New Guy - Help Identify Comanche on CL

[SuperWade2]

I'm getting itchy to go see this thing, NOW!... I think I'm coming down with a touch of the "Comanche Flu" and might have to leave work early .

 

I grew up in Nebraska and have only been a Cali guy for about 10 years. I don't miss the snow and ice 1 BIT. If I want to go play in the snow I just drive a couple hours up to the Sierra's. There was frost on my Windshield today and I don't even own an Ice Scraper any more. DOH!

 

SW2

[speed_racer]

Look for rust above the rear fenders.

 

Check the rockers.

 

Check the floorboards.

 

And check behind the seats, on the cab wall, under the windows, big time leak spots.

 

Good luck.

 

I just got my friend an 89, 4.0, AW4, D44, D30 for $1,000 down here in Fl

[Kenosha Warrior]

looks like factory tube bumper rear and factory deer-strainer on the front.

[SuperWade2]

looks like factory tube bumper rear and factory deer-strainer on the front.

 

Thanks, wasn't sure that those were factory add on's, or owner aftermarket add-ons.

 

SW2

[Eagle]

The seller said they would send some pics tomorrow in the light...

 

I hope to go down and look at it on Saturday...

 

$1500 sounds about right (maybe up to $1750 if its REALLY nice inside and out)... a little worried about the 204K miles and what the clutch might look like...

 

I'll post some pics if the wife send em. At least it sounds like they were a "Jeep" family, so maybe I go down in my TJ they give me the "Jeep Family" discount.

 

SW2

My '88 XJ is currently at 267,000 miles, the head has never been off (heck, the valve cover has never been off -- knock wood), and on a recent trip from CT to NC and back I averaged about 20-1/2 MPG. 204,000 is nothing for an AMC 4.0L -- we had numerous guys in NAXJA with over 300,000 on their engines.

 

My original clutch went 204,000 miles. The release bearing went bad, so as long as it had to come apart (internal slave) I decided to replace everything while it was open. I still have the clutch somewhere -- the old one looked as good as the new one.

 

Got a better photo of the tires and wheels? The wheels in that first photo don't look like factory rims. IMHO, anyone who wants well above blue book for an old truck should be offering it in showroom condition, and that means authentic Jeep rims, not el cheapo Rock Crawler POS rims that bend if you look at them cross-eyed. Stock rims on an 88 Pioneer were the 15x6, silver-grey steel rims with 9 rectanular slots, and stainless trim rings. The optional rims were the 10-spoke alloy "turbine" rims.

[SuperWade2]

Depending on what the Tranny Looks like when I start getting into it (Look, I've already purchased this thing in my own little fantasy world in my head and planning stuff... yes, I am crazy!), I think I'd like to think about a swap to AW4, but haven't yet looked at everything that might entail.

 

SW2

[Eagle]

Other negotiating points:

 

From the later photos, it appears that it has the big gas gauge and not a tachometer. That's wrong for a Pioneer. The Pioneer cluster should have had a small gas gauge and a tach next to the speedo. The Pioneer 5-speed also had a mini-console, which is missing in this truck. He has some aftermarket shifter boot that's just screwed to the floor.

 

That deer catcher could be factory, but it's missing the extensions that protect the headlights. Could also be aftermarket. I don't know what the factory used in '89, but the factory one on my '88 Pioneer doesn't look anything like that one. And a Pioneer should have a chrome front bumper, not black.

 

Going back to look more closely ...

 

There should be an engine ID on the tailgate -- either 2.5L or 4.0L

[SuperWade2]

Other negotiating points:

 

From the later photos, it appears that it has the big gas gauge and not a tachometer. That's wrong for a Pioneer. The Pioneer cluster should have had a small gas gauge and a tach next to the speedo. The Pioneer 5-speed also had a mini-console, which is missing in this truck. He has some aftermarket shifter boot that's just screwed to the floor.

 

That deer catcher could be factory, but it's missing the extensions that protect the headlights. Could also be aftermarket. I don't know what the factory used in '89, but the factory one on my '88 Pioneer doesn't look anything like that one. And a Pioneer should have a chrome front bumper, not black.

 

Going back to look more closely ...

 

There should be an engine ID on the tailgate -- either 2.5L or 4.0L

 

Whoa... that is all ODD!... can you get a pic of what your 88 Dash cluster looks like so I can compare when I get over there... that is odd and makes me wonder a little bit. I also have the VIN Decoder thing that I planned on taking with me.

 

*** Edit *** Maybe Possible that the 5 Speed isn't Orig. and was swapped in at some point, this the lack of the mini-console and goofy screwed in boot. The current owners have only had the Jeep since July, and no mention that they were aware of anything non-original, at least that they had been told about.

 

SW2

[Jeepinmanch]

Actually my 89 pioneer lwb has black bumpers stock. I have seen other pioneers have black bumpers as well. Since the guage cluster is wrong I would say the pioneer stripes are not original, so the truck might be a base model. Take a soft magnet to check for hidden bondo!!

[SuperWade2]

Ok... another weird thing... The seller gave me the VIN so I could run a CarFax... CarFax said it was an invalid VIN, BUT the AgedStock Site comes up with this... Why would CarFax list as invalid??? I am copying and pasting into both sites...

 

Based on the VIN Decoder Ring thing, it was originally an originally a "J" transmission type which meant it was an "Auto Column", at some point converted to 5 Speed (hmmmm) but it does have the "Pioneer" package per the 6th digit of "3". My guess the dash was replaced at the same time as the tranny swap.

 

https://www.agedstock.com/main/vin.php

 

VIN Properties

Name Value

Vehicle Serial-Number 631579

Country of Origin United States of America

Manufacturing Plant Toledo #1:Toledo, OH

Model Name/Code COMA

Trim Level PION

Body Type Pickup

Engine Description 4.0 Liter MFI

GVWR Weight Class 4,001 - 5,000 Lbs.

Chassis 4X4

Brake System Hydraulic

Number of Doors 2

Number of Cylinder 6

Parts Catalog Model Code J

Vehicle Class Pickup

Model Year 1989

Make Jeep

Model Comanche

Model Details Comanche

Options Media: AM/FM Radio Tuner

Power: Steering

Engine: Cylinders 06

Door(s): Two

Drive: Four Wheel Drive

Power: Brakes

Daytime Running Lights

[SuperWade2]

CarFax report is pretty clean...Only had 55K Miles since 1993 - Means that 150K in the first 4 years (1989-1993) and only 55K since... No records before 1993. Kinda Odd...

 

I know CarFax info is SO-SO at best, but doesn't report anything major...

 

SW2

[JeepcoMJ]

Actually my 89 pioneer lwb has black bumpers stock. I have seen other pioneers have black bumpers as well. Since the guage cluster is wrong I would say the pioneer stripes are not original, so the truck might be a base model. Take a soft magnet to check for hidden bondo!!

 

it's an orig. pioneer to be sure, but it should have full gauges

 

black bumpers did come on pioneers too..my bro's was black and factory.

[SuperWade2]

Since it appears the Tranny was swapped at some point from Auto to 5 Speed, is there a way for me to tell what type of Manual it is by crawling underneath?

 

SW2

[a1awind]

agreed my 88 is a pioneer... it has black bumpers but it also has a tach

[Oizarod115]

Since it appears the Tranny was swapped at some point from Auto to 5 Speed, is there a way for me to tell what type of Manual it is by crawling underneath?

 

SW2

 

if its a BA10 you will notice a seam running front to back on the bottom of the case like its two halves put together lengthwise... because it is ;)

 

BA10 will also have 10mm square hole style drain plug located on the butt end of the trans. facing towards the front of the truck

 

AX15 will NOT have this seam and have normal plugs

[JeepcoMJ]

Since it appears the Tranny was swapped at some point from Auto to 5 Speed, is there a way for me to tell what type of Manual it is by crawling underneath?

 

SW2

 

how do you figure the tranny was swapped?

 

does the vin show that it's auto?

 

 

decode your vin using this site

 

http://jeep.avtograd.ru/VIN/vin_en.asp

 

for factual basis on the tranny options.

 

I very much doubt it was swapped. if it was, there's a good chance the engine was swapped too (it's just as likely as swapping from auto to manual)

[SuperWade2]

Since it appears the Tranny was swapped at some point from Auto to 5 Speed, is there a way for me to tell what type of Manual it is by crawling underneath?

 

SW2

 

how do you figure the tranny was swapped?

 

does the vin show that it's auto?

 

 

decode your vin using this site

 

http://jeep.avtograd.ru/VIN/vin_en.asp

 

for factual basis on the tranny options.

 

I very much doubt it was swapped. if it was, there's a good chance the engine was swapped too (it's just as likely as swapping from auto to manual)

 

The 5th digit of that Jeeps VIN is "J"... per some of the links found on this site (such as http://comanchemj.1hwy.com/custom3.html

or ftp://www.knwd.net/pub/jeep/86-88_MJ_VIN_decoder.rtf among others), a "J" in the 5th digit for an 89 Comanche equates to a;

 

J 3 Speed Auto, Column Shift, Select-Trac 4WD

 

Which fairly obviously from the pics and description does not appear to be the case for this truck. So one has to make the assumption that since the Shift boot is after market and screwed to the floor and there is no Auto Column shifter, that something has changed from stock (at least based on what the VIN says it has).

 

If the Tranny/Engine were swapped, how would a person looking at the vehicle know (if the current seller (fairly recent) had no knowledge of a swap?

 

SW2

[mfpdm]

Well I don't know about the full cluster thing for a pioneer package. Mines an 88 and it didn't have it or the chrome bumper and yes my vin decodes as a pioneer. I've seen others without the full cluster as well. Unless it's different for the 2.5's and 4.0's or between the 88 and 89 MJ's?

 

As far as the swap from auto to manual. Looking at the pic of the you can see the boot around the t-case shifter which if I remember right was like that for a column shifter and if you also look under the column the little trim piece is missing. That's not saying that the column was changed but a good chance it was. And one final thing if you look real close, where the comfort switch is for the auto's you can see in the pic what appears to be writing were it should be. Or am I out to lunch on this. :dunno:

[Jeepinmanch]

My 89 pioneer has a full cluster.

[WahooSteeler]

where are you guys seeing all these pics? i only see the 3 posted on page 3?

 

didn't know they've only had it since july, why do they say they are selling it? certainly changes things. did they buy a $300 beater and put $1200 in it? the truck may still be perfectly fine but as the rest of the thread points out, a lot of semi-odd choices if it was a rebuild. everybody is different, so who knows.

 

i had noticed the shift boot also and with the carpet and seat seeming "too clean to be true", again may have been a rebuild. but hey, if it runs good, everything works and other areas of normal concern check out, maybe they just did the work for you and you're still getting a nice rig. trouble is, if they are "flipping" this truck, they probably won't be willing to haggle much for awhile.

 

this is getting good! :chillin:

[SuperWade2]

where are you guys seeing all these pics? i only see the 3 posted on page 3?

 

didn't know they've only had it since july, why do they say they are selling it? certainly changes things. did they buy a $300 beater and put $1200 in it? the truck may still be perfectly fine but as the rest of the thread points out, a lot of semi-odd choices if it was a rebuild. everybody is different, so who knows.

 

i had noticed the shift boot also and with the carpet and seat seeming "too clean to be true", again may have been a rebuild. but hey, if it runs good, everything works and other areas of normal concern check out, maybe they just did the work for you and you're still getting a nice rig. trouble is, if they are "flipping" this truck, they probably won't be willing to haggle much for awhile.

 

this is getting good! :chillin:

 

Yah, the 3 Pics are all I have till I go look at it tomorrow... I can take a butt load more when I'm there, but I'm hoping to make a buying decision on the spot and drive it home (since it's an hour a way and it's not easy for me to get the family loaded up and down there) if they are willing to move on the price.

 

They purchased in July and were selling because they needed the money for a surgery for their dog (sounded weird, yes, but seemed "genuine" to me). The couple is older, youngish grandparents (60's?) age, and have other Jeeps. This was a "toy" that they decided they weren't going to use any more and could use the $$$ for their "dog". They supposedly have all the "paperwork", but not sure exactly what that will entail. She didn't say what they paid for it (and I didn't ask), but it sounded like if anything was swapped it happened before they bought it (or she was fibbing, which is also possible). I didn't get the impression that her or her husband were gearheads and the type to tweak out and do an Tranny/Engine Swap or something similar.

 

SW2

[WahooSteeler]

Maybe Ma Parker and her husband are head of a Jeep theft operation! and :thwak: we'll just take care of them.

 

Now boys, we can either do the right thing and turn them in to the po-po, OR, I say we all just show up, strip that thing down for whatever we want :wrench: and tell the ole hag thanks for the free parts! :nanner: Never trust a sweet looking old lady, they're the ones who will surprise ya! :brows:

 

:laughin:

[fiatslug87]

I have an '89 Pioneer with the tach and an '88 Pioneer with no tach but the rest of the gauges. There were three gauge packages, all dummy lights, with gauges, and with gauges and tach. For what that’s worth.

[mjeff87]

you wouldn't want to make any assumptions about my MJ from either the VIN or the build sheet. I've changed so many things on it since I've had it that when someone asks me what model year it is, I ask them "what part"? :brows:

[HOrnbrod]

Couple of things I noticed. I bought a 1988 Pioneer 2WD w. AW4 longbed a couple of years ago from the original owner just for the camper shell. It had the idiot light cluster and black bumpers, and I've seen several Pioneers with similar options so no worries. However the rear tube bumper is definitely not factory. The factory tube bumpers were straight across (no bends in the tube) and had the license plate holder and lights mounted on the bumper. That's an aftermarket bumper, prolly Genuine Steel.

 

Clean looking rig!