Another 1987 Comanche saved from doom. Project TALOS

[87MJROB]

This is the start of the thread for a project I began last year. 
I picked up this stripped down shell with a title. Essentially all it had was a blown up 4cyl 4spd 2wd, steering column, back window, front dummy axle, and a hood.

 

I have been using an entire 1994 XJ 4.0 ax15 231 as the donor to rebuild this truck into my winter daily/back up wheeler/yard work horse. To take the place of a 1998 XJ I sold. 

[Salvagedcircuit]

Aww yeah, that has some good bones right there.

This is going to be good

[MiNi Beast]

Nice having doner rig right there. Did mine same way. No rush its there. 

[Pete M]

I do love an empty shell.  so much potential!   

[87MJROB]

I started by removing what was left and cleaning the engine bay, painting the engine bay, and removing the junk windshield. I found one small hole which I patched up later on

 

[87MJROB]

I then moved on to doing front floor pans.

 

[87MJROB]

After starting the new color I rolled it into the shed to start swapping parts from the donor xj. At this time I also started adding sound deadening for the first time on a project.

 

[87MJROB]

Continuing parts swapping from donor xj. 
drivetrain slung in, painting of doors and header panel. I swapped on 97+ mirrors and door handles. Swapped some Laredo door cards in as well. 

[87MJROB]

After I labeled pin outs for  the xj dash wiring and mj body harness I made an adapter to plug the xj dash into the mj body harness before I could start assembling the interior. 
Got a brand new windshield installed with the rubber gasket. 
I acquired all the MJ specific interior trim etc and carpet from the same person I bought the shell from. We converse on a regular basis about Jeeps lol. Kinda how I ended up with this in the first place. 
I installed all interior, xj e brake and center console, Laredo buckets, b pillar speakers, installed vw beetle down lights into the b pillars. Azzy gauge faces, a random radio I had,  as well as silver dash bezel. I did also modify xj seat belts to work as I didn’t have mj ones. 

[87MJROB]

Got a junk roller from a friend for the 3.55 axles. I had to straighten passenger LCA mount as well as repair the passenger coil bucket. I made a UCA stiffener and replaced both upper bushings. Welded on some Barnes LCA skids. Added some iron rock bump stops. Swapped the axle in. 
During this I installed a brand new steering box and a used jcr spacer and the bumper tie in plate. 

[87MJROB]

Every hard brake line was replaced with stainless kit and then some. Most the old lines were all gone already. Replaced all the fuel line and fuel filter, replaced the gas tank as it was rotted which allowed me to toss the 94 xj sender in. 

[87MJROB]

Started 8.25 swap. Cut all old brackets off.

mocked it up under the truck after having to modify the incorrect spring perches I had ordered 🙃 I did the ubolt strap mod on the pinion. I welded shock mounts to the axle as I didn’t have any mj ubolt plates to use and figured this way I can get away with running stock shocks on 3” of lift. I replaced every single rear axle brake part and lines. 

[87MJROB]

I have a 2wd manual xj rear driveshaft bolted in temporarily until I can get the mj shaft I have cut down  to length I need. The xj shaft is about 2” too short for comfort. 
I put a tip on the tailpipe from Amazon because the stock of was all bent up and crusty so I just chopped it off and bolted the tip on. 
This is about where I’m at with it now. 
the wheels on it currently are temporarily until I get my tires mounted on some jk Willy’s wheels. 
I have to continue bleeding the brake lines if not replacing the master cylinder, build some bumpers, repair the rockers, and repair areas of the bed. I’m planning to make my own bed armor to cover the Swiss cheese bed sides.