MariaManche Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 I am very excited to start this build page on my recently purchased 92 Comanche with 117K original miles. I am not going to bore everyone with my Jeep backstory but fixing up a Comanche has been a dream of mine for almost a decade now. I never thought I would start my Comanche build with such a great starting point but after patiently waiting, I finally found the truck that I want to invest my time into. This Jeep is a one owner and unfortunately the owner passed away several years ago, leaving the Comanche to sit in his garage. I'm calling the truck Maria because that was the name of his widow he sold me the truck. She had a very hard time letting this vehicle go but was happy to see it in the right hands. While sitting in the garage, some JackA$$ broke in and took the catalytic converter with a Sawzall. Driving this thing home woke the whole county up. I do not have all the specs on upgrades that he did but from a quick walk around I see he did the spring over axle conversion for the rear lift, coil spacers and possibly new coils for the front. The shocks are so worn out that it'll bounce for hours if the wind blows to hard. My plans to start this build, Take off the dry-rotted 35" MT and install 33" AT tires. Possibly swap the dana 35 out for a dana 44 eliminator rear end I have. ( I think Ill have to re-gear front axle) Complete fluid/oil change new brakes, rotors, drums all the way around. Drain gas tank and inspect. Re-install Catalytic converter to pass inspection. Hopefully this list of to-do items will allow me to start driving this ole girl on the road again. The rear end swap is something I plan to do down the road. If anyone has suggestions on this project, I am open ears. I would like to do right by this truck and the owner who took such great care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Welcome to the addiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Your truck would have inspired me to get a Comanche. It’s very similar to the one that originally got me addicted to them. What a great looking topper too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 21, 2023 Author Share Posted August 21, 2023 The Comanche is in the garage and awaiting parts that should arrive tomorrow. Big items are an upgraded front brake kit.... (I wish I would have spent more time on the forum before ordering, looks like there are neat jeep swap upgrade options) Rear Brake kit. Steering Stabilizer. Also, new shocks from Rustys Off-Road. I Pulled the rear shocks and they are completely trash like I suspected. While waiting on parts, I have pulled the bench seat with plans to pull the carpet to inspect the floor pans, shampoo the carpet, and lay down some sound/heat deadening pads. I am also concerned with the condition of these tires. They look like they have barley been on the road but there is some cracking in the treading from rubber fatigue. Does anyone have opinions on whether or not these are safe, and will pass inspection? I will update with more pictures as I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 how old are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WranglerMangler Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Beautiful truck sir. Thank you for recognizing what a gem you found. Your patience definitely paid off. Glad to see it’s not going to be hacked apart into a trail rig. Welcome to the addiction as mentioned above. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 22, 2023 Author Share Posted August 22, 2023 8 hours ago, Pete M said: how old are they? I am not sure... There sure be a code on the side with a date correct? I have always heard if a tire is around 7-10 years old they need replaced. I will look this evening and get back to you on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 22, 2023 Author Share Posted August 22, 2023 6 hours ago, WranglerMangler said: Beautiful truck sir. Thank you for recognizing what a gem you found. Your patience definitely paid off. Glad to see it’s not going to be hacked apart into a trail rig. Welcome to the addiction as mentioned above. Lol. Thank you sir! While in college, I rushed into a Comanche build and ended up buying two really worn out Comanches with the plans to build one good one. After college I moved away and sold those Comanches and they are now stored at a private junkyard in my hometown. I am planning to visit the guy I sold them to and buy some parts off of them. Especially the Dana 44 eliminator rear end. I will post pictures of them in the following weeks and get the information for the Comanches registry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 yup, it's usually an oval circle with 4 digits inside that represent the manu date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvagedcircuit Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 2 hours ago, MariaManche said: After college I moved away and sold those Comanches and they are now stored at a private junkyard in my hometown. I am planning to visit the guy I sold them to and buy some parts off of them. Especially the Dana 44 eliminator rear end. I will post pictures of them in the following weeks and get the information for the Comanches registry. We won't judge you if you need to bring a very long trailer.... for old times sake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Tires good to run. Typical cracking for the rubber compound. Not sure the inspection will pass. Michigan has no inspection yet so i run tires with simiular cracks. We don't have hot weather either which could cause tire to heat up and fail. Thats up to you. I have seen filling of the cracks with black rtv to bypass things... however, if its gots tread, run them till their dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 23, 2023 Author Share Posted August 23, 2023 Spent my hour window of jeep work last night on removing the interior trim pieces and peeking under the driver side carpet. A little more surface rust than I was expecting but nothing that stresses me out too much. The plan is to clean this carpet using the "car wash" method I have seen other comanche club members use, lay down some sound/heat deadening pads (should be here this week), and slap the clean carpet back in. How would you guys/gals attack this surface rust? Wire wheel abrasive with some rust treatment before the sound/heat deadening pads? Also, when installing all the interior trim pieces I plan on doing a write up on how it all goes together and what tools are needed. It is easy to get in a hurry and start breaking plastic when handling the trim pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 you must address the water leaks before addressing the rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 23, 2023 Author Share Posted August 23, 2023 25 minutes ago, Pete M said: you must address the water leaks before addressing the rust. Any advice on finding the leak? Are there certain spots on MJs that are prone to leaking? I guess I could pull it out and soak it with the water hose until and see if I can locate it. Pete, after finding the leak. How would you attack this surface rust and protect it? Before I bought the jeep I crawled underneath and gave it the ole rust test with a screwdriver poke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 literally any opening in the cab could be a leak (and some that shouldn't be an opening at all). these are the ones I found just on the pass side of the truck I'm fixing up. I'm fixing the surface rust with a combo of 5way (to chisel up the bulk of the old sealant), wirewheel, grinder, primer, paint and then POR-15. highly recommended that you set up a boxfan to blow a steady breeze through the cab while working (plus mask, googles, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 24, 2023 Author Share Posted August 24, 2023 Carpet is out. Passenger side is a lot worse than expected. Needs small patches in two places where its rusted through. For the patches I plan on using some scrap material that is used to make engine bearings. It has aluminum bonded to the top and should be better than bedliner for protection. Also, Grabbed a photo of the CAT missing in the exhaust. This is aftermarket exhaust and to me it seems way to large of piping for the I6 4.0. Anyone have thoughts if this exhaust would create enough backpressure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 28, 2023 Author Share Posted August 28, 2023 Cut the passenger side rust spots out and made some cardboard templates for the sheet metal. The spot farthest to the right in the picture is a tricky one, it butts up the where to uniframe meets the floor pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 28, 2023 Share Posted August 28, 2023 On 8/24/2023 at 11:26 AM, MariaManche said: Also, Grabbed a photo of the CAT missing in the exhaust. This is aftermarket exhaust and to me it seems way to large of piping for the I6 4.0. Anyone have thoughts if this exhaust would create enough backpressure? what size is it? is the whole thing larger all the way up to the header? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 28, 2023 Author Share Posted August 28, 2023 1 minute ago, Pete M said: what size is it? is the whole thing larger all the way up to the header? Yes, its larger all the way to the header. I ordered a universal CAT off amazon that I am going to weld into place. At the moment, I need it to pass inspection and not wake the whole neighborhood up. Eventually, I think I need to downsize the exhaust.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 28, 2023 Share Posted August 28, 2023 3 is most definitely excessive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 29, 2023 Author Share Posted August 29, 2023 Forgot to post a photo of the rear bumper bump stops. The more I look at them, the more I like them. I think they are going to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 29, 2023 Share Posted August 29, 2023 but what's the purpose of them? the factory bumper will fold up like a taco anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaManche Posted August 29, 2023 Author Share Posted August 29, 2023 8 minutes ago, Pete M said: but what's the purpose of them? the factory bumper will fold up like a taco anyways. I have no idea, I did not install them, the original owner did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted August 29, 2023 Share Posted August 29, 2023 Maybe they’re for when you jackknife the trailer it won’t hit the bumper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WranglerMangler Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 Looks to have kept the bumper fairly straight so far. Imagine there’s a couple extra holes in it, but not all bent up. Keep the duck head trailer hitch ball cover too. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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