1960 Cj5 Starter Button

I'm about to start a frame off restoration of a 1960 CJ5 that's been in my family since 1968. I learned to drive in it, and it has a lot of meaning to me. I want to restore it as close to factory as possible, but I have a minor mystery that I need to solved first.

The upper left dashboard has, about 6 inches above the vacuum line, a chrome starter button that has, for as long as we have had the Jeep, been abandoned in favor of a standard key starter switch. The button has what looks stock and has what looks like factory wiring leading to a firewall mounted starter relay that still operates, albeit not connected to anything.

My question is whether this switch is actually factory or not. If it is, I certainly want to restore it to operation. But I haven't found anything like it in any of my research. Can anyone verify if this was factory or an add-on? Thanks!

 

Factory starter switch is the key switch.
No push button on dash.

 

horn button

 

Just for the record, a reminder that early CJ5 has a foot-button starter. The One True Starter, in my book.

 

Agreed. Real jeeps use foot button starters

 

Guys - the original poster asked a question about the starter switch on a '60 CJ-5. I presume that's been answered. The Jeep came from the factory with a starter switch that's part of the keyed ignition, as was used in millions of passenger vehicles from that era. Along the way, someone added the dash button to run the starter.

It seems that the earliest CJs (and the M38A1?) had a foot-operated starter switch, next to the throttle pedal. While quaint and charming, I presume this switch is not correct for a '60 Jeep.

Let us not confuse the original poster with our nostalgic preferences.

Also welcome Chris Patterson - please feel free to ask questions about your CJ-5.

 

The post was under "Restoration and Research" and accurate info for keeping jeeps original is an important function of this site, IMHO.

I was responding to the statement above (where production year was not specified) in the hope that it would clarify for the archive that such is not universally the case. New owners of an early year CJ5 might have been misled by it.

The 'nostalgia' was merely light humor, also common to many threads here.

 

He posted year 1960 in the header and content.
I spoke for 1960.