Hypothetical 88 MJ project (not a build)

[rmoore1031]

I'll start this off with, this is not a build, it is a hypothetical project that I want to work on in near future.

 

So one day I'm driving around Upstate NY somewhere. And I'm allows on the look out for Jeeps, even have a lame roadtrip game for Jeeps.

Then I see a rusty Comanche in a yard. Naturally I pull over to investigate this fairly rare sighting. Go to the owner's porch and knock on the door.

He seems confused to see a stranger on his property. I tell him I'm here to talk about the Comanche. I bring up how I am driving my 89 MJ longbed.

Instantly earn his respect and attention. Tells me he used to use it in a local offroad club but lost interest. Says I can check it out.

Its an 88 MJ shortbed, rusty, carpet sagging through floor pan, I6 4.0L 5 speed, with a bench seat. Stock nothing fancy.

Tells me he is ready to sell for scrap price and it is loaded with misc. scrap.

I tell him if he can wait awhile, I'll pay more than scrap to save it and make a project of it. He loves the idea. He previously turned down offers from local junkers.

I guess he was just holding onto it for such a day.

I almost have enough money and a trailer secured to move to a friend's property.

Here's my rough plan in kind of order:

 

1. Get money for owner and make it decently higher than any scrap price.
2. Get car trailer to haul it.
3. Bring it to my friend's property since I have no room for it at the moment.
4. Scrap the misc. stuff out of the bed.
5. Pull the interior and see what is left of the floor.
6. Put the interior on pallets and wrap in tarps to store in barn for near future.
7. Pull the engine and transmission.
8. Sell said powertrain for like $75-100 (170k ish)
9. Pull the tail lights and recondition them per CC instructions.
10. Source a bedliner for the bed and hope it isn't rotted.
11. Find a fuel injected I4 2.5L and automatic transmission that mates up (not most common combo but I've seen them)
12. Find corresponding 4WD system for the truck I want.
13. Find small lift components, thinking 2-3" lift.
14. Find or buy new 30" tires (when close to done)
15. Find holy grail of cool Comanche parts. (Visor, roll bar, buckets maybe, etc...)
16. Get Nates bumpers for front and back.
17. Get the Harbor Freight special roof rack.
18. Get LED lighting inside and outside. (Roof light bar, bumper light bar, A pillar lights, Truck-Lite LEDs, and misc interior too)
19. Hope to have money for a nice tune up and money to register/insure it lol

This is all off the top of my head. Hope to update with more ideas. Taking ideas, opinions, and questions is always appreciated!