Pete M

First time out of the shop as one piece

The name of the new crew cab is “COMANCHE CREW” (The “Crew” is from a new Dodge Durango)

Used 02 Nissan Frontier “Crew Cab” roof rack is a perfect fit

01 Cherokee gas tank mount in rear of 87 Comanche frame (rear mount detail – note factory straps are reused)

01 Cherokee rear clip – plastic gas tank mount (reusing a portion in Crew Cab) 87 Comanche rear frame – will mount Cherokee plastic gas tank here (where spare used to be)

Exhaust, Driveshaft, Emergency brakes, Fuel and brake lines (wiring remaining)

After the stretch the body line on the Cherokee ran up hill in the rear door. The Comanche rear cab metal ridge must be cut out and moved up ¼” to re align with the Cherokee rear door and the bed shimmed up the same amount .

Rear lower Cherokee door wheel well opening against the Comanche lower door post – more fabrication or we could leave it for air conditioning

Comanche Crew rear roof section after welding a 2.5” wide Cherokee ridged section to smooth transition piece from the Cherokee and a Comanche smooth rear roof section which was taller and tilted forward and down at the front for a rear roof spoiler effect

Comanche and Cherokee rear roof gap – Note the raised ribsections in Cherokee roof – Comanche was flat but 1” taller

18 ga. hand made driveshaft tunnel – shaped with cardboard pattern in a borrowed sheet metal roller (3 hour process but was a first for me)

Comanche Rocker box section and Cherokee rear rocker box section (the Comanche rocker box was narrower than the Cherokee at the transition point) (the Comanche rocker box was modified to match the Cherokee dimension at the transition point)

Transition completed for Comanche lower post section and Cherokee upper rear door post section – Upper is Cherokee / lower is Comanche

Comanche rear post / roof section and Cherokee rear door upper post / roof section – achieved final Comanche Crew alignment. It was a very big relief when the rear door was re- attached and all the door / body gaps were in alignment – we had a successful project in the making – just along way to go

1987 – 2001 Preparation Comanche rear section and Cherokee front section – bringing them together

floor pan cut separated from back portion NOTE: Saved as much of Cherokee driveshaft tunnel as possible

upper rear door post cut NOTE: The fabricated frame and cross-bracing must hold upper rear door post aligned – floor pan / frame rail / rocker box are cut – Offset cut to use all of the driveshaft tunnel

Cherokee preparation / disassembly begins- A fabricated stiff cross brace from the upper rear door hinge to rear door latch is crucial for maintaining door post alignment

Frame rail and rocker box cross-section cut – Cut in front of transmission cross member – will reuse x member for strength Crew cab will have both Cherokee and Comanche transmission cross members

1987 Comanche Preparation Rear of 87 Comanche – Note frame rails formed from under cab unibody rails

2001 was the last year for production of the Jeep Cherokee (box version). There were millions made during the production run from 1984 to 2001 and they were very good vehicles (2 dr and 4 dr versions were built). This one is a fully loaded 2001 4x4 classic with only 78K miles and is in very good condition. 4.0 (242 cu in) in line 6 with auto trans and 231 transfer case. Then add a rust free 2001 Cherokee 4x4 sport utility built by Jeep

“Comanche Crew” by Britt McNeely (and friends) 2001 Jeep “Comanche Crew” crew cab hand built pickup (model XMJ) – the one that Detroit should have built but did not – McNeely Enterprises made it happen(with some help from friends) Starting with a red 1987 Jeep Comanche (MJ) short bed truck and a white 2001 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) 4x4, 4 door loaded “sport” both very straight /rust free (the 2001 was purchased in white for a reason – hides bodywork well J) Project planned since the early 90s - began 3/27/10 and finished 8/1/2013 OK – I did cut two perfectly good vehicles into four pieces not knowing with 100% confidence that I would end up with one new vehicle (and 2 extra pieces) – but it did work! Wheel base of the new 4 door Comanche Crew stretched about 45”. Overall length after all modifications to be about the same as a 2004 Dodge Dakota Quad cab but the Jeep will have a full 6’ bed. The Jeep Comanche pickup was made from late 1985 until 1992 and was only available in a regular cab with a 6 ft or 7 ft bed. It was offered in 2x4 and 4x4 with many different trims and drive train options. The truck was based on the already existing Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicle (identical from rear of front door (4 dr) forward) and maybe the only pickup ever to have a uni-body front frame and rear frame rails to bolt a separate bed to. Let’s take a rust free 1987 Comanche 2 x 4 short bed truck built by Jeep