Project "Grandpa Jeep" (the anti-build)

[jpnjim]

Table of Contents

 

Page 1

Craigslist ad, Introduction & first pics

Craptastic Ebay Mirrors

 

Page 2

Gauge cluster w/tach (& column shift indicator)

Craigslist Ravines

Rear bumper refresh

Gauge cluster w/o tach (gas gauge wasn't working in full pack)

 

Page 3

 

 

 

I guess I should start with the name,

 

It's a low optioned, column shift, bench seat, low mileage single cab 2wd 1980's pickup that rides more like a cushy swaying land yacht than any Jeep I ever drove.

Figure in the mudflaps added to every corner, and the radio fuse being removed, and you have the perfect Grandpa Jeep (the trifecta would've been if it had a cap on the back & a flannel seat cover :D ).

 

I got it on Craigs list for $2400 (most I ever paid for an MJ):

89 Jeep Comanche Pick Up 2wd $2500

 

 

89 Jeep Comanche Pick Up Black, shortbed, auto 31k miles, that's right 31k miles, 2 owners. If interested call xxx-xxx-xxxx

 

 

I got it home, swapped on some newer tires (to get a sticker), and when the GF's Jeep broke (tranny), it instantly became my daily driver:

 

 

 

I'm still working out what mods I'm willing to do (I plan to keep it stock-ish),

but the toolbox will be coming off for a Tonneau cover, and 97+ mirrors will be in the mix soon,

but I plan to keep it 2wd, cleanup the paint, kill any rust I can find, and have a decent MJ driver to put a few thousand miles a year on

(hopefully Summer only once we have 2 4wd Jeeps up & running here).

 

Latest pics (swapped in a working Jeep radio, toolbox, bedliner, and some Olive Drab painted 15x6's w/235/75-15's)

 

I still need to vacuum the interior:

 

And I'm not a big fan of the idiot light gauge pack.

[DJM/78]

Oh' you mean like mine . found it with a topper that didn't quite fit and the plaid bench seat . :chillin:

 

Nice find ! I wish mine had that many miles though . :ack:

[jpnjim]

Toolbox off,

Tonneau on:

 

[mjeff87]

..........and you have the perfect Grandpa Jeep (the trifecta would've been if it had a cap on the back & a flannel seat cover :D ).

 

Mine was a grandpa-mobile when I got it too (the gentleman passed away, sadly, and his widow couldn't stand seeing it sitting in the driveway as it kept reminding her of him). Only had an AM/FM radio, rubber cargo mat, and the PO made his OWN tonneau cover out of plywood and blue tarping material. Did a one-off custom security lock for it which consisted of a padlock and fencegate hasp that he drilled right into the tailgate :yes:

 

Thank you, Bill Everett (very 1st Fire Chief of the West Point VFD in Westmoreland Co, PA), may you RIP...

 

have fun with your build Jim

 

Jeff

[jpnjim]

..........and you have the perfect Grandpa Jeep (the trifecta would've been if it had a cap on the back & a flannel seat cover :D ).

 

Mine was a grandpa-mobile when I got it too (the gentleman passed away, sadly, and his widow couldn't stand seeing it sitting in the driveway as it kept reminding her of him). Only had an AM/FM radio, rubber cargo mat, and the PO made his OWN tonneau cover out of plywood and blue tarping material. Did a one-off custom security lock for it which consisted of a padlock and fencegate hasp that he drilled right into the tailgate :yes:

 

Thank you, Bill Everett (very 1st Fire Chief of the West Point VFD in Westmoreland Co, PA), may you RIP...

 

have fun with your build Jim

 

Jeff

 

Glad you got my intent with the name. :cheers:

 

Sad thing is, I really like the Grandpa-ness of the whole thing,

 

I better be careful,

at this rate I'll end up sitting on my front porch in my bathrobe & slippers, reading the paper with glasses on my nose.

:D

[CWLONGSHOT]

Mine started out almost exactly as yours!! Only mine was a 4WD, no option, bench seat, column shift with 59,500 miles orig. I bought from second owner... the wife of the orig owner who had passed away. She said, she parked the MJ in the barn and there it sat for many years. Then when she "rediscover" it and used it for feed and hay trips only. Along the way, the front end became wore out and she was scared to drive it, any longer so she sold it. . . to me.

 

 

Good luck with yours. I look forward to the progression...

 

CW

[jpnjim]

 

Very grampa-ish!

All it needs is a tired old dog in the back, and a gun rack. :cheers:

 

 

Yours looks like it was taken better care of than mine (not driven into as much stuff), and I'm digging the Blue. :thumbsup:

[jpnjim]

Another thing to like about this MJ is all the AMC symbols all over it still. 8)

 

The original plug wires (that I swapped out today) are dated '89, but still have the AMC logo on them. (Chrysler bought AMC in '87)

 

The previous owner had replaced a couple of the cooling system hoses with new ones from the dealer in 2005 (they left the dealers destination/sale stickers on them).

Even those hoses (obviously new old stock at the time) have the AMC A-mark symbols on them. :cheers:

 

 

 

I also swapped on the cheapest Gabriel Guardian shocks I could find, so I could keep the Grandpa-ish ride. (original back ones were toast).

They actually firmed up the ride a little :fs1:

but I think I'll get used to it ;)

 

 

I think I'll re-name this thread: Project Grandpa Jeep (the anti-build).

:thumbsup:

[knever3]

Great truck, why is it that everyone needs more than 1 Jeep? It's a disease that we all have contracted and there's no cure except to buy more of them.

 

Nice jeep and I hope the floors are perfect in it.

[jpnjim]

Yeah,

this one makes 4 Jeeps in the driveway now (+ one 39 year old AMC).

 

It hurts my head to add up all the AMC's & Jeeps since my first in 1987, and 'her' first in 1994,

 

just the daily drivers = 6 AMC's & 7 Jeeps. :dunno: :nuts:

[dancome433]

looks good so far, I like the old grandpa style, its something different, shows that its a true survivor

[jpnjim]

:fs1: :wall:

 

Friggen Ebay :headpop:

 

 

 

 

I 'ordered' power/heated 97-01 XJ Mirrors on 1/21/10 ("Buy It Now")

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWNX:IT

Took 5 days before they even shipped them out,

Got them today,

 

open the box, and pull out...

 

A set of GRAND Cherokee Mirrors :rant:

 

 

WTF, it's YOUR auction, can't you rear YOUR OWN FRIGGEN auction? :hateputers:

[xjrev10]

:fs1: :wall:

 

Friggen Ebay :headpop:

 

 

 

 

I 'ordered' power/heated 97-01 XJ Mirrors on 1/21/10 ("Buy It Now")

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWNX:IT

Took 5 days before they even shipped them out,

Got them today,

 

open the box, and pull out...

 

A set of GRAND Cherokee Mirrors :rant:

 

 

WTF, it's YOUR auction, can't you rear YOUR OWN FRIGGEN auction? :hateputers:

 

i would light up there feedback with all kinds of not nice things for sure :mad: . after they make it right. (if they do)

[MancheKid86]

I'm lovin the jeep street sign, sooo jealous

[jpnjim]

I'm lovin the jeep street sign, sooo jealous

 

:D

I forget it's even there, till I look at pics snapped in front of it. :yes:

 

 

 

i would light up there feedback with all kinds of not nice things for sure :mad: . after they make it right. (if they do)

 

 

Auction won on 1/21/10, and they STILL have NOT shipped the correct replacement mirrors. :wall:

[jpnjim]

I'm going to get a gauge set from a member here,

but in the meantime, I pulled the set out of the Trail MJ to go into the Grandpa-mobile. (I'm waaaayyyy too anal to daily drive something without gauges :nuts: ).

 

Before:

 

 

031693.2 miles

 

I'll be completely honest,

before I pulled the old cluster out, I still had some lingering doubts about the low mileage.

 

All the paperwork checked out, but I'm just not a trusting person when it comes to some stuff. :dunno:

 

Well, pulling the cluster out laid any fears to rest.

It's obvious no one had taken the dash apart since it was built, and the cluster itself appears untouched as well.

 

 

1987 Gauge set goes under the knife, to fit the shift indicator, and match the mileage: (mileage not yet there in this pic):

 

 

Mileage advanced to 031693.2, and installed:

 

 

I should've hacked open the shifter indicator spot a little bigger, if I ever take the cluster apart again, I think I'll open it up a bit more at the top:

 

Hopefully there will be time tomorrow to swap the oil & water sending units.

 

You can almost see the factory clock, and MP3 transmitter I added as well.

 

Shameless plug for the Soundfly SD Wireless FM transmitter.

 

You put all your songs on an SD card, up to 32g (or M3 player, or any USB connected source), plug it in your cig lighter,

tune the Soundfly to whatever unused FM band you want, and it plays really clearly, through your radio.

 

I could even clearly tune into it from my other MJ, maybe 15 feet away.

[jpnjim]

So, I picked up 5 of these on Craigs list for $250:

 

 

 

And while I was bolting them on, I swapped in some beat 3" Rusty's coils (~1.5" lift vs these 20 year old 2wd coils),

and some used (but better than what was there) shocks:

 

 

I also swapped on one of the 97+ mirrors I got off Ebay (didn't have time for the other one yet:

 

 

Yep, the centercaps don't work with the 2wd hubs,

and yep, I really need to swap out that bashed ft bumper. :yes:

[Rymanrph]

Wheels look good. Glad you finally got the right mirrors.

[jpnjim]

Glad you finally got the right mirrors.

 

Thanks,

 

I don't think I've ever gotten the run around so much from one company. :doh:

 

I haven't decided exactly what to say in the horrible feedback they'll be getting.

 

(not that it matters, they sell so much stuff, it'll be buried in a couple hours)

[landlubber]

sweet deals on the wheels/tires.

 

jealous.

 

nice truck man, hope I acquire one that nice someday.

[Kittrell]

 

 

You make me sick, Jim................

[-600JeepMJ]

:agree:

[jpnjim]

Thanks guys. :cheers:

 

 

I've done more work, but haven't updated the thread.

 

I really didn't take any closeups before,

but the bumpers on this Jeep were pretty bad:

 

 

 

The back is not 100%, but I'm much happier with it after straightening it some (left side still needs work), closing up the hole, and adding a U-Haul hitch:

 

 

I also swapped the ft bumper (& added ft hooks), but didn't get any pics of that yet.

but here are 'the boys' together:

 

I also swapped out the 87' full gauge pack for a 3/4 gauge set from TerraWombat (Thanks Terra! ):

 

The gas gauge wasn't working on the full 87' set. :dunno:

 

Hopefully I'll have time for more stuff tomorrow.

[MJ is dead]

My jeep is more grandpa than yours, that's right, its more grandpa than yours :rotfl2:

[jpnjim]

My jeep is more grandpa than yours, that's right, its more grandpa than yours :rotfl2:

 

 

Dem's fight'in words. :fs1:

 

 

:D Mine is getting less-grandpa-ish by the day,

tho I'm not ready to come up with a new name for it yet. :dunno: