1997 Chevy 1500 Silverado - 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

Four-wheeling enthusiasts adapt their rigs to the terrain around them. In the South and the Florida Panhandle, mud boggin' and swampin' are big and mud trucks are even bigger. Mud machines are a different breed of mechanical monsters and aren't as common elsewhere in the U.S. So here's a little refresher in a mudder's general makeup and mud boggin' prowess!

This '97 Chevy 1500 Silverado Crew Cab is owned by Anthony Johns of Okeechobee, Florida, and represents a lifetime of mudding adventure. When Anthony was a young boy his dad would take him hunting in the Big Cypress Swamp. The family always ran in some sort of modified 4x4 capable of powering its way through the nastiest quagmires.

Ever since his early hunting days he has been hooked on muddin', and his passion has turned into a way of life. Anthony's Chevy was built by the Custom Truck Shop in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. The truck is 99 percent complete except for the 745hp big-block Chevy that's sitting on the workbench waiting to be installed.

Tech Specs
1997 Chevy Silverado 1500
Drivetrain
Engine: Chevy small-block V-8
Transmission: 4L60
Transfer case: NP208 with 2.73 gearing doubled with a divorce-mount NP205 with 1.96 gearing (5.35:1)
Front Axle: Rockwell 21/2-ton, 6.72 gears, open
Rear Axle: Rockwell 21/2-ton, 6.72 gears, welded

Suspension
Springs & Such: 21/2-inch Ballistic Fabrication 16-inch travel, triangulated four-link (rear); 21/2-inch Ballistic Fabrication 16-inch travel, triangulated four-link (front)
Tires & Wheels: BFGoodrich/Michelin 420/85R28 (56.2 inches tall), homemade wheel centers with tractor rim shells
Other Stuff: Custom triple-stick transfer case cable shifter, DIY4X pinion brake kit front and rear, fully hydraulic steering, 30-gallon tank in the bed for the windshield washer, custom headache rack

Anthony's big ol' truck rolls on 21/2-ton Rockwell axles front and rear and runs the stock 6.72 gearsets. The spider gears are welded in the rear for traction, but the diff is open in the front for better steering and maneuverability.
Anthony's big ol' truck rolls on 21/2-ton Rockwell axles front and rear and runs the stock
Both the front and rear of the truck use dual-rate 16-inch-travel Ballistic Fabrication 21/2-inch coilovers with remote reservoirs. The chain suspension limiters are more economical to replace if broken and much more fitting for the muddin' lifestyle.
Both the front and rear of the truck use dual-rate 16-inch-travel Ballistic Fabrication 21
The BFGoodrich V-tread tractor tires (made by Michelin) are a favorite among mud enthusiasts, especially for deep water. ...
The BFGoodrich V-tread tractor tires (made by Michelin) are a favorite among mud enthusias

...These wheels are cool-looking and custom made from tractor hoops fitted with plate steel centers.
...These wheels are cool-looking and custom made from tractor hoops fitted with plate stee
The triangulated four-link suspension is made from 2x1/4-inch-wall DOM tubing and use 11/4-inch Evolution Machine rebuildable rod ends. To give the vehicle additional swamp-clearing height, the suspension is mounted off a subframe, which is constructed from 2x1/8-inch-wall DOM.
The triangulated four-link suspension is made from 2x1/4-inch-wall DOM tubing and use 11/4