Beat Up Interior?

[Egm89]

Hello all!

Well as the topic says, I have an1986 MJ with a pretty beat up interior, and the stupid lights cluster, as I am planning on getting another cluster, I ask myself, what if I get another interior (console, cluster, etc, etc)? Or if i just "refurbished" the old one? (i.e. painting it)

My question is, have any of you guys done it before? And if so, how well did it came up? Pictures would b awesome!

[ftpiercecracker1]

Refurbishing the interior is as easy as going to the Junkyard, finding an XJ in good condtion and in the color you want and pulling EVERYTHING from between the front doors. The only thing that will be different are the seat brackets. Other than that every single piece on a Cherokee from the front doors forward is a direct swap with a Comanche. However, there is one other thing, since yours is an 1986 the 4.0 inline six cylinder will not fit either. That is, without a significant amount of engine bay hacking.

 

If you have an all black interior, save it. All black interiors are super awesome and super rare.

 

ftpiercecracker

 

 

p.s.   

 

some people have repainted/touched up there interior with good to decent results, so you could go either way. Just whatever floats your boat.

[GirsMJ86]

Actually the work that is required to make a 4.0L fit in an '86 isn't that bad. There is an added bump-out by the tranny hump that allows the longer block, it can be hammered out if you don't care about it looking pretty, or if you have the skills you can hack and fab or swap firewalls.

 

As far as painting, it stays okay on the solid plastics unless it gets heavily scratched. On squishy stuff like the armrests it doesn't seem to stay so well with the constant flexing.

 

Also be sure to do some searching for info about the cluster swap. In '88 things changed with how the speedo hooks up, and in '91 the gauges went all electronic. I've been trying to find a full gauge w/tach cluster for mine with no luck so far. And there are like three gauge setups to make thing even more complicated. Speedo with large fuel and idiot lights, speedo with large fuel and smaller gauges (what I have currently), and lastly speedo with tach and smaller gauges.

[Egm89]

Thanks for the feedback guys, well guys I've been doing some research, and as far for the interior it looks pretty good, well like always when doing paintwork; prep is key! So I think imma take that route, or who knows, I'm going to the JY this sunday, I might find something worthy.

As far as for the cluster I guess it's going to be a real PITA to find the right one then, didnt know it was that hard.

But if I do decided to paint my interior, might as well show some apreciation for this forum and do a DIY, bcs I did not find one about painting interiors.

[danbyrambler]

Lots of interior info/expertise & ideas here on CC - - Use keywords seats, dash, headliner & such inna search - - Your project MJs is also great place - - - Check out "The Building of Bucky" & Hayduke's project for a start - Both full of int how to, how not to & light bulb turn ons - - - Also TBB is rumored to be an upcoming Reality show-HBO Mini Series - Forgot which - Think I saw that on NAXJA

:thumbsup:

[64 Cheyenne]

When I got the Chief, the interior was bad, matter of fact the whole truck was....

 

http://comancheclub.com/topic/16700-100-88-mj-megan-joy/

[Egm89]

Hahha well, I bought the truck with current registration, and passing smog with good numbers ( I live in San Diego, California, so it is kind of a big deal the smog for me), but the interior and exterior its kind of rough, but hey!? For a 1000 bucks, what else can I ask for.

But I've been looking trough the post that Danby~ and 64 cheyenne sayd, and it seemes that I'm going with the bucky tread.

Thanks all! Btw planning on doing a project (H)