89comanch Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 My story has to start back in 2016 when my MJ love started. I had an absolutely rusted out XJ that I picked up from a buddy and thrashed around for a couple months before seeing what I thought couldn't be a real thing on craigslist. A truck that's also a jeep? No way, not real! Well, I messaged the guy and ended up trading that rusty pos XJ for a not much better off MJ. I learned a lot from that 89' 2wd long bed and my obsession grew from there. 2017 comes around and I have to sell the MJ to pay some bills and clear up space for other projects and not 2 months later I'm getting the itch again. Searching craigslist, Facebook marketplace, local ads just to see what was out there. 2018 rolls in and the Mrs. and I go camping near Idyllwild (a mountain town in southern California) and there it is, a white short bed MJ with a hard top that looks like it's been on there the day it rolled off the dealership lot. It has flatter than flat tires and dirty as all heck but I NEED IT! Upon closer inspection and probable trespassing, there is somehow no rust on this thing, the interior is dirty but mint, and the tags are from 2007. About 2 months later I make it back up there, the MJ is still there and I leave a note for the owner hopeful that I'll get a call. 6 months later and I'm back up there camping. The note is gone but nothing else has changed, so I leave another note. 2019 now and I go back up yet again. Like last time the Comanche is still there but the note is gone. This time as well as leaving a note I talk to all the neighbors I can find, the post office, and the realestate agency in town trying to get a phone number or something for the person that lives where the MJ is. No luck. After all that I've now lost hope on getting this MJ and have restarted my search for others in my vicinity. Early 2020 I find a beat up, not running 89' but the bed is FULL of parts, the suspension is way upgraded, bucket seats, ax15, 4x4, dana 44 rear (actual metric ton), the works. The plan then becomes engine swap and wheel it forever. Then I get the call... "Hi my name is... You left a note on my mothers car, she passed away last year. Are you still interested in the Jeep?" Two months of anticipation go by and I'm back up in Idyllwild checking this jeep out. This thing (excluding the dirt) is a pristine example of an all factory, nothing messed with MJ. It's in even better shape than I could have hoped! I knew that because it had been sitting for probably 15 years that a lot would need to be gone over and replaced but with a winch and some tow straps we got it on the trailer. The tires might as well have been from before the wheel was invented. They had been sitting so long that about 75 degrees of all 4 were a straight line. I didn't have room at the time at my house to work on it so I dropped it off at a buddies place an hour from my house (the only place it could go) and proceeded to get to work. It needed a whole fuel system, tank, lines, injectors, filter, and pump. The gas was so bad it had clogged up everything and there was about 4" of rust in the bottom of the tank. Thankfully someone down the road was parting out an 88' for an LS swap (pretty cool build.) so he gave me everything for 50$! Deal! An oil change and a fuel system swap later and it actually started up! Not only did it start, it ran well! I hadn't gone through the cooling system, or the brakes, or the clutch yet so I definitely didn't run it long or try and drive it. A trailer ride home and now we're at today! It's finally in my garage and I've started really going over it and replacing quite a lot. Things replaced so far/on order are radiator, coolant lines, thermostat, thermostat housing, clutch master cylinder, alternator, battery, plugs, wires, the usual stuff, brakes, wheel hub bearings, and probably some other things as well as massive cleaning! Edit: Forgot to mention! I bought it from the daughter of the original owner! Photos attached are 1. + 2. Circa 2017-2018. How I found it 3. My buddies picture at his place 4. New wheels, on blocks for easier work 5. Got it running ( just before trailer home) 6. All washed up 7. + 8. First interior pictures 9. + 10. First engine bay pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Holy crap! Radio Delete still in its place!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89comanch Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 7 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: Holy crap! Radio Delete still in its place!! Oh yes! This thing is absolutely factory fresh! I am debating putting in a rx-171 radio in it that I have on the shelf.. I'm not sure if I should! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Youll need alot more than just the radio probably. Like the antenna, its wiring, the bezel, nut and speakers and any other wiring probably. What I find amusing is it has the full blue cluster but no radio and the two spoke wagon wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89comanch Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 2 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: Youll need alot more than just the radio probably. Like the antenna, its wiring, the bezel, nut and speakers and any other wiring probably. What I find amusing is it has the full blue cluster but no radio and the two spoke wagon wheel. Believe it or not, I have most everything I think.. Are the blue cluster and those wheels rare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 The 87-90 blue cluster is rare as it was an 87 to early 88 cluster before the black cluster came along. You can find that cluster style with the older 84-86 XJs and 86 MJ's but they have a different speedo connection than their later counter part. As for the two spoke steering wheel, its uncommon but most of everyone swaps them out in favor of the stylish three spoke sport steering wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 What a cool story, thanks for sharing! I guess it was good that is wasn't close so you wouldn't think about it all the time? Hope you keep it stock but I am biased. Glad it is in good hands who appreciates what a gem it is. Congrats on your biannual persistence paying off and not getting charged with trespassing, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 just buy one of those bluetooth music pods to have in the truck with you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89comanch Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 @buxmj I'm thinking I'm going to keep it stock till I have major issues with either the engine or the transmission. I will most likely be putting in the mj dana 44 I have fairly soon though. Oh definitely a good thing it was far away! I would have gone and checked on it every day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89comanch Posted April 17, 2021 Author Share Posted April 17, 2021 Small update. Running and driving successfully! I managed to get it to it's probably first car show the other week and it faired quite well on the road. I have a black mj sitting in the garage from before I bought this gem and this white one will be getting all the suspension and rear axle from the black one (factory 44). Hopefully in the next 2 weeks it will have a full 4-5 inch lift with adjustable control arms and have a spring over 44 in the rear. Oh and I have a set of XJ Lace wheels that will be going on it as well with some 33s. I'm hoping to start the TDI swap toward the end of next month. I'll try and document it all here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted April 19, 2021 Share Posted April 19, 2021 awesome. thanks for sharing and saving that gem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 19, 2021 Share Posted April 19, 2021 more MJs need to get to more car shows for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted April 19, 2021 Share Posted April 19, 2021 some black rattle can will really freshen the front end up. my old headlight bezels looked like that equally sunfaded. Looks great though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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