1986 Mad Maxine

[SHAES Farm]

I bought this truck last week, and for the first few days after the previous owner graciously delivered it, I couldn't stop thinking, "Oh $#!+, what have I done now?" I have enough projects, I don't need another, not this one, especially.

 

Blizzards make you do stupid things. Leading up to this storm (late January 2026), the local Walmart, the hardware and farm stores, every propane store, has looked like people were prepping for the end of the world! It gets crazy in Northeast Tennessee when people hear a few inches of snow are going to fall. The temperatures are forecast into teens and single digits in the coming days, highs below freezing. Welcome to winter in the middle south, deep in Appalachia.

 

I have a built 2005 TJ Rubicon that's fallen victim to a botched oil change by a local garage. Engine is gone, and it's currently being held as evidence for the case against the shop - a hard lesson in "always do your own work!" So, a couple months ago I bought a 2000 XJ with a rebuilt 4.0L and automatic in near pristine condition, but after getting it home and going over it, it's just too nice to drive! I can't take that out in snow and salt!

 

Then, I saw this little truck on Facebook Marketplace, and with a monster of a storm headed my way, threatening 16" of the fluffy stuff, I thought this might work as a reliable little farm truck to get me to and from my animals twice a day, every day, weather be damned. I went to look at it, it ran and drove, shifted smoothly enough through all the gears, grinding a bit into reverse, but it moved and steered and stopped - she's so eager she won't shut off! 

 

  

This was the birth of one of those projects that I'm already beginning to question my sanity over. The more I dig into this one, the more I realize I'm going to need some professional help, and not just with the condition of my mind. The project is a 1986 Jeep Comanche MJ, 2.5L AMC I4 Renix TBI, AX5 manual, 4WD NP207, Dana 35 rear, and Dana 30 front. It was a long bed, but the previous owner chopped the bed down. Why? I don't know.

 

The Mission: Turn this into a reliable daily driver farm truck for my remote mountain property. I've got a 12-mile commute up (and down) steep grades, twice a day, in all weather. This isn't a restoration - it's a mechanical rescue. Keeping the "Mad Max" aesthetic and going for function over form, battle scars welcome, just needs to start every time and get me home alive.

 

What I Got: The good news? Frame rails are solid, the lift looks decent (some geometry needs checked), new tires, mostly rust free on the body, starts on the first crank even in sub-freezing temps, she's still got some fight left in her. The bad news? There's a laundry list of hidden gremlins lurking underneath:

 

Immediate Safety Priorities:

• The engine won't shut off
• Floorpans have minor rust-through holes
• Driver's door was knocked off it's hinges and welded badly
• Exhaust system leaking and needs complete replacement
• Brakes are suspect

 

Known Mechanical Issues:

• Renix wiring harness is a rat's nest of backfeed paths
• Ignition switch possibly causing run-on
• U-joints need replaced
• Oil pressure sender and valve cover gasket leaking
• Transfer case is leaking
• Every fluid seal is questionable
• The hood release cable came off in my hand
• The parking brake pedal is laying flaccid on the floorpan
• The dash has been destroyed, no lights, indicators, gauges useless
• Windshield wipers are barely operative
• Driver window rolled down, and won't go back up

 

The Plan: Systematic rebuild in phases—safety first, then reliability, then durability. I'm taking a methodical approach: document everything, test before assuming repairs worked, and build toward "starts every time" status. This is going to be a long-term project.

 

I'll be posting progress updates here, procedures, parts notes, plenty of questions, the success stories, all the pictures, and probably a few "what the hell is this?" moments along the way. I'm new here, I haven't been lurking long, so apologies for not spending more time reading before jumping in, but I most certainly need the help here. If you've wrestled with Renix demons, rust repair, or just general MJ entropy, I'd love to hear your war stories and advice!

 

Let's see if we can drag Mad Maxine back from the brink.

[Ωhm]

3 minutes ago, Iron Mountain MJ said:

The engine won't shut off

 

Check out the Ignition Control Module (ICM) w/Coil. Make sure that there's no RED WIRE plugged into the coil. Know problem. Flip your front grille, it's upside down. Welcome to CC.

 

 

[SHAES Farm]

22 hours ago, Ωhm said:

Check out the Ignition Control Module (ICM) w/Coil. Make sure that there's no RED WIRE plugged into the coil. Know problem. Flip your front grille, it's upside down. Welcome to CC.

Thanks for the welcome! I'm glad to have found you all! Your grille comment sounds like an inside joke! 

 

It's been too cold to wrestle with the hood latch, but as soon as I can get the hood open, I'll check the coil to see what I find!

[eaglescout526]

4 hours ago, SHAES Farm said:

Your grille comment sounds like an inside joke! 

It kinda is. We’re suspecting at this point that the factory put them on wrong. But the 84-90 years for Jeep, you can put the grill on wrong.