Caleb S Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 Welcome to my build. 1987 Jeep Comanche. 2WD in pretty good condition. Picked it up late 2 years ago and daily drove it for a while. Stopped driving it daily since I actually didn’t drive anywhere (military and can literally walk everywhere) so took it home and put it in the shop. These pictures show the condition it was in. Also picked up a New Beetle with an ALH TDI to swap in some day. IMG_5905.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 When I first started driving it I noticed a few problems. Window seals leaked in the rain. Heat didn’t work. AC barley worked. Lights were dim, and headliner sagged. Here’s under the carpet. I grinder off the surface rust and bedliner it just so I could daily it until I put it in the shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Pulling the bed off, playing the frame with IRO frame stiffeners for a XJ. Front first, mis doesn’t hardly fit at all. Notched the frame a little to make it fit. The rear I didn’t bother. I made a cardboard template to trace out and cut on some 3/16 sheet.I proceeded to use an air powdered orbital sander on the entire truck and por 15 just while it’s in storage. I plan on raptor lining it when it’s complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 FOA 16 inch coil overs for the front, 18 for the rear. Eventually gonna upgrade to resi’s but for mockup I guess I’ll use these. axles are a GM 14 B from a 2500 van with a locker and shave kit. dana 60 I believe a kp with a truss from artec eith ctm joints a mech locker and 4340 shafts. And hi steer. Speaking of artec look at these heims. Using artec front and rear kits. Beef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Driveline: New Beetle ALH engine code 1.9 Turbo Diesel Injected (TDI) mated to an AX-15/231 with an SYE and HD chain. Brought the motor to base where I can work on it during the week. Just last night got the pan off and looks like it will do. Gonna reseal it, bigger turbo and injectors, timing belt change, couple new accessories and mock it up to make some hydraulic motor mounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 This will be a pretty cool build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodemonk Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Some great parts in there! Can't wait to see it all come together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 TDi swaps are gaining traction I see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 Got my engine bay cleaned up some. When the weather warms up I plan on epoxy spraying everything I can. Also picked up a 97+ brake booster and master. Ordered hoops for the coilovers. Took down the TDI and am waiting on parts to put it back together. Can’t really do much right now just waiting on parts so I can get my axles slung under the truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 Have you added it to the registry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 On 1/26/2021 at 9:39 PM, fiatslug87 said: Have you added it to the registry? Not yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 Notched “frame” for hoops and coilover clearance. Made brackets for rear control arm mounts. Also made my own frame stiffeners and tacked then in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limeyjeeper Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Very interesting build. Keep up the good work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted February 16, 2021 Author Share Posted February 16, 2021 TDI’s are pretty damn small. Got it tore down and on the stand ready to be rebuilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Sliders. Got to do some tweaking on things when I get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 What did you use to make your frame stiffeners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted April 15, 2021 Author Share Posted April 15, 2021 On 3/25/2021 at 4:37 PM, Swampy said: What did you use to make your frame stiffeners? I used IRO frame stiffeners for the front and middle, modified the middle of the Comanche unibody to make it fit. The rear I used some 3/16 and just cut it out with a cut off wheel to match the shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted April 15, 2021 Author Share Posted April 15, 2021 Last couple of weeks I’ve been working on burning in the truss on the rear axle. Then started to weld the sliders to the body. Not very easy. Had to grind away my first attempt. Kept burning through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy Posted April 19, 2021 Share Posted April 19, 2021 looks great and thanks for the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted April 22, 2021 Author Share Posted April 22, 2021 Rear 4 link brackets from ARTEC INDUSTRIES are burnt in. Hoping to have a complete roller by the end of June Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted June 5, 2021 Author Share Posted June 5, 2021 Got some work done over leave. Sliders done, frame stiffeners painted with steel it and tacked in, all old brackets chopped off. Half doors trimmed to fit, coil bucket mounts removed to put in hoops. Once the frame stiffeners all get fully welded up I’ll move to getting the link mounts burned in and get a rolling chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Any updates on this beast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb S Posted July 7, 2021 Author Share Posted July 7, 2021 12 hours ago, Swampy said: Any updates on this beast? Over the 4th I cut out the front and plated the steering box and then the opposite with 3/16 plate and 1x2” bar stock. Think I’ll do another piece of angel iron over it to fill in the gap so it looks factory. Did this because I’ll eventually have an inter cooler in the way. Plus I need that steering nice and tight. Also have an XJ now. Got it to drive around until the Mj is done but I might steal the hydro assist and winch off of it and part out the rest. Or sell whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 13 hours ago, Caleb S said: This speaks to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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