1987 Comanche build...The War Machine

[jeepcomj]

I figured that it's about time I posted my current "project/DD/wheeling" rig. have had it for one year now....got it last june for the cost of $700 worth of scrap from a friend who owns a junk yard (I managed to nab it before the title was processed ).

here's a shot of it when I picked it up

it started out as a very strangely equipped 1987 2wd/4.0/auto/column shift/base interior w/ bench seat and dana 44 rear w/ 3.55's and limited slip. the only amenity that it had was A/C (I think...can't remember since not one thing is original any longer)
on the way to pick it up, my MINT 86 comanche, which I converted to a 96 camaro 3800 buick v6....got "totalled". I did not allow any insurance company to total it, but fact of matter is that the bedside is now junk and I cannot find a new one

floors were very clean for a truck that's been sitting 10 years in WI...though it did come from arizona in 2001 and hadn't been registered/title transferred since then

I gutted the interior, and found 2 RATS inside of it along with several mice

it was pretty shabby looking, but I saw the potential with the highlighted words "rust free" in the back of my mind

discovered that she had been "salvage/restored" previously, with a front left collision. the frame was not rippled or fractured in any way, though the bumper mount area was pushed in a bit. I pulled it all out with a slide-hammer as best as I could and aligned the sheet metal on the body properly. not too concerned, as the inner fender will get cut up in the future anyways.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/3800 accident and new comanche/SSPX0027-2.jpg
washed it, and threw on a set of tires/rims just to make it appear a bit better

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/3800 accident and new comanche/SSPX0040.jpg

 

[jeepcomj]

then came the lift
SOA rear with 1.5" tall 7" long spring perches

got the front axle in (dana 30, 4.10 factory gears from an 86 4 cyl parts MJ I had) along with RC 6.5" coils, shocks, track bar, and home brew control arms

front clip also came off for some "improvements"

SOA rear. factory MJ dana 44 with factory 4.09 gears from MJ of unknown year

perches and whatnot

 

[jeepcomj]

grille coming together

lift mostly done. need to swap trans plus np231 SYE and burn perches at proper angle.

installed front axleshafts after removing stub shafts from wheel bearings

TJ 4wd shifter (bolt-in modification)

front end

trans+tcase and SYE installed SYE was not necessary due to wheel base, but I like the added security of being able to bend the rear shaft and still drive home

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/87 comanche lift 4wd swap/SSPX0151.jpg

 

[jeepcomj]

first time in the sun since it was 2wd. the whole rebuild and lift of the jeep took around 1.5 weeks tires are 33x10.50 bfg a/t's btw

SYE double cardan (not to be confused with CV) rear driveshaft. custom built and IIRC is 45&1/4" center to center on the ujoints with the slip centered as well

first version of the interior

front end assembled

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/87 comanche lift 4wd swap/SSPX0176.jpg

 

[jeepcomj]

89eliminator came over to compare height

threw in a tool box and tire carrier. the tire carrier came out because it made the bed impractical. the tool box will be removed in the near future in favour of the factory roll bar

I took a poser shot next to the retired 86 comanche (part of the reason that the build on this MJ happened so quickly was that, on top of the dent in the bedside of the 86, I also blew the rear end, transmission, and after having replaced the trans and rear end with an ax15 and dana 44 the motor ended up sucking something into a rod bearing)

second interior version involved adding a modified xj center console

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/87 comanche lift 4wd swap/SSPX0227.jpg

 

[jeepcomj]

blacked out bottom edge of the truck, and removed stains on doors from the factory "tow mirrors"

also blacked out the 21 slot waggy grille

new front bumper, bought from TNT (club member not the suspension company)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/87 comanche lift 4wd swap/SSPX0395.jpg
bought and installed RC adj. control arms (before the redesign)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/87 comanche lift 4wd swap/SSPX0432.jpg
installed front and rear diff guards plus driving lights in bumper

headlights plus driving lights plus side-angled fogs

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/87 comanche lift 4wd swap/SSPX0412.jpg

 

[jeepcomj]

fog light relays

modified factory switch bezels for 3 switches

I upgraded my CAD vacuum switch to a air-toggle switch from a semi that my dad salvaged from a wrecked rig for me. it works 10 times better with zero leaks, the canister now holds vacuum instead of leaking it out, and it even has a "safety" to keep anyone from accidently flipping it down

it has an input and two outputs, with a switch that's spring-loaded on a pin inside. the pin has O-rings and is set up so that one side of the switch is longer than the other, and in switching it you actually open and close chambers inside. pretty neat, and it works like a charm

 

[jeepcomj]

after that was all done, it ended up with a factory rear bumper and hitch to make a run to the badlands last fall (2008).

at the badlands, the water pump went south...not all the way south, but right on the border. the head gasket leaks a very small amount of anti-freeze, I almost hydrolocked the truck (improper water entry at speed) and ended up wrecking the TPS and ICM at the very least, though it still isn't running right after swapping the sensors on the trail.

after that, it was time to build and swap a new motor. the one in it currently ran, but was rapidly coming to the point of failure. it finally failed on the way home from work (company truck was being repaired so I was forced to drive 30 miles to work in it lol) where it seized up completely. I had a friend bring diesel, a propane torch, breaker bar, 19mm socket, and BFH out to me. pulled the plugs, poured diesel in the cylinders, put breaker bar and socket on the harmonic balancer bolt, lit the cylinders with the torch, and beat on the breaker bar with a hammer until she freed up. drove 15 more miles home, by which point the oil pressure was non-existant.

I bought a 4.0 H.O. from a member (again, TNT was there with parts to save my ass) along with a complete 95 xj cooling, a/c, wiring, and 90k mile aw4. it had a borla header and 62mm TB already installed, but was very dirty. the motor had a documented 3000 miles on it and was a documented mopar reman with a bore somewhere around .020 or .030...can't remember.
I cleaned and painted the motor, then installed a 2001 TJ intake manifold for an extra 15hp and 30 ft/lb torque. this is how it came out

inside of engine was so clean that the valve cover looked new underneath

 

[jeepcomj]

painted engine white....want to be able to see leaks

had to reshape the header and intake a bit to get them to fit together

header/intake mocked up, painted oil pan orange cause it looks cool lol

motor partially dressed

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/War Machine engine upgrade/SSPX0544-1.jpg
M.O.R.E. motor mounts

also picked up an oil pan skid out of the deal

installed block heater

 

[jeepcomj]

pile of parts to be installed. full 95 H.O. conversion

truck in and ready to have that nasty lil bitch pulled out

POS on it's way out

engine bay cleaned and painted

engine in. I did not replace the trans at this point...as it was already a 95 trans with the 4wd conversion, it was much simpler to just swap the 95 trans' torque converter back in place of the renix torque converter and call it good. plus, now I have a good spare 90k mile aw4 sitting in the shop

gettin dressed

removed dash, swapped firewall padding, and halfway through modifying so the 95 steering column fits

engine bay more or less done...needs hood installed and fluids filled

interior basically back together...just need to make the jumper harness to go from MJ rear wiring to XJ front wiring

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/War Machine engine upgrade/install/SSPX0678.jpg

 

[jeepcomj]

trans temp. gauge installed along with torque converter lockout and 1st lock-in switches (sorry bad pic)

got the roll bar mocked up....haven't installed yet

plugged in and toasty in the mornin'. I blacked out the center of the hood

BTW, this is called the war machine in a tribute both to our armed forces as well as to the movie and comic "Iron Man"

woodgrain and power windows locks and mirrors installed

I modified the 95 xj overhead console, but have yet to finish it

began camo-ing the interior and mocked up 95 seats (haven't decided if I like them yet so they are not installed yet)

started building a rear bumper

chains. these WILL break out if a trailer becomes unhooked. I don't haul trailers enough with this for it to matter, but frankly I'd rather loose a load than the truck and my life....plus I'd be stupid to pull anything heavy with this faster than 25mph. just needed them to not get tickets if/when I do tow

bumper mostly complete. have to finish clevis mounts

 

[jeepcomj]

some goodies came...edelbrock extreme IAC remote reservoir 6.5" xj shocks. bought at 70% off on clearance fore $260 shipped...normally $223/each

mounted up front

mounted in back

RIDES LIKE A CADILLAC! beautiful. after testing them on and off road, having bumpstopped accordingly (though I need to redesign my rear shock mounting system), these perform EXCELLENT with 11.25" travel on all 4 corners

 

[jeepcomj]

well, I guess I never posted the update anywhere else of the tuffy lock box I installed in the center, which came out of a YJ. was $75 complete with pioneer head unit. but this is what I've been up to in the last week:

I had an inguinal (groin) hernia which ruptured last week and went in to surgery to have that repaired...getting better every day. I still can't lift anything heavier than a die grinder for the most part...hurts quite a bit.
anyways, (sorry for the crappy pics...camera is on the fritz) though I said I'd never do this to a rust free one... don't hate me...
still need to bend over pinch weld inside the wheel well, and make a "guard" for the remote reservoir

something I said I'd never do...and yes, I know the paint looks choppy over it but it's just rust prevention until I spray bomb the truck this weekend

fuzzy pic

side view. gonna plate the wheel well areas with a removable plate going around them, and to that plate will be welded the tube flares once I make them (after the paint job)

inside the front wheel well. that's dirt, not rust

inside the rear wheel well...need to cut the lip out a bit

front view of rear wheel well and quarter chop. still need to cut inner fender flush across

tailgate from the 3800 is on until it gets painted. thanks to those who put it on for me

shitty pics

rear view of pass. fender well from bumper. this is completely finished

side view of rear wheel well. wire brushed the rust spot on the side and sprayed it to prevent rust. will smooth when I paint it.

front wheel well

damage on rocker painted over (hit a rock on last wheeling trip

I will mock up with 35's once my bro takes them off his parked MJ and helps put them on. the truck will be going to 35" tires before summer is up, and I'll need to regear to 4.88's this winter

 

[jeepcomj]

well. these are a temporary loan for my brother...hopefully he will sell them to me (and hopefully I can afford them by then). they are 35x12.50R15 dunlop radial mud terrain's on cragar soft 8's and have maybe 5k miles on them.
first pic the axle looks off camber, and my track bar is still off a bit...need to adjust it 1/4" to get it right

always critical, I LOVE it but it needs to go up 1.5" in the rear

side view

rear pass.

rear driver's

driver's side

driver's front

 

[jeepcomj]

BTW, here are a some albums of it (and other awesome MJ's/XJ's in use at the badlands (preferred wheeling park) over the last year....no, it's not just a mall crawler lol.
2008 GLXJ fall crawl
http://s248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/GLXJ%20Fall%20Crawl%202008/
2009 CF spring run
http://s248.photobucket.com/albums/gg191/JeepcoMJ/Badlands June 09/
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/badschenk/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v233/johnywest/Badlands June 09/
http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p307/bmyohn/Badlands Trip - CherokeeForum/
vid of me racing bmyohn (yep, I won. not any more since his stroker install)


being the driver, and rarely having a passenger, I don't have many pics of it getting used. others do have them and I need to get together a nice list of them.
carnage from the last wheeling trip too

already fixed with new axle/swapped gears. needed to have it mobile so I can drive right now since I'm off work for surgery. will pull it back out in a couple weeks and truss it plus redo shock mounts etc.

 

[jeepcomj]

sorry that all the pics ended up on one page....I tried spacing out the pics in posts so it wouldn't all fall on one page and screw up loading for you guys but I failed.

 

[Smittty9785]

nice rig

 

[jeepcomj]

thanks. I like it

 

[beakie]

wow....


ya, wow.

nicely done.

 

[dakineJ]

Good job man. Any plans for the black buckets ?