Jeep Comanche Overland Camping Trailer Build

[sbscruggs]

Alright, I'm new to this so hopefully I will get it figured out. I've had several people ask me to post a build thread for the overland camping trailer that I'm building out of a Jeep Comanche bed. So, starting from the beginning, I gave the local scrapyard guy a couple of c-notes to attack the lwb Comanche which laid in wait in his vehicle yard. I simply used a sawzall the cut through the frame just behind the cab. I attached a temporary tongue (like you would connect to the bumper of a vehicle to tow behind a motorhome) and pulled it home. I will continue the thread tomorrow and begin uploading pictures.

 

[sbscruggs]

Got a lead on a good camper shell on a Facebook page. Drove to Savannah GA to the LKQ Pick Your Part to get it and ended up getting the bed too. It was in much better condition than the one on my original find.

 

[sbscruggs]

The camper shell was missing the bottom off the rear hatch which has the lock and latch. Found one on another shell that my neighbor had that was close enough that I only had to trim a little off of both ends to get it to fit properly. (Yes, I asked him if I could get it)

 

[sbscruggs]

Purchased this other shell from a local junkyard to get the front slider window out of it. I'll have to cut the fiberglass around the window in order to fiberglass it into the shell on the project trailer as it had been cut out.

 

[Weeds]

Keep us informed.

 

[sbscruggs]

Got the tongue welded up. Welded in a receiver tube on the front of the tongue so that I can swap out the ends with a 2" ball hitch for highway or lunette ring and pintle hook for offroad. Also, removed the stock d35 rear axle and installed a 3500 lb idler axle. Welded on a pair of anti-wrap spring perches and mounted the axle under the leafs to get the desired approximately 6" of lift. I will also be adding electric brakes.

 

[sbscruggs]

I've gotten close to completion and have had some people request that I post the build in a thread. I'm slowly trying to get everything posted up to where I am now.

 

[siopposition]

How did u mount the tongue into the frame.rails? Weld? Bolted?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[sbscruggs]

I bolted the tongue into the frame.

 

[sbscruggs]

Here is the frame connection.

 

[sbscruggs]

Removed all of the bedliner coating and factory paint from the exterior and primed it.

 

[sbscruggs]

Made a slight modification to the fuel door to accommodate the Bushwhacker fender flares.

 

[sbscruggs]

The "Paint Booth" 😂

 

[sbscruggs]

Painted the inside of the bed with a hammered finish silver paint. By the way, all of my painting is being performed by rattle can.

 

[sbscruggs]

Got 5 coats of color and 6 coats of clear. Wet sanded the last color coat with 600 grit before spraying the clear. Letting it sit overnight before I work out the clear coat.