Driver: Christo Slee
Age:42
Occupation:Shop Owner
Where did you come from?:South Africa but now Golden, CO
Did you tow it out or drive it?:Towed
How long have you been off-roading?:15 years
What got you into 4x4s?:Originally working on remote sites as a geophysicist
Favorite part of the trip:SThe fun crowd, the great wheeling, and the good banter going back and forth.
What was your least favorite part of the trip?:Actually nothing much. Maybe cleaning the cows#!t off the truck when we got home.
Hardtop, soft top, or no top:Hardtop
Would you want to work for a 4x4 mag now that you've met us and seen what we do?:Hell no. You guys are crazy.
Would you kick out your co-driver if we had a supermodel to ride in your truck?:For sure, she would probably not roll the truck on every trail like Ben did. Or if she did, it might be fun rolling around.
Would you do it again next year, or would it be asking too much of your battered body?:In a hearbeat!
Favorite truck on the trip (besides your own):Probably the Offroad Design Blazer. Big, ballsy, and nicely built.
Co-Driver:Ben Swain
Age:28
Occupation:Sales manager
Vehicle: Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80
--Slightly modified to be a FZJ85 ShortBus
Year:1994
Tires/Wheels:39-inch BFG Krawlers/Rock Monster DOT bead locks by Hutchinson
Steering:Full hydro steering using PSC system
Front suspension:Slee Off-Road 6-inch bolt-in lift kit
Rear suspension:Slee Off-Road 6-inch bolt-in lift kit
Front drivetrain:Toyota E-locker with CV-Unlimite Newfield and Poly Performance 30-spline inner axleshafts. Yukon 5.29 gears.
Rear drivetrain:ARB Air Locker with Slee Off-Road high-strength 30-spline rear axleshafts. Yukon 5.29 gears.
Driveshafts:Slee Off-Road double-cardan front and rear heavy-duty shafts
Tranny:Stock Toyota A442F
Transfer case(s)/ratio(s)/other mods:Toyota HF2AV transfer case with Marks Adapters 3:1 Crawler Box
Engine/Mods:Stock 4.5L DOHC 1FZFE inline six-cylinder
Bumpers/rails/rollcage:Custom Slee Off-Road front and rear bumpers, sliders, and interior rollcage
Winch:Warn M8000
What (on your truck) gave you problems during the trip?:Running out of gas (also known as a trail fart!)--a lot. Hey, never thought this thing would have to drive 1,100 miles on the road. Crawler box had some heating issues (OK, cooked the Amsoil!), cut a sidewall, but the nice folks from BFGoodrich had a spare. Windshield fell out and the A/C died. Strange things happen when you flop in the dunes.