Gat'79 Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Just moved to Puerto Rico and bought an 1986 4x4 Manual with a V6 conversion. The previous owner was a complete hack, but the engine and trans is good and the body straight with minor rust damage. Pretty good for an island car. It basically has no interior and there is a lot of 'cleaning up' to do. This is the first time I am going to restore a car on my own. My expectations from this group are to learn from everyone's experiences and have a support outlet for when I run into trouble and have questions. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rylee144 Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 You'll get that here my friend. Welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Welcome to the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 we need pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJXJjeepguy Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Power steering hose blew, ordered it on Saturday and doesn't arrive until Thrusday. That's island life... 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Whoever had it before messed it up even more. Nobody ever did regular maintenance, but the motor is solid, Tranny and 4x4. There is minor rust on the floor, in the firewall and some seals. The body is straight and the underside has almost no rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 I have a new steering box and just waiting for the hose. I need to seal up the oil leak (see new post) and then I get the alignment. It will have an entire new suspension, new gaskets and new steering column. It will be running perfect. Next I will the remove the entire emission system (no need here) and clean up the wiring. After that, it is time to seal up the body, fix the door hinges, and rear window and start prepping for paint which I would expect to take place after Christmas during that time I will be gathering interior parts. I like the idea of the 2 door Cherokee interior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJXJjeepguy Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Overall ur truck isnt that bad, nice truck u got 2.8 v6 like we talked about in my post about rear main seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 Just now, MJXJjeepguy said: Overall ur truck isnt that bad, nice truck u got 2.8 v6 like we talked about in my post about rear main seal. I know it isn't the best, but these Comaches do not really exist here on the island. There is a HUGE culture in Jeeps right now here and even 'as-is' this is a head turner. I feel like I bit off more than I can chew at times. Attached is the last car I restored in Colombia a 1979 Renault 6 that I didn't finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJXJjeepguy Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Nice tiny car lol, if that ok for u to me to be curious, u born in PR? Or move there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 If you have them on the island, you could put a GM 3.4 in your Comanche for more power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 1 minute ago, MJXJjeepguy said: Nice tiny car lol, if that ok for u to me to be curious, u born in PR? Or move there? I was born and raised in NJ to an Irish/German mother and Sicilian father. Spent my summers at the beach before moving to the beach in LA. I made my way to PR in 2013/4 and then traveled the entire America's spending a month or more in almost every country. I lived in Mexico for 18 months, Guatemala for 9, Buenos Aires for 3 and then eventually took residence in Colombia for a little more than 3 years. During the travels I picked up spanish. That little car is a head turner in Colombia, people 40+ will walk up to you and start telling childhood stories about that car. The old timers will tell stories. It was a taxi in the 80's and the main middle to high poor class car, 7 out of 10 families had one at some point. It's an awesome car with the shifter on the dash. This car will take you ANYWHERE without a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, 89 MJ said: If you have them on the island, you could put a GM 3.4 in your Comanche for more power. I'm not even close to going there, too many things now to make it a nonleaky problematic daily driver. Although I did drive it 2.5 hours after buying it with zero problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJXJjeepguy Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 You gotta alot of jonrney story to tell! Reason why traveled all over? Job? Or enjoy? Or military? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 I lost everything in 2008/9. Wheelchair for 9 months in 2011 and realized there is more to life than children, computer screen debt and material items.I dreamed of living is Buenos Aires since my first encyclopedia set. The stories my grandma told me of her travels across the world and literally having no family and therefore no ties in life I set out on my journey to write my own story.I'm not rich, never had anything handed to me and nothing ever comes easy. Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Gat'79 said: I lost everything in 2008/9. Wheelchair for 9 months in 2011 and realized there is more to life than children, computer screen debt and material items. I dreamed of living is Buenos Aires since my first encyclopedia set. The stories my grandma told me of her travels across the world and literally having no family and therefore no ties in life I set out on my journey to write my own story. I'm not rich, never had anything handed to me and nothing ever comes easy. Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk That is a very touching story. Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 So I replaced the Steering gear box, not without a hitch. The thread size on the new steering gear box was smaller. I had to rethread it and got it in no problem. What a job that was... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat'79 Posted May 18, 2019 Author Share Posted May 18, 2019 TodaySent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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