CoastChief Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Today I bought my first Jeep at the age 24 years old. A 137k mile 1988 Comanche from the original 92 year old owner ( Good ol Doug) . Here in Southern California, even this little rust is shocking... It’s a 1988 5 speed with a 4.0, 6 Cylinder with 2WD, burgundy interior. Thanks to this forum I felt my buy was very good investment! Excited to share with you the little updates I will add to get the Jeep back to 1988. Only thing I’ve found wrong were the tow mirrors don’t hold position anymore. In addition no rear window. Thank you to everyone who kindly contributes their experience to help get these back to great shape. what I’m looking to do in the future. - buff paint, get new decals -Fix / replace mirrors- ? Holes in the side of the door though? With standard xj mirrors? -Bed liner - fog lights -sports bar /w lights kind of worried I paid high at 5800, was listed at 6200. Kind of gave me the eye when I started pointing little things out haha. first thing I did was flip the grill! 1JTMW6411JT041225 *X3 -H9 AGC APA MONOTONE PAINT PACKAGE CBA BENCH SEAT - STRAIGHT BK CGX Head Restraints-Outboard Seating, RR DDJ 5SPD MANUAL TRANS A881 (JA-41) ERB ENGINE - 4.0L I6 MPI GAS GAC ALL WINDOWS - TINTED GLASS JJA CIGAR LIGHTER - FRT COMP LAP FUEL ECONOMY SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHT LMA HALOGEN HEADLAMPS MDA FRT LICENSE PLATE ATTACH REQUIRED NAE EMISS CONTROL TESTING &&&&&&&& LABEL PWB QWB SBA POWER STEERING TBG SPARE TIRE - COMPACT WMC BASE WHEEL DRESS - UP (INCLS TRIM RING) Build date 9/13/87 Body code TL61 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Good looking rideSent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Welcome, nice truck, looks like a few upgrades have already been made. Pull the carpet and inspect the floors and inspect the fuse block. Stock 1988 swb 4.0 ax15 np 231. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Welcome to the Forum. You'd have paid more if that grille was right. Got lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Mohler Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 10 minutes ago, CoastChief said: Only thing I’ve found wrong were the tow mirrors don’t hold position anymore You may be able to tighten them look for screws around pivots to tighten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 I’ll have to send pictures of the mirror in parts. Seems to have bushing failure or possibly bent? The screws are on right, but it’s just slipping. Checked bed and under carpet. Free of rust. just wrapped electrical tape on there for now - also I got 200$ off from calling out the grille! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 Also guys, there is a Comanche being parted out with blue interior in los angeles CA. Will provide details if interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 NICE! I'm always a sucker for these unmolested survivors. My '91 MJ was my first car at 15. Still have it, more than 8 years later. It's about the best platform I can imagine to introduce someone into the hobby. It's part old car, part modern car. You'd really be best off finding out what those tow mirrors are and replacing them with the same type IMO. If you replace them with standard door-mounted mirrors, you'll have holes in the doors that would be very difficult to deal with on a truck that nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Good looking truck! Welcome to the club! I would definitely pay $6000 for that truck. The lack of rust is amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 Thank you guys, was pretty worried about the purchase at first. Parents think I'm crazy for buying something older than me! yeah, I really would like to replace them with the standard XJ mirrors. Excited to keep everyone up to date! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, CoastChief said: with the standard XJ mirrors Why? The ones on there are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 I can't find replacements. I don't think I can fix these sadly, ill post pictures of the interiors and parts. I really love the way it looks as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Nice score! Engine bay needs some attention. Have you posted her up in the VIN registry yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 6 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: Nice score! Engine bay needs some attention. Have you posted her up in the VIN registry yet? just did ! thank you! 26 minutes ago, Jeep Driver said: Why? The ones on there are cool. 26 minutes ago, Jeep Driver said: Why? The ones on there are cool. I cannot find replacements for these mirrors :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 29, 2020 Author Share Posted January 29, 2020 Update: today I changed the plugs and hoses. Flushed the break lines and changed major fluids. Took it for the first time on the freeway today. Needless to say, I’m extremely excited to get it back to how it was in 1988. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 Well I'm learning. Went to my first junkyard to pick a instrument cluster today. After talking to a few people on the forums i realized my mistake. Oh well 20$, flip it on ebay or to someone on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gjeep Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Clean MJ. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Hey Guys, day 3 with the Comanche. Needless to say, Iv done things already I thought I’d never do. Along with some over excited mistakes. Pretty damn in love with this car. My father had a TJ and XJ growing up so it feels like home for me. Maybe I’m being a little anxious, but I honestly get worried about driving it in traffic in LA. It’s all original and I see 70% of people here on their phones. I’m running at 200-230 degrees in traffic at 76 degrees outside.Thinking of buying a small car to keep the Comanche perfect. I bought it from a very old man who had a very very hard time letting it go. We spent two days just talking about his time with the truck. his late wife even helped make him a nice cover for it that ties down really nice. Parts/ work so far- Instrument cluster that was too new for me - SMART (; $20 -nice xj oil stick lol $2 -fixing/ painting toe mirrors - black Montana spray paint, rubber skateboard truck bushing. JB weld. $20 - MJ Sports Bar for $300 -new pillar lights - $49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 On 1/27/2020 at 4:16 PM, Minuit said: NICE! I'm always a sucker for these unmolested survivors. My '91 MJ was my first car at 15. Still have it, more than 8 years later. It's about the best platform I can imagine to introduce someone into the hobby. It's part old car, part modern car. You'd really be best off finding out what those tow mirrors are and replacing them with the same type IMO. If you replace them with standard door-mounted mirrors, you'll have holes in the doors that would be very difficult to deal with on a truck that nice. On 1/27/2020 at 4:23 PM, JMO413 said: Good looking truck! Welcome to the club! I would definitely pay $6000 for that truck. The lack of rust is amazing! On 1/27/2020 at 4:28 PM, Jeep Driver said: On 1/27/2020 at 4:39 PM, Jeep Driver said: Why? The ones on there are cool. On 1/27/2020 at 4:59 PM, eaglescout526 said: Nice score! Engine bay needs some attention. Have you posted her up in the VIN registry yet? On 1/30/2020 at 6:21 AM, Gjeep said: Clean MJ. Congrats! Thank you guys! Definitely really starting to love this car! Learning a lot fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 On 1/27/2020 at 4:16 PM, Minuit said: NICE! I'm always a sucker for these unmolested survivors. My '91 MJ was my first car at 15. Still have it, more than 8 years later. It's about the best platform I can imagine to introduce someone into the hobby. It's part old car, part modern car. You'd really be best off finding out what those tow mirrors are and replacing them with the same type IMO. If you replace them with standard door-mounted mirrors, you'll have holes in the doors that would be very difficult to deal with on a truck that nice. thats been my exact problem. easy to find xj mirrors but not like these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Really starting to enjoy my truck. I am cleaning the ground wires. Installing a new cluster this week. Along with refreshing the entire engine bay. Excited to share the photos after I clean the car for the first time throughly. Anyone have success with a car covers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 Junkyard finds for the day! Really did great! Happy with my finds!!!! @cruiser54 and @Minuit !!!! Can’t say thank you enough! Putting the knowledge to use! Got my Chilton manual today aswell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 Congrats on the great find! Looks like you already have it under control! Keep looking and asking here, someone has most likely done it and posted how to do it, so much knowledge on this site, you will be giving advice before you know it! Buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastChief Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 On 2/9/2020 at 7:39 PM, buxmj said: Congrats on the great find! Looks like you already have it under control! Keep looking and asking here, someone has most likely done it and posted how to do it, so much knowledge on this site, you will be giving advice before you know it! Buck. Thanks Buck,I really enjoy my Jeep, this community helps tremendously ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now