76-79 rear tub differances

im restoring a 79 cj-5 but im putting a 77 tub on it. my 79 doesnt have a tailgate and the 77 does. i cant find a plain rear valance without the tailgate mounts for my tub. they make one for a 75 model. would the 75 work on a later tub? im not sure i want to keep the tailgate but return it to a non tailgate model. thanks!

 

76 was a new body design that went until the end of production for the CJ-5. 75 is a different size tub.

 

Well, the exterior size of the body is the same across the 75-76 boundary, but the floors and mounts change a lot. I'd think you can probably use the earlier solid back panel parts to fill in the tailgate on your '77 tub, but I also expect you don't need to adapt the wrong parts. The '76-on vehicles have much better parts support than the earlier vehicles, and the solid back panel was optional all through those years.

What sources have you tried fro your sheet metal? Classic Enterprises is the best known, and Jeep Parts Plus. If you give them a call, they can probably help you - Classic has a web site, and Jeep Parts Plus only has a phone # (I'd have to search for it, but you can search just as easily).

Welcome from Boston.