Category Archives: 1980s Cars

SEMA 2024: 1987 Jeep “Street Comanche” by Off Grid Research

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Let me be honest, after three days at the 2024 SEMA Show, surrounded by an endless sea of overbuilt lifted show trucks, carbon fiber everything, and “tuner” builds that all somehow look exactly the same, it’s easy to get a little numb. You start to wonder if originality died quietly sometime around 2016. Then, just when you’re about to call it a day and write the same story for the tenth time, you turn a corner and see something that grabs your eye: a 1987 Jeep Comanche pickup. The truck’s baby blue and pink exterior looks like it drove straight out of a VHS racing montage.

This truck was built by Nate Lanken of Off-Grid Research. This particular Comanche is no ordinary Jeep. It is one of only 100 “Street Comanche” special editions ever made, commemorating the Archer Brothers’ 1988 victory in the short-lived but delightfully weird SCCA Race Truck series (1987–1991). Most of those trucks are long gone or forgotten, but this one has been resurrected with an updated twist on the factory race truck theme.
There’s nothing cookie-cutter about this Jeep. Off-Grid Research gave the Comanche a thorough mechanical refresh while keeping its character intact. The 4.0L inline-six under the hood isn’t exotic, but it is renowned for its reliability and toughness. Paired with a 5-speed manual, a lightweight flywheel, a 6-puck clutch, and a Hurst shifter, it must be quite engaging to drive.

Cooling comes courtesy of an aluminum radiator and a CNC-machined solid fan hub, a combination that says, “Yes, this truck actually runs, and no, it won’t overheat after two blocks.”

Inside, the Comanche keeps the theme going with a pair of Corbeau limited edition racing seats. No digital screens or color-changing LEDs here, just function, form, and a throwback to when trucks were trucks and race seats meant business.

What really sets this build apart is the authenticity. The exterior features Off-Grid Research’s Evo II Body Kit and RaceRubi hood give the truck a muscular stance. The baby blue and pink wrap is a bit much, but it actually works pretty well on this truck.

The suspension has been lowered around 6 inches up front, and 5 inches the back, and it sits perfectly over a set of 20-inch American Racing Classic Torq Thrust II wheels. Finally, a build that isn’t lifted to the clouds or slammed into uselessness. It looks fast, ready, and importantly, fun.

In a show filled with open checkbook builds, endless crate engine swaps and flawless painted cars, this plucky Jeep Comanche was a breath of fresh air. The forgotten motorsports history adds an interesting note to this truck I already like, having owned one myself.

Nate Lanken and Off-Grid Research didn’t just build a truck. With the care and creativity put into this truck, it brought a little bit of personality back to the SEMA Show. And for that, I am grateful.

Check out www.ogrshop.com for more.

Barrett-Jackson 2020 – 1986 Camaro IROC-Z Lot # 149.1

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1986 was a year of ups and downs for the IROC-Z. The 85mph speedometer has now been exchanged for a more sporting display reading up to 145mph. Last years 215hp  5.0L TPI motor recieved a severe camshaft downgrade and was now rated at 190hp for this model. With the cam change the redline on the tachometer was dialed back to a timid 4500 rpm, in stark contrast to the new speedometer. F41 suspension package was standard for the IROC-Z, but this model has a 2.73:1 peg leg rear behind the 700r4 automatic transmission.

The Daytona Yellow paint and gold trim on the wheels gives it a bit more bark to make up for the lack of bite, but as far as third-generation Camaros go this one sees itself in the middle of the pack of v8 models. It has an impressively low 23,368 miles on the odometer, and that’s likely the biggest reason why this car was able to reach $18,700 in auction.

Barrett-Jackson 2020 – 1985 Porsche 928S Lot # 635

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Upgrading from the previous years 4.7L v8, the 928S’s DOHC 5.0L V8 is good for 288hp, which is 88hp more than the 911 of the same year. With it’s more-favorable weight balance, the 928S could have laid the ground work for a new era of Porsche. The water-cooled, front-engine V8 coupe was just a little too extreme for Porsche purists in the mid-80s and it was a format porsche never explored again.

The Bosch Jetronic fuel injection and five speed manual raises the fun factor on this unique German sports car. As with the other water-cooled Porsches of this era, typical 928’s embody the saying about nothing being more expensive than a cheap Porsche. Thankfully at $18,150 and only 63,000 original miles it’s not cheap, and likely babied enough to have years of use ahead of it.

Barrett-Jackson 2020 – 1985.5 Mustang SVO

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This mid-year update to Ford’s turbocharged, four-cylinder Fox body brings the boost up to 15 psi, adds 35lbs injectors and an upgraded EEC among other modifications to bring the car from 175hp to 205hp. Equipped with a factory-installed Hurst shifter for the 5-speed manual model, ultimately multiplied by a 3.73:1 ring and pinion ratio. Paired with 16″ wheels over disc brakes at all four wheels, a Koni-designed suspension and comparatively lighter 2.3L inline four over the front K-member. That ensures this SVO isn’t just faster than the 5.0L model in a drag race, it also handles better in the turns.

The one you see here is painted in Medium Canyon Red Metallic and has only 23,000 miles. Showcased in the area of Barrett-Jackson that has cars for sale instead of at auction, it was priced at $24,900.

Have You Driven A Mazda Lately? (Craigslist)

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Sometime in the mid 80’s Ford chose to improvise rather than adapt or overcome. Instead of predicting the market shift or adapting while it was Ford sat around and watched the Japanese gobble up their cash. They decided that to beat the Japanese at their own game they would be the Japanese at their own game. Continue reading →

1986 Mustang SVO | Barrett-Jackson 2018

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Time will always fondly remember the brash 5.0l H.O. Mustang GT. It’s fraternal twin: The refined SVO happens to be a more interesting vehicle.

Not just for its unique front fascia, or it’s pedals designed specifically for heel-toe shifts. Not even for its 3.73:1 axle ratio, it’s KONI suspension or it’s Lincoln Mark VII-sourced, five-lug four-wheel disc brakes.

The most important aspect of this vehicle is the turbocharged 200hp 2.3L overhead cam I-4. Coincidentally, the horsepower on the SVO never exceeded the GT year-for-year even though it was the faster of the two cars.

Due to its better weight balance, an overall lighter curb weight and a higher revving engine, this car was more of a match around a track with the BMW M3, the Porsche 944 and the Mazda RX-7 than it was deserving of slugging it out at the stoplights with a lowly tuned port Camaro.

Despite that, the SVO still wouldn’t struggle to show any f-body in 1986 it’s ass as it sped away to the tune of turbo whoosh over its glorified pinto engine howling.

Although most casual Mustang fans have forgotten this car along with some of the other odd things Ford was throwing at the fox body, that didn’t stop this beautiful SVO from reaching $33,000 at auction.