Second try...

[Joop]

I have another project thread about this heap somewhere else in here already, but it has not been update for the last 2years and last time i checked all the pictures where gone too so I just start over again. First a little short resume:

 

Bought this beaty in 06. 1986 2.8 5speed LWB amc20, fittet with a set of 33" GY wranglers (no lift :eek: ) and a code3 rotating warning lights thingy on the rollbar. Only pic i have of it like it was back then

 

 

I knew absolutely nothing about jeeps or MJ's at that time. All i knew was that the MJ was the best looking pickup ever made, it was 4x4 and they came with some beefy engines. I thought the 2.8 was one of them... :nuts:

I made some halfassed atempts to make the v6 performe a little better, including swapping the carb to a junkyard weber DGAV 32/36. It was a waste of time. Around that time I also stumbeld upon a website called ComancheClub.Com (check it out, its great!!! :D :clapping: ) I soon realised that i needed a 4.0L... Bought a rolled over 90 XJ 4.0L/aw4/np242 and ripped out everything I needed before trashing the rest.

 

Donor XJ before teardown.

 

Before I startet to install the new engine into the MJ i patched up the rusty floors and swapped out the stock foot style E-brake to the XJ hand E-brake. Cut down the length of the old cable and brazed it togheter again.

 

 

 

Rust before:

 

during...

 

Done!

 

About the same on the passenger side to.

 

Just got a call from some friends who is coming over for will continue this later.

[Joop]

Got the engine hooked up, and it fired at the first attempt!!!!! Let it idle untill it reached normal operating temp and checked everything. Oil in water.. :( No need to be sad. Removed the head, resurfaced it, cleaned it up and installed with new gasket and valve stem seals. Also added some bling to the head and some of the accessories...

 

Bling engine almost ready to rumble:

 

Lesson learned....

Why the f*** won't the last pushrod fall into place???

 

 

Because there's a zip tie squeezed in there!! :fs1:

 

 

Not a big setback. Got it running just a few hours later. First road test was a blast! Everything worked like it was supposed to. At that time i had both a 3" lift kit and a rear locker ready to be installed, but everything went straight into the toilet. Had to move out of the garage i hired, plus i was kinda sick of wrenching. Whit the new engine, I just wanted to drive it as much as i could!

 

 

And I became familliar to the art of abstract body damage...

 

Used and abused it just like that for about a year or so, untill I parked it at my parents place. Just couldnt beat it up anymore, after all that was not why i bought it in the first place. I wantet a good looking rust free comanche that could show my Jap'lovin friends what a real truck should look like!!

 

At first I wanted to keep it at my parents place and work on it there, but that didnt work out. Its just an hour to drive but i have to much stuff to do when I'm there, milk the traktor, changhe oil on the cows, walk the barn, paint the dog etc... :ack: For more than year it just stood there, except the old man used it during elk hunting seasson last year. (He bought himself an XJ shortly after... :brows:)

 

2 weeks ago I got a deal on a garage not far from here, I share a spot with a good friend of mine who never use it. He just need it to store spare parts and tools. We are a total of 9 friends working on everything from a pontiac transam to badass formula offroad rigs in that garage. With my plans it looks like I'm gonna spend some time here for the next year or so... I have no big plans, just going to tear it down and fix it up, piece by piece. Removing all rust, lift it some 3 - 4", fit 35" tires, front and rear lockers, new bumpers front and rear, new rockers, new paint, stroker, you know, the basic stuff :nuts:

 

How it stands today, 30" tires btw:

 

D30 stripped down and ready for new everything:

 

Ected locker for the rear, think I'm gonna whait whit this one untill i have lower gears to install:

 

Skyjacker 3" lift kit w/add-a-leaf, not shure if this would be enough for my plans?

 

don't expect any big progress before christmas, but as the new year starts I hope to be deep into my MJ build-up!! Hope the second try turns out better than the first.. :cheers:

[Pete M]

Looks good! :thumbsup:

 

I hope rocker guards are in your truck's future. :D

[comanche 88]

Great to see other norwegian MJ's

[Joop]

Some updates!

 

Removed the doors, fender and front axle

 

 

3 coatings of POR-15 on the new frontaxle and 4 new balljoints

 

Bought myself one of these

 

and startet doing this

 

The cheap made-in-china cabinet leaks sand and dust all over the place, and it is extremly boring and time consuming work, but it is worth it when you see the result! Shiny, rust free metal :drool:

 

Right now I'm trying to decide between just getting new doors and fenders or going full 97+ :hmm: I have always thought that the moder look was best suited for SWB "street" MJ's, but recently I have changed my mind. If I find a complete donor I'm most likely gonna do it!

 

Also scored a deal from the guy in the garage next door, he was getting rid of his XJ so i bought all the parts i might need. 4 2doors bushwackers, a complete 4.5" rustys :ack: suspension kit and some other stuff. Bushwackers will go on this truck, lift kit is for the dieselMJ.

[Joop]

Its been a busy summer and little work has been done on the jeep, but today I got some help and removed the bed.

 

 

 

Very little rust on the frame, nothing that can't be fixed with a wire wheel.

This really gives me the motivation to keep on working. After breaking 5 out of 10 bolts on the rear bumper, and having to grind down/torch of all bolts on the roll bar, I was getting kinda sick of this thing. :headpop:

[signalb]

Looks like that's going to be a really sweet looking MJ when its done. :cheers:

Have an '86 myself (third owner and the trucks never left the area according to the DMV) and getting ready to address floor pans and doors finally. Was thinking about putting a bedliner coating on my floorpans to seal out any moisture but now I'm leaning toward that POR-15 stuff. I'll have to wait till my next paycheck though because I just had to spring for a new tire. One of my old 31" BF Goodrich TA's finally gave out on me. Took it to the local Tire Kingdom to get a replacement and apparently the DOT date on the old tire was from 1987 so cause of death was extreme old age. LOL

BTW- What is involved with upgrading the doors to the 97+ style?

[Joop]

BTW- What is involved with upgrading the doors to the 97+ style?

 

I don't know. But I'm about to find out, the hard way! Just ordered a complete 97+ front clip with doors and hood.

 

Small update:

Front axle is done for now, expect I don't have any gears for it yet. Will deal with that when I have the cash to regear the rear as well.

 

[Pete M]

asides from wiring splices, the latch mechanism and sticker are different and the sticker will need to be fabbed into your B-pillar.

[aabmike]

Sticker? :huh???: I am sure you mean the striker?