GonzoTheGreat

That looks like a perfect fit. How was the material to work with? Did you have to score it to get the harder angles? Or just use heat?

This is one of my favorite builds on this site. Congrats!

Compared to the Canada-US border, down here it’s a whole different world. Mexico is the only one you can prep in advance online, and they require a lot, but they were the most organized. You need a tourist permit for each person (called an FMM) which you can get online for like $40 and a TIP (temporary import permit) for the truck. The TIP is handled through a third party agency with offices at the border, and at consulates in the US that are in border states. I couldn’t get mine online because the truck is older than 10 years, so we went in person in Houston. You have to buy private liability insurance, pay a fee for the TIP, and put down a deposit, based on the vehicle value, that gets returned when you exit and cancel the TIP. When we got to the Guatemala border, we returned all paperwork on the Mexico side, crossed the bridge, and went through the whole process again. Rinse and repeat at every border. Each crossing took from 1-4.5 hours depending on the organization level at the offices. Each border had its own nuances. Sometimes you pay a fee for the stamp or the TIP, other times no. Costa Rica has mandatory, government sponsored liability insurance you buy at the border. Nicaragua has mandatory private insurance with hawkers all around the office at the border. Guatemala and Honduras had no insurance available. There is also supposed to be the CA-4 visa sharing program, where Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, all function as one zone with one stamp in and out, like Europe, but that turned out to be total BS. We had to get passports stamped in and out at every border, and get a TIP for the Comanche for each country. You also need printed copies of everything (drivers license, passport, vehicle registration, etc) at each border. I actually brought a printer with me that I bought for cheap off Facebook before the trip, and a 300W cigarette lighter inverter, so I could print anything that I forgot right on the Comanche bench. And if all of this makes me sound pretty organized, don’t be deceived, because we were totally making it up as we went. The night before each crossing, there was a lot of googling going on to make sure we had what we needed. My favorite one had to be the entrance to Honduras though. We got stamped in and started the TIP paperwork at 7:45am on a Friday. They said they’d do the best they could, but there’s a power outage planned for 8:00. Idk how that’s a normal occurrence at a government office, but ok. 8:04 they have all the info entered on the computer, but just before they hit submit, the power goes out. No problem, they have an office down the street with a generator. I hop in the truck, the agent takes his desktop computer, and gets in his car, we drive to the other office. Long story short, after a lengthy process tracking down keys, and getting the genny on, we still had no power, so I took my multimeter out of the truck, and I went ahead and started troubleshooting. I found the breaker that wasn’t latched, and got power back on in the building. But still, no internet. So eventually the agent took off and found somewhere to finish our paperwork. He was back within the hour, and we were finally done. The guys were super nice, and none of this was their fault, but 4.5 hours to get this silly slip of paper was ridiculous. You definitely have to be flexible. That was the only time we had to significantly change plans though. If you can be patient with bureaucratic BS, it’s not bad. Speaking Spanish makes a huge difference too.

Yeah! We're still up to our shenanigans for a few more days. May 30, the truck goes into storage at a customs warehouse to suspend the temporary import permit. Then I can begin 6 months of anxiety until I see it again in December. We stayed a few days in Bahia de San Augustin, and I had the alternator fixed in La Crucecita! It really is a beautiful place. I can't wait to go back! We've been cruising around the Nicoya Peninsula for most of this month. The plan is to see more of the rest of the country on the return trip. I'm super happy to be driving a rugged, simple vehicle, with decent ground clearance. Most of the roads here are dirt, and typically is disrepair. Also, with the rainy season starting now, a lot of the river crossings (bridges are rare on the small roads) are starting to get deeper. I continue to be impressed with what 2WD and cheap summer slicks can accomplish. One more week of fun, then it's back to the whole "contribute to society" thing so I can get money. I'll post one more update probably when the truck is tucked away in the storage yard.

This is sad news. He was such a huge help to so many people. I know I'm not alone saying that his tips have helped keep my Jeeps on the road. Condolences to the family.

It’s not much of an update, but I washed off 9,000 miles worth of dead bugs and dirt, and gave the engine bay a quick wipe down, rainXed the windshield, checked fluids, tire pressure, etc.

And then we arrived! Guanacaste, Costa Rica. For the number crunchers, that's 9k miles, 7 countries, and just over 2 months. Considering I installed basically half a new Comanche over the last fall/winter, with hardly a test drive, I've gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised by how few issues the truck had. If I had my druthers, I would have preferred a 4.0/5-speed configuration, but I honestly have to say I was thoroughly impressed with how much abuse the little 2.5 could take. Next up: many more Pilsens by the beach, and then the truck will go into storage for the rainy season. I will turn some much needed attention to my bank account, and then the plan is not set in stone yet whether the truck will return north, or continue south, so we'll see what happens, come December. Thanks for reading!

We made pretty short work of the remaining countries, because we were significantly behind schedule, and needed to catch up. On the return trip I'd like to see much more, especially on the Atlantic coast. El Salvador was short but sweet. We drove straight across Honduras in one VERY long day. We stayed a few nights in Nicaragua, including a ferry ride to a volcanic island, which was super cool. I was a bit sketched out when the ride TO the island was shared with a crane. I know quite a bit of OSHA regulations, and I have some international maritime safety training, so my concerns were not unmerited, but we made it, no problems. I also got a surprise cat inspection, but my exhaust checked out ok.

If you’re still gauging interested for reproductions, I’ll put my name in.

Pushed in=hazards on. I just checked.

If this doesn’t happen before August I can throw a battery in my 88 for testing, but I haven’t run that one for a couple years. I’m outside of Worcester.

No place is as cheap as the states. Except maybe Venezuela. I miss the cheap gas at home, but all in all, it’s not too bad here. It’s better than Europe at least. Mexico is 23 pesos/L which is $5.15/gal Guatemala is 35 Quetzales/gal which is $4.51 and El Salvador is $4.35USD/gal Thanks! I don’t mind being a little unstable.

I'm a little less embarrassed knowing that other people have made this same mistake

Ok, once again, I'm a bit past-due for an update, so here goes. We finished up Mexico with a couple days in Oaxaca (super cool city, definitely worth a trip). Met some "overlander" types. I highly recommend the iOverlander app to anyone who plans to travel like this. You can guess from the pic who had the easiest time driving through the tourist districts and parking in garages. I have had no regrets about driving a 35 year old mini-truck on this trip. outside of Oaxaca we saw some pre-hispanic ruins I also drove some of the most exhilarating roads of my life. The mountains around Oaxaca are extreme. The grades are extreme, the temperature is extreme (max temp was 107F on the little thermometer I keep under the glovebox INSIDE the cab), the drivers are extreme, the road construction is extreme. Granted, I typically opt for the road less travelled, but one of these windy roads was completely torn apart for repaving, so it was brand-new asphalt, and smooth sailing one minute, then one-lane dirt construction site, with an unguarded cliff on one side, and not a single sign anywhere, just piles of rocks in the right lane, to let you know the lane ends. All was well, except another alternator altercation. The front case bearing gave up the ghost, probably in part from the blistering heat, but mostly because I bought the cheapest one on rockauto. Thanks "BBB Industries" This one is 100amps to keep up with my silly accessories, but I still had the old 60amp as a spare, so that got us into town, where I found a local guy who could source a new bearing, so we're back in action with 100amps. That was it for Mexico, and honestly, I grew up hearing a lot of negative stereotypes about this country, but I didn't find any of them to be true. I had a great time. I never once felt unsafe. The people are great. The countryside is beautiful. I'm excited for the eventual return trip! A few days ago, we crossed into Guatemala. We got the vehicle permit with no problems, just administrative BS. I felt like I was back home in MA at the RMV. We were only in Guatemala a half hour and I found a friend. I couldn't find anyone there, but I got the VIN and put it in the registry. Somebody's definitely put some work into this one. We spent some time at Lake Atitlan, in the "cloud forest." The people there are super chill. The weather was nice. The coffee is amazing. It was cool. The little 2.5L has really pulled its weight with all these elevation changes. I never wanted a stick shift more though. The AW4 can't decided between 1st and 2nd when it's in low gears, but I've only gotten the brakes hot enough to smell once, which I didn't love, but considering we've been back and forth between sea level and 5000+ feet like 8 times in the past 2 weeks, I'd say we're doing ok. Yesterday we climbed an active volcano, and camped on the inactive one next to it. This was my view over coffee this morning: So that was pretty cool. Guatemala is super beautiful. The roads are trash, and the locals drive like maniacs, but I kind of get a kick out of the challenge. I'm REEEEALY glad I put in new suspension and steering before I left though. There have been many poorly maintained roads, and google maps does not know this country. I've been routed through some pretty back-woods "streets" including countless wash-outs and one river crossing, but the best was when I drove though a mile-long dirt path with 12" deep ruts through a broccoli field that google maps told me was a public roadway. I'm well over 8k miles on this trip, and they have not been gentle miles. I can't imagine driving anything less rugged than a Comanche. Also this morning I got another tire puncture, so, shout out again to Safety Seal for the high-quality plug kit. I don't like a plug on a steering tire, but it's between tread lugs, so it should be fine. Next stop: El Salvador. We're still shooting for Costa Rica by the end of the month. And thanks guys for the comments! I'm glad you enjoy the silly shenanigans!

Another Central American beater, this one is on rt 13 in Coatepeque, Guatemala at what is now a heavy equipment mechanic. I couldn’t find anyone there, or I might have tried to trade grills or wheels. The factory roll bar is missing, and the body is in rough shape, but it’s registered, and looks like it’s been moved recently. its been there for at least 7 years according to google street view.

Ok. It's been a busy week. I've got a few updates. First off, the title of this thread is way off. I've clocked over 7k miles since Massachusetts, and I'm still only in Oaxaca. Second, some progress: We've taken the MX200 all the way from Puerto Vallarta to Oaxaca, and if anyone here plans to travel to southern Mexico, you've gotta drive this route. It's amazing. There are alpine mountains one minute, then palm trees and beaches the next, with a lot of jungle between. There are tons of little pueblos with all kinds of trinkets and fresh fruit for sale, then absolutely nothing but nature for miles. The coastline here is pristine and largely untouched by society. Calamity also struck finally. I've been getting nervous that there were no major disasters with the truck, so I feel a lot better now that something broke. I was going down one of said mountains, and the brake pedal got real soft. I never wished more that I had a stick shift, but the AW4 low gears worked great, and whatever that weird magic is that happens in the brake proportioning valve worked. I had blown the hardline on the rear passenger side. The fluid didn't drain all the way out, and I didn't totally lose braking, so I limped a half mile to a gas station to investigate. The line had cracked and separated at the fitting on the wheel cylinder. Flare stayed in, line snapped off. How could this happen to brand new lines? Well... The guy who installed them left the entire hardline completely unsupported, and proceeded to drive several thousand miles on rough roads and cobblestone. Bad vibrations. The beach boys would not approve. There was a parts store across the street by some incredible good fortune, though I cried a little when the guy said he could only sell me a compression fitting and some preflared line, and did not have a flare tool. I do not like compression fittings. They are not DOT approved, they are not capable of withstanding the maximum pressure created in hydraulic brake systems during panic-brake situations. However, I didn't want to stay at that gas station forever, so it is what it is. Later, down the coast, we camped at this crazy Canadian dude's pizza shop on the beach. And while all of that sounded cool enough, when he let us into the back yard, I see a CJ-8! It's a work in progress. Someone had swapped in a forklift engine and tranny. He's sourcing parts to put back a 258, or maybe a cummins 4 cylinder. I also had to stop when I finally saw another Comanche. It's in rough shape, but the owner still uses it to haul water. And yes, I got the VIN, and put it in the registry. There was also this laundromat I couldn't use, for obvious reasons And finally, a pic of the MJ under the palms, because it looks damn good here.

I saw this MJ at a mechanic shop/junkyard(?) on MX200 in San Pedro Cacahuatepec, Guerrero, Mexico. It's being used as a water truck locally (and I mean locally. The fuel tank is a 4L water bottle in the engine bay.) The TBI set up is swapped out for a carburetor. It's beat up pretty bad, but still functions. The owner offered to sell me parts off of it, but there's not too much desirable stuff, and I was afraid if I stripped all the MJ specific parts, it would be in the fast lane for the crusher. It's the one on the left...

Their pics are from all over the states and Canada. I did message the page, and they confirmed that they are in Chicago, which matches a google search, but looking at the street view and satellite, they don't look like the kind of place with an online presence, and definitely not a place that does specialty part-outs. Someone can call the junkyard and ask. Or if anyone is local to Chicago they could drop by.

I had some time to get into the door cards this week. The driver side door check was never functional, so I put one in from a later XJ with the rubber stopper. While I had one door open, I figured I’d open the passenger side too, and put in the pair of ~96 XJ vinyl vapor barriers I had been carrying around. it stopped the draft I was getting around the door handle, and maybe it’s a placebo effect, but I think it cut down on road noise. I also really didn’t love the look of the bed cap at first, but it’s kind of growing on me.

Oooh, I can’t forget this one:

10/10 I would go back to Real De Catorce. It was a cool town. We also coincidently arrived on good friday, and since latin america goes all out for "Semana Santa," we got to see some religious ceremonies. From there, we kept going through the mountains. we drove through "Tequila" Mexico. We finally arrived on the west coast a couple days ago. It's nice to see the ocean again. Not nice to find a flat tire yesterday morning, but I was prepared for the occasion. Shoutout to Safety Seal by the way. I will never use one of those autoparts store plug kits again. I'm always afraid the plastic handle is going to shatter and impale my palm. The safety seal kit has solid metal t-handles, replaceable insertion forks, and plugs that don't slice in two when you insert them. I'm also really glad I bought that stanley jumper/compressor. It's nice not even having to dismount the wheel to get me back on the road.

Ok, I've been super busy, but I'm past due for an update, so here goes: We crossed into Mexico at Laredo. It was super confusing where to go for immigration. I think that's how it always is there, but it was compounded by construction at the immigration office. All of our paperwork was in order though, so once we figured out where to clear in, there were no issues for us or the truck. I didn't want to hang around the border zone too much, so we headed straight for the mountains. The scenery has been pretty epic. We spent a couple days outside of Monterrey, and then I found this little Pueblo called "Real De Catorce." There was a pic of a Willy's Wagon on there on google, which may or may not have influenced my decision to visit As it turns out, in addition to being like, the peyote capital of Mexico (I did not inhale), this town is FULL of Willy's Wagon-like "Jeeps" (and one SJ and one CJ-5). And although only one local tried to buy my Comanche on the spot, I think the truck got a lot of local respect. I kid you not, there are more than 20 of these things there as part of a tour agency. I'm not sure what they actually are though. It looks like a modified full-sized Ford chassis, but I really don't know enough about Fords or Willy's Wagons to know exactly what I was looking at. My Spanish is absolutely pitiful, and the lady friend speaks fluent Spain-Spanish, but is illiterate when it comes to automotive, so communication with the locals was a challenge. If anyone else wants to visit and find out more, it's pretty easy to get to. Only several hours from any major airport, then a 15 mile drive on cobblestone, followed by a 1.5 mile single lane train tunnel-turned-roadway, which dumps you into a densely packed pedestrian shopping zone, which you are expected to drive though to find parking on the other side. Needless to say, there were not a lot of gringos in this town.

I don’t have a pic, but both of the full gauge clusters involved in the surgery were not originally column shift. I think all renix full clusters are the same, but don’t quote me on that.

Mexico doesn’t recognize any other country’s, so I had to get a one-month policy just for them. I’m still figuring out the rest Also, here’s some pics of the more touristy side of the trip. Primarily the food-tourism the last pic is fried gator on a stick. I had to try it I couldn’t believe it actually DID taste like chicken! I know some of this is no big deal for some of you, but as a traveling mass-hole I get a kick of this stuff.

A few updates: I finished wiring the fan, lights, and third brake light in the cap. the fan and lights run off the house battery. The DC-DC charger has performed flawlessly. In February, I also replaced the steering linkage with all new Moog parts I didn't like the exhaust being all hodge-podged together, so I put in a new Walker tailpipe, and shoehorned a "stainless" KJ muffler in there because it's a lot bigger than the MJ one, and then welded everything solid. The tailpipe is whisper-quiet now, but it doesn't really matter with all the added noise from the header. When the engine got hot, the power steering pump whined pretty loud, so I put in an auto parts store fluid cooler, and it's been fine since. I also added cruise control (I'll tidy up the wiring and vacuum stuff later ), which hasn't worked, but I haven't had a chance yet to figure out why.