neohic

Yeah, I figured as much. Out of curiosity, does anyone even have one? Pictures?

The angled fender cuts actually got me thinking. I think the lines are kind of cool, it's just the execution that's a bit lacking. Finish it off with some flares from a Colorado and I think there might be something there! I think with a little work, these would look pretty sharp with a '97+ conversion:

Several months later... bump. Fingers still crossed. Cramping up, but still crossed. :crossfingers:

YES!!! Zombie impaler!!! :rock on:

Getting everyone all built up and then no updates for weeks? Patience bear waits for updates.

Just took the shackles out of the box from Backdraft. Everything looks great!... not to mention the hours of fun from the bubble wrap! Thanks, Mike!

Sorry, everyone. No calendars this year. The first year went okay then last year went so-so. The up front cash it takes to do this doesn't make sense to gamble again this year. Still sitting on a bunch of them from 2012. I had a few people ask me if I was doing it again and they all got the same reply. If I had 30 asking then I'd love to keep going. Again, sorry to everyone and thanks for the interest over the last couple years.

Why not just take a harness out of a donor and strip it down? When my brother and I were doing the V6 swap in his VW, we took the stock wiring from the donor car and cut down everything that we didn't need. Pretty much, we wanted the wiring portion of the swap to be as easy as possible so we cut down the harness to the point that when it dropped into his car we would remove what wasn't needed and just drop in the new. When it was done, the car still had most of the original wiring but had a second fuse panel piggybacked in. It was to the point that if the new engine was sitting in a shopping cart, all you'd need was a 12V battery, a switch for the fuel pump, and a momentary swtich to start it.

Thanks, Jim. Working with Backdraft on this.

All fiberglass in the rear and custom spun coils. :rock on: Truck: http://comancheclub.com/topic/31523-edit-slight-changes-of-plans-the-introduction-of-archer/ Parts: http://comancheclub.com/topic/34030-want-to-own-an-scca-comanche/page__st__100

We'll see what happens when the time comes. Having some rear bushings made up for the leaf springs so I can start mocking up the ride height. The springs I have should lower the truck about 4". I'm with you on the wheels fitting aesthetically. Might not quite match what would've been correct but who cares as long as it looks cool?!

Not only movie quotes... movie quotes acted out by FRIGGIN' ROBOTS!!! ... there's more. I found these most amusing.

Not planning much for highway... twisty roads and road course. As far as wheels, I really don't have much of a choice as the Archers only used turbines, or AREs. I've got a set of each, but the AREs are just so much cooler. ... dirty, but cooler. Then there's the tires size that they used a variety sizes to fine tune the final drive. 225/45s is the number that stood out in John's mind that was a common size. That and 205/55s. Depending on the race, they either went with a slightly wider tire if there weren't as many corners as they used the same size wheel regardless of tire size. The wider tread would obviously grip a little better but the slighty more bulge to the sidewall would give more where the smaller width would give a stiffer sidewall. I like the look of the wider tread but the 205s are cheaper. Same as the 44/8.8 conundrum... who would notice? :dunno:

I figured someone probably has a set sitting around from a '97+ conversion or something. Anyone have a couple XJ shackles in good shape?

Nice! Diggin' the cog logo avatar too! There's a bunch of Jeep/VW guys around here. I've got a '72 Beetle and '74 pan dune buggy in the works. Nice rides!

Any info on the VW? :brows:

Thanks dude! Wish I took more pictures of other projects. Usually, they're just on-a-whim type of deals that get done and gone.

Any other thoughts on welding the tubes? Worth it?

I like art. Seems as though I can always find a reason to scribble on something. Putting those scribbles on metal is also kinda fun. I'd say that it's just about every year that this time of year comes around and I get approached by someone asking for a fire ring. They always expect something simple, but I usually have fun with it. Wine racks, bumpers, sketches, print work, random soap stone characachers of my students on tables... whatever. I dig art. ... and so on.

Did some rearranging in the garages today. I've got another project going on for another member right now that I needed a clean truck to work with. Being that I needed to pull the bumpers off for the project, what a perfect time to get rid of a bunch of stuff that doesn't make the truck go faster. Started looking around this thing and didn't remember seeing all the fun colors... Driveshaft is orange too. I think I mentioned it already, but much of the wiring is hacked... Interesting aftermarket fan mounting too. It's on anytime the key is, but interesting... I found this amusing as well... The truck's exhaust got a little cut up today too. It had a gnarly tip welded at the end and the hangers were all screwed up too so I just wanted to get rid of it so I didn't have to look at it for the moment. I wanted to document the "awesome" exhaust note and afterward something was said. Honestly, I don't even remember saying it but I found it fitting. :yes:

To be fair, they only ran Dana 35s and never a 44. Took a closer look at the carrier too... looks like the carrier is fine but the clips for the clutch packs is what is all screwed up. Haven't taken it apart yet but they'd be replaced with a rebuild kit anyhow. Found a good price on the heavy duty packs too: http://www.finditparts.com/products/1443488/midwest-truck-and-auto-22937x

Hmm... okay. I've got another route that I could go down too. Like I said, I'm planning for my '89 that'll have the potential to be a hobbyist road racer. The Dana 44 has a 3.55 ratio and I'm planning for around a 225/45/15 tire size. I understand that going from the current 3.07 to the 3.55 will be plenty of fun. It'll mostly be just a road driver though (I've got plenty of twisty roads around me :D ). With that low profile of a tire and 3.55s, you think that going a step farther to 4.10s would be going overboard? Only reason I ask is I can get a Ford 8.8 for $150. The vehicle has about 110,000 miles on it and has 4.10s and a limited slip. I know... I know... the limited slip will probably need to be rebuilt. Shopping around though, a rebuild for it will be slightly cheaper than the Dana 44. My 44 also needs brakes and seals. The 8.8 would probably get new brakes and seals but there again is the cheaper cost. Throw on top of that the disc brakes that are already with it too. Then there's the purist side that wants to keep everything Jeep as if the SCCA allowed the 4.0 to be run... not that anyone would really notice the Ford axle or anything. More so looking for opinions now. :dunno: Steady the course or change gears?... pun intended.

Let me know if you're serious about this. Not tooting any horns or anything, but I can just about go through all the threads by memory.

I've got a Dana 44 with a factory limited slip. It's been sitting around for a few years now making puddles in one garage, to another, and now to yet another. The diesel shop at the school I work at was just getting to differentials and wanted some parts to take apart. Normally, I don't like other people working on my stuff but I figure what the hell... it's should be an easy job of taking it apart to throw some seals and brakes at it and it has to be done at some point anyhow. It sat and it sat and it sat. Just as I was going to go and get the axle to take it back home I find it in a thousand pieces on a table... and we're on holiday break so there isn't anyone around for the next couple weeks. Not knowing where they're at with it, I just assume to leave it and see what they're plans are later. Anyhow, I'm looking over everything and I go into panic mode. Other than Fords, this is the only limited slip carrier I've really looked at and I'm a little alarmed at finding this: I apologize for cell phone pictures, but I wanted to consult with the experts as soon as I could. On the inside, next to the spider gears, there seems to be one of the tabs of the friction discs rubbing around on the carrier. Looks like it's supposed to seat in a groove that is now opened up some. This got me concerned... then the diesel lab assistant came up to me and said that they had found some metal fragments in the center section too. METAL FRAGMENTS? He didn't actually take the axle apart, but he described them as small curls of metal. Maybe part of the friction discs? I looked around but it didn't look like they kept any of the pieces. The gears all looks great as did the friction discs after a quick look over. The axle had 95,000 miles of it and everything worked as it should when removed from the truck. Are metal fragments a sign that someone didn't put a proper additive with the fluid? Should I assume that the limited slip is done for or is it salvageable? Lastly, and this has nothing to do any of the above rambling, is it worth welding the axles tubes to the center section being that everything is apart? It's going to be used under my '89 and I'd like the idea of beefing things up before spinning a tube. Anyone have any real issues with this or it is more of silly people trying to put way too big of tires on a Dana 44 and bashing them on the rocks? This is going to be a street truck after all. Thanks for reading through my panic struck story and thanks for any insight/comforting.