comenschen Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Well, finally started digging into my Manche project, so seing as I'm stuck at home and the family is all napping, I better post it up. Got this 86 2.5/5spd 4x4 a couple years ago, but haven't touched it until now. Engine was seized, truck had been sitting for a few years. Traded it for an old set of rims :D . After it sat for a year, picked up a 91 Cherokee Laredo 4.0 (Mr. Boobs) for $100. It's pretty rusty, sounds like the ring gear is cracked (have yet to pull it apart). All 'artwork', on it was there when I got it. Not sure why the PO decided to paint boobs on the bumper :dunno:, but it's obviously why it's been dubbed 'Mr Boobs'. So the plan is to strip the truck, fix the floors, and swap everything over from the cherokee...dash, wiring, drivetrain, blahblah....and whatever I gotta do at the rad support/firewall (darn 86' :mad:) I put 2 short days into the truck so far, so sit tight, and I'll get this post up to speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 15, 2010 Author Share Posted August 15, 2010 Got the truck rolled in the shop and tore into it last tues. Got the front panels off, and the drivetrain ready to pull. Came back yesterday, and stripped most of the engine bay. Pulled the bench seat, carpet, and dash. Wow, floor is a lot worse than I thought. Tossed my new pans on top to see how much more metal I need. Pass floor isn't quite as bad, but still awful. I think I'll do that side first...Driver side is nasty. That's about how it's sitting now. I'll be back at it on tues, hope to have the floors all done by the end of this week, and on to the rockers. Thinking I'll go the 2x6 square tube route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 Got the pass floor prepped for the new pan today. Doesn't quite cover at the front corner, but I'll just weld a small patch in after. Hope to work on it tomorrow; get it burned in, weld the side brace back on, and make a new piece for the center brace that I had to cut out. Then it's on to the driver side :ack: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 19, 2010 Author Share Posted August 19, 2010 Had a bit of time today to work on the floor. Didn't get the pass side done, but got the pan burned in. Hopefully I get a full day to work on it next time out, finish this side up and get a good ways into the driver floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MancheKid86 Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 don't forget to use coca-cola to neutralize that other rust :thumbsup: spill some on and your good :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 19, 2010 Author Share Posted August 19, 2010 Coke...does knocking over my rye&coke on the floor while working count? :D I was just going to grind and Por15 it. Or there's a bottle of Picklex at the shop, (see http://www.picklex.com). As long as I can use Por15 after, I'll spray it with Picklex first. Can't remember if the Por will bond over top, gotta read the labels. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MancheKid86 Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 lol i believe it does :yes: i would deff use a chem based neutralizer for the rust after grinding just to make sure, because ur using por-15 you want to make there no question that rust will form, imho 8) and wow that stuff looks amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 Finally got back to the shop tonite...Haven't got the time I thought I would to work on it :fs1: Finished up the metal work on the pass. floor, just needs some por15 and seam sealer. I'll do that after all the floor is done, then bedliner on the inside, and paint/primer/something and undercoat on the bottom. Prepped the driver side for the new pan...cleaned up the inside of the frame rail, picklex-ed it, then put on some por15 (had some silver lying around the shop). Sprayed weld-thru primer on the tops of the frame rail where the pan will be spot welded to. Next time out, I'll weld the pan in, then cut out the surrounding rusty junk as I make patches. I hate rust repair.....it sucks. I've taken blown engines apart and found less junk than what just came out of my nose. I blame every one of you (yes you!) that have build write-ups on this forum for making me think fixing this truck was a good idea. If I'm not grinning from ear to ear the first time I drive it, I swear I will take time off work to drive across this continent to all of your houses to leave a burning bag of poop on your doorstep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MancheKid86 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 totally worth it, i was grinning ear to ear when i drove it the first time, 4 clutches 2 clutch lines, some odds and ends and 2 years of tinkering and i drove it off the jacks :yes: so for 2 years i havent even driven the thing and i was completely obsessed with it 8) gj with ur rust repairs and lookin good so far :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 Had some time to work on it yesterday. At least I'm starting to see the end of the floors. If I get the floors and rockers all wrapped up next week I'll be happy. Quickly running out of sheetmetal...I have one bigger piece I've saved for the rear of the driver floor, so I started using some smaller pieces for the trans tunnel. Even burned in a piece of galvanized! Welding that without a respirator and/or major ventilation is :no: Even started the truck on fire for a bit....blackened the windshield some. Can't wait to get the metal work over with and get on to mechanical stuff! Even Mr. Boobs is anxious to get in the shop to donate his parts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 All the metal and body work is always thr worst, but it will sure be worth it in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabeMJ Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 don't give up on the sheet metal work yet tou will still have to do the rear wheel well ........... very good job by the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 don't give up on the sheet metal work yet tou will still have to do the rear wheel well ...........very good job by the way Thatll be Cake compared 2 the floors :thumbsup: Ill be following your progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 Thanks guys :cheers: The plan was to have it on the road before winter, as my daily driver is a summer only car (68 Toyota Corona). Well, the engine went on the toyota this weekend, so the heat is on the get the truck done. My wife and I both agree having to share the minivan will stink, which means she'll let me have more time at the shop :clapping: I'll be back at the shop tomorrow, try and finish the floor and get on to the rockers. Gotta go pick up some 2x6" steel tube. Anything on the box I'm not too concerned with right now. That will probably wait until spring when I have a different car to drive....then I'll fix the wheel arches and bob the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 Got all the patches on the floor welded in, now just need to weld some new braces in and I can seal it all up! Didn't get a pic of the floor, but I should be going tomorrow. I did however get a pic of some parts that showed up today. Woot! I'm on the fence about leaving the header as is or spraying some black VHT on it. :???: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted September 12, 2010 Author Share Posted September 12, 2010 Slowed down on progress a bit the last week or so. Made a new floor/seat brace on the driver side and put it in. Before I put the side brace back on. Finally got some steel for my rockers. Cut both rockers, capped them, tapped them for air fittings. After cleaning the rust off they'll be ready to weld on. Just need some final trimming and prep on truck to fit them up. Tapped them for air right behind the cab, so they line up with the holes on the frame rails. I'll run a hose through those holes to tie them together. Already hooked shop air up to both, no leaks. Rockers should be in after this week, and floor all por15'd and seam sealed. Then it's on to the rad support before I start swapping everything over from the Cherokee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted September 30, 2010 Author Share Posted September 30, 2010 Not much to update. Pass side rocker is in. Driver side about ready to burn in. Worked on it today for the first time in 2 weeks....feels like a month! Once the other rocker is in, I'll need to pull the bed to finish the last couple inches of welds. So, pulled the fuel tank today. It's shot, gonna need a new one. Too bad, that'll cut into my lift monies. :fs1: Decided on a color...I'll paint the door jambs, and probably the engine bay after the other rocker is done. At least then I can assemble it and start driving it...then not have to tear it down again whenever I actually decide to throw paint on the outside. You'll all just have to wait on the color until I paint the jambs :yes: Pics after next shop day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 Well, still haven't touched the truck since last fall. Sled season started and it got pushed aside. Wrenched on sleds all winter (what little time I had) only to put on about 250 miles. Oh well, shop is getting cleaned up, and Mr Boobs II will be back under the knife. Just ordered my lift from Tom at Hellcreek on Thursday (thanks again Tom!), can't wait to get back to work on it. Updates soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody4359 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 slowly but surely it coming along :wrench: i thought i could get mine done in 2 weeks, that was last october lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990 Pioneer 4x4 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Got all the patches on the floor welded in, now just need to weld some new braces in and I can seal it all up! Didn't get a pic of the floor, but I should be going tomorrow. I did however get a pic of some parts that showed up today. Woot! I'm on the fence about leaving the header as is or spraying some black VHT on it. :???: What brand of header? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Yeah, poor truck...little did it know that I'm always trying to work on too many projects at once. Fortunately I've been thinning out the ones that really just weren't cool enough, plus selling off a huge pile of random parts that 'I know I'll need someday for my ________project". The header was an APN from ineedparts.com. Found enough good feedback for it, and was super cheap. Made sure to get a flexpipe with it. My bro just got a whole bunch of new powder for powdercoating, including a high temp that's supposed to be good to 1200 degrees. Looks like the header will be the guinea pig! Spent all evening today at the shop cleaning; way to much stuff in the shop, and over the winter the truck turned into a table. Going to the junkyard this saturday to look for an 8.8 from an exploder....figured if I'm welding new spring perches on anyway, why waste my time doing it on the 35? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Got off work early today and headed to the junkyard. Found a 8.8 from a 97 exploder. No lsd, but 4.10 gears to match my front, and even had new brake pads in it for $100. There was actually a comanche there that looked pretty complete but didn't have time to check it out, other than seeing it was a 4.0 shortbox 4x4. I may go back next week for a zj master/booster and see if there is anything worth grabbing from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Little update. Motor on the shop air compressor puked just after last update, still haven't got a new one. As a result I haven't bothered trying to get a lot done. How some people get so much done without air tools is beyond me. Yanked the rear leafs out of the parts J10 on the yard. I still need to pull the 360 to put in storage....one day it might end up in the Comanche :brows: Then it's most likely off to the shredder. Pressed some new bushings into the leafs, and mocked up the 8.8 under it. Put the bald 33's from the XJ on it to see how things would look. Finished welding some bracing on the floor and coated it with Chassis Saver (like por15). Needs to be scuffed and bedlined as soon as I have air again. Hauled out the wheels that will be going on it. What are these again? Some sorta wrangler wheels? 15x8's anyway. I'll most likely end up powdercoating them silver, and the inset sections 'black chrome' or 'black chrome II' This is what black chrome looks like (riser on my sled). Didn't turn out how I thought, more gunmetal. Black Chrome II is supoosed to look more like it sounds, but I haven't tried it yet. Any thoughts? So that's how it sits for now. Waiting to get the compressor fixed, so in the meantime I'll make some templates for a bit of frame plating on the front rails and bumper brackets, and get the them plasma'd out. Then get the engine bay cleaned up and plating burned in before I put the front lift on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rymanrph Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I believe those wheels are called Canyons. I had them on my old TJ. I actually have an air compressor and I find that I usually like using my regular tools more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comenschen Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Well, once again not much to update. Pulled the front sheetmetal/rad support off both the MJ and the parts XJ. Need a little more trimming on the truck before I can weld the XJ stuff on. Since this thing is taking me way too long, and I really need a truck, I convinced myself to buy another comanche. It's an 89 2wd 4.0l with a pukegoat and d35. $500 and I drove it home. The box is in way better shape than mine and it's got a spray in bedliner...which will definately end up on Mr BoobsII. Going to do a ghetto patch on the driver floor, put a new windshield in it and just drive it until Boobs is roadworthy. If I ever do anything beyond that, maybe I'll start a different build thread for it.....highly unlikely though. And yes, I noticed the grill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now