Introduce your Comanche...

[shawn]

Hi everyone. My son and I had been looking for a small 4x4 to replace his 2000 Ranger 2WD. We had looked at Comanches on the web a few months ago but had not found anything. Last Thursday I got home early from work and saw a newspaper dealership ad for a " 91 Jeep Comache $988" (mispelled). I called and talked to the salesman and he said it had just been traded in, 4x4 with a 5 speed manual, needs 2 tires but drives well. So I drove 75 miles to check it out. It was a decent looking white short bed 4x4, 4.0 six, 5 speed with non-working AC, 2 small rust holes in each floorboard, a few spots of surface rust and a nice short square tube rear bumper. The body was pretty straight with faded original paint. The clutch seemed to go way down with a short engagement but it did run OK. Had been lifted about 3". So I offered $700 and they accepted. Whole thing was $941 with tax, title and license.

 

a smokin' deal! really nice looking little truck you have found. good luck with it and welcome!

[tbburg]

Nothing better to do, so allow me to introduce my toy:

'88, 4.0, auto, 2wd, SCORE 7S race truck.

'picked it up last summer, slowly changing the specs to meet Best in the Desert class 7300 rules.

Also converting to 4WD.(Stock class trucks just don't have the horsepower to float across the silt beds,..)

 

Couple thumbnails that link to larger pics:

 

Link to photobucket album:

[MattM]

Hey just bought my first jeep and its a 88 Comanche... Needs a bunch of work, its leaking excessive oil from somewhere haha and the it has the Puegeot 5mt. I bought it and there was no thermostat in it with rusty looking anti-freeze, fixed the drivers side seatbelt changed out the busted steering column fixed like 5 vacuum leaks it still needs brakes... Ya its a bucket haha. Me personally I come from the subaru community really, I have raced rally cars and off roaded multiple subarus and now I am kinda done trying to wheel a subaru. Sucks this jeep is better stock then my 4" lifted legacy on 29"s you can see in the back ground on one of my pics. So ya looking to learn more about jeeps here cause I don't know jack about em.

 

Anyway here it is from Tacoma, Wa.

[drcomanche]

Hi, I'm fairly new here, although I have been reading the pages and keeping up with the builds for a while.

 

This is my 1988 Comanche. Front D44 with locker, rear 9 inch with spool and disc brakes. 94 cherokee engine transplant I6 with the ax15 and an sye np231. Luckily, the po decided to take care of all rot he could fine, so as she sits now, she's rot free.

 

 

And me standing next to it when I got it.

 

She need some work to be road worthy, but nothing too extreme. For the time being I'm just driving backroads and terrorizing the neighbors. You should have seen them stare when it pulled up. :rotf:

[cody4359]

Anyway here it is from Tacoma, Wa.

 

 

welcome, and i live just down the road from you. tried showing my buddy your subaru the other day but i wasnt in the driveway, then i spotted the mj in the back lol

[87MJTIM]

Hello Everyone.

 

I found this site a few months ago and have been snooping around. I finally signed up.

 

 

Its an '87 4.0L, 5sp, 4wd, Longbed, 260k original miles.

 

My wife bought it out of college new. I started driving it in '91 when she moved up to a Cherokee. It became a spare vehicle when I got a '97 Wrangler. Both the Cherokee and Wrangler are long gone, but the Comanche LIVES ON!

 

About two years ago I started to drive it regularly. It is showing its age - lots of aches and pains. I am wanting to get it restored to (almost) original condition. While I have the apptitude and physical ability to do most of the work, I do not have the time, space or tools to take on that task.

 

I am asking for advise/suggestions on what to look for in a shop to do the work. Should I find a shop that specializes in restorations, specifically Jeeps? Can a small local mechanic take on this project? Can it be done in phases - engine and drive train, mechanical, body and paint?

 

I live near Frederick MD, so if you know of a shop in MD or southern PA, let me know.

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[johnny quest]

Hi :waving:

jut brought this 1988 Comanche Chief home. Build up will be in the build up thread forum...

[GAwheeler]

Hello, I'm new to the forum, and I thought I'd show off my new build a little.

 

First time out of the shop.

 

Maiden voyage to Gulches ORV for 4th of July weekend...

 

 

 

 

 

-97 Cherokee 4.0

-AX-15

-3.8 Atlas II

-Built waggy 44s

-35" BFG KM2s

-3-link, bumpers, flat belly, rock sliders, and lots of other fab done by Sixditch Enterprises in Lilburn GA.

 

Cool site guys! Keep the Comanche love alive!

[TylerJY]

Hey there! :wavey:

 

I'm Tyler, and this is my '90 Eliminator, picked it up a week or so ago, and we're getting some rust taken care of, and installing some fun mods.

 

Mods to come as of now:

-4.5" Rusty's Lift

-Dynomax Catback

-CR Laurence Sunroof

-Donor XJ for high output swap/non vac-dc front axle swap

 

the pic from the Craigslist ad.

 

in the garage.

 

it's coming along. :wrench:

 

The floorboards, mostly surface rust, so thankful for that.

 

the bed is already useful. :D

 

Glad to be here on CC! Keep on Jeepin'!

[goonies.nsd]

Ive had my 88 Comanche for about 5 years now. Done alot of work to it. Updated the cooling system. Leather buckets from a limited XJ. 92 XJ HP Dana 30 without the vacume disconnect. 04 Wrangler Ravine rims. About 3 inches in the front and 2 inches in the back. Junkyard lift. Future includes a ZJ disc brake conversion and alot more.

 

Try not to beat on it too much. there really hard to find clean in the north east. So i have my 92 XJ, 93 ZJ and my latest 93 YJ to beat up. Always a fan of the Comanche Club site and glad to be a member now.

 

Won 4x4 of the month on my local Long Island offroad site.

http://www.outlawedoffroad.com/4x4-mont ... s-nsd.html

 

 

Wheelin with the local Outlawed Offroad members.

 

[SgtScagnetti]

Hello everyone, I'm Shawn from CT. Just picked up a 1987 Jeep comanche 88k original miles,4.0L, 6cyl, aw4 tranny 2wd. Has some slight surface rust but underneath is spotless. I plan on using it as my work truck this fall and next spring then going to convert it to a 4x4. I got it extremely cheap and it needs minimal work done to it. Ive been around Jeeps and FJ cruisers for awhile and have been doing offroading the past year with my buddy in his FJ, now its my turn. can't wait to learn more about the comanche from all of you and plan to be a very active member on this forum. Here are a few pics.

 

[Dadinator]

I don't think I ever posted on this thread...

Now that mine is starting to look kinda good, here it is:

Check out The Family Truck.

Click on the link in my sig to get the whole picture...

 

 

 

[tehmilz]

hi new to the site just got my comanche not that long ago.

 

2.8, auto 4x4 long bed nothing special now i have a rough country 4.5" lift on it and planning on bobbing the bed soon and rock sliders.

 

when i got it

 

after lift

 

and now

 

[COMANCHEROB4WD]

New to the forum, figured I'd share what I got.

 

'88 Pioneer; 4.0; 4X4; short bed. 3" lift, 31" Pro Comp Xtreme MT's. Plan on doing a SOA, adding cut out flares, and bumping up to 33's+ and I'm sure endless other mods until I'm happy. I've had plenty of Jeeps but this is my first MJ. The benefits of working at 4WD Hardware is there's always another project for sale...

 

Here are the pics I have so far. More to follow:

 

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[cody4359]

i like thoes bed rails

[COMANCHEROB4WD]

Thanks! I liked them a lot to. Still looking for a rollbar to put in the back that I can mount some lights to. That or I was thinking about putting the renegade light bar on top. Time will tell...

[Krotius]

As I said in the "Who am I talking to?" thread, here I am with some pics of my MJ. It doesn't have a name yet, but it will. A little back story: Ever since I was a little boy, and my friends dad got an AMC Jeep Comanche, I've wanted one. My first car was a 1984 AMC Eagle. I loved it. Wish I still had it, but that's a story best saved for a few beers. I decided that when I finally got my Comanche, it would be an AMC built one. Sure, there wasn't much difference after they got bought out, it was still a Jeep, but that's not the point.

I happened to be browsing the good old CL one day, not even looking, and BINGO! 1986 AMC Jeep Comanche. Looked pretty good from the pictures, so I emailed the guy with my number, hoped in my car, and went to check it out. Did some hemming and hawing, bought it the end of that week. She had some rough spots, but nothing too bad that was immediately apparent. Plus, that's a pretty sweet ladder rack, I think.

 

It's got the 2.5 and an auto, so not ideal. No biggie, I'll get her built just the way I like her eventually. Right now, road legal and running smooth is good enough for me.

 

 

Got it home, found out there was a little more work then I thought I needed to do (isn't there always?), but that will be covered in the build thread I'll start. Trying very hard to abide by forum standards and not pollute existing threads here :D

[deziped]

Thanks! I liked them a lot to. Still looking for a rollbar to put in the back that I can mount some lights to. That or I was thinking about putting the renegade light bar on top. Time will tell...

 

 

Looks like you have one of the 88 Olympic model MJ's. The gold stripe on side and tailgate is the give away.

[buffalob]

This is Bucky... Taken after changing all the windows weatherstripping regulators and going tinted glass.

Bucky is an 88 short bed We bought last summer. She had over 250k miles when bought has always run like a champ never let me down or stranded. She is a 4.0 liter 2 wheel drive with 5 speed stick and 3.07 in rear D35. Has absolutely no factory options...(does power steering count?). Have made minor modifications in this photo, including cherokee agate leather bucket seats and center console. full gauge upgrade. Changed throttle position sensor,air-idle control valve,O-2 sensors,interior lights

(ala this forum), and usual water pump, hoses vacume lines plugs wires rotor cap yada yada...all the usual stuff.

Clear side markers and turn signal indicators. rattle can front grill job. and 235/75/R15 firestones on procomp steel wheels.

Bought the truck from Troy (yellaheep) on this forum here in Denver. I check this forum everyday and have learned slightly more than enough to be dangerous.... in the past 6 months I have also aquired an 87 short bed off e-bay and had it shipped in to Colorado from Atlanta. Bought a short bed trailer off another member of this forum and have it being brought into Colorado from California. We are in the process of converting Bucky to 4X4 with AX-15 etc. I guess I'm addicted at this point. I have four grown kids three of them drive and all drive jeeps. a 2000 4 door stock cherokee sport, a 99 4 door lifted 4" cherokee sport and a 99 lifted 4" wrangler. We don't do too bad on the wrenching scene.........with almost no off street parking and no gagrage.

Just thought I would finally take a moment to introduce myself.

Thanks......

Bob in Denver

[buffalob]

Second photo of bucky is after the install of D30/D44 axles from a 91 MJ (thanks Troy) now rebuilt with new 4.56 gears.

Covers on the diffs are by G2. Rubicon Express 4.50" lift in front (with additional 1.5" spacers on the coils).

New Rubicon Express upper/lower control arms and heavy duty track bar.

New Currie Enterprises heavy duty tie rods drag link etc . Procomp steering stabilizer painted to match the billstiens.

New JKS sway bar disconects. New Hubs/bearings U-joints. Billstien shocks all round.

New Big Brake kit by AEV includes knuckles rotors calipers pads master cylinder (also upgraded to ZJ Booster).

With this front brake set up...I had to go to 17" wheels...oh darn. They are pintelers by AEV 8.5X 17" w/4.25" BS.

Tires are 285/70/R17 Pro-comp extreme muds. Rear lift is 4.50" full leaf packs by Hell Creek ...thanks Tom.

Rear axle still has drum brakes and every component in them has been replaced new.

This truck drives straight runs great and stops on a dime.

I still have to install the new AX15 and NP231 with fixed yoke. trying to source the correct tranny C'member

Bumpers will be built local by Jared Fessler (check the website.. fessybuilt, thornton Colorado).

Next up is paint...followed by the install of a 4.6 stroker.

Will start a build blog soon with more pics.

Was really glad to find this site and you guys here.

Jeep on...

Bob in Denver

[Dadinator]

Nice Truck, Gilligan (couldn't help it), keep up the good work!

Look forward to your build thread.

[jakeWI]

So I sold my XJ:

 

 

 

 

To start building this:

 

1991 Jeep Comanche Eliminator, 118k, 2wd, factory roll bar

 

[reson46]

 

Did somebody have a Pepto Bismol fetish?

 

Willy

[MancheKid86]

guess i should introduce my manche :D

 

1988 laredo,

6 cyl 4.0L

converted to 4wd,

1999 ax-15 external slave conversion with np231 tcase,

lockrite locker in the rear,

lifted 6" in the rear (soa) and 4.5" zone off-road lift in the front,

planning on adding my 8000lb winch + bush bumper,

and getting bigger tires

[my86mj]

this is a good one for you guys who love cheap jeeps. when i was 8 my dad taught me to drive stick on his 86 mj 2.8 5sp 4x4 it was gold and just the coolest damn thing when it came time i bought a 86 comanche x same everything except the color bone stock except for wheels and a cb radio and i loved the thing to pieces until some bastard took it upon himself to completely screw my chevy paint over with his honda keys. so it all took off from there. it started with a pushbar i got from a friend. then a tire blew out which ended up with me pulling the 31s off my friend suburban for free of course. then came new paint. being winter i went with snow camo and then from there i got a hold of a welder and just went to town. headache rack, spare tire carrier, light mounts, and then disaster struck my running gear as i was doing something i shouldnt have been doing in the school parking lot. my almighty dana 35 blew spider gears and my transfer case took a dump right on the pavement due to chain backlash. then came upgraded gearing from yukon and a rebuilt transfer case. then from there came a fancy stereo some boom and gauges. then when i got tired of the camo i got inspired by the comanche club logo. thats right. olive drab green with white chevrons. then came the eyelid headlights, turn covers and taillight covers. all of this i made myself and i would like to introduce my comanche. sarge he gets me anywhere and has yet to let me down or never start. and i drive it like its a stadium truck.

 

2.8 v6 5sp ax5 np20something dana 30/35 with 4.10s k&n and free flow exhaust to a glasspack and flowmaster.