88 Comanche Restomod Build

[cherokee-at-16]

Yeah here's some news
Bought a tube, took out the carpet and did some poking around. Dash will be out sooner then later.

[cherokee-at-16]

I have this tube positioned and tacked on where its going to go. Cut off a little to much in some places. Its squared up to the inside lip and flat section of the door frame.


The floor between the frame rail and door are completely cut out. Supports will be run from rocker tube to plated frame and some sheet will be put in underneath these supports as the floor.



Hard to see but Im pulling and replacing the top of the frame rail. the floors on these are actually sandwiched between it. Mines a little rusty so something unique will replace it. removing spot welds sucks.

[cherokee-at-16]

Trying to keep the frame was too hard. I cut it off




New frame is 3x4 3/16 box. Fits perfectly between the old frame rails where I left them. The front frame stiffening will tie the front and mid sections together nicely.
I bought the hooligan offroad ones which are nice since they wrap around on the under side. Which will make it easier to build in some inside of rail plateing https://www.hooliganoffroad.com/coll...ont-stiffeners

This is currently heavily tacked in.






and this our pile of tube for cages.

[cherokee-at-16]

Here's what i got done this weekend.
Front frame stiffener is in and there is a pretty solid connection between the stiffener and new frame section. Still a little more to go.

And right now I'm running the welder off a 100ft extension cord. Its been doing pretty well but really I'm just trying to get this thing to be a rolling chassis again. So consider these welds as just some serious tacks until I can wheel the jeep from its spot to the other driveway where there are outlets.

[cherokee-at-16]

The name of this build should be changed from Restomod to Rust-o-mod. Since, well, I sawsalled off everything below the door sills because it was rusty.

[cherokee-at-16]

Replace frame: Check

Stitch welded in enough to be a roller. Next is to get the rock sliders in on the drivers side and tie it into the new frame on the passenger side. Then they will get skinned. and wallah new floors and mini boat sides.

Really need front suspension links so I can get the axle back in, but I haven't order joints or anything. I want to be able to roll this thing between my driveways for finish welding.

Pics:

[cherokee-at-16]

I've added some tubes that connect some tubes. And made some mounts that will mount some control arms and I took the bed off, thinking of having it sand blasted. and I kinda want to just cut the rest of the frame off and build my own, just seems easier then trying to remove rust. Its in pretty good shape just not where I want it, I don't want to spend time on rusty repair. Really not trying to make this some crazy buggy, but it wouldn't be a far stretch for it to become one in the future

Anyway, Things left to do, with no particular order, though I could surely use some, are
Removing of the back frame sections.
Replacing them with 3x4, 3/16" box like used the front sections. Make a similar x thing out of 1.75" .120wall
New floors and reattaching the back of the cab to the new frame.
Put the bed back on after repainting and bed lining. Thinking POR 15
Make a rear bumper.
Build long arms, I went ordered a little 2" .25 wall and almost did but the steel guy never called back with my quote. so maybe its ordered.
All new fuel and gas lines and electrical.
freshin up the 2000 4.0 for this truck.
Do something to make the ax15 less old
get a 4.10 8.8 for the back, weld on perches
regear my d30 to 4.10, have the gears currently.
make d30 brackets and mounts less rusty and more 1/4" plate
make track bar bracket
do those things to make the 2000 dash fit.
cut the firewall and replace with plate with holes for 2000 steering wheel and whatever
buy some wheels, ravine or moabs, and tires. 33x10.5 or something.
repaint the entire truck
build the cage
put in carpets and seats, I want some nice corbeau's but stockers will probably go back in. harnesses and nice seats later





















So here is my transmission cross member. Which attaches to my long arm link mounts. Mounts are like 1/2" plate, i got carried away. Between them is some .25 wall 2x4 box. then theres a 1.5" spacer made from the same and finally the 1/4" thick mating plates between the links and actual cross member. To keep the right angles with the stock engine mounts and where the ax15 was held in stock, and the .25 inch height difference between the new and old frame sections, the cross member drops a little over 1.25 inches. so the top of that center tube needs to be alligned with the bottom of the frame rails for the trans to be at the right height. this is the start and things will now be sliced up a little for maximum clearances.

[cherokee-at-16]

SO Im all ready to make these long arms and crossover steerings




Using these wj knuckles.


On this d30, with a little bracing


Got the rear frame section as square as I could get it. stitch welded in. Fish plates will go over any joints. And theres the 8.8 for the rear.

[Bigbike]

looks good bro

[HeavyMetal]

nice progress

[cherokee-at-16]

So today I did this. Which was less then I wanted do to helping my uncle Install a Huge picture window.

Sometimes I use the right tools and do something nice. Fixed side of the Long arms done. Waiting to get the axle positioned to cut to length and put in the other side.








and I'm 90% of the way to having these frame side track bar plates cut out. I ran out of cutting wheels. I used to run a clayton mount and I snap the thing in half. While I don't plan to wheel this truck as hard, Its getting build as if it could. As much plate will be left where it can be to clear the spring.

[cherokee-at-16]

what I did today was
Cut the floor and tunnel more, so I can put floor pans in like this.








I then removed the lasts bits of old frame. Theres actually a bolt that holds this part on. where they couldn't get a weld. Showing the true battle this truck had being a unibody.



heres what the cab looked like after my cuts. and you can see my first bit of tube but focus on the cab line.



buts heres that tube. seat mounts will be built off of it and also the x thing of cages and harness bar. the x will go to where that little stub tube is as one of the few nodes this simple cage will have







did I ever post the control arms mounts welded on.


the back of the tunnel is welded to that tube. only needed to cut it for the tinniest bit of clearance to get that tube to fit. The back of the cab will be reboxed and attached to the frame and that tube.

[cherokee-at-16]

Today I

Welded the divers side front stiffener in almost 100%. while i was working on the track bar mount. In doing so, I put the front axle on jack stands, bolted the old steering box back in, bolted the stock steering on the axle to that box, and put an under the axle clayton track bar in to help line up the axle, its needs an over the axle mount. The lower links are also ready to go, except for the upper/radius arms. Those will be quick though.
I also threw the bed on the frame, mostly to stop killing the grass. underneath it.



The first line of welds looked great. Then I covered it up with these big old fat welds.


I told my neighbor it would be done in a few weeks today. ha..haha....hahaha


The bed is currently up on 2x4's. I have an alignment tube in the way of the bed sitting flat so I preferred it to sit level and up rather then all crooked. It will sit matching normal body lines when i do the bed mounts.




OKAY, SO HERES THE BIG QUESTION. WHERE SHOULD I PUT THE CAGE. RED WAS HOW I ORIGINALLY PLANNED. HYBRID IN AND OUT THE ARROW POINTS AT WHAT WOULD BE A HARNESS BAR. THE GREEN IS A CAGE THAT WOULD GO BETWEEN THE CAB AND BED. MEANING THE BED WOULD BE PUSHed BACK AN INCH OR SO. NO BIG DEAL. WHICH ONE SHOULD I DO?? YES, I'M YELLING THIS, IN REAL LIFE, AS I TYPE. Red or green. Pick.

[HeavyMetal]

Crosby has a hybrid setup in his MJ and its pretty sweet IMO

[cherokee-at-16]

Might as well just edit these causes the deeds are done.
Ordered a set of Treadwright warden 285 75 r16 which measure out to 32.8 x 11.2".
Was originally planning for some jk rims and tires but it just didn't make much sense.
I ordered a set of quadratec baja extreme wheels in satin black, on sale for 89$ with free shipping.

Treadwrights Wardens in the exact size I want 600 shipped
Qaudratec baja extreme wheels $356 shipped

vs

jk take offs with 10,000 miles 7-800
Wheel adapters for 200.


I have also decided on the red cage option. The B pillar bar will be external , the harness bar will be hole sawn right through the cab.