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'88 Comanche Chief (4x4, I6 4.0, Auto)


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Finally creating my own topic, as I don't want to bother @MJCARENAanymore on his old topic:

 

I bought this truck from a young guy here in the Tri-Cities, Washington in January of 2022. He said he wanted a rust-free Comanche, so he drove down to AZ and bought this one from MJCarena and drove it back up. He only had it about a year. I'm so damn thankful he didn't touch it. He wanted to lift it and rock crawl it, but (luckily for me) he needed the money and let it go to me for $9,000 with 185k miles on the odo (but looks like it was rebuilt around 35k miles ago).

I thought at the time I had overpaid a little, but after seeing all the love that went into this truck, I think I got a deal. 

 

I spoke with MJCarena after I bought it and got some history on it. Opening up this thread and will do some catch-up for the last year and a half. 

 

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May 7th, 2022

 

Took first place in the 1981-1999 Trucks category at my local car show. I haven’t done too much to the truck since I acquired except for some paint touch up on the trim, new A/C compressor, and new radiator. New tires are coming in the next few weeks. Hopefully adding a leveling kit to the front coils to even it out. 
 

I’m REALLY tempted to lift it and throw 33”s on, but damn it looks good at stock height. 

 

 

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I haven't done too much with the truck over the last year and a half. Main things were just regular maintenance like oil changes, the front/back diff fluid, replacing the 4x4 vacuum harness, and fixing the A/C. 

 

However, yesterday disaster struck. I was driving the truck around town when I noticed some loose shifting. It got stuck in third, and wouldn't downshift even if I used the column shifter. I got home, performed step 10 in Cruiser54's tips, but no luck. I pulled the fuse in the TCU, but it still wouldn't shift with just the column selector. Putting it in reverse, it would stutter, then finally shift in. I brought it in to my local shop, but they said the trans is probably shot and to take it to a transmission shop for a rebuild. So, we'll see what that will run when they open tomorrow. 

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It's a real shame the truck is in the shop, because look what arrived today: a factory SWB Sport Bar!

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I found this on Facebook a few months ago back in the DC area for $800. I go out there frequently for work, so I checked with my airline (Delta) and they said it was ok to check with the specialty/oversized baggage. However, when I showed up to the airport, they denied it for some FAA regulation. I ended up having to store it at a buddy's house to ship it UPS freight back home. Freight shipping alone cost me like $400, so I think I now own the most expensive Sport Bar in the country lol. 

 

I test fitted some cheap 5x7 foglights I got off of Amazon, and I'm stoked to get this thing installed. Waiting on a pair of KrustyBaller16's brackets to complete the installation (once the truck is out of the transmission shop). 

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Here it is all wrapped in bubble-wrap when Delta refused it. 

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I plan on doing some light sanding, and respraying with flat black trim paint to refinish it. I picked up an original switch from a Cherokee (Part #56000025) and plan to put it in the empty space next to the transmission toggle, just need to figure out which lead is which. I actually haven't been able to get the fog lights working yet, so I'll see what I can do when I pull the dash to do the Sport Bar lights.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 6/30/2023 at 6:02 PM, Silverhawk1991 said:

Just got the call. Transmission will need a rebuild. $3,700 total :furious3:
 

Is that pretty average for a rebuild?

 

AW-4?  what has gone wrong with it?

 

you should put Q's like that in to Tech so more eyeballs will see 'em. :L: 

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Sport bar installed :banana:

 

Lights wired up as well, just used the existing cargo light harness with a NOS switch. I wanted the Sport bar lights independently controlled from the fog lights. Super pleased with how it turned out. I'll eventually get a new custom faceplate to have On/Off for that switch. 

 

To-do: Install 2" pucks to front coils to level it out

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Added 1 3/4” Rough Country coil spring spacers to level out the truck. I absolutely love it, but my wife can’t tell the difference :laugh:

 

Currently running 31x10.5or15 tires, but would love 33s, I just don’t want to lift this (yet), and I think I would rub with 33s. If I could find 32x10.5or15 tires, I think those would fit, but I’m not sure if that’s a standard size. 

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19 hours ago, Silverhawk1991 said:

Added 1 3/4” Rough Country coil spring spacers to level out the truck. I absolutely love it, but my wife can’t tell the difference :laugh:

 

 

Looking good.   :L:   I did the same to mine about a month ago and am much happier with the stance.   Two in. spacers, same wheels and tire size as yours.   Exact same reaction from my wife.   :dunno:

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