Project 7-16
 

Well I decided to do a build thread for this jeep to document progress. This will be a small mild build as I am selling this one to a co-worker and that is what he preferred. This jeep will have to be done early 2016 to be sold by my wedding date (hence project name).

So the backstory, I've been on this forum since 2011 but under a different name. I only made this one because my other one was acting up with the authenticator. Almost everything I know about cherokees came from this forum and just wrenching. My first jeep was a red 91 and this jeep is actually the jeep that ended it's operation; to make a long story short. This is the 5th cherokee/comanche I have owned.

To begin this is the last day both jeeps ran together.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...ef3a422d90.jpg

The red one is my 91 a.k.a stitch and the green one is Sparkys92xj's on an eventful sledding trip.

On the trip back my jeep stopped at the bottom of a hill but wouldn't move out of the way in time, due to ice, before he rear-ended the red one. I didn't have a bumper on the rear because I was getting ready to build one so it cracked the unibody in two locations and tweaked it so bad the rear doors won't open without persuasion. Being friends we made and agreement to split the cost of my next one. We found this comanche down in Arkansas and made the trip to get it.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...b45d08b9ea.jpg

We got a good deal for the shell which is all I needed. However things don't always go as planned and I didn't want to sell the manche so Sparky being a good friend gave me his green one because he was building a comanche too.

So here starts Project 7-16
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...69c85d7f45.jpg


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...013d0223ac.jpg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...a1b9e0c9e3.jpg

You can see the comanche he is building in the last pic.

The first thing was we had to get it rolling of course, so we took some of the suspension out of red and some parts I had laying around.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...42b31a8aa4.jpg


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...d637eaed3f.jpg


Front done


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...8e55159de3.jpg

Rear-semi done.

I need new bushings in the rear springs they were bad when they were in the previous pack. Theyre a mix of Rusty's 4.5" springs and some of my other springs to make 3" lift springs. The front coils are Rubicon Express springs from a previous jeep I had. I'm sticking with a 3" lift because that's what I have parts for as of now.

The floors in this jeep were shot, so we did some cutting

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...19278a512e.jpg

some template making


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...020c693224.jpg

and some cutting, bending, cussing, hammering, and welding


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...c5994aee62.jpg

I work at a custom steel shop that specializes in stainless, but we still can get carbon. So the floor is now 16ga carbon sheet I bought a sheet 48" x 96" to do the floors in this jeep as well as my comanche. This might be a bit overkill, but it worked out good.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...d80648faed.jpg


We put three tubes of sealer on all the welds and then shot it with a few coats of rustoleum undercoating on top and bottom. The back hatch area had some small rust spots near the back hatch that we did too.

The rockers in this jeep were all but gone, so instead of just replacing them I decided that 2" x 6" rec tube was a better idea. Even though I wasn't keeping this one I did it anyway. So I got a 20' piece of rec tube 2" x 6" x 3/16" and I had some 2" sq tubing 1/4" wall laying around to tie it back to the unibody. We trimmed what was left of the rockers out and cut knotches in the pinch seam for the 2" tubing. We made sure the leave the spot welds though. I painted the top of the tubing with some rustoleum to prevent rust. After welding them up I finished painting them.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...a58588944e.jpg


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...e8327b21fd.jpg

I think they turned out alright. I don't have any pictures of the process but here are some after, I still have enough rec tube left to do the rear bumper and have some left over. If I'm lucky I think I will have enough to do a crossmember for longarms on my manche. Im running Rubicon Express lower short arms on this one and stock uppers for now, well until my coworker wants to change it.

This is up to date, it will be a couple weeks until I'm able to work on it again due to helping my parents move. As soon as I get back to working on it, it should be driving. I already have the motor ready from my red jeep. It was gone through with new parts 2 weeks before it was totaled so I know that it is good and I'm running the 5 speed ax-15 that was in the green one and I already have all the drive shafts and transfer case drop that was in it to make sure that no drive vibes come into play on this build. Interior will be in the mix somewhere, I got carpet from a 97 that's a lot cleaner than the one that was in it so I'll be using it, along with the best seats from both jeeps.

Alright so it's been awhile since I posted the cold, wet weather and work has kept me from being able to work on it a lot. I got all the interior installed (no pics yet) and started on the body work.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...20f7dab560.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...df7bb18f9e.jpg

I started with the hood because it seemed logical. The first pic is sanded and primed. The second shows all the low spots and dents that will need addressed.

So then I started on body work. First was to get all the adhesive from the side molding off. I took goof off and a scraper to it to get the majority of it off the rest was with a sander and 80 grit.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...0e16f807cd.jpg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...17d7b2630b.jpg

And from these pics you can see I changed wheels out to some d windows. The aluminum wheels went on the 76 Powerwagon.

from there I started sanding the whole drivers side
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...4a97209a74.jpg

and shot it with primer
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...ef2baf2426.jpg

Thats so far up to date. I messed up the back hatch with my truck yesterday:brickwall: so off to the pick and pull after Easter dinner with the family. If they're open today.

Here are some interior pics it's all stock other than the rear floor mat is from Pepboys.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...6c6e630c05.jpg


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...f6b809fbc2.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...96872a8ec6.jpg

It needs cleaned up a little more, i bought some of that vinyl paint to make it all match and clean.

I got the motor installed a few weeks ago.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...340dc11fc0.jpg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...63d8cf7834.jpg


After remembering where all the plugs and vacuum lines went I finally got it running good. Not bad for sitting for about a year. There still some minor things like burping the cooling system and brakes to get it ready to drive.

So I finally got a good weekend and time to paint the jeep. I ended up using farm implement paint for its ease to spray and touch up is super easy.

So I built a booth at Sparky's shop
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...8c0cd31139.jpg

It's about 6 rolls of plastic from harbour freight and alot of zipties and tape.

I got a coat in Saturday night and then again Sunday morning with a hair over 10 hours between coats


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...88088e4d63.jpg

Then with all the tape off out of the booth...

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...1d15a23ec5.jpg

The windshield was cracked so we didn't worry about masking it off. I wish I would of when it came time to drive it back on the trailer.

When I got it back home I used Rustoleum undercoating for the sides. I wish it had a little more texture but it's not bad for what it is being used for.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...24a84a5bf8.jpg


So far that is up to date. I've got to rework the front bumper and build the rear, put on the rear shocks, and fix the brakes and windshield. Then it can be inspected and street legal again.

I am really enjoying following this thread :) good work man!

Thanks man its been a lot of fun to build. Ill be building a rear bumper out of left over 2x6 from the rockers and mounting the front bumper hopefully this weekend.

Well I finished the jeep up about a month ago. Since I finally had some time between work and planning for my wedding i decided I would post some pics up of the completed project as it is now. The guy who bought it said he would end up joining here and doing more work to it down the road so I'll be working on it more and keeping this thread updated.

I was about to say "that was close to the deadline" but then saw you finished it a month ago :P
If I read that correct, does that mean there is a comanche build log coming soon?

Well I'm a little late here, but yes. I still have the comanche and it will be getting built. In the process of collecting parts right now.

I also just bought this cherokee back this previous weekend. There is a couple things I'm going to do to it after the holidays so the wife can drive it in this bad weather instead of the '15 patriot we got.