KoopaKid

@Pete Mthank you!

TLDR: I’d like to wheel it this summer and am looking somebody trustworthy in South Texas and can put this back together for me before the end of Summer 2022. Here’s my build thread: https://comancheclub.com/topic/64229-1988-4wd-jeep-comanche-laredo/ I have my project MJ that’s been a rebuild/custom deal that I started on October of 2020. It spent nearly a year as a roller at the body shop waiting for work to get done on it. After a ridiculous wait and getting it back with mediocre quality paint and virtually no attention to detail, I’m honestly just glad it’s back. I made a career change recently that doesn’t give me the free time I had before to take on a task like this. I’ve also been without a vehicle since October 2020 and going to need a set of wheels soon. Any input/suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

@Pete Mdidn’t know that was a thing I could do, but thank you for the suggestion!

In other news, I would really be willing to pay someone to put it back together and get it running. I legitimately don’t know when I can find the time. since starting this build, I changed careers and it doesn’t leave me with a ton of free time to get a vehicle going. worse yet is that I could really use a vehicle. I haven’t had a vehicle if my own since…well, I started this build. If anyone’s got a lead in someone trustworthy in South Texas, please let me know.

So I finally got the roller back. looks good from a distance, but the paint job isn’t that hot. here’s hoping I get to wheeling it on the beach midsummer 2022.

@Pete M I’m not the biggest fan of either bumper, but for the amount of money and most importantly TIME that’s gone into it, I’ll be damned if I’m going to let an idiot that rear ends me or drives in front of me ruin it. It’s being built as a beach runner and for VERY seldomly driving on ranch property.

Pretty much the way it’s sitting now. There were several tiny areas I wasn’t happy with so they went back and redoing several spots. Forgot to mention the windows were swapped to 97+ manuals as well. Sorry for the massive photo dump, but it’s all there!

So after a long hiatus of posting updates, this next one's going to be hefty. A year and change later, truck still isn't finished. Once we disassembled it, I decided to have the roller worked on. While what I've done to it will probably be considered blasphemy by most, It is coming together the way I saw it in my mind. As far as transmission, I bit the bullet (as with this build, I've bitten ALL the bullets, financially) and went with a new Novak AX15. I've been pretty much buying parts for the block all over the place, as the stuff from the original block wasn't in the best shape. Figured I'm going with a reman, let's do the best we can to put something great together. Pedal situation ended up being a little more convoluted than I was anticipating. Ended up using it as an opportunity to upgrade the brake booster. Need to figure out how to run new lines, but that's the least of the problems I'll have ahead. For the tail lights, I ended up commissioning @Dzimm for a set, as the set I bought from Etsy which took forever to come in, were built like garbage. The quality of the new set is unreal, and I highly suggest that if you want a set, talk to him about it. We've worked on the powertrain a bit, but it's really come down to waiting on the body to be finished. After having dropped it off in May, they're just about finished with it. SUPPOSEDLY it will be done this weekend. What I wasn't anticipating in all of this was an entire career change. I managed to get my CSR, so I'm now certified as a court reporter in Texas. With this change comes new opportunities, but one I won't have is a lot time to really dedicate to assembling the MJ. I need to figure something out, but it WILL get there!

Seats were wiped down immediately after this picture.

So I'm horrifyingly behind on my '88 Comanche build, I'll be posting all those pics in due time. After 8 months in the body shop, the Tiburon seats are finally bolted in. They sit about 1 1/2" higher than they used to. I'm not a tall guy, so it isn't too bad. I can deal with it. The problem is this: I had lizard skin sound control, lizard skin heat insulation, and raptor liner sprayed on the inside. I had read to use the original point location/buckle instead of the Tiburon seat. With all the stuff I had sprayed, using that original location is not really an option. I've decided to use this as an opportunity to buy new and/or upgraded seat belts. Does anybody have any suggestions for what I can use to mount to the seat location? Maybe a suggestion for a whole new location entirely? I'd like to go with 3-point harness, but if there is such a thing as a comfortable 4-point, I'm not against that either. I'm open to all kinds of options here. Thanks!

Thank you!

Any chance you’ve opened up your books again? Got a hold of an AR-7753 and would like to upgrade it or see about swapping with you towards credit for an improved one.

New album just came out today. You might like it if doom metal is your thing.

@Pete M haven’t figured it out yet. Wife found this one but no cupholders. I actually have a couple of bolts of Levi’s denim. Might have my mom get crafty and make a removable bean bag armrest with pockets and cupholders. I'm not rushing, but I’ll keep updating this thread for any solutions.

@gogmorgoi’ll keep a look out. I’m open to different stuff.

@gogmorgo decided to forgo....any center console at all. My wife wants the middle empty in case we ever want to carry an ice chest, she wants to keep a pillow there, and to just have room in the middle. As someone who values space myself, that works out. Still need to figure out a cupholder solution.

Good point. I’m also swapping to tiburon seats, if that makes any difference. It hasn’t been installed yet, so I still have time to change my mind.

8 inches wide! I went junkyard hunting to look at van center consoles as they’re usually detached from the dash. Pics were taken when I found it at the u pull it. I liked the similar style found in the Honda Pilots, but this one fit the bill in terms of width.

Not yet, but it’s guaranteed to be stupid! I seriously need to update my build thread, because it’s come a long way from where I was last.

My solution thus far has been to have a Chevy Uplander center console installed, and carry a soft cooler under it whenever I might need one. This will also give me the option to fold the console down and store something in between the buckets, have 4 cupholders for water and coffee on road trips, and an expandable/collapsible surface should I need room to access behind the seats. don't know if that’s the best solution, but I’m always willing to listen to dissenting opinion.

I’d be fine with either one. My ideal initially was a Coleman cooler or something like that, and run a line out to be able to drain under the truck.

Has anybody ever considered and ice chest/cooler as a center console? If it’s been done, how did you go about it?

Don’t know for certain, but was told they look very similar. I don’t think he’d mind any connection he can find.

Plan is to apply raptor liner on top of the lizard skin. It’ll have a raptor lined bed, roof, hood, under the bed, under the cab, and engine bay. This truck is going to have so much raptor liner it’s ridiculous, but with rust you can’t take chances. Any chance I could just drill new holes and use a different style of plug like for a boat?