Located halfway between Denver and the Wyoming border in Loveland, Colorado, this 1989 Jeep Comanche looks the part of a fun, rugged Colorado 4×4. Don’t mind the Georgia license plate or the fact that this is a rear-wheel drive Comanche, despite the 2.5-inch lift on it making it look even more rugged. It’s posted here on craigslist, and the seller is asking $7,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!
I was surprised to see this wasn’t a 4×4; it just looks like one, doesn’t it? I’m trying to think if I’ve seen a lifted rear-wheel drive truck, or what the reason would be for that other than the seller likes the looks of it. And, there’s really no better reason for making a modification to your vehicle than that you just like it. We’ve probably all done things to a vehicle that make others scratch their skulls, I know I have.
The seller nails the photos for this listing; they are just superb, very well done! I really wanted this to be a 4×4 for $7,000, but maybe with winter tires and a couple of hundred pounds of sandbags in the back of the box, it would do ok in the winter. We never had 4WD growing up, and had incredibly steep hills to climb, and never really even gave it a thought. I mean, what does Colorado know about winter or snow anyway? (cough) Here’s what the bed looks like inside.
The Comanche was made from 1985 for the 1986 model year until 1992, and I don’t see them in person too often anymore. There are a few scuffs and things going on with the exterior of this Comanche, but nothing that raises a huge red flag for me. The seller has even included underside photos (!), and it looks great under there. The interior looks as nice or nicer than the exterior, and it’s nice to see a five-speed manual here. Depending on the build date, this is either a Peugeot BA10/5 (up until March 9, 1989) or an Aisin AX-15 (March 10, 1989 and beyond) five-speed, and the seller says there’s a new clutch and slave cylinder, along with a ton of other new parts. Please click on the craigslist link to see everything that’s been done to this Comanche.
The engine should be a 4.0-liter OHV inline-six with 177 horsepower and 224 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through the mystery five-speed to the rear wheels, and this one is said to run and drive “pretty good,” which isn’t the glowing report I was hoping for. Maybe they’re just downplaying it, but it does have a bit of a shimmy around 50 mph, and it needs new lock cylinders. Hagerty is at $11,400 for a #3 good-condition 2WD Comanche: is this one a good deal at $7,000?
I learn something new on here everyday. I had no idea Jeep ever used a Peugeot manual transmission in anything!!! I mean, lets face it….. This is a Jeep. Can you imagine what the conversation must’ve been like in the drawing rooms? Fred, we need a good source for our manual transmission. Whatcha thinkin’? Ford? Gm? Chrysler?……. Hey!!! How about Peugeot!!! I just didn’t see that coming. I am in no way knocking Peugeot here either, we had a family friend with a few of them and I always thought they were cool. I just didn’t expect that. The 6 and a stick is a great combo. I’m wondering about the lift, it definitely had me fooled at first. But I like it has stock Jeep rims and the tires aren’t super oversized either. It looks great underneath too.
My 89 had an ax-15
I bought a ’90 Wrangler and on the way home from the dealer the shifter locked. Towed back to the dealer. They had it for 2 months. Finally told me to go get it, and yep-on the way home it locked again.
I finally figured out how to unlock it myself with a screwdriver in the fill hole, and figured out how to carefully shift it so it wouldn’t lock again. I won’t even mention the nutter technique to eliminate the computer.
The Peugeot Transmission was very nice. I had one in a 1988 Cherokee Laredo 2 door 4wd. Could match shift without using the clutch (just because it is fun to do). These used gear oil 75W-90 and were durable. Unfortunately the later Aisin transmission used ATF. Un-informed shops would often put ATF in the Peugeot transmission which did not play well with the synchronizers and tapered roller bearings. So my advice is whichever transmission this one has… make sure it has the correct fluid in it!
There is a racing class called Pro Lite that is 2 wheel drive trucks ,maybe that’s what he wanted to pretend it is.
When I lived in the high country of Colorado, my 2wd GMC was more than adequate with larger coils and rear leaf tweaks and skinny tires! Never actually needed 4×4 until I moved to Vermont.
wrkin ona blk 1 from Cali right now. Just did almost
whole fuel sys from tank forward, pud ona tow sys,
now got a bench to install as the oem must have
hada moose driving. This 1 comes from Yota p/u
truck (must be a doz of these p/u’s on this property)
needs a weld-up to fit/slide. Both “am//am not” lookin
forward to that job. Think that will B it. Her partner
has the converted Samy ‘crawler’. These women no
what to drive (for fun/PT).
Peugeot designed the XJ/MJ….not just the transmission.
Listing update: this one is gone!
I like it, I want it, but it looks like they sold it. The mild lift with 2wd is a nice set up. A truck doesn’t need to be 4wd to benefit from a little more center clearance. As good as the 4 liter is, they are so much nicer after a good fresh rebuild. Regarding the shimmy, the front axle on the 2wd is basically a dummy 4wd axle. Therefore, fresh rod ends and steering damper will keep this vehicle at its best. Especially with even slightly oversized tires. If Jeep re-released this exact truck, they couldn’t produce enough to meet demand. IMHO. footnote, never forget what the Archer brothers achieved with the Jeep Comanche.