Body and Interior
A 3-gallon fuel tank from Jeep Thrills sits on the front bumper where it provides ballast and is easy to fill between passes. Behind the tank, the headlights were deleted from the grille to accommodate the Wagoneer radiator. Since the YJ is not driven on the streets, headlights were not deemed necessary. A huge Harwood Aero-scoop was necessary, though, in order to clear the equally-massive air filter atop the 401. The rear of the body had to be completely tubbed to accommodate the narrow axle and drag slicks. A sheetmetal top was added prior to the body work for a clean appearance and to aid in aerodynamics. Richard laid down the paint with Mike Connor from Lordco Auto Parts using a Mopar paint scheme. "It wasn't retro when we painted it fifteen years ago," he reflected, "but I suppose it is by now."
Inside the Jeep an eight-point cage protects the occupants. The cage ties into the frame, and also goes through the firewall to tie into the engine bay. Nestled between the cage bars are a pair of RCI plastic racing buckets with Jager five-point harnesses. The B&M Z-Gate shifter rows the gears and is fitted with a Hurst Roll Control that is used for burnouts to get the tires sticky. On the dash, the stock tilt column accommodates the wide range of drivers, with a huge 5-inch Auto Meter Monster tach front and center. Auto Meter 25/8-inch gauges are also mounted on the custom aluminum dash to monitor fuel pressure, oil pressure, water temperature, voltage, and vacuum. On the other side of the column, toggle switches fire the Jeep and turn on the electric cooling fans and water pump.
Good, Bad, and What's It For
Consistent 12-second times might not seem very fast for a tubbed vehicle with a wheelie bar out back, but high school students are piloting this Jeep down the track. With more horsepower the Jeep could easily be much faster, but then it would be more dangerous as well. It's is a wonder that teenagers are even allowed to drag race at school in our overly-litigious society.
Why I Featured It
It is completely unnatural to see a Wrangler go fast, with their short wheelbase, high center of gravity, and upright grille and windshield. Building a Camaro that runs 12s is easy, but easy is boring. I love that Richard Johnson chose such an unlikely platform when building a drag racer and taught his students at W.J. Mouat never to judge a book by its cover. Even a YJ.-Harry Wagner
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '92 Wrangler
Engine: AMC 401 V-8
Transmission: AMC TH400
Transfer Case: Long gone
Suspension: Leaf springs (front), four-link (rear)
Axles: 2WD Commanche beam (front), narrowed Dana 60 (rear)
Wheels: 15x3.5 Weld Draglite (front), 15x14 Weld Draglite (rear)
Tires: Kelly Springfield 165R15 (front), 32x14 Goodyear slicks (rear)
Built For: A teaching aid