SC400 Built to run in the desert
 

Just dropping in to show the progress of my off road SC400 build. It ran as the Course Opening car at the Prescott Rally a few weeks back.

-Jon

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Cool! Simple and rugged. It's weird to see an SC lifted with off road tires but I like this in a rally race car. The V8 engine torque has to be great for this.

Would you care to share the modification list with us? I'm curious about your choice suspension in particular.

I dig it, maybe throw a solid axle or 2 under it and see what it can do.

Like it! We just keep on finding new uses for these old girls. Rally on!

This is too cool. Looking forward to seeing more pics!

Forget pics, I want videos of this thing. Badass.

So far, the mods have been fairly simple, all about making it reliable and a little tougher. Visually, it has been trimming up the skirts, who doesn't like a lady in a short skirt!! I tucked the spare tire well at an angle to give more clearance at the very tail. I then deleted the rear mufflers, in favor of straight pipe sections for a little performance and again, ground clearance. The front end was bolting on a pair of FJ Cruiser shocks with 7/8" thick spacers on top. The only mod was redrilling the top of the tower, really just slotting the 3 holes towards the center. I went ahead and reinforced the tower top with 1/8" plate and a 1/2" tall center ring while I was at it. In hind sight, I wish I had used the 7/8" spacer as an adapter ring too, converting the FJ top hat pattern to the SCs, but either way it worked out fine. For the rear, I had to make custom arms for the where the shock mounts. As an engineer and someone who's built and raced a few rally cars in the South West, I just didn't like the OEM design. So, it was made with a single heim joint at the hub side, shock mount moved to the top of the arm and the inner side reused 1/3 or so of the OEM arm, welded inside the box arm. The picture is during a test fit, not the final piece. For the shock, it currently is using a BMW 5 series rear shock and spring from the early 90's model. But, I'm building a set of rebuildable off road coil over shocks with massive 7/8" shafts to replace those soon. The guy who drove it at the rally LOVED it, couldn't stop raving about the power and smooth handling.

-Jon

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wow, looks good... keep up the good work.

I have come across another off road inspired SC as well.....cant remember if it was on a facebook group or instagram....

It had oversized tires and a roof rack from what I remember

There is a nice, dark green Soarer in Australia that I've seen, chatted back and forth with on a FB Forum.

-Jon

MOre like a prerunner 4x2 light trail buggy, sc front wheels gonna get stuck in the mud, the rear will start slipping and then diggin, with your fab skills you can do the solid axle like they did in ass monkey garage :D

Glad I wasn't the only one struck by the coincidental timing of this thread and yesterday's K-maro episode.

I live in the desert SW, mud is not something I come across very often.
Besides, I've got a car like that already. (Yes, I realize the irony of the photo, after saying I don't see mud often...)
-Jon
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...14d3f8ef7e.jpg

Thats awesome...