1986 Jeep AMC Comanche four-wheel drive pickup

[Rusty]

How rare is this 1986 AMC Jeep Comanche X model 4-wheel drive pickup?

[jdog]

@Pete M
@neohic@Eagle

 

 

Please move to proper Area

Welcome, hard to say with that info and no pictures

[Dzimm]

6 hours ago, Rusty said:

How rare is this 1986 AMC Jeep Comanche X model 4-wheel drive pickup?

"Rare" is a relative word.  Overall Comanches are getting harder to find but I wouldn't consider any of them "rare" aside from a diesel and a true Street Comanche.  IIRC 86 was the year that produced the most MJs so relatively speaking it's the least "rare" of them all.  

 

Regardless we'd love to hear more details about your truck!  Welcome to the club.

[BeatCJ]

My answer in the other thread:

 

Well, there were less than 200,000 built. How many are left is hard to tell. Most of them were built in the first 4 model years, so, about 40,000 '86s. A lot of the 2.8 liter trucks have had engine problems.

 

Rare? Probably not. Common? Not Even.

 

Post up your own VIN in the registry, you will get your build sheet.

 

Even if it's not rare, it's worth preserving. The Comanche was easily the best small truck available at that time. Personally, I think the concept still holds up well. There isn't anything comparable available today, which I'm(NS)HO, is a shame.

[89 MJ]

Seeing as though it is an X model, its not very rare. But it could be fairly valuable based on its condition.

[Eagle]

On 1/17/2021 at 8:20 PM, Dzimm said:

 IIRC 86 was the year that produced the most MJs so relatively speaking it's the least "rare" of them all.  

 

 

1986 was the first model year for the Comanche, but some '86s were built in late 1985. According to Wikipedia, the year with the highest production was 1988. Since Wikipedia lists production numbers for 1985, we can probably assume that the number for 1988 is a mix of vehicles designated as 1988 and 1989 model year.

[89 MJ]

If what we have in the registry is an accurate representation (thanks @fiatslug87!), 1988 MJs accounted for nearly 25% of MJ production (286/1166=.245 or 24.5%). 1986s account for approximately 25% of MJ production (293/1166=.251 or 25.1%). That said, we do not know if the registry actually shows the ratio or not. It looks like 88s and 86s are equally common though.

[Rusty]

On 1/17/2021 at 7:20 PM, Dzimm said:

"Rare" is a relative word.  Overall Comanches are getting harder to find but I wouldn't consider any of them "rare" aside from a diesel and a true Street Comanche.  IIRC 86 was the year that produced the most MJs so relatively speaking it's the least "rare" of them all.  

 

Regardless we'd love to hear more details about your truck!  Welcome to the club.

Mine is an AMC Comanche X, not XJ MJ or anything else just straight X as I said it's a AMC not Dodge. They only made 40 of them less, than 25 were four wheel drive mine is not a Dodge model mine is original AMC maybe 1 of 5 OEMS left in the world.

[eaglescout526]

As much as we all love the idea of owning something “rare”, it’s only uncommon. You have a Jeep Comanche, “X” trim level with 4 wheel drive made by AMC|Jeep corporation. MJ is the body code for the Comanche used from 86-92. As to the production numbers of trim levels is unknown and I wouldn’t say 40 of just the “X” trim was made. No one is saying you have a Dodge because Dodge had the AN Dakota at the time the MJ was around. 
 

[MiNi Beast]

 

[fiatslug87]

So why don't you add it to the registry and we can get more information on it for you?

 

And I hate to burst your bubble, but there are currently 46 Comanches in the registry that are 1986, 2.8L, 4x4, X models (68 of all engine types), many many more than that we're built.

 

Which engine does yours have? is it a Metric Ton?

[Dzimm]

2 hours ago, Rusty said:

Mine is an AMC Comanche X, not XJ MJ or anything else just straight X as I said it's a AMC not Dodge. They only made 40 of them less, than 25 were four wheel drive mine is not a Dodge model mine is original AMC maybe 1 of 5 OEMS left in the world.

XJ was the Cherokee and MJ was the Comanche, that's the factory designated code for that vehicle similar to the JL and JT being the codes for the modern Wrangler and Gladiator.  All Comanches have the MJ code, hence why we call them MJs.

 

The X you are referring to was a trim level in 86.  The others were XLS and Custom.  I'm not sure where you got that they only made 40 of the X.  If you have info on trim specific production numbers that would be great, nowhere have we found solid info on the trim specific numbers for any year MJ as AMC and Chrysler didn't keep track of that kind of info from what we understand.  

 

They for sure produced more than 40 of the X package though and I've seen more than 5 X trim MJs that are still on the road.  It's not nearly as "rare" as you are thinking it is.  1 in 5 is getting into the Diesel MJ territory and that's only in the US, there are likely way more of those overseas as well.

[Rusty]

20 hours ago, Dzimm said:

XJ was the Cherokee and MJ was the Comanche, that's the factory designated code for that vehicle similar to the JL and JT being the codes for the modern Wrangler and Gladiator.  All Comanches have the MJ code, hence why we call them MJs.

 

The X you are referring to was a trim level in 86.  The others were XLS and Custom.  I'm not sure where you got that they only made 40 of the X.  If you have info on trim specific production numbers that would be great, nowhere have we found solid info on the trim specific numbers for any year MJ as AMC and Chrysler didn't keep track of that kind of info from what we understand.  

 

They for sure produced more than 40 of the X package though and I've seen more than 5 X trim MJs that are still on the road.  It's not nearly as "rare" as you are thinking it is.  1 in 5 is getting into the Diesel MJ territory and that's only in the US, there are likely way more of those overseas as well.

So I guess the information from Dodge was wrong when they said AMC made 40 and not all were four wheel drives and only had one bed length. They also made a model called Big ton that was Diesel and majority were sent overseas.

[Pete M]

the Big Ton was another name for the Metric Ton package which had heavy duty springs, shocks, and rear axle to bring the hauling weight up to 2000 lbs.   impressive for a little truck.  both 2wd and 4wd were available in all years of MJ, but the 7ft bed was the only size available in 1986.  after that both 6' and 7' were options.

[Dzimm]

8 minutes ago, Rusty said:

So I guess the information from Dodge was wrong when they said AMC made 40 and not all were four wheel drives and only had one bed length. They also made a model called Big ton that was Diesel and majority were sent overseas.

I'm confused about what info they gave you... It was officially called "Metric Ton" not "big ton" and was the towing/hauling package and it definitely came in gas trucks, I've never seen a diesel with the metric ton package but it's possible a few had it.  Basically it was an extra leaf in the leaf pack.

 

At least they were correct that the long bed was the only bed length in '86.

[Eagle]

On 1/22/2021 at 10:40 PM, Rusty said:

Mine is an AMC Comanche X, not XJ MJ or anything else just straight X as I said it's a AMC not Dodge. They only made 40 of them less, than 25 were four wheel drive mine is not a Dodge model mine is original AMC maybe 1 of 5 OEMS left in the world.

 

MJ was Jeep's designation for the Comanche. All Comanches are MJs -- and all Cherokees are XJs. MJ and XJ were not model/trim levels.

 

And there were no "Dodge" Comanches. After about February of 1988 Jeep vehicles came from Chrysler rather than from AMC, but they were still Jeeps -- never Dodges.

[Rusty]

Thanks guys I appreciate all the information. I don't have time or place to finish restoring or have parts just not the time. putting her up for sale soon.