87MJJeep Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 A guy I have known since 1991 got a hold of me the other day. I've always wanted his Eliminator. He called to say his Comanche was rearended and shoved into what was in front of it. He said I can have it for whatever the insurance company says is the scrap value. I am waiting on a price. This is NOT how I hoped I would get my hands on this Comanche. :cry: He said knowing I can get some use out of it is all that's making this loss tolerable for him. I hate my bench seat and the grandpa idiot light gauges, so my biggest needs are the buckets, console, and instrument cluster or maybe just the whole dash. The wheels will be great to have, too. The powertrain in his is fine. He's pretty sure they weren't hurt in the wreck. It only had 149K miles on it. He said the frame is bent on the passenger side and the bed is toast. I have not seen it for myself yet. I was curious if there's any hope in straightening the frame on a MJ? If the cab is not warped, is that feasible? I guess before I strip parts, I should make sure the diagnosis of "totalled" is 100% final. I could use a dent-free tailgate, too, but his was ruined in the accident. I've got a friend that lives in a rural area that will let me stash at his place while I get parts off of it. Once I get it, I'll take photos and post. Anything I can't use off it I'll be willing to sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 make sure everything is salvaged, even the floors. swap your truck over to the H.O. wiring while you're at it. sell the remainder of it because it's a good cab with a good title too, because a 91 eliminator truggy would be sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for the quick reply. What all is involved in the HO wiring? Just the ECM and various sensors? My '87 only has 72K miles on it. I won't be in a rush to put that hotter HO motor in mine for a while. It will be tempting to convert to a 5 sp. VERY tempting! Do the floors have to be cut out with a welder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 welder's don't cut, they weld. yes, floors have to be cut out. I wouldn't bother. take what you want from the truck, and sell the rest for parts to another guy on the club. the H.O. motor, trans, wiring (engine bay and dash), all interior and exterior accessories will need to be removed to swap it to a H.O. including the computers and such Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for the help. Is there a preferred place to buy Jeep shop manuals online? I may need one to do this correctly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for the help. Is there a preferred place to buy Jeep shop manuals online? I may need one to do this correctly! mm. not really this isn't a process that you're going to be able to go over with a book. you will just need to remove everything from the 1991, and put it all in a different MJ just like it was in the 1991. it's kind of a go-as-you-will project, that you ask questions on as you go. I could tell you each and every detail right now, but it would take around two pages, and probably give me a huge headache... :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 I understand! Right now I am more concerned about breaking something while trying to remove it the wrong way. I am pretty mechanically inclined, so I figure I'll manage okay. Not that I have never broken something on my other cars while working on them... LOL I read elsewhere the rearend is the same as the XJ except for the difference in how the suspension mounts. I figure saving the rearend is worthwhile, too. Are there any good online data pages that shows the axle ratios for the various years? I wonder what the '91 4WD 5p has vs my '87 A4... I know my '87 is a dog on the highway at 45 mph and faster. I drove enough Comanches from '88-'91 to know they were a lot faster than mine. I figure it's all in the HO motor, but a better axle ratio may be part of the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 87 has 3.55's or 3.73's, and the 91 probably has 3.07's no strict set-in-stone rules for jeeps, it was all buyer-option on what they preferred for parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Ya know, that truck may well be rebuildable. A half-decent body man could cut the front "frame" ears off a Cherokee and weld them onto the MJ to make the nose square again, and unless it was hit REALLY hard from the back I suspect the frame rails will be either straight, or easily straightened. Beds are available ... maybe not "commonplace," but available. By all means, grab it. But don't start chopping until you have thoroughly investigated how hard/easy it might be to repair it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxRacing282 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Ya know, that truck may well be rebuildable. A half-decent body man could cut the front "frame" ears off a Cherokee and weld them onto the MJ to make the nose square again, and unless it was hit REALLY hard from the back I suspect the frame rails will be either straight, or easily straightened. Beds are available ... maybe not "commonplace," but available. By all means, grab it. But don't start chopping until you have thoroughly investigated how hard/easy it might be to repair it. i agree. it will take time and money but for you it may be worth it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 I'm now playing phone tag with the owner to learn the bottom line price. It would be something else if it's fixable. I don't know if I have the time for that with other things I have going on righ now. I don't have a place to put it long-term. If I had some land, I'd think nothing about grabbing it and take my time with it. I don't have much interest in putting the powertrain into mine, especially since all the wiring must be swapped at the same time. Mine has 72K miles and runs fine. It it ain't broke, don't fix it... I wish mine was faster, but swapping to a HO isn't worth it. I am not sure I want to hang onto the powertrain for future use. If the guy would let me buy the seats and wheels alone, I'd just do that and be done with it. I'll post an update later! I appreciate the replies you guys have given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 I learned today the scrap value is $400, and we'll negotiate storage costs until I can pick it up - if I pick it up. He's found a '88 2WD model for sale, and he wants to go see it. If he gets it, he may want some of the Eliminator items for it. I told him my short-term place to store it while I wrench my not work out, so if he wants to buy it back for himself, that is fine with me. He then said that his dad that lives about an hour outside of town has plenty of space, and he could put it there. He even volunteered to share it with me. Then I asked again what all is damaged, and it's mostly confined to the rear and back part of the frame. I told him about posting here and that a box CAN be found. That really perked him up. I think the hunt for a box is what has made him not even consider getting it fixed. Knowing they are out there, he may change his mind. I'd be thrilled to see him salvage and rebuild it! At $400 plus a tow fee, I know I can get my money's worth out of it if I get it. One way or another, there'll be a happy ending for both of us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 At $400 plus a tow fee, I know I can get my money's worth out of it if I get it. One way or another, there'll be a happy ending for both of us! completely untrue. if you buy it at $400 plus a towing fee, and just take the seats and such that you want, you will be able to likely resale the entire drivetrain with wiring for $300-$500 at the very least, and still have a few body panels, windows, etc. left to sell, OR just buy it, take what you want, and pass it on for $100 less to be done with it. either way, just please don't let it get scrapped. where are you located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 At $400 plus a tow fee, I know I can get my money's worth out of it if I get it. One way or another, there'll be a happy ending for both of us! completely untrue. if you buy it at $400 plus a towing fee, and just take the seats and such that you want, you will be able to likely resale the entire drivetrain with wiring for $300-$500 at the very least, and still have a few body panels, windows, etc. left to sell, OR just buy it, take what you want, and pass it on for $100 less to be done with it. either way, just please don't let it get scrapped. where are you located? That's what I meant. Pay for it, get what I want off it, sell the rest (in pieces or as a whole) to cover the cost of buying it. If it was closer to $800+, I'd feel I would have to part it out more to break even. It's in Memphis. I would really like to see the guy buy it back himself and rebuild it. I want some Eliminator parts, but I don't have to have them. My Manche has a look and personality of its own. I am content with it as it sits. If I drove it daily, the improvements (SEATS!) would be needs instead of wants! I should know what will happen by Thursday night, and I'll post an update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 With a huge question mark on my forehead, I am getting it today. It will be interesting to see if it's salvageable. Parts donor or to fix up, that is the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 87MJ I would be interested it some parts off it if the deal goes through.. jt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
project88mj Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 is there any way t get pics on this thread also hows the front axle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 I will see it this afternoon, and I am pretty sure I'll be getting it unless some huge red flag pops up. A friend's brother in law that rebuilds cars will see it around 5 (if I get it) and tell me how hard it would be to fix up. I'll post pics late tonight or Saturday. As far as I know the front axle is okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJJeep Posted October 25, 2008 Author Share Posted October 25, 2008 I am sorry for getting anyone's hopes up. I know I had mine up. The red flag was the nasty condition of the interior. I don't understand how an exterior can be so perfect (pre-wreck) with a repaint and even new Eliminator decals, clean and shiny, then the interior be the cross between a pig sty and an ashtray. Even the wheels were filthy. Very little rash due to oversized tires, but the finish was bad, and they were really dirty. Had the wheels had the attention the rest of the exterior had, it would have been a show truck on the outside. The things I needed the most required too much time and energy to be worth putting in/on mine, and then to take on the rest of it for parting was too much. I was dependent on two friends letting me keep it at their place, and one was backing out on me. A friend of the owner that has a frame shop came over while I was there and said it didn't look fixable. The engine smoked some on start up, too. Idled okay and sounded fine with a few revs, but with 149K miles, a little smoke, and how the guy bragged about how hard he ran it, I wouldn't feel honest selling it as a "good running" engine. It'd have to recommend it getting a rebuild before use. The rearend was shoved forward a few inches. I was concerned if the driveshaft angle absorbed the blow or if the tranny was hurt. I couldn't see any cracks in the housing though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Sounds like a good time to "pass". Too bad. :( Just goes to show ya what all a fresh paint job will hide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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