Cheap, Weird, And Broken: 1974 Jeep DJ-5 vs 1987 Renault Alliance

We’ve reached the end of another week, and while I usually would either do a shootout between the week’s winners, or blow the price cap and look at something more expensive, I kinda feel like we went a little over-budget this week. And the winners don’t really lend themselves to comparison. So instead, I’m going the other way with the price – with two unusual cars that only cost a grand each.

I think the best way to describe yesterday’s results is with the phrase “silent majority.” Looking at the comments before checking the poll results, as I always do, I assumed that this was another complete blowout in favor of the modified Firebird. But I was completely wrong; the GTI took home nearly sixty percent of the votes.

A couple of you wanted to know why the VW voters voted the way they did. I can’t speak for anyone else, but the reason the VW would be my choice is that it’s stock. I can refer to a repair manual to fix things, and the parts under the hood will look like the parts in the book. Don’t get me wrong; I like a good hot rod as much as the next guy, but I’m getting too old to sort out someone else’s repairs and modifications. If I’m going to drive a modified car, it’s going to be me who modified it.

What constitutes a “cheap” car is different for everyone, and it can depend a lot on circumstance. Five grand for an ordinary Chevy Malibu or something may seem like too much, while $40,000 for a Porsche 911 in the right condition might be an absolute bargain. But I think we can all agree that a grand or less is pretty cheap these days, no matter who you are. For that price, though, you’re going to have to do some work, so you might as well choose something interesting. Like these, for instance.

1974 Jeep DJ-5C Dispatcher – $999

Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter overhead valve inline 4, three-speed automatic, RWD

Location: Silverdale, WA

Odometer reading: unknown

Operational status: Engine and transmission are out

The Grumman LLV mail van has been around for so long now that it’s hard to imagine a time when it wasn’t ubiquitous. We’re all accustomed to the sound of that poor little Iron Duke four-cylinder growling its way up the street, letting us know it’s time to go out and check the mailbox. But before the LLV, another boxy little vehicle carried the mail: the Jeep DJ-5. While it looks an awful lot like a normal Jeep, it’s not – it’s two-wheel-drive, with a lighter-duty frame and a simple steel box with sliding doors for a body. Despite not really being a “real Jeep,” we all know that one madman tried to take on Moab in one.

This DJ-5 would have originally completed its appointed rounds with a 232 cubic inch AMC inline six under the hood, but that engine is long gone. The seller bought an AMC 2.5 liter four-cylinder to replace it from a Jeep custom shop, no doubt yanked out in running condition from an early XJ or something. The DJ was equipped with this engine during its last few years, so it’s a perfectly suitable replacement. The transmission is likely a Chrysler Torqueflite, and it probably works fine too. Of course, you’ll have to install it in the Jeep and try to start it up to find out for sure.

“Spartan” is a good word to describe the interior of a postal Jeep, but I think even those legendary warriors might look at this and ask, “That’s it?” A seat, a steering wheel, a shift lever, and two pedals – everything you need, and nothing else. It’s right-hand-drive, of course, so the postal carrier can easily reach mailboxes. The seat looks like it’s in decent condition, and it looks like those wires are all labeled with blue tape, so you have a chance at getting them all connected again.

To anyone who remembers David’s rusty hulk of a postal Jeep, this DJ-5 is going to look absolutely pristine. That’s the magic of western cars; they just don’t rust like cars in other places do. The white paint looks like primer, so it may have had some rust repair done, but I doubt it’s much. This one would have originally been blue with a white top and a red stripe between the colors; that was the standard livery in 1974. If it were me, I’d paint it back that way.

1987 Renault Alliance DL Convertible – $1,000

Engine/drivetrain: 1.7-liter overhead cam inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Barryton, MI

Odometer reading: 85,000 miles

Operational status: Starts and runs, but has no brakes

Jeeps of all kinds kept American Motors afloat through the 70s, but its passenger cars weren’t doing so well. A partnership with Renault promised to help its fortunes and resulted in this little car: the Renault Alliance. It was designed in a joint venture between AMC and Renault, and powered by Renault engines, but it was built in AMC’s factory in Wisconsin. Well, mostly; this convertible model was finished, as so many “factory” convertibles were in the 80s, by ASC, probably in California.

The Alliance debuted with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine, the same old Cléon-Fonte engine that had powered Renaults for decades, but in 1985, a new 1.7-liter overhead cam engine became available, and that’s what this one has. Interestingly, the Alliance was always fuel-injected, a good selling point in an era when most other economy cars still wheezed along with feedback carburetors. The seller says the engine starts and runs, and the three-speed automatic goes into gear, but the car isn’t drivable because it has no brakes. They suspect the master cylinder is shot.

I never expect much from the interiors of cars in this price range, but here I’m pleasantly surprised. This thing is actually really nice inside. The upholstery looks good, the dash isn’t cracked or trashed, and even the carpet looks all right. The interior of the Alliance is the American part, and if you’ve never sat in one before, prepare to be impressed; it’s comfy.

It’s a little banged-up outside and suffers from some really unfortunate aftermarket wheel covers, but it isn’t really rusty – certainly not by Michigan standards. You could probably just clean it up and ignore what little rust there is. This non-metallic beige paint would have been a really boring choice in the 80s, but now it’s almost a nice change of pace from all the grayscale cars on the road.

I’m actually impressed that I found two viable, worthwhile projects for this price. You’ve got a lot of headroom in the budget for parts if you’re only spending a grand (plus towing) to get the car. They’ll both be slow when you’re done, and not up to carving corners either, but they’re different – and different is good. Which one speaks to you?