js33rd Posted June 27 Share Posted June 27 (edited) Welcome to the build thread. The Operation is named after my dog named Otter. Got it to go over landing with him. I also like the Chief decals but the truck was originally a 2WD base truck. This is an operation to restore my 1988 Jeep Comanche. Technically when I got it, it was a running truck. Although it was running rough. Leaking everything and drove it home 3 hours from Redding, CA to Modesto, CA on April 24th, 2021. This MJ was rather poorly built. The previous owner was either super lazy or just had someone do the major work and finish work himself. Master brake cylinder went out, e fan wiring shorted somewhere, power steering went out, and welded the rear XJ Dana 44. He had some weird connection held on by blue masking tape. If the connection didn’t touch it’d be a dead truck as if it had no battery. It also leaked at the rear window which is totally not foreshadowing anything at all. :edit: The objective is to 97+ swap it and get it to be able to do the Rubicon and also make it out to different outdoor areas around the West Coast. So anyway here are some pictures Edited June 27 by js33rd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddude Posted June 27 Share Posted June 27 Good looking truck You have something to occupy your spare time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted July 7 Author Share Posted July 7 Welding in patch panel for the passenger floor pan. Probably could’ve just added weld material to the floor pan but decided to try something new as practice for the firewall mod. It was a perfect matching piece from the donor XJ anyway so what’s the harm. I cut it all wonky without really taking good measurements. So I had 1/4” gaps in some places. But it’s pretty solid. Next I added the 97+ side dash mounting points. I thought it was going to be harder. But, it was actually pretty easy. It was just a nut tack welded on the donor XJ. Did the same exact thing on the Chief. When putting the bolt back into the driver side nut, I think I cross threaded it. I tried to clean the threads up a bit but don’t have a tap and die set yet. So I eventually ugga dugga’d it hoping for the best. It wobbles a bit now but still tightens up. If anything I’ll just drill out the threads and add a second 1/4 20 nut on the back of the first nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted July 7 Author Share Posted July 7 On 6/27/2024 at 12:17 PM, olddude said: Good looking truck You have something to occupy your spare time. Yes it has been very fun and a little stressful for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted July 13 Author Share Posted July 13 Got the right side dash mounting post welded in. Did a fit up test on the dash this past weekend. Doing a lot this weekend. Will post more of the dash modification from 97+ donor XJ when I’m not outside in 110°F+ heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted July 14 Author Share Posted July 14 I was able to prep and weld in the left dash mount Friday. I used Mastercoat silver underneath where the mounting bracket would sit. I sanded the paint off where the spot welds would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted August 11 Author Share Posted August 11 Been a while but I got most of the welding on the interior of the cab. I’ll have to get some more pictures of the welded pieces. I don’t have have them all. I was able to spray the Mastercoat silver primer with my 3m accuspray gun. I then used 3 spray cans of the factory paint to put the basecoat. I thought it was going to take 1 can but… 2-1/2 cans and I barely was able to put down one good coat. Then I topped it off with the Mastercoat AG11 in clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvagedcircuit Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 2 hours ago, js33rd said: Been a while but I got most of the welding on the interior of the cab. I’ll have to get some more pictures of the welded pieces. I don’t have have them all. I was able to spray the Mastercoat silver primer with my 3m accuspray gun. I then used 3 spray cans of the factory paint to put the basecoat. I thought it was going to take 1 can but… 2-1/2 cans and I barely was able to put down one good coat. Then I topped it off with the Mastercoat AG11 in clear. Looking good! Nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 On 8/11/2024 at 2:38 PM, Salvagedcircuit said: Looking good! Nice work! thanks! Pulled the engine and getting it ready for the local jeep mechanic to look it over. I then mocked up the front end for some motivation. I guess it worked a little because I got the rear XJ Dana 44 back on. It’s a welded differential so I’m positive I won’t keep it. I believe I’m going to just weld on the brackets in the correct position for the 8.25 from my donor 98 and see about a stock ride height. 8.5” is a lot of lift. I got the driver door off the donor. Which was a task since it’s parked up near a fence on the driver side. I mocked it up to get an idea as to where the door latch mod needs to be placed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle_SX4 Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 36 minutes ago, js33rd said: I got the rear XJ Dana 44 back on. It’s a welded differential so I’m positive I won’t keep it. If it is only the spider gears that are welded you could just switch out the differential. What gear ratio will you be running? I have a factory limited slip differential I pulled out of my Dana 44 I would let you have for the price of shipping. It has the 3.07 ring and pinion with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Maybe when my son is old enough, we will be able to do the same thing you did with the frame. That really looks nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted yesterday at 03:12 AM Author Share Posted yesterday at 03:12 AM Sorry everyone I thought I had replied but I must have not hit submit but… On 8/21/2024 at 2:44 PM, Eagle_SX4 said: If it is only the spider gears that are welded you could just switch out the differential. What gear ratio will you be running? I have a factory limited slip differential I pulled out of my Dana 44 I would let you have for the price of shipping. It has the 3.07 ring and pinion with it. I have yet to open the diff up. It’s really stuck on there good. I’ll try to prioritize that once I get to the axles. I’m not sure how to do the pinion angle setup. So that’s my reasoning with going with what it had when I got it. I know for a fact that at least that works. On 8/29/2024 at 7:31 PM, Drahcir495 said: Maybe when my son is old enough, we will be able to do the same thing you did with the frame. That really looks nice haha I wish too. My dad is now retired and in Athens, Greece at his wife’s family’s villa for half the year. Oh to have nothing to do but fish the Mediterranean. I bet your son will love your help. At 27 my dad did help me drop the transmission from the donor and it was one the best memories I’ll ever have moving forward with the project. However, a week later he left with his fishing poles in his luggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted yesterday at 03:34 AM Author Share Posted yesterday at 03:34 AM I last left off with pulling the 4.0 and throwing the 44 in the rear. I did a ton more fab work. Including patching various unnecessary holes made by the previous owner, plating the front of the frame/unibody(the Dirtbound frame stiffeners aren’t the best fit but I got them cheap), fixed the steering column hole in the firewall, and other various things. I also accidentally cut a hole in the front of the frame cutting off some frame stiffeners for a steering brace I’ll pick up soon. I did fix it however. 16 gauge sheet metal for a frame. I took the 4.0 to a local Jeep mechanic to get it refreshed. It looked really good on the inside so I’m hoping the camshaft, rings, bearing, or whatever he said he’s gonna do to it works out. Idk I’m not knowledgeable on motors. Getting there was one of the sketchiest things I’ve done in a while with a vehicle. For the 97+ swap I had to find a spot for the AW4 shift cable. Thankfully I mocked up the wiring harness to see if there was enough room under the tcu harness pass through. Annnnnd just barely does it sit flush so I know I won’t have a leak. Found that a random plastic push fender liner holder thingy had its own dedicated hole through the floor pan wildly enough. I didn’t like that so I patched it with the welder since I want zero leaks in this if I can try for it. here the steering column fitment issue I had. I freehanded this hole with a carbide bit on a die grinder since I wanted to save the donor firewall in case of an emergency. I didn’t want to mess up donor firewall by putting it in wonky and not lining up. But I corrected the hole so happy. Then had a friend mock up the cemetery console from the 98 donor and the hole for the washer fluid bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js33rd Posted yesterday at 03:51 AM Author Share Posted yesterday at 03:51 AM Sorry the photos look horrible on my phone they look decent.* I had a 6 week timeline to finish the swap and get her running under her own power. I got delayed 2 weeks with all the perfectionist fab work. So this weekend I said I can’t get all the rust and I can’t make sure I thought about every step ahead so I don’t have to back track. So I had some friends come over and help weld the frame stiffeners. quite the gap… Some rust and bent steel from my first time pulling a motor. Fixed up the hood latch. It sits below where the MJ one would sit. I ALSO THINK I FOUND THE LEAK THAT CAUSED MY RUSTY FLOOR PANS!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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