86 rebuild

[tmaxx411]

figured id start a log of this project.  truck began its life as an 86 with a 2.5, rwd, 3 speed auto.  rebuilding it to be more modern, with more power, and more reliability too.

 

[tmaxx411]

[tmaxx411]

[tmaxx411]

[tmaxx411]

donor parts

[tmaxx411]

new (used) engine

[Pete M]

that's how ya do it right.  down to the frame  

[tmaxx411]

truck has been at the body shop for a few weeks now..  went through everything with them and discussed what i would like to accomplish.   they advised me to consider an entire cab replacement, vice just replacing the panels i needed.  so.. pending a final price, the entire cab of the comanche will be removed, and the front of a 2000 cherokee will be put back.  

 

[eaglescout526]

Replacing the cab of an MJ? I’d be a bit skeptical of that as the cab is integral to the “uni-frame” design. Not to mention if they use a 97-01 XJ, the firewall will not line up with anything like the clutch, brake master, etc. so they actually need a Renix era XJ or another MJ to start swapping things around. 

[tmaxx411]

I trust this shop to do it correctly.  And it's getting a 97+ interior, along with an LS,  so the 2000 cherokee will actually be more correct for this project

[Pete M]

wait, when they said "cab" did they mean the rockers, roof and back wall?  those aren't the same in an XJ.  I'm so confused.   

[tmaxx411]

when they said cab, they mean rockers, floor, firewall, inner fenders, and windshield frame

good to know the rockers arent the same...  ill be sure to let them know.  maybe they can do it without messing with the rockers

[Pete M]

I still don't understand.  are those things damaged?  rotted?  they do understand that only a small portion of the firewall is different for the 97+ conversion, yes?  the windshield is identical.

[tmaxx411]

windshield frame is heavily rotted, firewall and floor pan are much cleaner in the xj.. the ones in the mj are beginning to rot as well.  front headlight buckets are different for the 87+ latch system, as well as a few other panels are slightly different.  also need to sort out the door strikers for 97+ doors..  scheduled for another visit tomorrow afternoon with their body guy to go over what I'm looking to do.  

 

[Pete M]

a rotted windshield frame is certainly a bummer.   just make sure they understand that MJ roofs and floors are different than XJ. 

[tmaxx411]

So long time since an update... The body shop held onto the truck for over a year and made zero progress on it... So it moved back home and now I'm doing all the panel replacements.  Currently has no floor at all, and Ithat is good, because even after blasting I found more rust under the floor braces