Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Ok last week i posted the drag comanche, this week i found a picture of the 1987 Thunderchief. Here it is Image Not Found The other item tha =has come up, is that their seem to be some interest in running Comanches in SCCA events. Since they are registered as a SCCA vehicle ( the only jeep that is) you can race them. On the Strokers site, A guy says he is building one and hopes to have it done by January. While most people are lifting their MJs, for SCCa competition you really need to lower it. Not many articles here on that, but since most of the MJs produced were 2WD, perhaps their would be an interedt in threads on making a lowered sport truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 V8 ZJ swaybar 95 XJ booster WJ steering box WJ control arms rear sway bar rear disk conversion KJ front disk brake conversion 16" KJ rims Explorer leafs under an MJ main Cut MJ front coils yes, I've given it some thought. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Did you mean a ZJ steering box Pete? The WJ box is an entirely different animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 sure. :cheers: I'm listing this off the top of my head. The spreadsheet is on the other 'puter. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I think for a road race truck I'd be inclined to use a manual steering box. GM/Saginaw manual boxes should be bolt-ins -- the earliest XJs and MJs actually came with manual boxes (with something ugly like a 24:1 or 28:1 ratio) in the base models unless you bought a package with power steering. I've seen a couple, but never owned one. Back in my pony car racing days, Javelins and AMXs came standard with 20:1 Saginaw manual boxes. The optional power steering box was a 16:1 ratio, IIRC ... and there was also an option for a 16:1 "quick ratio" manual box -- which is what I put in ALL of my Javelins and AMXs. Trying to parallel park with wide tires was a bit of a nuisance, but once the vehicle was rolling even a couple of MPH the steering was schweeeet. (Although I don't think I'd recommend it for rock crawling with 33" tires.) One of my friends used to race a modified AMC Rambler American. By the time he switched over from drag racing to road racing, the QRM boxes were no longer available. So we made one out of a power steering box. We plugged both hose ports on the top of the box. That would have blocked fluid movement and bound up the box, so we removed the plug from the bottom of the piston thingie in the box (don't remember the correct name -- "recirculating ball nut," perhaps?) to allow the fluid to just slosh back and forth as the piston moved, and all was good. Hmmmm ... Available again, but a bit pricey: https://www.borgeson.com/catalog2/produ ... 1680fd32c4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Image Not Found :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 It still looks that good. :D :peek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james750 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 We plugged both hose ports on the top of the box. That would have blocked fluid movement and bound up the box, so we removed the plug from the bottom of the piston thingie in the box (don't remember the correct name -- "recirculating ball nut," perhaps?) to allow the fluid to just slosh back and forth as the piston moved, and all was good. Spool valve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Spool valve. Nope. The spool valve is at the "top" of the box -- the end facing the input shaft. I'm pretty sure the "thingie" I'm referring to is properly called the "ball nut." It's at the "bottom" of the box -- the end toward the radiator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james750 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Not possible. Without the ball nut you wouldn't have any steering. The ball nut is what the worm shaft turns inside to move the sector (pitman) shaft left or right. The power steering fluid does push against the ball nut to help push the nut forward and back (giving power steering) but is a needed component even without power steering. Maybe it was the poppet valve that you are speaking of that regulates the fluid flow so it can only go in one direction. Without the poppet valve, the fluid can flow anywhere and in any direction, assuming that the spool valve is not being influenced by the power steering pump. This diagram shows what I am talking about: http://www.tpub.com/content/armyordnance/OD1007/OD10070019.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpnjim Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Back in my pony car racing days, Javelins and AMXs came standard with 20:1 Saginaw manual boxes. The optional power steering box was a 16:1 ratio, IIRC ... and there was also an option for a 16:1 "quick ratio" manual box -- which is what I put in ALL of my Javelins and AMXs. Trying to parallel park with wide tires was a bit of a nuisance, but once the vehicle was rolling even a couple of MPH the steering was schweeeet. One of my 72' Javelin's had manual steering. Fairly well optioned out other than that: AMX, 401 Go-package (incl PDB, HD cooling, twin grip, cowl hood, etc) 4spd (close ratio/2.23 1st) & 3.91's. By the time I got it, it had a 343 engine & a trailer hitch (but still had the manual steering & 3.91's). Even that 20:1 manual box was no fun to park (I can't imagine someone used it for a tow rig :rotf: ). You should start a thread on your old Jav's & AMX's so we can :drool: :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 i have a 16to1 box thats out of a chev?. it doesn't quite bolt up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperWade2 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 It still looks that good. :D :peek: You Are such a tease Pete... :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Not possible. Without the ball nut you wouldn't have any steering. The ball nut is what the worm shaft turns inside to move the sector (pitman) shaft left or right. The power steering fluid does push against the ball nut to help push the nut forward and back (giving power steering) but is a needed component even without power steering. I didn't say we removed the ball nut. I said we took the plug out of the end of the ball nut, so the fluid could flow through it rather than press against it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 i have a 16to1 box thats out of a chev?. it doesn't quite bolt up. Are you sure? I'm not saying that current Saginaw boxes all interchange, but I have converted several AMCs from power to manual or manual to power and the boxes back then all shared a common bolt pattern. I'm really surprised if they changed it so they don't interchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 i tried to put it in but the holes didn't match up. could of made it work, was lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 For the Bonneville truck we used a manual box from a Wrangler, not sure of the ratio. The factory box had tapped holes, ( i think) and the manual box had through holes, so we had to put nuts on the bolts to hold it in. Actually i think the best way to go would be to install one of the Mustang II front suspension kits designed for street rods. The did a segment on Trucks! weekend before last. The installed it into a 1949 chevy pickup. This would allow you to really lower the truck and get rack and pinion steering as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Actually i think the best way to go would be to install one of the Mustang II front suspension kits designed for street rods. The did a segment on Trucks! weekend before last. The installed it into a 1949 chevy pickup. This would allow you to really lower the truck and get rack and pinion steering as well. Would that have been allowed back in the day? Are today's rules different? Or is just a matter of different classes allowing different changes to be made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 pete what a great pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 x2 i would watch comanche racing all day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 A bunch of pics of SCCA Comanche's can be found here http://mwphoto-misc.smugmug.com/Cars/SCCA-Racetruck-Challenge/1988-NIAGARA-FALLS-SCCA-RACE/2606062_nvihS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 1988 SCCA Truck Series Championship, Archer Brothers Racing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpnjim Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 :cheers: These things kicked IFS tail, with 100 year old solid beam ft axle technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 The SCCA Coamnches ran the 2.5 also, dint they? Id like to see thee specs on those engines and what mods they did to them to make them go. Anyone know where or even if this info is available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 The SCCA Coamnches ran the 2.5 also, dint they? Id like to see thee specs on those engines and what mods they did to them to make them go. Anyone know where or even if this info is available? Try posting on the HESCO message board, a thread is already started for the SCCA trucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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