From there a TH400 three-speed automatic is subjected to the punishment that the AMC engine dishes out. The transmission uses a Coan 6,200 rpm stall torque converter, an ATI manual valve body with an internal trans brake, and a 2.10 First gear. Richard built a chain-drive transfer case with two 60-pound chains from Power Pro Racing Products. The transfer case doesn't provide any gear reduction, but it is the lightest, strongest way to get the engine power to both axles. Multiple hoops surround the driveshafts as they route the power to a rear Ford 9-inch and front Dana 30. Yes, Dana 30. A wide-track axle out of a later CJ was used up front with 4.10 gears and an open carrier. The relatively small front tires and lack of contact with the ground allow the axle to live with the big engine power. Wilwood disc brakes are used at all corners to shed rotating mass and provide shorter stopping distances at the end of the track. A Flaming River Pinto steering rack also reduces weight, doesn't rob any horsepower, and eliminates bumpsteer when the front end comes up and down during hard launches.
The rear receives the brunt of the abuse, and as such the narrowed Ford 9-inch has been fitted with the best components Richard could find. These include the Moser aluminum third member with spool and 4.34 gears that accept the Moser 35-spline gun-drilled axleshafts. The taller gears in the front axle allow the Dana 30 to pull the Jeep straight when the tires touch back down to the ground.
Body and Interior
The steel body was replaced with a Power Pro fiberglass body last year in an effort to shed weight from the Jeep. The entire back of the tub is gutted to shave even more weight and make room for the cut Boggers, but the windshield frame and door hinges were retained. The windshield frame is carbon fiber and filled with a Lexan windshield, but it keeps the distinctive CJ look. The front Power Pro one-piece hood has a huge Pro Stock scoop to clear the carb and is easy to remove with Dzus fasteners when it's necessary to access the engine bay. The body was sprayed with Jeep Solar Yellow by Buster's Auto Art in South Boston, Virginia. Up front, a Moon Eyes 3.5-gallon fuel tank feeds 116-octane race fuel to the engine and adds a bit of weight to help keep the front tires on the ground. A 20-pound weight was also added to the front bumper, but Richard is constantly dialing different amounts of weight to help weight transfer depending on track and atmospheric conditions.
Inside, the aluminum panels were powdercoated with a Hammered finish and keep the mud out of the interior. The aluminum Kirkey racing seat behind the steering wheel is the only seating in the Jeep, and it fits squarely behind the Sparco steering wheel and AutoMeter gauges that monitor rpm, oil pressure, water temperature, vacuum pressure, transmission line pressure, transmission temperature, and nitrous pressure. Phew.
Good, Bad, and What It's For
Richard is still getting his Jeep dialed in since hitting a guard rail at the track earlier this season. He moved the engine forward 31/2 inches in the chassis right before we shot this feature in an effort to keep the front tires closer to the ground. Once he gets the suspension and weight-bias dialed in, he should create plenty of headaches for the Chevy-powered S10s that dominate the Mud Racers Association. "Another team told me that I couldn't make an AMC engine competitive, and I had to prove him wrong," Richard admitted.
Why I Wrote This Feature
Normally I would not do a feature on a "Jeep" that has a gutted 'glass body and a one-piece front end with no headlights, but Richard's AMC engine definitely caught my attention. I appreciate someone who doesn't shy away from a challenge, and Richard has risen more than a few eyebrows by being competitive with a lowly "underdog" AMC.
-Harry Wagner
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '77 CJ-7
Engine:499ci AMC V-8
Transmission: TH400
Transfer Case: Power Pro Racing Products chain-drive
Suspension: Three-link, coilovers (front), four-link, coilovers (rear)
Axles: Dana 30 (front), Ford 9-inch (rear)
Wheels: 15x10 Weld Drag Lite (front), 15x18 Real Wheel (rear)
Tires: Sand Tires Unlimited 14.5x15 (front), cut 39.5x18.5-15 Super Swamper Bogger (rear)
Built For: In honor of Richie Dunavant