Smokeyyank Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Need some opinions. Just recently acquired a decently clean and stock 92 MJ, 2wd, SWB, auto. This bring my MJ count to 3, which is too many for me. So now I'm at a cross roads of what to do, can't keep them all and need to sell 2. In the stable is a 89 parts MJ (currently for sale), my 88 Pioneer 4wd and the new 92 2wd. Initially I was planning to convert the 92 to 4wd and swap over most the parts from my 89, but not sure if I'm 100% on board with that. Then I just saw the street Comanche reproduction kits and got some cogs spinning how awesome that could be with a 5spd swap and some other bolt ons. Which ever route I go the MJ is purely a pleasure vehicle for driving around town and occasional home depot run. I wheel the WJ so don't need something to go off road. I'm not going to keep anything 100% stock (so don't say keep it stock) but not going to chop anything up or clap it out. So thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Smokeyyank said: …Then I just saw the street Comanche reproduction kits and got some cogs spinning how awesome that could be with a 5spd swap and some other bolt ons… This you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 a clean stock 92 isn't ever going to go down in value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 1 hour ago, neohic said: This you? Lol to clarify a lowered 4wd Jeep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 8 hours ago, Pete M said: a clean stock 92 isn't ever going to go down in value. True and I have about just fixing it, keeping it as is and holding on to it for value. I just don't know realistically how much more a 92 gets over others. I've seen some prices but kind of all over the place. With that though what about model specific? Would making it a 4wd "Pioneer" (IDK if they had them in 92) drive that value lower? In it's stock form it's just so blah. White, automatic, boring wheels, bench seat. I love cruisn the red Pioneer around, and other than a little lift, turbines, some meatier rubber, axles and few other little things not much else I plan to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 it's only original once. it has yet to be seen how much that really affects the price vs a clean but modified truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 I'm all in favor of making a vehicle your own. That said... it is a '92. If it were mine, I'd look at making one truck that does everything I need it to. Swap in the 4x4 parts from your wheeler project along with the Dana 44s, keep it a short arm suspension in front but add drop brackets, 33s, pull the ACOS from the '88 (and replace them with a spacer, I guess) to bring up the front, spring over in the rear, and then clean up the body but keep the original paint. Yes... they're only original once, but these trucks are also like big Lego sets that there's so much one can do that's still easily reversible. I'd even consider holding on to the parts that come off should you sell it in the future to a Comanche connoisseur. Once the '92 is complete, I'd sell off the rest of the wheeler project, and probably the '88 Pioneer also. One can only drive one vehicle at a time anyhow, right? I struggle with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 I can only drive one at a time, but they sure as heck can be broken more than one at a time. old trucks are fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzaman09 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 I'm genuinely curious what the drive difference is like between a 92 HO and Renix. Is the HO noticably quicker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 after 3 decades of existence, the performance of any particular truck is mostly dependent on the condition it's in. but the rule of thumb is that the Renix has a bit more toque down low and the HO has a bit more ponies up high. but not enough to justify switching from one to the other based purely on numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzaman09 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Makes sense. I drove a coworker's 01 Cherokee with a freshly rebuilt engine, automatic with 3.55 rear gears and it was positively a rocket ship compared to my Comanche. I suspect the gearing has a lot to do with it, but I'm also sure my Renix engine could use something yet as it's not as strong as the 88 Mj I had either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 gearing (and tire size) matters a lot too. it's really hard to find 2 identical 30 year old Jeeps for a straight up comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 13, 2023 Author Share Posted January 13, 2023 6 hours ago, neohic said: I'm all in favor of making a vehicle your own. That said... it is a '92. If it were mine, I'd look at making one truck that does everything I need it to. Swap in the 4x4 parts from your wheeler project along with the Dana 44s, keep it a short arm suspension in front but add drop brackets, 33s, pull the ACOS from the '88 (and replace them with a spacer, I guess) to bring up the front, spring over in the rear, and then clean up the body but keep the original paint. Yes... they're only original once, but these trucks are also like big Lego sets that there's so much one can do that's still easily reversible. I'd even consider holding on to the parts that come off should you sell it in the future to a Comanche connoisseur. Once the '92 is complete, I'd sell off the rest of the wheeler project, and probably the '88 Pioneer also. One can only drive one vehicle at a time anyhow, right? I struggle with this. Appreciate the input and heavily leaning towards keeping the 92, doing the ax15 and 4wd swap with the suspension set up you mentioned. The waggy axles are overkill for it. I don't need lockers and the rest of the fun stuff on there. Ideally just a hp30/8.25 combo, lsd rear with 4.10 or 4.56s depending on tire size. 31s are what I was thinking. Hard part is trying to part with the pioneer, was my first MJ and just has that special spot in my heart. Could always keep it and make it a street truck if my wife doesn't suffocate me in my sleep before then. First is getting the project MJ somewhere. Probably just part it out, tons of goodies in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZLAJeep Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 2 hours ago, pizzaman09 said: I'm genuinely curious what the drive difference is like between a 92 HO and Renix. Is the HO noticably quicker? That's an interesting question. I've owned 3 HO XJs (listed in the order purchased 95, 01, 94) and now have my first Renix with the 89 MJ. I would say the Renix seems less peppy than the HOs, but the Renix had to be rescued from a field where it sat for 5+ years, so that may have something to do with it. Haven't driven the 89 MJ enough miles to really compare yet though. I've put 160K+ miles on the 95 XJ since I bought it in 2001 so I have by far the most experience driving it. As an aside, it's been interesting working on these. I'm general I like working on the HO engine better. It may be just out of familiarity, but it does seem like Chrysler made some improvements in making the engine their own. There are some items that are much easier to service on the Renix though. The alternator immediately comes to mind. On the Renix the alternator (GM alternator) can be replaced from the bottom whereas the alternator on the HO (Chrysler alternator and a bigger diameter) has to come out through the top after removing the battery tray. Don't ask how long it took me to figure out that that's how the alternator came out of a HO... As far as the original topic of this thread, I tend to keep my stuff pretty stock and would love to have my hands on your 92 as is. I like the bench seat in my MJ. I like that the bench is a throwback. I can see value in making the conversion to 4x4. Mechanically I wouldn't change a thing to the HO 4.0; don't mess with perfection. Only 1 of my 4 jeeps was an automatic. I don't know that I'd be too excited about installing a clutch pedal and everything that would go along with swapping from auto to standard and would leave the auto alone, but sounds like you know what you are doing so go for it. I do currently own 3 Jeeps with the AX-15 after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 1 hour ago, Smokeyyank said: Could always keep it and make it a street truck if my wife doesn't suffocate me in my sleep before then. At least you would die as a three Comanche owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankTheDog Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 From my experience with several XJ’s and a few MJ’s and ZJ’s with 4.0’s, l would say the 96 4.0 HO was the peppiest of the bunch. I had 89,92,95,96,97, 98,99 and 2000 XJ’s. 89 and 92 MJ’s Had all those years with 4.0/AW4 automatics in the XJ’s. The Mopar tranny in the ZJ was junk compared to the AW4. Otherwise I liked the 3 ZJ’s I had. Not as much as l liked my 98 XJ with the 4.0/AX15 and 4.10 gears on 31’s and 32’s. Ended up with 453k on it when I junked it. The engine was never opened up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 14, 2023 Author Share Posted January 14, 2023 22 hours ago, fiatslug87 said: At least you would die as a three Comanche owner. Lol, put that on my headstone. Loving father, son and husband owner of 3 Comanches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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