Today’s sighting must be one of the Hooniversiest sightings I’ve done, right after that Roadmaster: it’s a bona fide Jeep Comanche right where I walk for lunch every day. And it seems to be in pretty damn nice shape; the metallic blue paint looks good and there’s no rust or dents to speak of. The tailgate’s also removed and it looks like it’s still doing duty at Kalles Motor, a motorcycle dealer from a nearby Swedish-speaking town. Not a bad gig for a Comanche. According to the plate, it’s a 1990 model registered in Aug ’91; the other piece of information the plate gives is that it’s got a 2.1-litre Renault turbo diesel four under the hood. Seriously, even if the AMC-Renault connection explains the engine choice, it blows my mind that a Jeep is run by something that’s jacked from a Renault Fuego. The eight-valve engine belongs to the Douvrin engine family, and produces 88 horsepower. It’s claimed to be a reliable engine, but I can’t help but take that with a pinch of salt. The Comanche is also a 4×4 version, instead of a bog-standard RWD model. While I would prefer it to have a 4.0-litre six under the hood, it probably is a testament to the owner that he’s kept the 2.1 turbo diesel running all these years. Perhaps somebody more Comancheledgeable can detail the Pioneer trim’s specifications for me?
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