For many, a Jeep restoration project is almost as much fun as actually climbing into the vehicle and heading off road.
Something about cobbling together pieces of things and making them into a final project worthy of admiration. Just like picking a line and sticking with the process until success is obtained.
Ken Longo knows a little about this idea.
A welder and fabricator at RSD Fabrication in Huntington Station, NY, Longo recently put his skills to work against both a 1998 XJ Cherokee and then a MJ Comanche in the hopes of combining the two separate vehicles into one definitive, unique design.
He calls it ‘Crewmanche.’
“The project started as a 1998 Cherokee on 1-ton (axles) and 37s that I got for a steal,” Longo said. “It sat for a little bit while I toyed around with ideas. And then the Comanche fell in my lap. No drivetrain on it and it had sat for 20 years. So we dragged it home, and it wasn’t more than two hours in the garage that my brother and myself had it split in half and the ideas were set.”
It would have the face of that XJ, they decided, with the cab section lengthened into a four-door set up and all Comanche in the back. But getting the design idea down was one thing – putting all the pieces together, including what kind of suspension, was another.
“I had always wanted to build something like this,” Longo said. “It couldn’t have been more then two weeks and we had the two halves together, rear doors opening and closing. Then we built the rear chassis. Slugged into the existing unibody and plated.”
“I knew I wanted to 4-link the rear, but didn’t want coilovers through the bed because I wanted to keep it functional. I wanted to run coil springs and shocks, but as we continued to build the truck, the following continued to grow.”
”My brother and I were sitting back having a beer and I said, ‘We could always do cantilever in the rear’. He wasn’t sure what I was talking about. He looked it up and our minds were set.”
“We did some research and kind of hit a road block. We’re not designers – both of us are welders and fabricators by trade, but didn’t have the know how to use programs to make the design. So cardboard templates is what we did. We had our design, ordered the coilovers and just went to town. Once we got it all set, the finish work began.”
Eventually the pieces came together into a vehicle Longo and his brother could celebrate, along with all their Instagram followers as well. They even got a chance to trailer the truck down to Windrock Park in Oliver Park, TN for some wheeling fun.
”Working full time and building the Crewmanche on the side, while also building rigs for other people, wasn’t easy but towards the end I called in some favors,” Longo said. “Had my buddy do some body work for me and get the truck in sealer. The truck was completely untested as it was loaded on a trailer to Windrock Off-Road Park. We had a great trip. The truck performed awesome, and the cantilever was great - no major issues.”
"This build, I couldn’t have done it without my brothers help and the support from my fiancée and my friends.”
