If you were going to build a truck or Jeep for road racing (Lemons/Chump), how would you do it? What would be your starting point, what motor, front or rear engined, RWD or 4WD, transmission/transfer case etc.?
Just an exercise to keep everyone thinking during the cold months! 
From what I have read re: the Challenge - RWD Jeep Cherokee 4.0L I-6.
Ranger/Mazda B series with the biggest engine I could fit in the frame rails (or some insane s4/s5 rotary swap)
I don't think a normal 4WD system would be good for extended high speed track use let alone the weight penalty, So I think any 2WD seems as though it would be the best with some sort or rear gear swap.
Any 2wd "mini"truck with a V6/manual. Lower it. Block off the complete front end. Go drive.
Definitly 2WD. 4WD isn't means for the track unless you find something that's AWD, with a center differential (not a transfer case).
I would go 2WD Jeep. These have had great sucess in Lemons, and as we know from the challenge, they can handle.
A Chevy S-10 gets my vote. All the G-body race stuff bolts on. 2.8/3.1 V6 revs good, is light, and easy to work on.
Why not a Mercury Mountaineer AWD with a V8? Up here they're stupid cheap and plentiful.
Gut it and save a couple hundred lbs? Still pretty heavy I guess.
Gearheadotaku wrote: A Chevy S-10 gets my vote. All the G-body race stuff bolts on. 2.8/3.1 V6 revs good, is light, and easy to work on.
bingo
plentiful, cheap and good aftermarket too
4.3 5 speed S10? I wonder if cutting off two cylinders makes the SBC more reliable in crapcan racing.
FYI the transfer case on my 4Runner says to not drive over 50 mph in 4 high.
I think you could have a Nissan Hardbody truck with a V6 and RWD. I know that NISMO had go fast parts for these trucks in the past, I don't know about now.
Even if you couldn't find a V6, the Z24, and KA24 engines that these came with aren't bad no matter what the tuner people say.
Mazda B2200, 2wd. Simple, light, cheap. Seems to run forever on the street with little attention.
S10 with a Bravada/Astro awd transfer case.
Dodge Dakota was available with a v8, and one of the grand Cherokee awd transfer cases might swap in for awd.
I have a 3.9 dakota with a 3 speed auto that handles the work truck abuse I throw at it now. It would probably handle it.
For further S-10 mods, I'd try to rig up a 3 link rear suspension from a 3rd/4th gen Camaro. You'd gain disc brakes and better axle articulation.
In reply to oldopelguy:
I autocrossed my ex's '00 Dakota V8…once. 
For weight distribution reasons I think I'd go Cherokee or a 2 door S10 Blazer over a pickup. Of the two I'd lean toward the Cherokee for the 4 link rear suspension. The S10 does have a better choice of j/y engine swaps available though.
I wouldn't even try to run an early Exploder, besides the whole less than reliable 2.9/4.0 V6 after the whole rollover fiasco I think it might get super tight scrutiny at tech.
Don't think I'd worry with 4WD/AWD, unless it rains the whole time you'd just be dragging a bunch of HP gobbling weight for no real gain.
Short tires would be a cheap way to get the gearing a bit better.
Go find Butch King
I have ton more pics. Stock suspension + old crusty B-Stone Duelers
Wasn't that you who did burnouts all the way up the lot at BMW one year?
It wasn't me 
My dad has a piece of E36 M3 s10 painted 9 different faded colors with half an interior and a five speed. I think it just needs a radiator. It had popped into my head to maybe turn it into a rallycross beater and this thread is kind of encouraging me.
Dakotas can definitely be made to handle and can be borderline fast with 'stock' drivetrains.
Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Go find Butch King
I've seen that thing in action, very impressive!
Dakotas do work pretty well and can be improved. I autoxed my 00 Dakota R/T for a season, wasn't too bad. It was a mostly stock R/T lowered 2", but it did tend to push and needed better brakes. But for a 4150 lb truck, it did fairly well, considering it had a bit over 2600 lbs on the front tires. Kinda miss that truck now, it was fun to drive.
R/T in action
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