acfortier

Ha! A little super glue and a penny would work for sure... I'm hoping for something that is a bit more stock looking! Decided to hop outside tonight and play around with the wipers--I believe @kryptronic mentioned that the wiper motor wasn't working properly at all speeds. Not sure if it's the motor, or the stalk? Either way, I'll probably upgrade to 97+ wiper arms and follow the guide that's listed on the forums here.

Good to know! On second thought, I took a closer look at the vent windows, and I might be able to get away with somehow modifying them to apply more pressure when they close. I'll have to think of something, but they could definitely be a bit tighter. Finally emptied out all of the extra parts from my truck, and decided to put the spare tire underneath in the carrier, as I don't think the bedliner is going anywhere after the modification @kryptronic made to it. Looks just like surface rust, and the wire was clean. Didn't have a long screwdriver or the stock hardware (actually, I didn't even look to see if they were in the truck) so I improvised with what I had. Did have to pull down the wire as it wouldn't drop on it's own, but that's no biggie since there's now a wheel sitting on it, so it should come down nicely.

Hey y'all! It's been awhile--haven't had a Comanche in about 8 years or so when I (stupidly) sold my '88. Have had a few other projects in between ('97 ZJ, '81 J10) but have always had the itch to get back in Comanche. I just happened to stumble upon @kryptronic's '91 Silver Star, and by how clean it was and how close he was to MA, I hopped on it. Glad I did! For the previous history, check out: I purchased the '91 with a near-complete black interior--only thing missing is the steering column (which I'll probably just paint mine) and a carpet. Also, gave me a load of extra parts--seals, O2 sensor, slave cylinders, header panel, matching spare rim, couple of stock bumpers. He is an awesome guy--thanks again @kryptronic! Left PA around 10:30am and arrived home in MA at 6:00pm. The ride was uneventful, thankfully. Here's a pic at a gas station of my '21 Gladiator towing it (it looks a bit weird since I took it with the 0.5x on my phone, I swear the front and rear tires on the Gladiator are the same). Sagged a little bit, but I saw a lot worse on my drive back: As of right now, these are my plans: Fix the leak(s): @kryptronic mentioned that the moving door vent windows were leaking. While the movable ones are nice, in my experience, it's not a matter of if it'll leak, but when. Decided that the extra $200 for a set of movables wasn't worth it, so I went with a $55 set of XJ vent windows from deadjeep.com. Has anyone purchased things from them? I don't remember them from back in the day, but they seem to have a lot of used parts. I also noticed that the rear window plexiglass had moved on one of the ends--most likely from the towing trip. I was able to move it back, but I'll probably end up taking the Comanche to a glass place to see if they'd be able to put new pieces of glass in it and seal it up. If not, I'll probably end up buying a C. R. Laurence unit. Once the leaks are finished, going to tackle the floor pan. Grind down the rust, get out the loose spot, weld in a new piece, put some SEM 45504 Black Rust Trap (or something similar, it's what I used on my J10) on it, and then sound-deaden it with some Noico sheets (I think I have a few sheets left over from when I did this in my J10). Haven't decided on what to do about the carpet situation. Either find a used one and clean it, buy an aftermarket one, or come up with a custom rubber solution (which would be cool). If anyone has any suggestions or has a spare carpet they'd part with, let me know! Undercoating. This thing is already spectacularly rust-free for a 30 yr. old vehicle, and I'd like to keep it that way. Probably find a Fluid Film or similar dealing to get undercoating applied. Will probably need to degrease the underside as it's pretty gunked up--still got a lot of black stuff under my nails from when I was strapping down the rear axle. Body work + paint. I want to do this right, so I'll probably search around for a reputable shop that does restoration work and get the Comanche in there. I'll probably keep it as Silver Star, and I'd love to keep the decals as well. Charge up the A/C. Everything is there, just need to get it fully charged and double-check everything. That's really it for now. Long term plans, I think I'll keep it pretty close to stock--there's something about these small trucks in their stock form that I love. I'll probably drive this around town, short trips. Will avoid driving it in the winter. Glad to be back in a Comanche!

Thanks! Made the voyage back to MA without any hiccups. Can’t wait to get started on it!

Apple offers it's own version of Office, used to be called iWork. They are free to all Mac users. I believe there was Pages (Word), Keynote (Powerpoint) and Numbers (Excel). This is if you don't find a replacement copy by July 28.

I don't have a picture, because what was on there was already half-assed by the previous owner. :fs1: It seems that the PO relocated the alternator to where the A/C goes on my truck. I believe this is the similar setup that I need: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS8FupAuds0QcjkMYrGutb9M6Mu5AY1QPlXr9t_8QzcbyHSz5c5QYCKt98 There is another bracket that I've seen floating around that is for with A/C, but it seems to just have an extra hole:

A bit of a long shot, but I'm hoping one of you has an old FSJ in their yard that has the alternator bracketry! Let me know.

I believe it was a Ford 8.8 they swapped in the rear. Looked pretty nice.

Well, I've got good news and bad news. Finally got around to tackling the issue with the rattling from the transmission. Drop the tranny, flexplate bolts are loose (so loose, I took them all out without any tools...). Good, could have been much worse. Since the tranny is out, decided to drop the oil pan since it needed to be replaced as well... And that's where it started to unfold. Oil was milky, so definitely some water in there. However, it was extremely thin and smelled of gas. Bad fuel pump? Potentially. The fuel pump that is on the engine is still shiny, so it looks new. However, the worse news came after inspecting the engine underneath... Found a cracked piston skirt. Great. Engine is junk. Wouldn't have guessed since the compression numbers were decent, but it would have only been a matter of time before it blew up. Not sure what to do next. Either I go the cheap route and find a used/junkyard 360, OR go with a remanufactured or rebuild the one we have. Agh, I was looking forward to driving it this spring!

Well, haven't done much due to the cold weather, but I attempted to get some compression numbers: Readings (1 - 8); 120 125 125 120 125 ?? 120 ?? Wasn't able to do cylinders 6 and 8 since my gauge didn't fit all too well with the heater core in the way. Didn't try too hard because at that point, it was getting really cold :) What do you all think of the numbers? A bit low, but at least they are in the same range.

Must be swapped in then?

Ah! I didn't think it was another shock mount initially... didn't inspect the top to see how a shock would line up. But, after doing some searching, I'm convinced its for the sway bar: Interesting. Only 6 lugs in the back. I read somewhere that they used D44 and AMC 20. Looks like a D44 to me from the diff. cover. I'll have to go out and take a picture/closer look. How do you know the rear isn't original? According to this, it should be an AMC 20: http://www.ifsja.org/tech/figures/db.html I don't see CAD on the front axle, I remember it from the Comanche I had. Always gave me headaches. I'll have to double check to be sure though. I think it would be visible in the picture? If the VIN is any indication, the 208 and front axle was "stock" with the truck. The more and more I think about it, it would make sense to me if someone did a drivetrain swap from another truck. Might have to name it Frankenstein

Did they have a dual shock option? Or did someone do something else crazy to this 35 year old truck? :yes: Think I found the answer: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hlZggp4uqLfB5zZYXskuGdymOFb1vTgwMfvWmDr4R44?feat=directlink This was taken from an '82 Cherokee

Grabbed a picture of the transfer case, and I believe it reads 208. Does this mean I have auto locking hubs with the part time transfer case? Another oddity, what is the purpose of the stud on the leaf spring?

I'll have to do more investigating. There was no sign of a clutch pedal underneath, and the tunnel cover in the cab had no sign of a stick shift. It seems likely that some may have had two trucks, swapped the internals over to a different body/frame? I was also surprised to find a Dana 44 in the rear... Expected an AMC 20

Just went out and pull the front cable, looks like I'll need the longer one. I think I'll just order both intermediates, they are less than $10 a pop...

Interesting... definitely has solid caps on the ends. Tried to get a picture of the tag on the transfer case, but it's so worn out that you can't read any of it. The only reason I thought it was part-time was due to the 4WD shift lever has options for 2WD, 4WD, 4LO. I guess I'll have to climb underneath again to see if I can pull more information. Or just try to spin the tires :idea: I was doing a little research on the ignition as well. Saw a black Motorcraft ignition module as well.

Thanks for the offer. I may have to hit you up on that :thumbsup: I think I found the hardware inside the cab. Here's a picture (not mine) which is what I have (minus the intermediate cable): Now, the real problem is figuring out which lengths to buy.There are two different fronts listed, both of which could apply to my truck; two different rears, which is easier since I need the 131" WB ones; and two different intermediates, both of which could apply. I'll probably pull the front cable to figure out how long it is, but the intermediate is either 37" or 47". I'd be tempted to get the 47" one, but I'd rather be right the first time... Or I could just get both. Looking at Bruin Brakes, because MADE IN USA and all :cheers: Front options: Bruin Brake Cable - 93335 - Front - Jeep - CERTIFIED - MADE IN USA - 1980-1981 Jeep J10 Automatic Trans., Inner Cable Length = 51.63 " Outer Housing Length = 40.63 " http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruin-Brake-Cable-93335-Front-Jeep-CERTIFIED-MADE-IN-USA-/121093064270?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1981%7CMake%3AJeep%7CModel%3AJ10%7CSubmodel%3ABase%7CEngine+-+Liter_Display%3A5.9L&hash=item1c31b5864e&vxp=mtr Bruin Bake Cable - 93336 - Front - Jeep - CERTIFIED - MADE IN USA 1981-1986 Jeep J10 Standard Trans., 4 Speed Trans., Automatic Trans. Inner Cable Length = 45.75 " Outer Housing Length = 34.88 " http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruin-Bake-Cable-93336-Front-Jeep-CERTIFIED-MADE-IN-USA-/121093065834?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1981%7CMake%3AJeep%7CModel%3AJ10%7CSubmodel%3ABase%7CEngine+-+Liter_Display%3A5.9L&hash=item1c31b58c6a&vxp=mtr Intermediate options: Bruin Brake Cable - 93032 - Intermed - Chevy/GMC/Jeep - CERTIFIED - MADE IN USA 1980-1987 Jeep J10 Automatic Trans. Inner Cable Length = 37 " http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruin-Brake-Cable-93032-Intermed-Chevy-GMC-Jeep-CERTIFIED-MADE-IN-USA-/121043386654?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1981%7CMake%3AJeep%7CModel%3AJ10%7CSubmodel%3ABase%7CEngine+-+Liter_Display%3A5.9L&hash=item1c2ebf811e&vxp=mtr Bruin Brake Cable - 93031 - Intermediate - Jeep - CERTIFIED - MADE IN USA 1981-1986 Jeep J10 Standard Trans., Automatic Trans., 4 Speed Trans. Inner Cable Length = 47 " http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruin-Brake-Cable-93031-Intermediate-Jeep-CERTIFIED-MADE-IN-USA-/110993562274?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1981%7CMake%3AJeep%7CModel%3AJ10%7CSubmodel%3ABase%7CEngine+-+Liter_Display%3A5.9L&hash=item19d7bb5aa2&vxp=mtr

Definitely! I couldn't believe the condition the body/frame is in... Here are some more pictures: Engine has some aftermarket ignition installed. Not really sure on specifics. Picture of the frame rail from under the hood. I'll take some better ones later if anyone else is interested. I signed up over at IFSJA, but still need to get my account activated so I can start posting. First step is to find the correct cables and components for the parking brake. There is a cable going down from the pedal, and two cables going to the wheels, but it seems like it's missing all the intermediate hardware and cable...

Person I bought it from said it was swapped out by a previous owner. I have another chrome grill in the back, which I assume was the correct one from '81. I kinda like what's on it now though... :dunno: After doing some investigation and using this VIN decoder (http://oljeep.com/gw/vin_81-86.html), according to that, it seems that it originally had the 258 with a 4-spd on the floor. I'll have to look more closely to see if that's true or not. Person I bought it from definitely said the engine was swapped in, also mentioned that the tranny was rebuilt at some point. It might make sense that this was all swapped in since the dash looked like it was all roughed up, and none of the gauges work on it.

Hey all, been a long time since I've been active after I got rid of my Comanche (worst car-related decision yet...). I recently got the itch to get another one, but in my quest for my next project, I stumbled across this... It's a 1981 J-10 Laredo... got a AMC 360, A727, NP228/229? (Part-time 4WD). Body is unbelievably sound for being in the northeast... No rot at all. Frame is solid too. Mechnically, it's gonna need some work. Windshield is cracked, e-brake is disconnected, needs a new oil pan (looks like a previous owner tried to patch it cause it was leaking?), and some general maintenance. Also, a strange ratling is coming from the transmission, sounds like flexplate bolts are loose. At least that's what the the guy I bought it from said. We'll see how bad the damage is... :thumbsup: We'll see what we have planned for it. Not sure how far into resto-mode I want to go... Definitely want to get it driveable for this upcoming spring season. :banana:

Ooo, that sounds promising. I'll see if I can get in touch with them. Thanks!

Back in the market for a Comanche, should have never sold my solid (for this area) '89. Desires: * 4.0L I6 * 4x4 And that's about it. Pretty simple, but I can cave on the 4.0L if the 2.5L is in it's place. Year doesn't matter. I'd prefer something with a solid body, but needs mechanical work. That's the easy stuff to me :thumbsup: Definitely looking to travel, and definitely looking for a project. My budget is around $1500 - $2000. Let me know what you got! Even if you're across the country...

I had considered getting this, but got more pictures of the rockers, cab corners, etc. Not too sure I want it anymore :dunno:

Hell yes to the Zoid -- I used to watch that show all the time! I remember getting this scorpion zoid thing for Christmas and I had the most difficult time building it... Not sure where they all went. Hey, nothing wrong with Peter Frampton, I actually have an inside joke as well with my high school buddies haha :cheers: