December 2025 - Old Red: A California Cruising and Camping Comanche

[89 MJ]

 

December 2025 - Old Red: The Story of a California MJ

Owned by @NickyV

 

 

Build Thread-

 

I just started a build thread -- took me way too long. I will be updating it soon, but in the meantime, here are some of my projects.

 

 

 

NICK'S MJ PROJECTS:

1. DIY Headlight Harness Upgrade
2. Replacing Headlight Switch (Fixed Non-Functioning Dash Dimmer)
3. Factory Radio Experiments & Upgrades (A Mini-Build Thread)
4. Power Steering Pump Troubleshooting
5. Headliner Refurbished

VIDEOS:

 

 

 

 

Year/Model - 

1987 Base 

 

Drivetrain- 

Four-speed (AX4) -- All factory as far as I know.

 

 

Cooling- 

It might be the factory radiator. I'm not sure. But I have replaced two thermostats. And the very first under-the-hood project I tackled was replacing the thrashed water pump.

 

 

Electrical/Ignition- 

Ignition is mostly stock, although I had to replace the starter back in 2021.

 

Suspension/Steering- 

All stock for the most part. I did put some new shocks in while working to cure my death wobble, but they weren't anything special. I do plan to overhaul the suspension in the next year or so to get a little bit of a lift/bring the ride height back to factory (it's definitely saggy, especially in the back).

 

I upgraded from non-power to power steering last year.

 

Interior-  

All black vinyl interior (including the floor... no carpet). Bench seat.

 

 

The interior of the cab is where I've done most of the work. And there was a LOT of work to be done. My truck didn't even have a cigar lighter when I bought it!

 

Radio & Dash Controls:

 

 

Switches (Fog Lights & Camper Shell)

 

 

Tech: Audio Input Switch & Wireless Charging

 

 

There's a link to some pictures of my refurbished headliner up above, and I installed an aftermarket dome light in the center of the headliner. I put in footwell courtesy lights that I pulled from a junkyard XJ. I swapped out the 

 

I overhauled the sound system. My MJ came with a crappy aftermarket head unit and other jury-rigged audio tomfoolery. The PO had literally used Velcro to tuck small computer speakers up underneath the dash where the tweeters go.

 

Here is a list of audio upgrades I've made since buying the truck:

 

1. Door Speakers (cut holes in the door cards myself)
2. New 6x9s in the pillars
3. OEM style tweeters (Jensen Accusound pulled from a junkyard XJ)
4. Two amplifiers, both mounted on wooden rails that I attached to the trim studs behind the bench seat. One amp runs the 6x9s, door speakers, and tweeters (door and tweeters wired in parallel). The other amp runs a single sub, positioned behind the bench in the middle. It sounds pretty good in there, if I do say so myself.

 

I've got a factory radio that I pulled from a junkyard Cherokee. It's an AR-7750, with no cassette deck and the bass/treble faders.

 

 

I have the radio and a Bluetooth receiver (hardwired) running through a two-channel RCA selector. Switch is in the dash. I'm still working on a video/writeup about that, which I will add to my build thread! But here's a little sneak peek... I used my ash tray to hide some of my stereo controls. I installed an in-line RCA volume pot to control the Bluetooth volume, and I put a remote bass controller in there as well -- along with an LED that lights up when the headlights are on.

 

 

Brakes- 

I haven't done anything to the brakes (besides fixing a broken parking brake pedal). This is definitely high up on my list. Thankfully, since I drove it with death wobble for way too long -- and since it is a 4-speed 2.5L, I don't really ever get going all that fast.

 

Lighting- 

I did the headlight harness upgrade last year (mini-build thread on that project).

 

And I recently replaced all my turn signals and running lights with LEDs (including the reverse lights). I'm planning to try halogen first before considering going LED on the headlights. I rarely drive the truck in the snow, but if I do get caught in snow storm, I want to be able to see.

 

I highly recommend converting your turn signals and backup lights to LED. Not only are they brighter... Switching out the two-prong turn signal relay for a three-prong LED relay greatly improved my blink rate. I think you could fix this by cleaning up certain grounds, but it was a nice bonus of the swap. Now my turn signals flash brightly and frequently and I'm a lot more confident that people know I'm planning to merge.

 

As you may have noticed, I have a camper shell. I still have a lot of work to do on that thing... I've got grand plans! All in due time.

 

But as of now, I have done two important upgrades.

 

First, I wired up the third brake light. I could have gotten a kit with a special relay, but I just decided to piggy-back a long wire onto my brake pedal. Ran it through the firewall and all the way back to the third light. Works like a charm!

 

Second, I installed a custom switch in the dash (probably where the cargo light switch would be) that allows me to turn the dome light of the camper on and off from the cab. I still need to figure out how to make it a three-way switch with a second switch in the camper. Still brainstorming the best way to do that with the least amount of wiring.

 

Exterior- 

I've covered most of the exterior stuff above, in the lighting section. The only exterior modification I can think of is I replaced my window swipes with rubber ones from a 2000 XJ. I actually just picked up another pair of swipes and I'm planning to do it over. I didn't do a great job the first time around and I have better tools now.

 

 

Wheel & Tires- 

Finally replaced my tires last year. I went with Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 235/75/15s. No complaints!

 

Misc- 

Can't really think of anything to put here.

 

Best MJ story- 

When I bought my MJ, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew I wanted a truck that I could teach myself how to work on. Over the years, it's been frustrating, inspiring, scary and exciting. It's been a great experience.

 

Some of my best MJ stories were definitely not fun in the moment. But they all involved problem solving and creative thinking.

 

I've replaced a thermostat in a park-and-ride lot off the side of the freeway and fixed my clutch at a gas station. I learned that if your starter is going bad, you can sometimes temporarily revive it by giving it a good whack (a fellow Jeep enthusiast taught me that one when I was starting to worry that I'd have to pay for a tow out of a primitive campsite in Death Valley).

 

I am a much more competent mechanic now than I was before the MJ. Which brings me to why Comanche Club is awesome.

 

CC is Awesome! Why?

I wouldn't have been able to accomplish nearly as much as I have without all the awesome people on Comanche Club. I deeply appreciate how nice, patient and willing to share you all have been.

 

I started out as a lurker. Then I created an account. Now I'm posting regularly. I bet that's the same experience a lot of us have had.

 

I hope that in the future, I can start to help others the way you all have helped me.

 

I've had my MJ since 2019 and I have no plans to give it up any time soon.

 

Thanks so much for asking me to be featured on MJOTM. I thought I wouldn't have much to say, because I still feel like I have so much work to do on my truck. But taking the time to fill out this form has reminded me of just how much work I've put into it... and I'm excited to keep it going!

 

 

Congrats on MJOTM! I really like all of the documentation that has gone along with this truck over time. Funnily enough, its not the first red, 4 cyl MJ to be December MJOTM either in the time I have been the MJOTM caretaker.

[Pete M]

love it!    

[Salvagedcircuit]

That water pump. Wow. 

Awesome story, well deserved