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For Sale: A Championship Winning 1988 Jeep Comanche Race Truck

This is the 1988 Jeep Comanche Race Truck that was driven by Tommy Archer in all 11 rounds of the 1988 SCCA RaceTruck Challenge – winning four races and earning the Driver’s Championship with 156 points in total.

Pickup truck racing is a form of motorsport that might seem a little odd to non-Americans, with the exception of Australians who have been racing their utes for decades. Pickup truck racing has a nationwide cult following in the USA, and remains popular today.

Fast Facts – 1988 Jeep Comanche Race Truck

The Jeep Comanche was released in 1985 as a new pickup truck version of the popular Jeep Cherokee 4×4 SUV.
A significant number of changes were made to the Cherokee to create the Comanche, the rear end was changed from unibody to body-on-frame, the rear suspension was redesigned for carrying heavier loads, and of course, the rear body work was changed into a pickup bed.
The Comanche proved popular thanks in part to its low sticker price of $7,049 – that’s just $17,760 in 2021 dollars. Chrysler bought out AMC in 1987 specifically to get its hands on the profitable line of Jeep vehicles.
The 1988 Jeep Comanche you see here is a race truck that was built by Tommy and Bobby Archer with the Jeep Motorsports team for the SCCA RaceTruck series. It’s powered by a 2.5 liter inline-four paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The SCCA RaceTruck Challenge

The SCCA RaceTruck Challenge was a relatively short-lived racing series that ran from 1987 to 1991. The series featured race-modified production pickup trucks racing on road circuits across the United States.

By the end of the 1988 SCCA RaceTruck Challenge season, the Comanche you see here had taken four wins and the Championship thanks to the driving of Tommy Archer.

The constructors that fielded trucks in the series included Nissan, Jeep, Ford, Dodge, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Toyota, Chevrolet, and Mazda.

The Championship would be won by the Nissan D21 twice, in 1987 and 1989, the Jeep Comanche (shown in this article) in 1988, the Mazda B2000 in 1990, and the Ford Ranger in 1991.

The first big break came for the series when it was selected as a support event for the Trans-Am Series and CART, this garnered exposure to a considerably larger audience of race fans and helped its popularity.

After the SCCA RaceTruck Challenge ceased in 1991 the NASCAR SuperTruck Series followed four years later in 1995. The SuperTruck Series is one of three national divisions of NASCAR which also include the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series.

Above Video: This is original TV coverage of the 1987 SCCA RaceTruck series, the resolution is low but it’s enough to give you a good feel for what the racing was like. The audio does cut in and out a little but it’s mostly there.

Pickup truck racing remains popular in the United States however it’s still a niche form of motorsport with a smaller audience than the more traditional NASCAR events.

The Jeep Comanche Race Truck Shown Here

As mentioned in the introduction, this isn’t just any racing truck. It’s the modified 1988 Jeep Comanche that was piloted by American racing driver Tommy Archer in the 1988 SCCA RaceTruck Challenge.

He drove this truck in all 11 races, winning four of them and and placing well enough in the others to win the Driver’s Championship – with 156 points in total ahead of second place finisher Jeff Krosnoff in his Nissan D21.

Before any racing took place the truck was modified by Tommy and Bobby Archer working in collaboration with the Jeep Motorsports team.

With the obvious exception of the roll cage and racing seats, the rest of the interior looks largely stock. There is a discreet little brake bias selector down next to the shifter however.

The car now has alloy wheels and lowered suspension for racing with adjustable sway bars front and back. This is the 2×4 rear-wheel drive variant of the Jeep Comanche, and you’ll note the long leaf springs in the rear that are mounted under the live axle – the Cherokee had its springs mounted on top of the axle.

The truck has front disc brakes and rear drums, there’s a centrally-mounted fuel cell in the rear for safety, and the interior of the truck has a roll cage, racing seats with five-point harnesses, a fire extinguisher, and a driver-side window net.

Power is provided by a 2.5 liter inline-four cylinder gasoline engine paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, there’s no mention in the listing of any performance modifications to the engine but in stock trim it made 121 hp and 141 lb ft of torque.

If you’d like to read more about this truck or register to bid you can visit the listing here, it’s currently being offered for sale in a live auction on Bring A Trailer out of Rocky Hill, Connecticut.

The truck rides on lowered suspension with adjustable front and rear sway bars, it has a roll cage, racing seats with five-point harnesses, and a rear mounted fuel cell.

Images courtesy of Bring A Trailer

The post For Sale: A Championship Winning 1988 Jeep Comanche Race Truck appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/jeep-comanche-race-truck/
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There’s A Fleet Of Ex-Australian Army Unimogs For Sale (Individually)

This fleet of 20 ex-Australian Army Unimogs is currently for sale online, they’re each being listed individually and at the time of writing the bidding on the cheapest is at $1,200 while the most expensive is up to $39,000.

The Australian Army first started using Unimogs in 1986 as a midway point between the Land Rover Defender based Perentie and the larger 6×6 Mack trucks. As these Unimogs approach the end of their service life they’re publicly auctioned off to the highest bidder, usually for between $20,000 – $50,000.

Fast Facts – The Australian Army Unimog

Since 1986 well over 1,000 Mercedes-Benz Unimogs have been put into service by the Australian Armed forces. Each was individually modified at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mulgrave, Victoria before being shipped out for service.
Australian soldiers have taken their Unimogs with them on both military and peacekeeping missions as far afield as Afghanistan and Iraq, and right next door to Papua New Guinea.
A wide variety of Unimogs have been used by the Australian Defense Force (ADF) but the most common is the Unimog U1700L with a tray back and a canvas top over the load area.
The 20 Unimogs currently being offered for sale include many U1700L examples as well as an interesting six-wheel drive Unimog UL2450L.

The Unimog – A Glorified Potato Tractor

The Unimog was developed in Germany in the years immediately after WWII. Its development followed a similar path to that of the first Land Rovers in that both were designed as utilitarian 4×4 vehicles that could be driven on the road but still fulfill all the tasks usually performed by a tractor.

This image from the 1950s shows a Unimog being used for harvesting on a potato farm. The vehicle was designed with a track width to fit neatly over two rows of potatoes. Image courtesy of Daimler-Benz.

The first Unimog had a track width exactly equal to that of two rows of potatoes, so it could be used as a plow tractor. It was also fitted with a power takeoff, just like a tractor, for powering mechanical equipment around the farm like potatoes harvesters (pictured above).

Of course, stylistically the Unimog looks vastly different to the Land Rover, and to the Willys Jeep from WWII that had a significant hand in inspiring both vehicles.

Since its original introduction in 1948 the Unimog has remained in constant production, Daimler-Benz took over in 1951 and has regularly updated the vehicle over time to continually improve it.

The Australian Army Unimogs Shown Here

The Unimogs shown here have all been retired from service with the Australian Defense Force, they’re now being offered for sale with the Australian auction house Pickles.

The condition of each Unimog can vary quite considerably, good examples tend to fetch more of course and they’re now becoming a popular target for conversion into overland campers.

A few times a year the vehicles being retired from military service are offered for sale in this way, almost all are bought by enthusiasts who intend to use the Unimogs, Land Rover Perenties, and 6×6 Mack trucks for off-road adventures – or even off-road recovery work.

As a result of this there’s a growing number of private Unimog owners in Australia. Some have been converted into overland campers while others are kept close to their original military specification and used for four-wheeling on weekends.

Each of the 20 Unimogs here is a little different to the last, so before biddings it’s important to carefully read the listing. The vehicles are located in Thurgoona, NSW, Australia and representatives from Pickles can be contacted online with additional questions.

If you’d like to read more about these Unimogs or register to bid you can visit the listing for all of them here.

Images courtesy of Pickles.

The post There’s A Fleet Of Ex-Australian Army Unimogs For Sale (Individually) appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/ex-australian-army-unimogs-for-sale/
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The “Forgotten Ferrari” 365 GTC/4

The Ferrari 365 GTC/4 has been called the “Forgotten Ferrari” by some, largely due to the fact that it was produced alongside the legendary Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” that essentially claimed all of the spotlight. The 365 GTC/4 was in production for just two years, with only ~500 built in total.

The car you see here is a 1971 model that was ordered new by Charles “Ronnie” Driver, a WWII hero who would later become famous as a millionaire businessman and the father of actress Minnie Driver.

Fast Facts – The Ferrari 365 GTC/4

The Ferrari 365 GTC/4 was introduced to the world at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1971 as a new 2+2 coupe to replace the Ferrari 365 GTC.
The 365 GTC/4 was fitted with a version of the chassis and engine used for the Ferrari Daytona but unlike its more famous sibling, it had two small rear seats and additional luggage space.
The understated styling included front and rear rubber bumpers, a first for a Ferrari, and its performance was only slightly below that of the Daytona.
Power was provided by a 4.4 liter Colombo V12 with modified heads that allowed for the use of side draught rather than down draught Weber carburetors. Power was rated at 340 bhp at 6,200 rpm and the top speed was listed as 260 km/h or 162 mph.

Gobbone – “The Forgotten Ferrari”

When it was released in 1971 the Ferrari 365 GTC/4 had a difficult job ahead of it. Increasingly strict safety laws, particularly in the United States, meant that the gleaming chrome bumper was destined to become a thing of the past.

The elegant styling of the Ferrari 365 GTC/4 was penned by Filippo Sapino at Pininfarina, Pininfarina would also build all of the bodies for the car and send them to Ferrari for final assembly.

The chrome bumper was set to be replaced by an impact absorbing rubber bumper, many car designers struggled with this and a fair number of four-wheeled eyesores were produced during this time. Thankfully the 365 GTC/4 was not among them.

Styled by Filippo Sapino at Carrozzeria Pininfarina, the 365 GTC/4 featured an elegant and understated body that cleverly integrated its front and rear rubber bumpers into the car’s overall design.

It still looked notably different from the chrome bumpers used on the Daytona and the Dino, Ferrari’s other two production cars at the time, but it wasn’t as glaring as some of the Porsche and Lamborghini bumpers of the era.

Perhaps it was a little unfair on the 365 GTC/4 to be sold alongside the Ferrari Daytona, one of the most popular cars ever released by the Italian automaker. The 365 GTC/4 was the sensible choice, with the two small back seats that could accommodate a pair of children or preferably folded down to increase the luggage space for cross-Continental holidays.

The 4.4 liter Colombo V12 had unusual modified DOHC heads that allowed for the use of side draught rather than down draught Weber carburetors – the intake runs in between the two overhead cams.

Some in Italy nicknamed it the “Gobbone” – Italian for “Hunchback” – though this moniker never really caught on. Ultimately Ferrari would only sell the 365 GTC/4 in 1971 and 1972 before replacing it with the far more angular and divisive Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2.

The Ferrari 365 GTC/4 – Specifications

Under the skin, the Ferrari 365 GTC/4 was an awful lot like the Ferrari Daytona.

Both cars shared a version of the same chassis and the Daytona engine was fitted with modified double overhead cam heads that allowed the use of side draught Weber carburetors, with the intake now passing between the cams rather than into the V of the V12. This allowed a lower hood line.

Like the Daytona the car has a long hood, pop-up headlights, a fastback roof style, and eye catching coupe body work designed in the revered offices of Pininfarina.

The chassis is a tubular steel, with large oval section main tubes and cross bracing. The body was fashioned from steel with an aluminum hood and trunk lid by Pininfarina, then shipped to Ferrari for final assembly.

The 365 GTC/4 was designed as a luxurious grand tourer, all cars came standard with power steering, power windows, and air-conditioning.

Suspension was independent front and rear, with unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, and an anti-roll bar front and back.

Unlike the Daytona the 365 GTC/4 didn’t have a transaxle in the rear, its transmission was bolted to the rear of the engine in the more traditional manner, and its engine was slightly detuned with a focus on more torque at the expense of a little horsepower.

With 340 bhp the 4.4 liter Colombo V12 was anything but slow, and the top speed of 260 km/h or 162 mph put it leagues ahead of most cars on the road.

The 1971 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Shown Here

The 1971 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 you see here has a slightly more interesting history than most, it was purchased new by millionaire businessman Charles “Ronnie” Driver through Britain’s Maranello Concessionaires, but it was specified to be left-hand drive as he intended to use it in Switzerland.

Ronnie Driver was certainly an interesting man, though he’s best-known today as the father of Oscar-nominated actress Minnie Driver he was also a WWII hero who had earned the Distinguished Flying Medal for bravery in 1939.

As a front gunner in the Wellington bomber Ronnie Driver was likely used to being in significant danger, and during a mission as part part of the Battle of Heligoland Bight his aircraft was severely damaged by enemy fire.

The interior has a 2+2 seating configuration, the rear seats are quite small and only really suitable for children, though they can be folded down and turned into luggage space.

With his front turret all but blown away Driver put out the fire on the aircraft using just his gloved hands, likely saving the aircraft. The plane ditched into the North Sea, he then launched the inflatable dinghy and got his three injured members out of the aircraft and into the boat – saving their lives. Tragically the rear gunner, Walter Lilley, couldn’t be saved and went down with the aircraft.

Years after his time in the war Driver worked his way up to become the head of a multi-billion dollar insurance giant, and somewhere along the way in 1971 he decided he wanted to get himself a new Ferrari.

He opted to get the only Ferrari available with back seats, possibly because he had a new infant daughter named Amelia Driver – she would would later acquire the nickname “Minnie.”

Later in this car’s life it would be imported back into the UK by British racing driver John Coombs, it would then be bought by Ferrari collector and racer Pierre Mellinger before ending up in the care of Martin Lange, the former chairman of Brentford FC.

The car is now being offered for sale by Collecting Cars out of Surrey in the United Kingdom. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

The post The “Forgotten Ferrari” 365 GTC/4 appeared first on Silodrome.

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For Sale: A Vintage International Scout 800 Snow Plow

This 1971 International Scout 800 is fitted with a Meyer ST-78 Hi-Lo power angling fan belt driven snow plow, back in the early 1970s it would have been the pinnacle of all-terrain snow clearing machinery.

The company that built the plow, Meyer, claims to have invented the first automobile-attached snow plow used in North America – all the way back in 1926 in Newburgh, New York.

Fast Facts – A Classic International Scout Snow Plow

The International Scout was first offered for sale in 1961 as a direct competitor for the Jeep CJ series of civilian 4x4s. It proved so successful that it inspired Ford to release their own competitor, which would named the Ford Bronco.
The International Scout 800 was released in 1965 as an upgraded version of the original Scout 80 from ’61, it had improved seats, better instrumentation, a heater, an updated dashboard, optional rear seats, and a number of other improvements.
The off-road ability and utilitarian nature of the Scout made it ideal for use as a snow plow, and the addition of the heater in the Scout 800 made it a far more pleasant experience for the driver.
The Meyer ST-78 Hi-Lo Plow has a hydraulic system driven off the engine (at the fan belt) which allows it to be raised and lowered, and to have the angle of the blade changed – all from the comfort of the cab.

The International Scout 800

The original International Scout, retroactively known as the Scout 80, was released in 1961. It had been developed according to a brief that had asked the engineering team to “design something to replace the horse.”

The Meyer plow attachment can be removed when not needed, allowing the Scout to be used normally during the warmer months of the year.

The key competitor for the Scout was going to be the Jeep CJ, the civilianized version of the Jeep from WWII that was still very spartan.

Though they didn’t know it at the time, the Scout had inspired Ford to develop their own very similar 4×4. It was developed by many of the same people who had designed the Ford Mustang and it was released in 1965.

Though there were other competitors for the Scout, the Bronco vs Scout rivalry was the most intense and in many ways it helped shaped future versions of both vehicles.

The International Scout 800 could be ordered with engine ranging from the 152 cubic inch (2.5 liter) Comanche inline-four up to the 266 cubic inch (4.4 liter) V8, with a 232 cubic inch (3.8 liters) inline-six in the middle that proved to be a popular option.

As was standard for the time both front and rear suspension consisted of leaf springs and tubular shock absorbers on live axles. Power was sent to the axles via a centrally-mounted two-speed transfer case, which itself received power from the transmission.

Controls in the cab allow the plow to be raised or lowered, it can also be tilted forward or backward – all via hydraulics.

Due to competition being provided by the Bronco the Scout was being regularly updated. Between 1965 and 1971 three model sub-variations were built – the original 800, the 800A, and the 800B.

Interestingly, Ford released an all-new Bronco in 2021 and rumors have now been confirmed that an all-new Scout is in development to compete with it, featuring styling reminiscent of the classic Scouts of old but with a modern 100% electric drivetrain.

Meyer Snow Plows

Edward “Ed” Meyer is said to have built the first automobile-mounted snow plow in North America back in 1926.

Over the years that followed the company kept innovating, developing steel moldboards instead of wood, and a hydraulic lift system for raising and lowering the plow from inside the driver’s compartment.

Later they developed a power angling system which also worked via hydraulics, and plow headlights to help drivers see better when they were out plowing late at night or early in the morning.

The company is still in business today building a line of automobile-mounted snow plows and salt spreaders.

This Scout is powered by the famously sturdy 232 cubic inch (3.8 liter) inline-six cylinder engine producing 145 bhp.

The International 800 Scout Show Plow Shown Here

The bright yellow International Scout 800-based plow you see here is a 1971 model, which would make it a Scout 800B.

It’s powered by the 232 cubic inch (3.8 liter) inline-six cylinder engine producing 145 bhp, and power is sent to all four wheels via a Borg Warner T39 automatic transmission and a two-speed Dana transfer case.

It’s fitted with dual 10 gallon fuel tanks, 10 gallons works out to approximately 38 liters for those of you who work in metric.

The Scout has front bucket seats, heavy-duty front and rear springs, and a heavy duty rear step with a trailer hitch. It has a Dana 44 rear axle and a Dana 30 front axle, sending power to the ground via steel wheels and Cooper Discoverer A/T tires.

Up front you’ll find a Meyer ST-78 Hi-Lo snow plow that can be hydraulically raised and lowered, and its angle can be changed in the same way. The plow can also be removed of course, allowing the Scout to be used normally.

This unusual classic snow plow is due to roll across the auction block with Mecum later in May, if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can see the listing here.