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new to the site and to restoration


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Hello all,

 

I'm new to the site and new to project cars ..this is my first one (always wanted one, never had the money... this one was a godsend. ) and would appreciate any tips and help. money is very tight for me so it is probably going to be a long drawn out process which kills me as i have always wanted a Comanche. (this is not my first jeep though had a 93 XJ and a 93 YJ that i miss dearly)

 

I just bought a 1988 Comanche pioneer olympic edition

 

the spec's

1988 Jeep MJ comanche Pioneer short box

Olympic package

2wd

2.5 liter 4 cyl

4 speed manual transmission

158.000 miles

 

i bought the truck out of a guys back yard for $100 it had been sitting for 3 yrs. I jumped it and drove it home! 40 miles without incident

it runs like a champ but needs some body work to the cab and my wifes cousin thinks the bed is shot the undercarriage is fine however. let me know what you think. Also id like to know what is the first thing i need to do to start this project. l_e7720adb3192687b8e7343e091b10a65.jpg

 

l_ca2019f56b6b5053a54eeaf61d24559e.jpg

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first thing.

 

remove the topper (so you can see the bed better) and rear fender flares to see how bad the bed really is.

 

also get under and check the floors.

 

 

it needs a good cleaning I guarantee that. do that too.

 

and get rid of the bug deflector, please please please

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I'd bet money that the bed is shot. They have a bad habit of rusting like that. When you pull off the flares there will be pretty much nothing left.

 

The front fenders might be kinda icky under the flares too. Luckily they're easy to get.

 

The doors look like they can be saved.

 

The cab looks alright, you will probably have to mess with the rockers a bit to clean them up. The floors might be icky too, but they're an 'easy' fix.

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took the cap (topper) off and got mad.... the inside of the box hasn't a spot of rust on it... do they sell just the bedsides or am i stuck with looking for a whole bed? Ill follow up with cap-less pictures soon

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a white bed would be Awesome... but to have it shipped from Georgia to Pittsburgh would have to be very expensive. I found a bed in Cannonsburg which is a southern suburb of Pittsburgh for $350 but the descriptor said it had 6 units of damage. Dents i can work with but every Comanche i have seen up here has rot somewhere on the bed. The bedsides from the guy in AZ might be the way to go... i don't know why they don't make oem replacements though, what does the insurance co do if you get rear ended?

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a white bed would be Awesome... but to have it shipped from Georgia to Pittsburgh would have to be very expensive. I found a bed in Cannonsburg which is a southern suburb of Pittsburgh for $350 but the descriptor said it had 6 units of damage. Dents i can work with but every Comanche i have seen up here has rot somewhere on the bed. The bedsides from the guy in AZ might be the way to go... i don't know why they don't make oem replacements though, what does the insurance co do if you get rear ended?

 

they don't make bedsides cause there arent many of these trucks around, and when they DID make them, they didn't sell.

 

the insurance co either has you drive them and pull dents, or totals it.

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wow this sounds like a business opportunity waiting to happen! I wish i had money to by a press.

 

I wish you did too...

Fudge... I'm going to make some phone calls this week to a few connections I didnt really think about.

 

Keep your fingers crossed!

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Well, I took the topper off and the 80's style bug shield. I think it looks better without them

l_44fc02f9de4ef38a674ba8cbd1b19aed.jpg

 

I went up and drove it around the property a little bit today, I like the jeep better than my s10 (daily driver) and can't wait till its on the road.... I now see the obsession.

 

I thought that the jeep was bigger though but i had them parked next to each other and they are about the same size

 

l_f4ef4f9121e69d88370b7f814895db67.jpg

 

I, thanks to the help of offroader, was able to get some bedsides for her and as soon as i get the money and figure out shipping ill get it handled. here is how bad the bed actually is .. well actually its just the outside.

 

passenger side

l_a83fb952a93c66b83ea03e92e3be3bdf.jpg

 

driver side

l_8d639d570ffe1bc570f4a5fdea6b0536.jpg

one step at a time I guess

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wow this sounds like a business opportunity waiting to happen! I wish i had money to by a press.

 

I wish you did too...

Fudge... I'm going to make some phone calls this week to a few connections I didnt really think about.

 

Keep your fingers crossed!

 

I have been holding this information back for a while and now I feel I should come outta the dark about it, and the only reason I haven't doe it for myself is cause i've been strapped for cash.. but I have access to a few breaks (for sheet metal) but are kinda small I would only be able to bend up about a 4 1/2 ' long portion of the box.. but it can be done.. I've even practiced some of the bends required, and they are damn easy bends at that... like I've said I'm just held back by money.

 

I know a 6'x10' sheet of 2024 t3 Aluminum alloy is around the $500 mark.. but I haven't been able to find a place around here that carries large enough sheets of thin steel cause that would be way cheaper. Maybe it's time that I started to look into that.. cause i know the interest is there.. but would people be willing to pay shipping from canada for something that big

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  • 2 weeks later...

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