Briley Taylor, a funeral director from Kinston, North Carolina, achieved a lifelong goal when he built this 1989 Jeep Comanche. He says, “When I was in high school, I would always dream of building a Comanche. I would do sketches and drawings of Comanches with big mud tires, cool graphics on the side, a snorkel, and even with a tent topper on the back. This is literally my dream truck.”
It Started With A Shell And A Donor Vehicle
The path to acquiring and building the truck wasn’t quick or easy. In fact, more than a decade passed between the time Briley graduated high school and when he finally purchased it. What he started with was little more than a shell. “The truck was originally a two-wheel drive, four-cylinder model that someone had stripped down. When I bought it, it had no motor, transmission, transfer case, wiring harness, dash, or interior. It was basically a cab and a bed,” he says.
To gather some of the major parts needed to build the Comanche he envisioned, Briley acquired a donor vehicle. “I bought an XJ with a good drivetrain to swap in, so it was pretty easy to get it going,” he says. After investing time and money, he had the truck running, driving, and wheeling.
An Unfortunate Turn Of Events
Unfortunately, while driving the truck one day, Briley was struck by another vehicle whose driver was texting. The other car, traveling at 60 mph, slammed into the Comanche’s rear driver-side and caused significant damage. The custom 14-bolt axle he installed suffered a bent tube, axle shaft, and truss. The impact also sent leaf springs flying and crunched the bedside. Fortunately, no one was injured. The truck returned to Briley’s shop for repairs and, with help from Barnes 4WD, it soon emerged rebuilt, further modified, and trail ready.
4.0-Liter I6, Jeep TJ Rubicon T-Case
Under the hood is a tried-and-true 4.0-liter H.O. I6 pulled from the 1996 Cherokee XJ donor rig. Cooling is handled by the factory radiator, a custom fan shroud, and a trio of electric fans. The engine breathes through a low-buck snorkel, intentionally chosen so if it gets damaged off-road, replacing it is easy on the wallet. An Optima YellowTop battery supplies electrical power, and fuel is drawn from a 19-gallon Motobilt fuel cell.
Power flows through an AX15 five-speed manual transmission mated to a 2004 Jeep TJ Rubicon 4:1 transfer case. A Savvy Offroad cable shifter retains use of the factory shift lever.
Beefy Axles, Custom Suspension
Beefy axles sit front and rear. Up front is a Dana 50 sourced from a 2002 Ford F-250. The diff housing has been shaved for better ground clearance, and the axle packs a Yukon Gear & Axle Grizzly Locker, Artec truss, high-steer knuckle, and PSC hydro assist. Out back is a GM 14-bolt equipped with a Barnes 4WD shave kit, truss, and pinion guard. It also features a Grizzly Locker and RuffStuff Specialties disc brake conversion. Both axles spin 5.13:1 Yukon gears.
The front suspension is a radius arm setup with custom long arms fitted with Barnes 4WD bungs and ends. Rusty’s Off Road Products 8-inch-lift coil springs and Locked Offroad bump stops round out the front. In the rear, a Barnes 4WD four-link system with the company’s coil spring conversion kit uses Rock Krawler 5.5-inch-lift Jeep LJ-application coils and Locked bump stops. The system stretches the wheelbase by 8 inches.
The rig rolls on 16/40-17LT Interco Super Swamper Bigger LTB tires mounted on 9-inch-wide TR Beadlock wheels. Some photos show the rig on its previous 39s.
Off-Road-Friendly Mods Galore
The Comanche packs a long list of additional upgrades, including unibody stiffeners, JCR rock sliders and rear bumper, a Barnes 4WD front winch bumper, and a Warn M8000 winch. Other features include PRP seats with custom mounts, a Barnes 4WD steering box brace, Oracle LED taillights, a Rugged Radios system, and removable doors.
It’s Called Johnny Cash
Briley’s son, who was three when the truck was purchased, named it “Johnny Cash.” Briley says, “Johnny Cash is a huge conversation piece wherever it goes, and I can’t wait to pass it down to my son one day.”
Photos by Briley Taylor
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