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1988-1998 Comanche build!


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So back sept of 2021 after over 100 xjs I finally got the chance to score a Comanche. Drove 2.5 hours one way and drug this 1988 off the side of a mountain literally. Factory 4.0 5speed 4x4 with tcase skid and gas tank skid 
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so from the get go I knew I wanted to do a full 97+ swap. So I got it home and started going to town

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then proceeded to rip the entire interior out and found some rust :/ booo

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also picked up a rust free bed for it for 300 bucks 

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Fast forward a couple months had a baby moved blah blah 

Picked up manual 98 doors and a Comanche Lund visor for CHEAP

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then got to work. Cut the bad floor spots out and installed some c2c floor pans. Had to cut some relief cuts but other than that they fit pretty well 

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forgot to mention picked up a 98 donor and got the front clip fenders and wiring harnesses and dash from.(forgot to get s couple brackets so I’m buying another donor this week)

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yesterday I used the cut out steering column hole thing whatever you call it. And got that in. Still gotta do the wiring harness hole too. The Comanche whole is square as the xj one is more oval. 
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as soon as I get the donor I’ll cut out the steering column bracket mount on the xj dash and a couple other pieces. So today didn’t really have time so I installed some kilmat in. 
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so next I’ll start swapping in the dash brackets and steering column mount as soon as I have the appropriate mounts. I’m not good at write ups but I do take a lot of pictures so ask away if you have questions cause I have read every single 97 swap thread there is to learn this swap. 

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Forgot to post but bought a complete xj and pulled the motor trans and tcase out and sold the rest for almost exactly what I bought it for. used the trans for my wife’s xj and put the motor is storage for the manche. 
 

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On 3/13/2022 at 9:44 PM, UpstateMJ said:

Forgot to post but bought a complete xj and pulled the motor trans and tcase out and sold the rest for almost exactly what I bought it for. used the trans for my wife’s xj and put the motor is storage for the manche. 
 

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Exactly how these projects should work. Great advantages to having the skills and experience as you grow in this hobby or way of life. A Jeepers life. :D

:comancheB:

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6 hours ago, scguy said:

Sounds like a good project. Always good to have another South Carolinian in here. 

Yea man where you located?

 

5 hours ago, MiNi Beast said:

Exactly how these projects should work. Great advantages to having the skills and experience as you grow in this hobby or way of life. A Jeepers life. :D

:comancheB:


I’ve learned a lot from just reading!

 

21 hours ago, Pete M said:

that's a killer deal on that visor!  :D 

Yeah guy posted it and I was like I can be there in 20. Also he threw in a nice taillight off a bed his goats played on in his yard for free!

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14 minutes ago, MiNi Beast said:

@89 MJ had an ax15 available i think? :dunno:

 

Also recommend getting a reinforced steering box spacer as well to go with your tie in plates as that will help strengthen the inside frame rails 

Good idea. I know on xjs the unibody rail is prone to cracking there. Good idea 👍 I’ve had over 100 Cherokees but this is my first Comanche so I’ve been learning a lot. But yeah I’m looking for a external slave ax15 I’m in upstate SC if anyone has a lead. I can travel a reasonable distance if need be. 

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37 minutes ago, scguy said:

We should have a SC/NC/GA meetup sometime. 

I’m down with it. I’m supposed to be picking up another donor xj this weekend to get two brackets I forgot to get off my first donor 😭 so hopefully I’ll be getting the dash mounted this weekend!

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9 hours ago, MiNi Beast said:

@89 MJ had an ax15 available i think? :dunno:

 

Also recommend getting a reinforced steering box spacer as well to go with your tie in plates as that will help strengthen the inside frame rails 

My AX-15 has been spoken for. Thanks for the tag though!

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My floor “drain plugs” came in. Don’t really fit too perfectly but I did seal them  with silicone to be safe. 
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also picking up a ax15 tomorrow. 
 

anyone have the Comanche ax15 plate that mounts above the trans mount???

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10 minutes ago, MiNi Beast said:

Few people been looking for that offset mount, hard to come by these days, novak has a universal mount that may help if can't find one. :dunno:

 

Novak ax15 universal trans mount

Appreciate it. Also I think I scrapped a ax15 Cherokee cross member so I need to find one of those too. 😭😭😭😭

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14 minutes ago, UpstateMJ said:

Appreciate it. Also I think I scrapped a ax15 Cherokee cross member so I need to find one of those too. 😭😭😭😭

:doh:

 

I have tossed many of "stock" parts that I didn't think much about. Sometimes you just don't know. :laugh:

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