Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 This is my 1989 Base model Comanche. I bought it on Jan 10th, 2018, making me just over 13 years old. It was completely stock, minus the custom wiring repairs that would end up being a nightmare later. The owner had hit a deer with it, and wasn't able to afford to fix it at the moment so he put it up on Craigslist for $600. I was so excited, almost exactly a year earlier, we had brought home a red '96 XJ that didn't run for $400 (that time my dad paid for it), and I was planning to build it as my first vehicle. I had always known about the MJ's, but knowing how rare they were I basically forgot about owning one as my first vehicle. But when a stock, rust free 4.0 MJ showed up for that cheap I had to get it. The only real problem it had was everything that you can see that's smashed, the radiator/condensor, and the wire loom which got damaged. The wiring for the lights would prove to be a real headache but I'm glad I got the experience from trying to figure out how to fix everything. (btw, it got its name of Project Golf Ball as it's a compact truck that's white, and it is littered with hail damage to the point where it looks like dimples on a golf ball. Also, it came with the shifter handle off so one day my older brother surprised me by drilling a hole in a golfball just big enough to let him screw it on, and it was surprisingly comfortable so I kept it for a while.) All of the work done on this truck has been entirely by me, with lots of help and advice from my dad, my brother, and coming to this forum for advice and tips. I cannot be thankful enough for the amount of help I have gotten from those around me and how fortunate I am to have access to the tools and knowledge I use. I wish I had started this thread sooner, my main purpose is to document all of the major things I do to it, so that I can always come back later and see how far I've come. Jan 11th 2018 May 2nd 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 Now that the initial post has been made, I wanna clarify that a lot of the stuff that has been done may not have pictures, so I'm gonna try my best to see what I can find but will basically be giving a short description of everything leading up to where it's at today. I plan to document all of the major things going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 More background information - This is my first vehicle period. I don't currently have an additional daily, and might not for a while, so the aim of my MJ needs to still be daily able. My overall build goals are that I want to make it more offroad capable, while also still being a daily driver. In 20 years when it's rusty and beat to piss I'll probably go full rock crawler beater with it, even if it eventually devolves into just cutting out the body panels and slapping them on a tube frame chassis. The other thing I have to keep in mind is budget. I don't make a lot of money right now (just turned 18 last November and am a senior), so I can't go all out on some things like I'd like to, but some of those can simply wait until I have the budget to. Big potential future goals: - I want to do an engine swap eventually with an om606 TD. You can take the mechanical injection pump from an om603, then heavily modify it for power potential and obv get the simplicity to go along with it. These motors get decent mpg when stock, and can take up to 500 hp comfortably without even taking off the head. I think it would add some simplicity, reliability, a huge potential for power to my truck, as well as just being really cool sounding engines. One problem is they are getting more and more popular so the longer I wait the harder and more expensive it will be to get one. -I want to paint my truck that oem silver color, along with the orange Pioneer hockey sticks. That has to be one of if not my favorite combinations of the factory paints and decals. Here is a great example of one. https://www.mecum.com/lots/CH1021-468229/1988-jeep-comanche-pickup/ -Maybe one day I will convert the rear to a 4 link, not sure yet. -Definitely need to upgrade my axles eventually. I don't think I wanna go straight for 1 tons anytime soon at all. Maybe Rubicon TJ axles would would fine for my purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 Jan 2018, pics taken with an ipod 5 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 After pulling everything off it started up and ran. The radiator was obviously punctured but I would end up using the radiator from my XJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 Here is the 96 XJ my dad got me a year prior. I used everything from it that I needed for mine. Unfortunately I was pretty dumb and could have gotten some nice things from it still like the mirrors before we sold it. That specifically would come to bite me later as I could not find any mirrors at a junkyard that weren't trashed. Luckily @89 MJ had a pair and he shipped them to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 This is after we lifted it, and 4wd swapped it. We got both axles, the springs, and the lower control arms from a guy on marketplace parting out and XJ. I'm not sure what the exact lift is, but for reference the only thing we did to the rear was cut and relocate the perches so that the axle was under the springs, and it made it level. With how maxed out the control arms were, the ride quality was pretty bad, and eventually I did develop death wobble so severe it couldn't be driven anywhere. I think the ended up being the lack of caster angle, but when taking it apart later for long arms, we found that the bushings in the control arms were hilariously shot, not sure if that was the cause of the wobble, or simply destruction from it. I think this was late 2020. I still didn't have the truck registered and on the road because I wasn't 16 yet, but that would be coming up soon and I had to find some mirrors, which once again I was able to get some thanks to @89 MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Happy to help another young guy! I’m also thrilled to see that you’ve got a build thread going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 My truck was originally 2wd(and had the ba/10), before we lifted it my brother and I went to an lkq bc I had found a YJ with an ax-15 and np231. Unfortunately, I wasn't having any luck with finding a manual 4wd XJ for a shifter, so I had to make the YJ shifter work, which meant cutting a little bit of the floor out. I might finally have a lead on getting a shifter, and I cut out the trans tunnel from my parts truck so I can properly fix the stuff I cut out. Also note the golfball shifter I mentioned before haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 Can't find the date, but I think I installed this new steering and track bar sometime in early 2022. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 I'm out of order a bit, as I think this was mid 2021. Basically I wanted buckets instead of a vinyl bench. I found some from a 4 door Cherokee, so they couldn't fold forward which ended up sucking more than I thought it would, but regardless I still wanted them. I drilled out the rivets holding the floor brackets to my bench, then just used a bolt and nut to hold them to the bucket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 June 2022- I got some long arms from Rusty's Offroad. I went with the 4 link set up, which I think only says Cherokee but the same long arms are used in a "Comanche long arm kit". Overall so far I'm happy with them, but there were a few things that weren't mentioned that you should know about if you are looking at some. On Comanches there is an additional support under the floor (second pic) that is not present on Cherokees. In order to fit around it, you need to trim some of your frame stiffening plate in order to fit around it. Also, the driver side upper control arm mount is right where the fuel and brake lines are. I'm not sure if these are different on Cherokees or what, but I just sorta bent them up out of the way, and told myself that was gonna be a temporary fix but look at me now haha. Nevertheless, right after I had them installed I had friends driving at a 4th of July Drift event at the Atl Motorsports Park, and I took the long arms on their first true test drive. -This first pic shows my cross member before the long arms. This is the Peugeot BA/10 crossmember with an ax-15 and np231 on it. I just used some square tubing to give it the 1 inch drop that the right crossmember has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 This '87 Comanche Chief popped up on marketplace for $600. It had a fully loaded black interior with power windows and mirrors, the '87 all gauges gauge cluster, and it ran and drove with the 4wd still working. Unfortunately someone beat me to it by an hour, but I was able to get the new owners number and we worked out a deal. Basically I took the truck home, and do the labor of pulling the engine, trans, and axles for him to come get, then I get to keep everything else. I only just recently was able to work on it and the entire truck is stripped down minus the axles. I'm gonna swap the whole interior into mine, including the rear window since mine is an aftermarket 4 piece. While doing that, I'm also gonna convert my A/C to r134a and get it working, and lay down some sound deadening. I will post updates once that goes in motion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 Forgot to mention, it came with a 97-01 header panel, bumper, and power doors and mirrors. I'm either gonna have them in storage for a while or trash them. If anyone wants them lmk, I ain't gonna want much for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted March 19, 2023 Author Share Posted March 19, 2023 Over the weekend I got the whole interior stripped, did some work on the floors, and got sound deadening and the carpet in. I think the carpet came out pretty nice. I'll probably have to pull it back out for something I forgot tho. Next on the list is to install my new heater core and evap core, search around for and fix leaks, and then I can start putting the black dash in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted May 12, 2023 Author Share Posted May 12, 2023 Has been a long time since I could really work on the truck, but after I graduated I had plenty of time and got the interior finished and the new rear glass in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted May 12, 2023 Author Share Posted May 12, 2023 I still need an XJ/MJ shifter for an AX-15 to replace the YJ shifter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchamakalit Posted May 13, 2023 Share Posted May 13, 2023 2 hours ago, Warren99 said: I still need an XJ/MJ shifter for an AX-15 to replace the YJ shifter Bite the bullet and get a short throw shifter. You can thank me later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted May 13, 2023 Author Share Posted May 13, 2023 1 minute ago, watchamakalit said: Bite the bullet and get a short throw shifter. You can thank me later. Ill have to look into one of those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchamakalit Posted May 13, 2023 Share Posted May 13, 2023 I ran a YJ shifter for several years while searching for an xj/mj shifter. Someone on here (forgive my poor memory) showed me the short throw shifter formerly made by hurst. Wish I would have done it years ago. https://core-shifters.com/products/core-hurst-shifter-1989-1999-jeep-cherokee-comanche-6-cyl-w-ax15-5-speed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted May 13, 2023 Author Share Posted May 13, 2023 $300?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchamakalit Posted May 13, 2023 Share Posted May 13, 2023 Worth every dime. Imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted May 13, 2023 Author Share Posted May 13, 2023 If I did get one it wouldn’t be for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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