knever3

Very nice. I like how you organize your build with pics and prices. We should all do that and if we did it would probably end up in a will at some point! I like the Raptor stuff too, let us know how it is to work with and how it turns out.

I got more finished on the truck today. I got the front end buttoned up and worked on the power locks and door speakers. As for the locks I got some actuators with pigtails and rods from the junk yard from a Cherokee 4 door. I planned on installing the actuators and runing them from a keyless entry I had laying around. I figured the doors would be pre-drilled for the actuators and I was right. After installing the lock actuators and speakers I found out the keyless entry doesn't seem to work. :dunno: I will test some more on my bench power supply and maybe revisit it later. The speaker install went very well, albeit a little time consuming. I back mounted the 5-1/4" Diamond Audio speakers so the trim ring would sit flush to the door panel. It turned out very nice, I used more of the Dynamat Extreme I had ordered for the cab. The doors need to be sealed to have good bass response. I was not looking forward to cutting the door panels but this was the plan all along. I had the speakers in my old '98 XJ and they sounded excellent. I will mount the crossover networks in the dash maybe tomorrow before work. I still have to install my deck and amp and run the 2awg power wire I have left over from my car. It's nice to work on the truck and know that you can just start it up and move it anytime. :D

I have a Novak Adapters cable linkage so it is infinitely adjustable, I could use some pics of where the actual shifter on the case is when in 2wd, Full time 4wd etc. If it's that picky and grinds when not perfectly engaged then maybe it will work. We'll see. :dunno:

Well after fixing the trans line connector this morning I added trans fluid and antifreeze and water and fired it up! I need to figure out how to adjust the 241 transfer case because it only wants to be in 4wd, I cannot find 2wd. :hmm: It snowed this morning for the first time this year and after it got nice out so out the Comanche came into the bright sunlight under its own power no less! I have a lot more work to go but this week was all about making it run and drive which it does. If I need to get another transfer case so be it. That will not put a damper on my mood the least bit. I installed the drive shafts and tightened up the suspension bolts since I removed and reinstalled the springs with one fewer leaf and installed JKS shackles. Here are some pics outside and a short video.

It is so nice to hear a success story instead of the complaint department. More business need to follow their lead and we in turn will buy from them because word of mouth is the strongest of advertisement. Thanks for posting, by the way I love your avatar I miss that area.

Today I got the transmission line swapped out since I ripped the guts out of the first one. The new radiator has a soldered in line instead of a threaded one, somehow the line was slightly oversize since it was made of steel instead of copper. I got the drive shafts installed and I bought new heater hoses and upper and lower rad hoses. Tomorrow I will finish the trans lines and adjust the Novak transfer case linkage so I have 2wd and so on and then give it a start. Who knows, the first try? Let tomorrow tell. Wish me luck!

Yes I'll be putting A/C in the truck, but for right at this moment I want it to run and drive so the ac delete pulley won't be for sale. In time though.

I finished up the brakes today. I installed the '96 XJ dual diaphram brake booster and master cylinder. I used the existing threaded fittings except for one that turned out to be 3/16". I borrowed another flare tool from Jerami my friend that he loaned out from Advanced Auto. For some reason the one that he had made better flares. :hmm: I bled all the brake lines and drilled out the hole in the brake pedal ring with my uni-bit. After grinding off some material on the front side it fit great. The pedal is nice and steady like it should be. I got another vacuum football from a junk yard for $5 and I installed that, I worked on the vacuum lines and hooked up my starter and alternator. I was getting everything switched over from one radiator to another but I have a hard time getting the trans line out I put in. The one in the new radiator is soldered in and the one I have from the old truck snapped in and was threaded. I used my line removal tools but no dice. After getting mad and saying a few choice words my sister called to check up what's been going on lately. I guess it was time to quit for the night. I will figure out what to do tomorrow. Here is some pics of the brake booster.

Started working on the truck again. I just so happened to get sick Friday night of my first day of vacation. :fs1: I am pushing through it and I got my headliner out I bought off ebay three years ago I think. It went in ok it didn't fit like OEM that's for sure. It's too long and too wide so I had to cut it at the edges. Here are some pics of the progress getting the dash and interior in. I got a couple parts off ebay from a Junk Yard, I don't have fog lights or a rear defroster but I might use the switches for something. I ran into a stupid problem. I left the wiring from the Cherokee dash and there was only one plug that is different from the Comanche without A/C and the Cherokee with. The fan wiring goes through the dash harness to the fuse block and you have to remove all the harness and switch it over just for that one. I will cut the harness plug off the Cherokee harness and solder it onto my Comanche one because I'm not about to remove the dash again for that. :fs1: I stopped working tonight because I have to go to the parts store and get metric brake line nuts for the '96 XJ brake booster. Tomorrow, I will get the trans computer installed the brake booster and the wiring for the amp. Not bad but I am not looking forward to getting the under hood stuff done since I remade the engine harness. It doesn't fit like the original one. :( Hope you like the progress, I hope to have it on the road later this week.

Nice truck, hopefully mine will turn out just as nice next week!

I really like the project but why use a diesel that has 125hp and 180lb/ft of torque when the stock 4.0L has 190hp and 225lb/ft of torque? Is there much support for the Mercedes to make more power than stock or you just wanting better MPG's?

Which photo site do you use? I have no problem with Photobucket but I have seen some people use another site as a host and they always have problems with it because it pulls info from that site and it doesn't like it. It may be something else.

Update: Now that the bedroom house project went well and my wife is nestled in it's time to revisit the Comanche. I took next week off to finish the project. I have the engine harness in so I need to put some more flex loom on it and tidy it up. The whole interior needs to be put in so there is a TON of work to do and because I am a stickler for all the details it will take some time. Things to do: Finish engine harness. Install Cherokee power door lock actuators in doors. Install Diamond Audio components in doors. Install Keyless Entry to actuate said door locks. Install head liner and pre-wire for associated lighting and rear view lighted mirror. Install new JKS adjustable lower control arms. Adjust Novak shift linkage to transfer case. Wish me luck! :wrench:

I like the ranger rims but if the other side of the BFG's are white letter turn them around. Nice job on the engine swap. Did you use the '98 intake and exhaust manifolds? Does it seem to have a lot more power? Nice progress, I will work on mine next week and hopefully drive it before the snow flies! By the way, the blonde with you wearing flip flops and a nice coat when 4 wheeling? I will never understand that.

What a nice story thanks.

Ok, been watching this thread for a while and thought I'd chime in. No one has mentioned a 2 stage compressor yet I don't think. If you want to run air tools such as a grinder or DA sander you should think about a 2 stage. I would like to get a new one but I'm holding out till I have enough money for a nice one that will last me a lifetime. I don't mean go out and buy a Snap On because they are just made by IR. You might have to up your budget though if you want something like this. They run about $1000 for a decent one. Look for sales like 15% off when you open a Home Depot card or Sears card. That way you can get what you want for less. I base my decision on CFM not just capacity and only a 2 stage would suffice in my book. Good Luck

:agree:

Love the build and want to see the progress on the barn apartment looks interesting!!

The last time I wanted something duplicated I traced my sticker (GSX-R) from my suzuki and handed it to my sticker company I use. They scanned it and remade it for me. I wanted to stick with the same color but after seeing it on my car I changed my mind. It was very easy for them. If someone could trace the sticker it would be easy to reproduce.

I am glad to say I have married the woman of my dreams. She has been my rock for the better part of the last three years. She has been close to my side on countless road trips to get various Jeeps and stereo gear which I am grateful for. She has my wants and needs pegged since she bought me that amazing black Craftsman 2 piece tool box a couple years ago and that Cherokee donor last Christmas. I can't even think how to make that up to her!! The wedding was awesome, I drove the Grand Prix GTP and had a special sticker on it and the previous Grand Prix for the last 15 years. It said "Never Satisfied". I had a good idea and had the sticker changed to "Just Married". We got pictures of the car and us after we got married and I can't wait to see them. I could go on forever on this subject, I guess that's why I married her! :bowdown: Here is a picture that she made on MS Paint in my signature.

Very Nice.

I have read this in my magazines and think that $20K for a hemi is crazy. I know this is probably a brand new engine but for that money you could get all those other upgrades with a slightly used motor of low miles from a yard. I guess if someone has deep pockets and no mechanical skills go for it!

:agree: I towed one of my donors about 2 hours, albeit with my XJ at the time with a tow dolly. I also drove 14 hours to get my current MJ with a trailer and would say with out a doubt a full trailer is the way to go. Beg, borrow or rent (come on now you really didn't think I would go that far?) a trailer and you will be so much more happy. A tow dolly usually is almost impossible to back up and you keep wondering if the straps are good on the front wheels. Just my opinion good luck!!

:agree: Haha, I have had the same experience, I used to be with Belle Tire and the tire guys always dread balancing Good Year Wranglers. They were 4oz. off many times. The trick is to rotate them on the rim 90 degrees until the weight gets less. I had a similar problem with one of my BFG At's, but I just grabbed another off the shelf and it balanced fine. The tire guy just wanted to put 4oz on one wheel. :no: Most tire guys are pretty green and don't work for the customer but I saw it first hand. Sometime though someone got that tire I threw back in stock so buyer beware. By the way, Walmart doesn't really carry the real Good Year Wranglers that I know of. What I have been informed is Sams club and such buy the old molds of tires and put a similar name on them and sell them at a discounted price. I don't think I have seen any BFG AT/TA tires come from a big box store. That's not saying they are bad by any means but if someone's bragging about buying a tire at a huge discount I just say ok. Where the tire meets the road is no excuse to skimp out on price for a good tire. But if it's not in the budget I can completely understand, just don't think they are going to perform like those >$800 set of tires.

Looks like this one: http://www.jeepair.com/air-conditioning ... e-1915.php