I think I’ve died and gone to Jeep heaven, because my trusty $600 Jeep Cherokee and I just stumbled upon the most incredible Jeep junkyard I’ve ever seen. I want to live in it.
On our return to Michigan from Moab, Project Swiss Cheese and I took a break in Colorado Springs to help fix a friend’s AMC inline-six. On our way back from a machine shop, my trusty steed and I came upon an absolute goldmine for Jeep enthusiasts: an indoor junkyard filled with the most random Jeep parts I’ve ever seen.
As I walked into FN Jeep in Colorado Springs, I was greeted with a wall of old Willys grilles. But I had no idea what I was about to walk into. After a few more steps past the entrance, my mind melted.
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This was a huge warehouse filled with almost every Jeep part you could ever even think of.
I walked through the warehouse, wide-eyed, with a steady drip of drool escaping my mouth. A salesperson came up and asked “Hello, how can I help you?” I just stood there, mouth agape, trying to process where I was. Had my $600 Jeep actually sent me off a cliff? Is this heaven? Do I have to pay rent to live here? Is there rent in heaven?
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After getting myself together and buying a fender and shifter lever for my Jeep collection, I walked through the vast aisles of this Jeeptopia, amazed at the sheer volume of strange Jeep components on the shelves.
You need fuel rails? They’ve got dozens of them in a big pink bin. You want throttle and transmission kick-down cables? They’ve got scores of them hanging on the back wall. You want hood prop-rods? They’ve got hundreds of them in a bucket. You need shifters for your Jeep J10‘s T177 transmission? They’ve got boxes full of the things.
That’s the thing that makes this junkyard special— it’s not a typical “You Pull It” kind of yard—all the parts are already removed. And it’s also not your typical warehouse filled with new-old-stock parts. This place basically takes wrecked Jeeps, pulls the parts off, and keeps everything. And I do mean everything. Some of the stuff for sale I would never even think to buy used.
Here are some pictures of the random Jeep-y goodness. Prepare your minds:
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Buckets Of Engine And Transmission Dipsticks
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I guess. Why not?
Fuel And Transmission Hard-Lines
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I mean, I guess. Never really thought about it.
Used Water Pumps
Randomness Level: 4/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: It’s a very bad idea.
Crates and Crates Of Air Boxes
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Do it.
Two Giant Bins Filled With Starters and Alternators
Randomness Level: 3/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, but have it tested at an auto parts store.
Cylinder Heads Out The Wazoo
Randomness Level: 2/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, but have it cleaned, checked for cracks and valve seating.
So Many Axle Shafts
Randomness Level: 5/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, but get new u-joints.
Axles and Leaf Springs
Randomness Level: 1/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Axles—yes. Leaf springs—questionable, but I’d do it.
Steering Intermedia Shafts
Randomness Level: 6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, just check the u-joint.
A Bucket Of Hood Prop Rods
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I guess so. Why not?
A Shelf Of Carburetors Next To A Barrel Of Track Bars
Randomness Level: carbs—1/10, track bars—6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: carbs— sure, just rebuild it. Track bar—probably not. Used bushings and ball joints can be dangerous. I’d do it, but I’m cheap.
Two Bins Filled With Shifters
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes. I bought one for my Jeep J10.
Steering Wheels
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Just make sure the airbag works. But sure.
Gas Tanks
Randomness Level: 6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I probably would.
XJ Rear Tailgates
Randomness Level: 1/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Definitely.
Jeep Wrangler Grille Support Rods
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes.
Tons And Tons Of Differential Rings And Pinions
Randomness Level: 4/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, just check the gear ratio and gear-tooth wear.
Seat Belts and Differential Carriers
Randomness Level: Differential Carriers—4/10, seatbelts—6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Carrier—Sure, just check the gear and bearing wear. Seatbelts—I guess so, why not.
Trash Cans Full Of Drag Links and Tie Rods
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: You probably shouldn’t. Ball joints wear out, and these parts aren’t too expensive new. I’d do it, but I’m cheap.
Lots Of Gas Tank Straps
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, but they’re not too expensive new, either.
Rotors And Knuckles
Randomness Level: 6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I wouldn’t. Rotors are cheap, but if you have used ones machined, it’s probably fine. Knuckles you can buy used, no problem.
Oil Pans And Distributors
Randomness Level: 5/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Oil pan—yes. Distributor—check gear and bearing, replace cap, rotor and maybe magnetic pickup, and you’re good.
Flywheels, Pressure Plates and Flex Plates
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Perhaps, just make sure you have it balanced with your crank.
Vacuum/Evap Canisters
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, as long as it’s not cracked.
Engine Computers
Randomness Level: 4/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes. These aren’t cheap new.
Shelves of Intake Manifolds
Randomness Level: 6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes.
A Pink Bucket Full Of Fuel Rails
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure.
A Shelf Of AC Compressors
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Check the clutch and bearing, but I probably would.
Boxes and Pistons and Connecting Rods
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: As long as you get new rings, and have them balanced with your crankshaft, sure.
Tons of Fender Flares
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure.
Lots Of Glass
Randomness Level: 6/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: No reason not to.
Shelves Of Transfer Cases
Randomness Level: 2/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Absolutely. Don’t bother buying a new one. Worst case: rebuild an old one.
Many Power Steering Pumps
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure.
A Crate of Steering Gearboxes
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: You could. I don’t think they’re .
Manual Transmissions
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, but I’d rebuild it.
Automatic Transmissions
Randomness Level: 2/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I probably would.
Jeep CJ Dashboards
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes.
Old Copper/Brass Radiators
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: If you want to keep your car original, sure. Just have it checked by a shop for leaks.
Coolant And Windshield Washer Bottles
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes.Jeep Frames
Jeep Frames
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: If you need a frame, you kinda have to buy one used.
Jeep CJ and Wrangler Tubs
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes. OEM tubs are better than aftermarket ones.
Differential and Transfer Case Yokes
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes.
Crankshafts and Camshafts
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes, but take it to a machine shop to have it checked out and balanced.
Jeep CJ Hoods
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Of course!
Box Of Window Regulators
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Do it.
Box of Thermostat Housings
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Why not? It’s just a chunk of metal.
Exhaust Manifolds, Harmonic Balancers, Pulleys
Randomness Level: Manifolds and Pulleys—4/10, harmonic balancers—8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Pulleys and manifolds—sure. Harmonic Balancers—I wouldn’t risk it. The rubber between the two rings goes bad over time.
Wheel Hubs
Randomness Level: 10/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: No, you absolutely should not. I would, because I’m very cheap, but you shouldn’t. Do as I say, not as I do.
Bell Housings
Randomness Level: 8/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Yes. It’s just a hunk of aluminum.
AC Hard LInes
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I’ve never thought about it, but I guess so?
Jeep Grilles
Randomness Level: 1/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: You don’t really have a choice.
HVAC Blower Motors
Randomness Level: 9/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: Sure, though they’re not too expensive new.
Heater Cores And Condensers
Randomness Level: 7/10. Should You Buy A Used One?: I’d take it to a shop to have it inspected before installing it, but sure..
