TheDude Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Hello all! Since I am now only 2 weeks away from picking my first MJ off of a very kind man in NJ. I thought I'd start my build thread for it now! Specs: 1989 Jeep Comanche Custom, 4.0L, 5 speed, 4x4, Long bed. Money shot The interior needs work but not too bad. I'd like to swap to an all black interior. And only 109,000 miles! Not bad for a 24 year old truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earl*t Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hey Dude! Looks like you have a very nice platform. The truck looks petty much stock, is that the case? I'm just down the road, about 2 1/2 hrs. What are your plans? PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 Yeah, It's pretty stock. I want to swap the interior to all black and do some good performance upgrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 Also, I don't live near the guy who I'm buying it from. I live in Pittsburgh so I am driving all the way to NJ to pick it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moos Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 I just bought it......Haha jk ,nice truck jeep on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReverendBill Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 pretty sweet looking comanche your getting ...... if any problems arise on your way home I'm in altoona, pa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 pretty sweet looking comanche your getting ...... if any problems arise on your way home I'm in altoona, pa Thanks, hopefully we don't need it though. We were planning on towing it back with an XJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 I just picked her up and I am heading back home with her in tow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earl*t Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 It needs a new exhaust header back, the brakes gone over, two fist sized rust holes on the floor patched, and the horn fixed. I'll upload pics when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 Second stop on our 800 mile round trip. It started snowing right when we started on the trip of course.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 15 hours and 400 miles later, me and my friend "Azzy" (of Azzysdesignworks.com) are finally there at a fellow Club members' home! Her private accommodations (walkers not included) Me driving it for the first time Loading her on the tow dolly. Me taking a picture of my friend taking a picture of my new MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 Hey, There seems to be a Comanche following pretty close behind us.. Pit stop for food (and beer). We may of taken up more than one parking space.. My friend, thrilled to be out of NJ. The rest of the trip home was long and somewhat eventful. The truck only almost fell off the dolly once.. But, after many miles and stops for gas later.. I have my own Comanche sitting in my garage! Now.. The Build Begins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azzy Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 this was one heck of a tow back. We were on the road about 22 hours between the hotel, pickup and dropoff, with maybe 2 of those stopping for food and a break (beer). If you make a trip like this... prepare to replace your brakes after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babyblack86 Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Hey, Dude, how you and Azzie doing! Finally found your build post. You know who this is don't you? Done anything new to her yet? Hope you at least got her on the road so you can tool around town in it. I'll be watching. Got another one for sale if you know anybody. Will post it in the For Sale section. You saw it. The black Big Ton LB under the car port. Visit SJ Craigslist under Comanche. You will find it. "Kindman in NJ". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Of course I know who it is! I don't have her on the road yet. I have most of the interior out to fix the floor and the fuse box under the dash.. Also have the exhaust intake and manifold off to replace the really badly cracked header. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 I've been busy working on the truck, while also being too lazy to post my progress..Let the fixing commence! (only many parts were broken In the process..) Never mind the funny looking guy in my engine bay.. Now with that pesky intake out of the way. The first setback.. a JB welded over leaking freeze plug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 We replaced the plugs with shiny new brass ones and then we got distracted messing around the interior.. To start I pulled the bench out and found a prize rusted to the bracket. It's a Craftsman 1/4 universal and I happen to work at a Sears Auto Center.. Now for the horribly graphic photos.. Those with young Jeeps are suggested to look away now. Not too bad really and that's after I chiseled away all the soft rusty metal away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 That's how the interior still sits today. But, I'm picking a full black interior this weekend to swap in along with the fuse box and entire inside wiring harness. So with that, I stated back at the engine by pulling off the old exhaust. Trying to wiggle it out in one piece. Got all the way to the main bend in the down pipe before giving up and cutting the down pipe in half. After my removal victory. The new exhaust. The new exhaust painted. The new exhaust is installed and I somehow managed to put everything back together and made it run again! Videographic proof of my mechanical skillz. :P Click on picture for video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 Man, I've been really lazy on updating this thread.. But I have been making a lot of progress on my MJ.First sunny day in a few months.. Oh look, everyone's favorite, drum brakes! Found out that the rear drum stopped working because of the axle oil seal leaking into them.. Axle seals kind of suck to relpace. After I cut the bearings and replaced the seals I started to put all the new hardware together. Even with pictures and a friends help it still took 30mins for one side, then maybe 10 for the other. lolAnd with that, I was finally able to drive it out into the sunlight for the first time in a long time.Image Not FoundNow, onto the dash wiring.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Is that the Omix-Ada exhaust manifold? Did it fit well and seem like good quality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 No, it was a Dorman from advance auto. The quality was decent, it looked no worse than the factory manifold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Thanks. I have a cracked manifold, I've read mixed reviews on the Dorman one. However the bad reviews seem to be from years ago, better reviews recently, so I think they fixed the main problem which was the EGR tube not fitting well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 I may of had that issue too.. but my EGR tube was stripped so I just plugged it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDude Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 I've been lazy at updating this thread again.. But, I have been less lazy working on the truck!Here's me fixing my non-adjusted drums on the XJ, while the MJ looks on in jealousy. Now me and my newly made friend start to get the floor fixed. He just came over to buy some Jeep parts and much bull$#!&ting later, now he's helping me put my floor in. (Gotta love fellow Jeepers!)Driver's side, not too bad.Passenger side is a bit worse.. Now to acquire some sheet metal. Hmm, Hey Dad, can I borrow the roof from you old Buick out back? (Note, the Buick's hood was already taken to help repair the cargo area floor in the aforementioned XJ) The victim.. First cut (only mild fire on inside of car..) Scalping complete.. "One dies so another shall live" - somebody wise Now with the sheet metal in hand, the real work begins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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