87 swb 97 conversion, first mj owned

Hi all been asking some questions here and there lots of good input. So I am the second owner of a 1987 2wd, 4 cyl, 5 speed short bed Comanche. So far replaced a cheesy cab corner and am about to replace the front portion drivers side floor pan. Oh and the rear bumper, it had the sweet step bumper with end caps but it was beyond repair looked forever to get it fixed or replaced but settled for a generic of one in the boneyard. So also my daily driver 97 xj, also the 2nd owner, has rusted out badly but is still a great donor for this swap. Ok well semi decent donor let's be honest lol. But a donor non the less. Onward. Now I have been in love with the interior layout of the 97 with it's modern dash and newer doors but still with manual windows and they are power mirrors. Plus plus. However I hate the seats. Hate. But we will get to that. So on to some pics. I will try and update this as often as I make progress.

So I have been tracking down as many unique but stick looking gypsy treasures from the various boneyards and I have a pair of black 2005 dodge neon srt-4 racing seats that my dad and I fabled up some brackets for, a ford version of the jeep retractable under hood light, I modified an xj center console with custom factory heavy duty cup holder and still working heat tube, snagged a pair of 4x6" rear speaker brackets with 2 working speakers for 6.25$ at the pick a part, things like that. There are still a few more weird treasures I would like to track down or fab up.
Ok rambling. I have started stripping the xj, started with the header panel, grill, grill, lighting harness, fenders and inner fender brackets, both front doors, strikers, and weather strippings.
I will get pics of that progress tomorrow. Also I will have the hood and center console out tomorrow. Perhaps the driveshafts radiator and support if I can find jugs for the coolant it was changed like a few weeks before I parked it so keeping that.

So that's where the progress is at currently

Will get some pics of the russel braided front brake lines tomm. Rear is not installed yet. Also got my hands on an aluminum 2.5 valve cover for the time being. Still gotta drive the pickup while I prep the other components from the xj. Might as well take the extra time to refurbish as I go while it's all apart and easy access

Feel free to check in if any of ya all are in pa

nice start. Those ecco wheels look nice on MJs rust sucks doesnt it? its funny, my MJ came from Pennsylvania too, and had that same section of floor rusted through, and i fixed with that same replacement panel. check your windshield seal, i discovered that mine was leaking and dripping water right onto the drivers floor board, hence the rusted out floor.

Did it resemble this? I was told it possibly was the Clutch master leaking in. But there's no sign of any fluid on the floor pan so I think you're on to something

That's the only rust too it's amazing to see the underneath with zero rust and minimal surface rust in a few scratches here and there especially in pa. Rust Capitol of the world lol

yours actually is a little worse than mine was. but yeah, i know for sure mine was the windshield leaking because i would feel the water dripping on my legs while driving. i would check for leaks in you windshield (with a water hose or something) or just replace the windshield for good measure. but it makes sense, the floor board is a perfect place for water to collect and rust out your floor

Took a progress pic while pulling acfew parts for a guy

Didn't abandon this just having some set backs here and there disassembling the xj, stuck bolt here, bolt that just spins there, heads rounding off