If you've never been there you may think Alabama is full of mud trucks, mosquitoes, and Mullets, but truth be told, 'Bama has boulders, buggies, and good ol' boys who like to wheel. We swung through Birmingham over Memorial Day weekend and quickly found about eight different parks within a few hours of this southern city. One run we hit was an impromptu trail ride at Choccolocco Mountain on the outskirts of Jacksonville, Alabama, in the Appalachian Mountain foothills.
The buggies back east are...
The buggies back east are different from those out west, but that's because the trails are different. The rocks are often slippery and the hills steep, and since most of the wheeling spots are private parks there is less restrictions on full-throttle driving. We're not saying it's better or worse, but the tire-spinning action does make for cooler photos.
Choccolocco Mountain is a 450-acre private park with around 200 trails and obstacles to test your skills on. The trails are open to all types of off-road vehicle: ATVs, side-by-sides, dirt bikes, four-wheel drives, rail buggies, and rockcrawlers. We tagged along with a small group of buggy drivers as they chugged over some big rock washes and throttled up some very steep hillclimbs. For more info on the park, check out www.choccoloccomountain.com
Power is important, and Bobby...
Power is important, and Bobby Tanner is making the most of what his 383ci Chevy small-block has. Fitted with Mass-Flo fuel injection installed at Coleworx, this Jimmy Smith chassis runs the power to Super Swamper tires via 1-ton axles and TH400/NP205 gearboxes.
Rumor has it that some of...
Rumor has it that some of Mike George's friends told him not to put the Ram Jet 502 in his ride. With friends like that, who needs enemies? Mike's big-block lugs along just fine on the rocky technical stuff while having plenty in reserve for steep hill assaults spinning the 39-inch Krawlers.
Gregg Cary's buggy was originally...
Gregg Cary's buggy was originally built by Tanner Off Road, but then reworked by the Off Road Connection. It is packing a stroked Chevy V-8, Rock crusher Dana 60s stuffed with 5.13 gears, and coilover shocks. The 44-inch TSLs on 15-inch beadlocks are spun by a built TH350 and a 4.3 Atlas.
Jordan Tanner went the opposite...
Jordan Tanner went the opposite direction of his dad Bobby and built a Ford-powered buggy. Jordan's chassis was Jimmy Smith-built as well, but this one has a propane-powered 351ci Windsor, a C6 auto, and an NP203/205 doubler. Tires are 44-inch TSL Swampers with their special Tennessee cut.
Tim Cameron is a minor Internet...
Tim Cameron is a minor Internet celebrity with his YouTube videos of wheelie-popping buggies.This is his latest ride, built by Coleworx Off Road in Tennessee. It packs a Motown small-block 454ci that puts out 600 horses and 600-plus lb-ft. To help this buggy climb, Tim set up his maniac machine with cut Boggers and front and rear custom 35-spline 14-bolt axles.
Why just rockcrawl when you...
Why just rockcrawl when you can throttle down? Rodney Payton's Jimmy Smith chassis is packing a healthy 355ci Chevy under the hood, and he wasn't scared to use it. 42-inch rubber on 1-ton axles with a bright paintjob rounds out the recipe for this East Coast fun buggy.