Vehicle: '74 K5 Blazer
Owner: Tim Sprouse
Tires: 38x12.50-15 Swamper
Wheels: Trudesign modular
Front Suspension: 4-inch-lift leaf springs
Rear Suspension: Factory springs with shackle flip and taller spring perches
Engine: '77 Chevrolet 355
Transmission: SM465
Transfer Case: Off Road Design Doubler
Front Axle: '81 Dana 60, 4.10 gears, and a Lock-Right
Rear Axle: '81 AAM 14-bolt, 4.10 gears, and welded spider gears
Advantages: Rocker panels were completely cut out and replaced with 3x3 tube steel for the ultimate in ground clearance and rocker protection. Rust-Oleum Safety Red paint only costs $35 a gallon so he's not afraid to scratch the bodyDrawbacks: Department of Transportation doesn't like it when you ditch the side marker lights
Poore Man's Tacoma
On the contrary. We're sure that this TRD Tacoma buildup cost Ben Poore quite a bit of money, but it made for such a cool package that we couldn't just keep it to ourselves. Never mind the solid axle swap using a Ford Bronco Dana 44 or the TRD blown V-6 under the hood. Tacomas just look so right on 36-inch Swampers. In a truck this light the full-width Dana 44 front axle will live forever, and is a perfect match for the factory electric locker that came in the rear axle.
Vehicle: '99 Toyota Tacoma TRD
Owner: Ben Poore
Tires: 36x12.50-15 Super Swamper
Wheels: American racing 15x10
Front Suspension: 9-inch lift custom front leaf springs
Rear Suspension: Northwest Off Road extended rear shackle and springs
Engine: 3.4L V-6 with TRD supercharger
Transmission: Stock Tacoma
Transfer Case: Stock Tacoma
Front Axle: High-pinion Dana 44 from a '79 Bronco with 4.88 gears and Lock-Right
Rear Axle: Tacoma rear axle with 4.88 gears and TRD electric locker
Advantages: The bed was bobbed 12 inches for better departure angle, custom solid axle swap with leaf springs, and Scout steering box works so well that Toyota engineers would be jealous
Drawbacks: The local Toyota dealership is sure to go into stomach convulsions if he ever has to bring it in for warranty work
Tarantula
OK, it's got a number on it and coilover shocks, and could be considered a "Competition Crawler" if owner Charlie Copsey hadn't been driving it while on vacation. We like Charlie's ride because it breaks new ground in the small engine, low gears, light weight category and shows everyone that rear-wheel steering can make the difference between wheeling and winching up a trail.
Vehicle: Just-4-Fun custom tube chassis
Owner: Charlie Copsey
Tires: 37x12.50-15 Goodyear MT/R
Wheels: 15x8 Trail Ready bead lock
Front Suspension: King coilovers
Rear Suspension: King coilovers
Engine: '97 supercharged Buick 3800 V-6
Transmission: '87 TH700R4 from an S-10
Transfer Case: NP231
Front Axle: Unimog 404 portal axle with 3.54 gears in diff, 2.13:1 geared hubs at knuckles, and selectable locker
Rear Axle: Unimog 404 portal axle with 3.54 gears in diff, 2.13:1 geared hubs at knuckles, and selectable locker
Advantages: Lightweight blown V-6 gives it the power of a V-8 in a much smaller package. Unimog axles give the ground clearance of 44-inch tires even on 37-inch radials
Drawbacks: Not a lot of storage space in a tube-frame rig, and Charlie's original steering arms weren't up to the strain of hydraulic steering
Almost There
We can't wait to see what Tim Odell's Toyota looks like next year. As it is, Tim's home-brewed solid-axle swap and unfolding front shackle took him some impressive places. Too bad a longer front driveshaft and some lower gears weren't in the budget this year. Still, Tim's Toy showed a lot of potential as he pushed it to its limits-and beyond-at Moab this year.