91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I'm considering buying a 92 Comanche in red. It's an Eliminator (short box), 4WD, 4.0L, 5-speed with 282,000 km (175K miles). First the good. It's the exact combo I want. Now this is a third vehicle so I don't really need 4WD, but I do want a red short box with the HO 4.0L (those are my main requirements). Now the bad. It needs some work and needs a safety inspection. The seller had a recent safety inspection and told me it needs a windshield, right ball joint, rear brake drum work, track bar is loose, and rust repair on the floors and rockers. The engine is really greasy but my reading here shows these engines are notorious for leaking from the valve cover, distributor, oil filter adapter, and rear main. No biggie, I think I can handle replacing all of those gaskets. I live almost 700km away so I've just been communicating by e-mail, the owner sent me some pics. Realistically I probably should trailer the thing home due to the loose track bar and ball joint issue. I can fix those myself but not until I get it back home in the garage. He sent a pic of the driver floor board and it is definitely toast. Here is a pic: So I guess I'm just wondering what do you guys think of it? I really don't want to drive 700km each way just to look at it if it's not worth it. With 175K miles, is there probably still lots of life left in the truck? I bought a 110V welder and I want to play with it so the floor patch panels don't scare me. I think I could use an abrasive flap wheel or something to try and clear up the rust that hasn't eaten all the way through on the box and touch up those spots as much as possible. I see you can buy new floor panels and rocker panels so I'd just go that route. I already know some of the things to look out for like a leaking clutch master cylinder leaking down to the fuse box, check if the hood release works (and lubricate it regularly), etc. I'm not in a big rush to buy but this is the exact combo I want so I don't want to pass this up and then keep looking for a few years. OK, one disclaimer though, I know a guy in my city that has a 2WD '90 Comanche in red, short box. But it's an auto tranny on the column so it's not quite what I want but it could do. This other one though has a little less rust (not much less) but has lots of dents around the truck so overall it probably needs more body work which I'm not a pro at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Whereabouts is it/you located? I recall a red '92 went up for sale about a year ago in Prince Albert, but I don't know what happened to it, and I don't think I remember it being an Eliminator. That picture (and your talk of "safety inspection") kinda screams Winnipeg at me, but it could honestly be anywhere... Wait, found the kijiji ad. Heh, Morden. Close enough. ;) It looks pretty clean for a Manitoba truck. If this is exactly the truck you're looking for, well... they only made so many in '92, and only so many of them were 4L ax15's, and only so many of them were red, and only so many of them are Eliminators... Yes, it's rare, but with the work that needs done to it, I'd say the $2500 he's asking might be a little steep. But then I paid more for mine in worse shape (although somehow safetied) so... yeah. The MJ didn't get the HO until '91, so that limits your criteria to those two years. Typically I'm in Winnipeg at some point over the Christmas break, but I'm going the other direction this year. Otherwise I would have offered to check it out for you. I've been through Morden quite a few times, but unfortunately the only person I know in Morden still hates me cause I was hitting on her roommate a few years back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 our trucks tend to rot from the inside-out so that rust you see on the outside of the bed is probably 100 times worse on the inside of that sheetmetal. :( same with the rockers. and floors. and frames. and doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 gogmorgo, yep that's the one. I'm in SK but south of you. I did some more reading last night here on 4.0 HO vs Renix and I thought the HO was way better but after reading the pros & cons of both engines I'm like "no big deal" on which engine. The HO would be nice because it's easier to troubleshoot and is more compatible with parts, but thanks to this forum I'm not totally set on it. It turns out the other one in town here (I know the guy) is a 91 because it says High Output on the tailgate. Thanks for replying. I was in Winkler this summer so I know where Morden is, they're practically American they're so close to the border LOL. Pete, yeah I know the rust is likely worse behind. I've seen trucks worse than this. I saw one case I think on this forum where a guy cut out the wheel well and used 2-door Cherokee patch panels so I guess it's all do-able with enough money. It's too bad they are pretty much all rusty up here. I'm looking for a truck to restore and keep. These trucks are rare and I have fond memories of them (my dad drove a Comanche from roughly 86-92), it's a shame they stopped making them, it was a short run IMHO. I'm not worried about putting more money into it that it's worth, I've done that before I'm sure I'll do it again LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 What are the rules for attaching a pic? I can't seem to do that, but I can link to a photo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 This site doesn't host images. You'll have to use an external image host and link to it the way you've been doing. Lots of members here use photobucket. Facebook photos can also work, depending on your privacy settings. I personally prefer imgur.com, but any image hosting site will work. My '91 MJ definitely has rust on it, but it seems that it actually rusted from the outside in. The frame looks fine, and is reasonably clean. I've had a bit of a peak in with a flashlight and inspection mirror, and from the small amount I saw, it doesn't look bad at all. I also have just about zero steel in my rockers and some bubbles in the fenders, but the floor pans are still solid. :dunno: Given that you're in SK, you'll need to have an out-of province inspection done whether or not there was a safety passed in Manitoba. I could save fiftyish bucks/year if I registered mine in SK, but the amount of work it would require to pass an SK inspection simply means it isn't worth it to me, especially considering the $350 price tag I hear it costs just for the inspection. As as student, I can still legally drive with my 'Toba reg and tags. My permanent address is near Russell, MB. If I actually manage to save up money properly next summer, I'm thinking of getting a more fuel efficient "second" car, which would likely get SK plates. But that's a bit irrelevant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 I already made a few phone calls. A provincial inspection is just $115+tax, I thought it was $150. A windshield is $332.91 all in. Ball joint, $85-ish locally. Yeah I wouldn't pay $2500 for it given the work it needs. It sounds to me like Pete is concerned about the rust and I shouldn't over-pay. Any other reservations or things I should know? Yeah I really wish I knew someone near Winnipeg who could go look at it for me. Heck I'd even PayPal them some gas money to do it. Here are some other pics of the truck for sale: The interior looks mint (original cassete player even LOL): Yeah the PCV line is disconnected, spouting some dirty air/oil out which seems to be accumulating on the firewall (easy fix), ratcheting oil cap is broken (easy fix), needs a valve cover gasket and maybe other seals/gaskets: The frame "rail" underneath actually looks quite good considering: Here is the other local truck, very similar but Auto/2WD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 One thing I realized is I could buy the local 2WD/Auto truck, fix the rust, put on Eliminator wheels, and then just put on the Eliminator decals, and I'd almost have an Eliminator... sure I'd know it's not real but it would be the truck I want but auto/2wd. Not ideal but that might be cheaper in the long run. Not sure...? They both need rockers & floor boards & some rust repair on the box. I'm thinking it's almost even maybe I should just buy the one in Morden and get the one I want . :MJ 2: . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 those are not eliminator wheels, but look very similar. the true eliminator ones have rivets all around the rim. the only thing that id be worried about is the cab corners. ( that is a big bite for me) . the rest of the truck i know id be ok with fixing. ( rockers, wheel wells). the ho 4x4 5spd will be super fun to drive. having said that i don't think id go much over a grand for it though. us and the cherokee ppl are the only ones that will be interested, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Odd, everything on the truck is bone stock, I'm surprised the wheels aren't. They are very similar to the rivet style Eliminator wheels. Were the rivet-less wheels an upgrade by the factory or dealer? Weirdness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I already made a few phone calls. A provincial inspection is just $115+tax, I thought it was $150. A windshield is $332.91 all in. Ball joint, $85-ish locally. Yeah I wouldn't pay $2500 for it given the work it needs. It sounds to me like Pete is concerned about the rust and I shouldn't over-pay. Any other reservations or things I should know? Yeah I really wish I knew someone near Winnipeg who could go look at it for me. Heck I'd even PayPal them some gas money to do it. Here are some other pics of the truck for sale: The interior looks mint (original cassete player even LOL): Yeah the PCV line is disconnected, spouting some dirty air/oil out which seems to be accumulating on the firewall (easy fix), ratcheting oil cap is broken (easy fix), needs a valve cover gasket and maybe other seals/gaskets: The frame "rail" underneath actually looks quite good considering: Here is the other local truck, very similar but Auto/2WD. I'll just say basically the same thing Pete said but the rocker/cab corner rust looks a whole lot worse in the first pic you posted than it does in the close-up. I'd be much more worried about the bed. most of the cab corner is still metal, so that looks fixable, but keep in mind you will have to either make or have made the replacement sheet metal or cut it out of a non-rusty truck in the same place. Any MJ with exterior rust is immediately not worth $2500, even a 4x4 4.0 5-speed 92 Eliminator (although that's pretty much the best combination you can possibly have). I don't know how much (seems like more than in the US) these things usually go for in Canada, but I would pay about $15-1600ish tops if it ran and drove well. If you're interested in it, be careful and look at everything (incl. inside the frame rails) really carefully. You definitely don't want it breaking in half on you. Don't pay the "rust free" price for it though. If I wasn't close to a thousand miles away I'd love to look at it for you :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 those are not eliminator wheels, but look very similar. the true eliminator ones have rivets all around the rim. Not True, The Eliminator 10 Hole rims lost their rivets in 1991. 90 and Down will have rivets, 91+ are clean as the 1s pictured. Those are the factory wheels :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 those are not eliminator wheels, but look very similar. the true eliminator ones have rivets all around the rim. the only thing that id be worried about is the cab corners. ( that is a big bite for me) . the rest of the truck i know id be ok with fixing. ( rockers, wheel wells). the ho 4x4 5spd will be super fun to drive. having said that i don't think id go much over a grand for it though. us and the cherokee ppl are the only ones that will be interested, lol. They are. I forget the year break now, but the fake beadlock around the rim went away in the last year or two of the Eliminators. Edit, BJ beat me to it while I was typing it out. Quicker draw than myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 I e-mailed the seller asking for another photo of the underside so I can gauge how much rust there is on the back area and passenger floor board. So we'll see. One of the things I like is that the truck is bone stock, it's not all modified since I'm looking to restore kind of close to showroom condition anyway. OK rust is the biggest thing to look for. No one seems worried about the number of miles. From browsing the forum it looks like almost anything is fixable or upgradeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 I'll just say basically the same thing Pete said but the rocker/cab corner rust looks a whole lot worse in the first pic you posted than it does in the close-up. I'd be much more worried about the bed. most of the cab corner is still metal, so that looks fixable, but keep in mind you will have to either make or have made the replacement sheet metal or cut it out of a non-rusty truck in the same place. Any MJ with exterior rust is immediately not worth $2500, even a 4x4 4.0 5-speed 92 Eliminator (although that's pretty much the best combination you can possibly have). I don't know how much (seems like more than in the US) these things usually go for in Canada, but I would pay about $15-1600ish tops if it ran and drove well. If you're interested in it, be careful and look at everything (incl. inside the frame rails) really carefully. You definitely don't want it breaking in half on you. Don't pay the "rust free" price for it though. If I wasn't close to a thousand miles away I'd love to look at it for you :P Everything is more expensive in Canada. Gas, parts, cars, etc. It's just the way it is unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Man, awesome looking truck, that rust scares me though. I wish my Eliminator had the matching flares and side decal on it still when I bought it. Good luck with your decision! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 those are not eliminator wheels, but look very similar. the true eliminator ones have rivets all around the rim. Not True, The Eliminator 10 Hole rims lost their rivets in 1991. 90 and Down will have rivets, 91+ are clean as the 1s pictured. Those are the factory wheels :thumbsup: thank you gentlemen. I'm surprised to hear this and that i didnt know it already, lol . i have the rivet kind on my 91 but i got them after i got the truck. it seems strange that they would put the non-rivet kind on the newer eliminators, ive seen them on very run-of -the-mill cherokees, including my wifes 95. i'd be throwing gamblers on anyway though - its just my addiction ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I e-mailed the seller asking for another photo of the underside so I can gauge how much rust there is on the back area and passenger floor board. So we'll see. One of the things I like is that the truck is bone stock, it's not all modified since I'm looking to restore kind of close to showroom condition anyway. OK rust is the biggest thing to look for. No one seems worried about the number of miles. From browsing the forum it looks like almost anything is fixable or upgradeable. Pretty much. Unless it's been run hard or not taken care of, mileage (kilometrage? :laughin: ) really doesn't bother a 4.0 or AX-15 but by 175k it's probably beginning to get a little tired. As long as it's been street driven the almost 100% certainly D35 rear probably will be fine as well. The bodies on our trucks usually go long before the drivetrains. Pretty much everything in front of the seats can be replaced and/or upgraded. Anything behind them can be found here. It's the seats themselves you really have to worry about :hmm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankTheDog Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Looking at the motor it's either been replaced or just the valve cover has been replaced. Steel valve covers came out in 96. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Looking at the motor it's either been replaced or just the valve cover has been replaced. Steel valve covers came out in 96. Really? Hmmm. this owner has had it 5 years and has done basically nothing to it as far as I'm aware... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Judging by the decal on the valve cover, does it seem safe to say this engine is out of a 2003 model year Jeep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Hmmm well this is more interesting... I typed the part # from the intake manifold into Google and it turns out it's from a 91-96 Cherokee, 91-92 Comanche, or 93-96 Grand Cherokee. So... the intake manifold seems to be original. Maybe the valve cover is the only updated thing on the engine. I guess it's really hard to say what all is updated/swapped. http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/products/MANIFOLD--Intake-1994-95/4520720/33007067.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 The valve cover is a pretty common place for leaks. Wouldn't surprise me if it had been swapped to try to correct that. They don't really need to hold much pressure, so they're usually pretty thin and warp pretty easily, and that's not just limited to Jeeps. I've even seen them made of plastic. Don't know how close you are to the truck, but if you look on the passenger side of the engine, on a rectangular boss above the distributor, there should be a serial number of sorts for the block itself. Casting number, whatever it's properly called. Should tell you the date the engine rolled off its assembly line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91Pioneer Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Well I'm hoping to line up a trailer and go see it later this week or next week if it's still there. I just can't make the time right now to get away. I was just checking the pictures out more and thinking about things :thumbsup: All this research will be helpful whether I buy this MJ or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSimon Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 I didn't read the thread to closely (sorry about that), but the Jeep in the picture does have a lot of rust. Rust isn't the end of the world, but if you plan to fight it and do a complete restore .... it will take some serious work to win that fight. Its doable, but you'll have to tear the Jeep down to its bones, spend hours grinding and sanding, do extensive sheet metal repair, do a lot of body work, and repaint everything. If you don't have experience with that sort of thing ... its gonna be a long hard uphill slog ..... BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT IN THE END!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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