven. Are the parts available or is this even feasible?
 

General

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Hi Joe, seems like folks can't even get gaskets or wheels from Mahindra right now. They're in full production making just completed machines. I doubt you could buy the engine now, maybe in a year. Your best bet would be to use 95% Roxor parts to resurrect your CJ. With a little modification your windshield (and all those things that bolt to it) should fit the Roxor body. Keep your registration ... easy done!
 

Campyman

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Hi Joe, seems like folks can't even get gaskets or wheels from Mahindra right now. They're in full production making just completed machines. I doubt you could buy the engine now, maybe in a year. Your best bet would be to use 95% Roxor parts to resurrect your CJ. With a little modification your windshield (and all those things that bolt to it) should fit the Roxor body. Keep your registration ... easy done!

exactly
 

BookBarbarian

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I've been looking at doing a diesel swap into a CJ. I was planning a Kubota swap.

Now I'll definitely take the Mahindra 2.5 liter over the Kubota 2.3 Liter. I don't mind waiting a year or two.
 

Campyman

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I've been looking at doing a diesel swap into a CJ. I was planning a Kubota swap.

Now I'll definitely take the Mahindra 2.5 liter over the Kubota 2.3 Liter. I don't mind waiting a year or two.

I'll bet you'll have a lot less work to do if you convert to a mahindra.
 

Campyman

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That's what I'm thinking, especially if I grab the Transmission too.

I hate to hope that someone crashes theirs, but getting a whole salvage Roxor would be ideal.

I'd keep an eye on youtube. Maybe if someone posts a video of a guy crashing his roxor you could send them a message and offer money for the driveline.
 

txroadkill

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Try getting on an auto salvage auction list. Something like copart. They take in and sell cars to atvs for insurance companies.
 

BookBarbarian

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jrobz23

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And I've always been partial to CJ5s.

Me too. My favorite Jeep model, specially the earlies.

Using the T90 would be ideal in that build, IMO, due to size, strength, cost, and native compatibility with the Spicer18 for your axles (assuming you don't want a huge engineering project). The engine would fit great in the bay since the front is effectively identical in size.

I'm also digging into mechanical pump options. Hopefully these pan out so the swap becomes all nuts/bolts and we'd be able to reuse the fuel tank setup too, as no real bolt-in aftermarket seat/frame/mount solution exists - to my knowledge.
 

BookBarbarian

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Me too. My favorite Jeep model, specially the earlies.

Using the T90 would be ideal in that build, IMO, due to size, strength, cost, and native compatibility with the Spicer18 for your axles (assuming you don't want a huge engineering project). The engine would fit great in the bay since the front is effectively identical in size.

I'm also digging into mechanical pump options. Hopefully these pan out so the swap becomes all nuts/bolts and we'd be able to reuse the fuel tank setup too, as no real bolt-in aftermarket seat/frame/mount solution exists - to my knowledge.

I'd been planning the CJ5 Kubota conversion with an SM465 and Overdrive for quite a while now. Was just waiting on the funds to build (and i need to finish another project actually).

Then the Roxor came on the scene and had me thinking. If that had a Doubler for a lower crawl ratio it would get me everything I wanted from my jeep build idea (minus looking like an early CJ5), and be a hell of a lot easier than a build, if more expensive. Even without the doubler it would tackle 85% of what I'd want just fine. More than fine really.

Then came my idea to Frankenstein the two ideas. It's all pie in the sky at this point.
 

jrobz23

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I'd been planning the CJ5 Kubota conversion with an SM465 and Overdrive for quite a while now. Was just waiting on the funds to build (and i need to finish another project actually).

Then the Roxor came on the scene and had me thinking. If that had a Doubler for a lower crawl ratio it would get me everything I wanted from my jeep build idea (minus looking like an early CJ5), and be a hell of a lot easier than a build, if more expensive. Even without the doubler it would tackle 85% of what I'd want just fine. More than fine really.

Then came my idea to Frankenstein the two ideas. It's all pie in the sky at this point.

I was in the same spot, except my '57 is rough, so the Roxor is actually a cheaper route to get me where I wanted to be (body cleanup, diesel, yj springs, swing pedals, overdrive, saginaw, etc). Sadly, I had already cut up my '57 a little, but it was not a great restore candidate anyway.

A killer mod for the Roxor will be a gear-reducer/underdrive that bolts to the PTO cover on the "Spicer18" like the WARN overdrive does. Even if 1.5:1, it will be awesome. That said, with the diesel, 4LO is already rather hilarious.
 

Sonnyd

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I'll bet you'll have a lot less work to do if you convert to a mahindra.
Fwiw, I don't know how the weight issue would play out with that swap. The engine and tranny/transfer case are all cast iron and heavy AF. I think that's a big reason mahindra went with a fully boxed frame. It would be interesting to see if any of that would actuly work. I know a member here is doing a body swap onto a roxor chassis but I haven't seen an update lately, I hope they do an update soon:)
 

jrobz23

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304 + T18 + Dana20 was an option all through the 70s. I can't imagine that is much lighter than the Roxor's config and the Roxor frame is MUCH beefier than a CJ5s (I have 2).
 
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i303

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If I were to do a Roxor drive train, or frame and body swap, I'd go a bit exotic.

Greenshot 2019-01-19 09.30.49.png
 
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jrobz23

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I like the Willys Wagon, Willys pickup, or XJ.
 
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