1971 Ford Bronco

Fitted under the hood of Rich...        read full caption Fitted under the hood of Rich Ward’s 1971 Ford Bronco is a 1996 Blue Oval V-8. To custom-fab the bay, he solicited a hand from Salinas Motor Parts in California, which added Eagle connecting rods, a 400 crank, aluminum GT-40 heads, a Ford Lightning intake manifold, custom headers, Edelbrock exhaust, and MSD ignition. The 400 crank stroked the 351 to 416ci.

What gives Rich that edge...        read full caption What gives Rich that edge over the other Broncos at rockclimbing? He’s packin’ four-corner disc brakes and a Wilwood master cylinder, an NP437 transmission, an Atlas II transfer case with a 4.33 low-range, and Detroits and 5.13 gearing in both the reverse-cut Ford F-350 Dana 60 front and the Dana 70 rear (a necessary swap after busting nine axles with huge Swampers, a Dana 44 front, and a 9-inch rear). Bob&8217s Drive Line Service in Salinas helped him out with driveshaft alterations.

Hanson Enterprises of Salinas...        read full caption Hanson Enterprises of Salinas did the one-off framework, installed the Rockcrawler and National springs and Rancho shocks for 3 inches of lift (although it&8217s technically 2 inches as a result of remounting the spring for a lower center of gravity). He then added some real meat to the sandwich--38.5-inch Super Swampers with 16-1/2-inch steel wheels, two custom fuel tanks, custom radius arms, and a Ford F-250 steering box. Hanson also contributed to the Ford the ever-useful transfer case skidplate and the Rubicon bumpers and brushguard, which has Bosch lighting.

Rich didn&8217t do any mind-blowing...        read full caption Rich didn&8217t do any mind-blowing modifications to the interior, he just cleaned house to make it simple. There are Steel Horse black vinyl seats, a CB, VDO gauges, a Grant GT wheel, and a Panasonic CD player. He eliminated thr OE dash for an aluminum configuration with toggles. And you can point a finger once again to Hanson Enterprises for the exterior rollcage design.

Here&8217s a how-to-pack-your-trail-necessities...        read full caption Here’s a how-to-pack-your-trail-necessities tip we were just wild about. Rich hopes to not need them, but just in case he has to do digging, freeing, or an inspired on-trail repair, he had Hanson develop this portable tool shed.<

We first met Richard Ward of Hollister, California, at Fun in the Desert VII. He wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary for a 'wheeler--trying to go farther and higher than everyone else, doing his best to avoid breakage and bodily harm, pushing the envelope of sanity. But what made his ordeal, well, an ordeal, was that he was doin' so on Jackhammer and a brand-new trail called X Rated, which was full of big, burly boulders first traversed only by the little guys--FJ-40 Land Cruisers and every brand of Jeep.

Here’s the deal: Rich’s ’71 Bronco climbs rocks. That’s what he built it for; that’s what he lives for. It doesn’t matter whether they’re taller than his truck or licking either side of the body as he passes between ’em--his poison is rockcrawling, and he has modified his ride to do just that. Through the wonders of aftermarket engine, suspension, and body bolt-ons, plus a get-over-it attitude about scraping paint, Rich went where others have not always successfully gone before!