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CJ-3B Pricing and Factory Options


For information on current selling prices, see further down this page.

Patrick Foster's Standard Catalog of Jeep 1940-2003 lists the following base prices for the CJ-3B in the U.S. from 1953-65:

1953-54 $1377
1955 $1411
1956 $1503
1957 $1799
1958-60 $1888
1961 $1890
1962 $1960
1963 $2015
1964-65 $2117

The 1953 price of US$1377 is confirmed in Harry Shank's 1953 sales agreement (120K JPEG) from Burbank, California.

A 1954 CJ-3B was sold in Inglewood, California for $1740.00 according to the original bill of sale (30K GIF).

The invoice for a 1961 model (70K GIF) sold in New Jersey looked like this:

1 CJ-3B Jeep Universal red $2049.65
1 oil bath air cleaner $ 14.23
1 oil filter $ 12.25
1 heater & defroster $ 83.94
1 directional signals $ 26.81
1 front canvas top $ 100.53
1 freight $ 54.16
1 drawbar -- no charge

A 1965 invoice from Texas (70K JPEG) shows a good price of $2000.

The CJ-3B was also sold in a farm version (priced at $1439 in 1953) and as a fire truck, or a stripped-down chassis for specialty vehicles.

Agricultural options included:

  • Power Take-Off (typical price $96.25)
  • Drawbar ($21.40)
  • Front Bumper Bar Weight
  • Passenger seat ($46.55)
  • HD 9-1/4" clutch ($7.71)
  • Radiator Shaft Screen
  • Single 16 in. or Double 12 in. Plow
  • Two-Disc, 26 in. Plow
  • Brush and Bog Harrow
  • Tandom Disc Harrow
  • Spring Tooth Harrow
  • 6 ft. Field and Pasture Cultivator
  • 6 ft. or 7 ft. Mower
  • Terracing Blade
  • 30" blade Saw
  • 32" or 44" Post Hole Digger
  • Corn Picker
  • Scoop with Levelling Blade

See a price list of agricultural implements, c.1954 (35K GIF.)

Lineman Using a CJ-3B

Compressor on a CJ-3B

Industrial equipment options included:

  • 60 or 105 C.F.M. Compressors
  • 12.5 K.V.A. Generator
  • 300 amp D.C. Arc Welder
  • Hydro-Grader and Terracer
  • Lift-Type Overland Scraper
  • Pulley for Center Power Take-Off ($57.40)
  • Monroe Hydraulic Implement Lift ($225.00)
  • Power Take-Off and Tow Bar Hitch
  • Centrifugal-Type King-Seeley Governor ($28.65)
  • Brush Guards for Front and Rear Propeller Shafts
  • Baffle Plate for the Transfer Case
  • Special Wheels and 7 in. Tires ($4.00)
  • Front Soldenized Mildew-Resistant Duck Top
  • Rear Top
  • Half and Full Canvas and Metal Tops
  • High Temperature Thermostat
  • High Altitude Cylinder Head
  • Passenger Safety Rail and Rear Seat (1955 on)

Current Prices

Bart McNeil did this analysis of CJ-3B selling prices posted to an online Flatfender Price Board before mid-2001:

"The Flatfender Price Board now has approximately 80 entries so I thought I would do my own analysis of CJ-3B sales. I disqualified 2A's and 3A's from my analysis and I also disqualified any 3B with a non-3B engine, based on probable alterations and the fact that I would regard these as "engineless" vehicles. No preference given as to year; one 3B is as good as any other. The total number of 3B's surveyed was 29. I assigned these categories:

Category A: Excellent or close to excellent condition (9 vehicles)

Category B: Work needed but generally operable, a good candidate for restoration (10 vehicles)

Category C: Serious work needed to being it up to acceptable condition for restoration (5 vehicles)

Category D: Major work needed or good for parts vehicle (5 vehicles)

"I would guess that category D is skewed by the fact that someone buying a 3B for parts might not bother to enter the info in the survey. The categories are of course mine, and others would interpret them differently. In my view the above is interesting, but has no real surprises." -- Bart

Book Values

Jim Allen's Illustrated Classic 4x4s Buyer's Guide (1997) lists these suggested prices for a CJ-3B of any year, in the following conditions:

Restorable vehicle but rough

$400-900
Good overall and fairly complete

$1800-3000
Restoration or outstanding original

$5000-7500

A 1998 issue of the bimonthly Old Cars Price Guide - The Definitive Publication for Enthusiasts, Collectors, and Dealers (from Krause Publications, 1-800-258-0929) gives the following prices for 1955-62 CJ-3B's, with 53-54 models and post-62 models going for slightly less:

1955-62 parts

$500
1955-62 driveable

$2750
1955-62 mint

$13,700

Patrick Foster's Standard Catalog of Jeep 1940-2003 (also from Krause Publications) gives the following values for 1953-62 CJ-3B's, with 1963-65 models about 15% less. The higher figures here perhaps represent inflation in the value of collectible automobiles generally in recent years.

1953-62 parts car (weathered, wrecked or stripped)

$750
1953-62 good (driveable)

$3750
1953-62 excellent (95+ points show car)

$18,700

Thanks to Bart. Also to John McClenathen and Chet Couvillon for the invoices from their grandfathers' Jeeps, and Glenn Byron for the implement price list. -- Derek Redmond


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Last updated 23 March 2007 by Derek Redmond redmond@queensu.ca
http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Pricing.html
All content not credited and previously copyright, is copyright Derek Redmond