From a Heep to a Lwb Jeep Comanche

[Jamesmj6]

hello all, I've been lurking around for a while because I've always wanted a comanche well for my birthday in May finally got the go ahead to pick one up... well sort of one. it was a pretty much a shell. it's a 1986 comanche lwb 2wd. I'm not sure the trim I would guess maybe base.

 

the Jeep had the 2.5l with the 4 speed but a PO pulled the motor.. I'm unsure why. the guy I got it from had a 2 door xj he chopped up into a buggy and decided he wanted a cab and was going to graph the mj cab onto his xj.. then decided it was too much work.

 

So i decided I better start a thread so I can bounce ideas off other mj owners and have a record of things. things might get crazy and you might not like what I do. but too bad I'm on a budget, like to work with my hands, and figure out how to make things work.

 

The Goal: drop in an Drive train with a transfercase for now. and search for a d30 to throw under the front to get 4x4 to get me through the winter. once spring comes around I'll work on more details and bigger upgrades throughout the summer for next winter and end up with my dream camping/overland/do all Jeep.

 

For the drive train: I have a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. that was the car I took to college (up in south east Washington) 6 years ago and started with a cheap 4in lift before I knew better.. after several years replacing parts here and there I decided its gonna be too much work to redo the suspension and axles if I want a better setup (a long story for another time). So the drivetrain will now be the lifeblood of the MJ. Which is a 4.0l, 42re auto and a np242 TC.

 

The transmission isnt the best but that set up works fine for what I do. and it keeps the swap simple. if it decides to crap out I might throw in a ax15 to switch things up.

 

to try and keep from writing a book, I'm working in my driveway, with some good old hand tools and wrenches and on a budget. but my daily is a motorcycle at the moment so I gotta get this truck running before the snow and ice hits. so wish me luck and chime in with any questions or advice and tips.

 

 

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[Jamesmj6]

thought I'd show the Donor rig. 4in lift on 32in tires. I definitely went the cheap route when building this one because I was a broke college student. I regret it of course but I had some fun adventures. and my wife is a bit sad she is gonna be taken apart. so I gotta make up for it with a better jeep and more adventures

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[Jamesmj6]

and Continuing on...
over Labor day weekend jumped in and pulled the 4.0 transmission and transfercase. out of the wj. once I clean it up I can install the brown dog motor mounts on the block.
now i just need to finish pulling all wiring I'll need for the motor..
in addition the MJ didnt come with an AC option but it does get hot here in the summer so for the second stage I'll be adding that so I'm taking all the lines for that.

My wife and I are deciding if we would rather have a bench seat or bucket seats.. I would either reupholster the stock one or modify and install the wj seats. it also depends if we want our pup frankie to sit on the seat with us in the extreme Cold or Hot weather or not. since I'd put a console with buckets. so advice or ideas appreciated.

and lastly I will be taking the brake booster and such to put in the mj. I have until the beginning of November or so before it gets cold and icy so my main goal is to get the truck running and driving and worry about upgrades till spring.

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[eaglescout526]

Are you prepared to modify the fire wall to accept the 4.0L? 

[89 MJ]

That truck looks pretty solid. Be sure to pull up the carpets to check for rust and add it to the registry. 

[Jamesmj6]

Are you prepared to modify the fire wall to accept the 4.0L? 

yeah if I need too. I'm already going to being done work to or behind the dash as well but I shouldn't have to do much modifications with the 4.0l. I'll have to get different coolant tank and washer bottle

 

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[Jamesmj6]

That truck looks pretty solid. Be sure to pull up the carpets to check for rust and add it to the registry. 

thanks other that surface rust here and there its solid. but there is 2 quarter sized rust holes in the drivers floor pan. which i will be patching but it doesnt look too hard

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[Pete M]

On 9/5/2019 at 1:16 AM, Jamesmj6 said:

thanks other that surface rust here and there its solid. but there is 2 quarter sized rust holes in the drivers floor pan.
 

 

In the MJ world that constitutes terrific news right there