1968 Commando Build

  • And for my next trick.... I'm going to slowly build something different. I always loved the look of a Commando and have been looking for one for a while. I picked this one up this weekend. It's rougher than it looks but I'm really excited about it. Going to keep the YJ together as long as possible but it's likely going to give up some of its parts for this build.


    The plan is to run a 5.3 LS motor, Th400, and my Dana 300 or an Atlas (wishful thinking, my wife gets a jacuzzi first). I'll probably put my coil overs in the rear and pick up a set of ORIs for the front.


    One main requirement for this is to have a rear seat for the kids.



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  • That is about as "clean" a starting point as you can get. Just a frame and body, did anything else come with it? Is it just half a frame, I can't see any back half and was wondering if the timbers in the tub were to keep it from tweaking and twisting.


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  • Luke's Commando does have a full frame under it. it's just hard to see the way it up under the body.

    Neill


    In a perfect world every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog.

  • That is about as "clean" a starting point as you can get. Just a frame and body, did anything else come with it? Is it just half a frame, I can't see any back half and was wondering if the timbers in the tub were to keep it from tweaking and twisting.


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    It still has a bunch of rust and the previous owner replaced the bedsides and floor. The floor wasn't bead rolled so it is very warped. The bed sides are made from flat sheet metal but it has a decent thickness to it.


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  • Now that is cool! Can't wait to see it come together. I guess that's a Kaiser-Willys? The commandos have been gaining popularity in recent years and the pricing is going up with it. They are still small enough to be pretty nimble but there's a bit more space in there than most other old jeeps.
    Can't wait to see it on the trails! Haha

  • Now that is cool! Can't wait to see it come together. I guess that's a Kaiser-Willys? The commandos have been gaining popularity in recent years and the pricing is going up with it. They are still small enough to be pretty nimble but there's a bit more space in there than most other old jeeps.
    Can't wait to see it on the trails! Haha

    American Motors was founded may 1st 1954 and ended in 1988 so it's all AMC.

    Neill


    In a perfect world every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog.

  • American Motors was founded may 1st 1954 and ended in 1988 so it's all AMC

    Not. AMC was in business but didn't own Jeep until mid 1970. Thats Commando is a Kaiser

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • What about me?
    My first jeep was a 69 CJ5, I was pretty sure it had a Kaiser-Willys tag on what was left of the body when I got it.
    I wasn't sure what year who owned them, it changed a lot!

  • What about me?
    My first jeep was a 69 CJ5, I was pretty sure it had a Kaiser-Willys tag on what was left of the body when I got it.
    I wasn't sure what year who owned them, it changed a lot!

    AMC bought Jeep from Kaiser. In '72 or '73 they ditched the V6 fir the inline 6, lengthening the front fenders 4"


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    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • AMC bought Jeep from Kaiser. In '72 or '73 they ditched the V6 fir the inline 6, lengthening the front fenders 4"


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    Just to clear up some confusion, here is the VIN tag from a 68 commando.


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  • I'm hoping to have the body fixed up some and possibly mounted to the frame this winter. I'd also like to mock my motor and trans in place to see what kind of room I will have before hacking up the firewall.


    I still plan to run a heater core on this thing and may try to fit the YJ Air conditioning unit under the dash. Might sound ridiculous but a cool breeze while wheeling is really nice.


    This is the first time I've seen someone use uniballs for the front shackle mount. I still don't get why if you built a customer frame you wouldn't go with a shackle reversal.


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  • I looked at a couple of them and some of the earliest Scouts that a buddy has in West Virginia a couple years ago.
    I think the paint and the vines were all that was holding them together.
    When I was a kid my dads buddy got a new commando so we all piled in to go test it at "the dirt hill". It climbed the hill ok so we ended up going to ford the creek. That didn't work out so good. It was about three feet deep and tires were smaller back then, especially stockers! We ended up leaving it in the creek and walking home. I remember he didn't keep it long, replaced it with a one of the earliest cherokees.
    Actually that story describes three or four test drives for different vehicles, good thing the dirt hill wasn't far from home! There was an old postal jeep, a K5 blazer, a Subaru wagon...
    They drank a lot of Schlitz and never seemed to learn!

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