Project New Gen Comanche

Figured I'd start a thread on my latest project.

I took this '89 Comanche in trade for the trailer I built for Chris (xj-grin). Thought about just fixing it and selling it.... but I'm kinda diggin' the little truck!




It's just a 2wd, 4 banger 5 speed with leaky freeze plugs and noisy valvetrain, but the plan is to source a wrecked '98+ XJ and do a total swap of the drivetrain, electrical, interior, and body (front clip and doors).

So, over a period of time, I hope to turn it into something more like this:




First order of business: Fix the freeze plugs and valvetrain and start driving it as is for a while.


Yeah, I'd say the freeze plugs were toast......



Mmmmmmmm, shiny! :thumbup:



Looks like the center one got replaced a while back with a "universal plug" - left it there since it seemed to be doing the job just fine, just gave it a couple turns to snug it up.

Now...... I gotta figure out how to calm down the angry midget with a pair of hammers under the valve cover.......

Kinda amazing what a $20 set of Craigslist bling covers will do 'eh?



The engine truely sounds like a 4 cylinder diesel with a noisy injection pump. The valvetrain around cylinder #1 seems to be the loudest, there might be more. :dunno: I pulled the valve cover and removed the #1 cylinder rockers and lifters....... They "seem" fine, no unusual wear, the valve stems looked good too - the engine is actually REALLY clean inside. (Used a telescoping magnet to get 'em out, now I gotta find one of those lifter removal/installation tools.... I can't get 'em back in! )

Saw-wheat! Will this be the shop runner?

You're building almost exactly what I've been thinking about for some time now. Once I have the garage space restoring and building up an MJ is on my to-do list.

I'm in Lakewood so you're just down the street from me, if you ever need an extra set of hands let me know. Seeing how you attack this one would probably help me later down the line if I ever get my project past the dreaming stage!

yella -- Frank and I were of the opinion that the rattle, while sounding like valve noise, isn't (old big screwdriver to ear trick), but instead is a loose timing chain. I threw the spare (new) timing chain I have in there when you picked it up, though you might need some new "snubbers" too...

I KNEW you'd end up keeping it, you truly have a disease!

Yeah, the timing chain is starting to sound more like the issue. Found a couple more posts over on Comanchee Club that suggest it as well.

I removed the distributor cap and turned the crank with a wrench to see if the slack was obvious - not so much, but it's hard to gauge. I guess in my mind I was expecting to see true "slop", but maybe it really doesn't take that much to be "slop".

I've got a new set of gears and chain here as well so I suppose I'll tear that apart and swap the timing set in while I'm at it.

Thats going to be kick A$$ looking. I would be so down for something like that. Have you thought about an extended cab or is that more than you would want to deal with. Just thinking in terms of more space to push that seat back just a bit more. I guess that gets into moving the bed back and frame issues I would guess.

Yeah, DJ and I had done quite a bit of discussing what would be involved in extending the cab, but we were looking at just adding the length of a set of 2 door doors. Got to thinking that if one were to take a hard hit '98+ 2 door and cut it at the windshield pilars, then across the floor pan just at the notch where the "B" pillar/door sil meets the floor and pull the rear away.

Then cut the Comanche in the same locations, but leave the unibody frame rails intact up to the lower control arms. Remove the MJ floor pan.

Remove the frame rails under the 2dr section, but leave the floor pan in place.

Roll the two sections together until the doors close on the back of the MJ cab and then take measurements to extend the roof, and the frame rails. Then you'd have to make some box steel sleeves to go into and between the frame rail sections.

Then the hard stuff would be to get all the sections made and welded in place to support everything - the roof being the hardest I imagine.

The reason I won't be doing this kind of project is that I don't have enough experience in unibody work or sheet metal (roof).

But it sure would be cool. DJ has a pic of what the completed project would look like..... he's posted it before in other threads.

Looking like a killer idea there Yella!

I think taking on that extensive of body work to make it sit four should be left to "Body & Paint" experts.

Can not wait to see you get it done just the idea of upgrading the front clip to late model XJ sounds sweat. So are you going to paint it Yellow and call it your permanent replacement ?

I know you don't need the axles, but you were lamenting the lack of a 4cyl tranny and tcase in your stockpile... instant 4wd!

http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=138074

Kittrell said:

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yatzee! :lickout: I forgot about that one, only remembered the 2-door and 4-door chops... Yella, I want my MJ back, oh, and I'll need to borrow your plasma cutter!:flame:

Yeah, that's the one. I know the bed has been shortened in the pic, but the cab is basically what I was describing - seems the "easiest" to do outta the bunch that DJ created.


But..... I'm not THAT ambitious with this project. Hell, it'll be amazing if I even get to do the update swap, much less paint and body..... Someone might offer me too much for it and I'll move on to another project....

Ordered the spring-loaded chain tensioner from NAPA to go with my chain kit. They want $38 for the goofy little thing.

Gonna pull it apart tomorrow afternoon....... keeping my fingers crossed.

And I guess I'll have to make something to grab hold of the two lifters I removed in order to get them put back in..... I can't find a tool anywhere.

OOOOOOooooooo I like the 4 door thats nice. LONG but nice.

they look photoshopped. if you look at the flag in the right side attached to the garage you will notice the same thing in all the pictures...

YELLAHEEP said:

So, over a period of time, I hope to turn it into something more like this:

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Cool Troy. I'm also fixing up my MJ to look like the one in that picture. I'm almost there. I added 97+ XJ doors. And I have a 97+ front clip waiting to go on. I even have the same Rubicon wheels and MT/Rs in that picture. And I want to paint it silver too.



I'll be watching your build.

SurfXJSnow said:

they look photoshopped. if you look at the flag in the right side attached to the garage you will notice the same thing in all the pictures...

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Ok..... dude........ seriously? Did you think anyone else thought that they WEREN'T photoshopped? :twak:

Do we need to start calling you "SurfXJ-Dee-De-Deee"?

:roflmao:

SurfXJSnow said:

they look photoshopped. if you look at the flag in the right side attached to the garage you will notice the same thing in all the pictures...

Click to expand...

dude, did you get your head squashed under a cooler or something?? Of course their photoshopped, that's the point!:jester:

johnnyc said:

I'll be watching your build.

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Very nice Johnny! At least your's is already 4x4..... and probably in a lot nicer shape.

Is your's lifted at all? 285/16's for tires? Spill the specs brutha! :thumbup:

YELLAHEEP said:

Very nice Johnny! At least your's is already 4x4..... and probably in a lot nicer shape.

Is your's lifted at all? 285/16's for tires? Spill the specs brutha! :thumbup:

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Just have a budget boost. ZJ coils and spacers in the front. Added an XJ main leaf to the MJ packs. Good for 2 inches of lift. 245/75/16 tires.

Got word a couple of minutes ago that my 97+ fenders are ready. They were red, so a friend had them sandblasted and primered for me. So maybe I'll put the front clip on this weekend.

I was planning on making it a trail rig. But I'll probably keep it a street truck until something "happens" to the XJ.