how to inspect used jeep?

i found a late model Comanche at a scrap yard, its had some buzzards on it but mostly all there. I would like to know how to tell if the engine and trans are any good if at all possible. I would like to buy the whole truck if its come into budget, its a 4.0 4x4 long bed and i would use it as my daily :sunshine:

If you can't crank the motor, it's pretty tough. If it will crank, you can check compression. If not, you can pull the spark plugs and look at the condition. Black and oily is bad. One plug way different than the others is bad. With the plugs out, try to turn the crankshaft to see if the motor could be frozen up. Look at the condition of the liquids antifreeze, motor oil, transmission fluid. Can you tell why it was junked? At this point, my assumption would be that the engine or transmission went bad, because you are not saying it was in a major collision. I hate to drag you down here, but if you are on a budget, and want a daily driver anywhere in the near future, you would be better off passing on this one. Even if you got it for free, you have to plan on a major project. To make a realisitc budget, you need to plan cash to replace/rebuild almost every part on it. You would probably need a donor vehicle for more economical restoration.