I ran across a great website for the history of my Project called, of all things,
Silver Anniversary CJ5. Looking at this website, I was able to verify that my CJ5 is indeed the real article. Here's what I found out:
- My VIN number is has all the identifying marks of the original produced SA CJ5s. My VIN is the same on the VIN Tag in the glove box and the Paint and Trim plate in the engine compartment.
- Digit 1: J
- Digit 2: 9 for 1979
- Digit 3: F for 3 Speed (T150). The other options were A/B for Automatic, or M for 4 Speed (T18A)
- Digit 4-5: 83 for the 83" wheelbase on the CJ5
- Digit 6: A for the Normal suspension (3750 lbs.). The other option was E for Heavy Duty (4150 lbs.).
- Digit 7 - H for the 304/2-barrel engine. Other options were A for 258/1-barrel, B for Inline 4/1-barrel, C for 258/2-barrel, and N for 360/2-barrel.
- Digits 8-13: 849XXX for the Production Number indicating the Brampton (Canada) Jeep plant (started at 800001). The other option was the Toledo Jeep factory (numbers 000001 through 799999).
- My Paint and Trim code data plate matches what is known for the SA CJ5s:
- Second line starts with 8C indicating the paint code for the SA CJ5. According to the afore mentioned website:
- 8C = this is the paint code for 1979 Silver Anniversary CJ-5s. It represents Quicksilver Metallic, which according to some former employees was available at AMC’s Brampton (Ontario) Canada plant, and hence was one of the reasons all SAs were built at AMC Canada. It is believed that Quicksilver was leftover paint inventory at the plant from production several years prior. Note: this color is not listed in AMC/Jeep 1979 service and parts literature, although factor sales documents do mention this type of paint was used especially for SA edition CJ-5s.
- Second line has 1CS for the Trim Code for the SA CJ5. This is the Vinyl that is put on Jeep.
- I've got a (rather worn) glove box medallion.
- I've got the distinctive interior, but also rather worn.