Dzimm

Thanks! That's definitely helpful. Not as bad as I'd imagine to separate. I may do that as well, seeing the inside of the gate thanks to ghetdjc320's thread I can at least visualize what's going on in there. I'm guessing the rod on the right side of the gate is probably pinched, I may have to yank on it with some pliers or pry the gate apart a bit with a long screwdriver through the handle hole to get some clearance for the rod to move. We shall see once I get a chance to tear into it.

How much pulling do you think the handle can take? I don't really want to breaker the handle or guys prying or pulling on it. I suppose regardless I've got to get something to move or it will never open.

I know there has been topics in the past on bent gates but I haven't seen one this bad before and I haven't heard mention of how to get the gate off when you can't open it.. This is the gate on SMJ #96 and the top is bent so far in it is almost pinched at the top. I can't get it open currently, its so wedged that I can't even move the handle. Anyone run into this before and been able to get it open successfully? Then the next question is, how hard is it to separate the inner and outer skin of the gate to beat the metal back straight?

Got some time when I got home so I went out and snapped a couple pictures and got the VIN off it so it is now in the registry. Passenger side is fairly clean, the driverside has a large dent in both the b-pillar and the bedside. Better picture of the dash plaque The tailgate is very bent, can't currently get it open.

"Street Comanche" #96 1987 Jeep Comanche 4.0L - Peugeot something manual (need to verify) - 2WD - D35 Build date: unknown as the door sticker is mostly peeled off. Current Location: Central Iowa, just East of Des Moines. Status: No title, hasn't run in over a decade and been sitting in a field so it's full of mouse nests everywhere imaginable. Trying to obtain the title. Sitting behind my shop with all loose parts stored in the shop awaiting the verdict on its fate. If I can get a title I may attempt to save it. Notes: This is street Comanche #96. It is in very rough shape. Black interior and black exterior. Has been wrecked in the front driver's side but appears to have only bent sheet metal and bumper mounts, frame is straight and not rusted. Only original Street Comanche parts left are the rear bumper and dash plaque. There are holes and screws all along the rockers and bedsides where the body kit used to be and a small broken chunk left of the passenger rearmost skirt still on it. There are also snaps all along the top of the bedrails so it had a tonneau cover at one time. Body is fairly clean on the passenger side but a lot of dents on the driver's side and the tailgate is smashed in. Rust is real bad in the floors but only one spot has rusted completely through on the body.

Photo dump I got from the PO and that's how it was when we got there, had to drag it out through the woods with his truck but loading it on the trailer went really well since he had a portable winch. Getting it off the trailer was easy as well but we had to change a flat and take a ceased brake drum off in order to push it around. I got some looks from the neighbors because in two weeks I suddenly have the smashed up Suzuki and now the trashed MJ behind the shop. I'll get more and better pictures of it soon. As far as story goes, the PO had gotten it from a farmer and he believes that farmer had bought it new. It was the farmers daily for years before it got parked in a field for 10 years. It was obviously in an accident in the front driver's side as the bumper mounts, hood, and fender are crumpled up a bit but the frame looks to be good. It was obvious that it was fixed somewhat after the accident because it has a good radiator and the front clip was fixed with fiberglass. It unfortunately has a standard grille in it now, I'm guessing the original was destroyed in the accident. The PO bought it a few years back with the intention of engine swapping it and using it as a tough truck but ended up doing something different so it sat there until now. He also had quite a few other XJs, CJ, a burned to the ground YJ, and a full size Cherokee along with some other stuff. He had no idea what a street Comanche is all he knew was there was 100 according to the dash plate and that it came from California. He is going to try and get in touch with the family of the farmer since he passed about helping me get a title.

A very small broken piece of a rear quarter and the rear bumper. Unfortunately the rest of the kit was long gone. More pictures and info to come.

#96

I'm somewhat tempted to come get it. I'm going to Eastern Iowa this weekend to do some work at my parents house but the closest I'll be is Davenport.

Yeah I'd agree that there would be a market to people without a street Comanche. Of course those with an incomplete kit would definitely want the repro parts but some may want to recreate a street MJ with a standard one. I know there has been a few around doing this, including myself as I'm creating an Archer Racing style street MJ and I just assumed I would never see a real one. Like I mentioned earlier the airdam would probably be the most wanted part for non-street MJs given it has practical use in fuel savings. And looks wise the side skirts wouldn't look right without an airdam. Regardless I still think there is only a market for a handful of kits since it's a pretty specific style for a Jeep truck. Not too many people building street trucks compared to off-roaders.

I haven't seen the other parts in person but the airdam is fairly complex and would require a multi part mold if it's even possible to mold the whole thing at once. There are so many surfaces all over the place on it. I do think if someone could reproduce it tho, that would be the most wanted piece of the kit.

I've actually looked at doing that with the airdam I have but the only cost effective way is making them out of fiberglass and even that isn't going to be cheap. It would also be hard to make a mold for all the different surfaces. The side pieces wouldn't be so bad. The original aordams were a thick rubbery material that would require special machinery to reproduce. I don't know what the side skirts were made of. If there was a prestige body kit out there some good molds could be taken from them but it would be expensive to recreate all the parts.

It's definitely in pretty bad shape but it may be repairable, I'll have to look over it real good. The story I know so far is the current owner bought it from a farmer a few years ago with the intention of using it as a Tough Truck. He didn't end up doing anything with it so it sat. Before that it had sat in the farmer's field for around 10 years and the farmer had the title for it however he had lost it some years ago. Unfortunately the farmer has since passed away but I will see what I can do about getting the title for it. Regardless I will document everything I can on it and save whatever parts I can, I'm hoping there are some of the body kit parts buried in the bed but I'm not holding out too much hope there.

Guess who's heading 3hrs northwest on Friday with a trailer!!

I was able to track the post back further and found I believe the original post by the owner. I messaged the owner directly so we will see what happens. It looks like it may be located in Northwest Iowa near Anthon.

https://peoria.craigslist.org/zip/d/east-peoria-free-topper/7315687957.html Add says it came off an MJ.

Ha I had just found it and was coming over with the link. I messaged the guy who posted about it. Well see what I hear back.

$114 a month with Geico Includes: 2014 Dodge Journey - Full coverage 92 MJ - Liability 90 MJ - Liability When I add my 95 XJ on liability it goes up about $25, it's been torn apart for like 8 months so it's not currently covered.

There are always exceptions.. and this may be one of those scenarios

Link? I found the page and it's public but I don't see the truck.

Here is all the info you need for this brake setup. Be sure to follow the torquing procedure, it's very important that the bearings are properly torqued.

How much lift do you have? I've never used either but from what I have always heard, as stated above, Adam's and Tom Woods seem to be the most often recommended for driveshafts.

I would be tempted to at least go look at it but it's halfway across the country.

I NEED this...

I know some of you are space enthusiasts as well but may not have seen the news yet. For those of you who don't know, Michael Collins was the the man piloting the Apollo 11 command module Columbia while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were taking the first steps on the moon. He passed yesterday of cancer. Neil passed in 2012 so this leaves Buzz Aldrin (far right) as the only surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew.