Rob's Comanche, originally from the hamlet of Austin, Manitoba, Canada can
now be found on various trails in British Columbia, Canada. He likes interesting
beers, hence the title of his Jeep.
In February 1989 Rob was looking to purchase a new vehicle. He was commuting
35 miles one-way to the university in the dead of winter (they see -30
regularly, and as cold as -50 on the Canadian Prairies). It was time to trade in
the car for a safer commute vehicle. Rob chose the truck you see here - a 1989
Jeep Comanche, 4.0L, 5-speed longbox.
Rob's off-roading adventures started right from day one with the Jeep. He
drove the brand new Comanche off the lot and that very evening got it stuck in a
snow bank! And the following weekend got it stuck in another snow bank! A Rugged
Trail lift kit and a Jeep grill guard were ordered by the end of the month.
Within four months the stock tires were replaced with LT235/75 General Grabber
AT's. These, and some custom (read home-made) extras, are what started the
build-up to the truck's current configuration.
The truck was driven in a mildly modified state until Rob moved out to
British Columbia. During that period, the suspension sagged a couple inches, and
the truck needed some work. This marked the start of build-up "Stage
2" which was finished around March 1996. "Stage 2" included
another 2" of lift (total of 4.5"), regearing, 31" rubber, and a
rear locker.
"Stage 3" in the build-up process has just started. "Stage
3" includes a heavier drivetrain, winches, etc., etc. All the really
expensive stuff.  What I like most is that the truck is still Rob's daily driver. It now has
213,000km (approx. 132,500 miles) on it and still going strong. For some trip
reports check out Rob's
4x4 page. Expect more trail coverage in British Columbia with this ol' black
and tan Comanche doing it's thing!
Rob tries to do as much of the work on the truck himself for several reasons:
- He likes to over-build things
- He likes to tinker
- He's cheap and not afraid to admit it
- He can seldom find things which are built just the way he likes
- He has to work off a university student's budget
No matter what your reasons, Rob, I think you have one fine Comanche and I'd
like to wheel with you in British Columbia any day.
For more information on Rob's truck click on the
buttons below:
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