Ultimate Adventure Vehicles
Trucks: '52 M38A1 (Ultimate A1, Aug.-Oct. '01), Ford F-250 Super Duty (Ultimate Super Duty, Aug.-Nov. '02), '03 Chevy Avalanche 2500 (Ultimate Avalanche, Aug.-Nov '03), '01 Toyota Tacoma (Ultimate Taco, Aug.-Dec. '04), '75 Chevy 1/2-ton (Ultimate K10, Aug.-Dec. '05), '06 Toyota FJ Cruiser (Ultimate FJ, July-Oct. '06), '07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (UAJK, Aug. '07-Jan. '08)
Theme: Vehicles built for the annual magazine event Ultimate Adventure
Some Upgrades: Diesel in a Jeep, four-link suspension, rear steering, blower, 39-inch tires
Seven vehicles, seven concepts. As then-staffer David Kennedy wrote of his K10, "anyone could build this truck!" which actually featured junkyard alternatives to parts the built truck sported. It became a reader favorite, thanks to being within reach. "Our secret to keeping costs down will be to save as much of the stock truck as we can. If there's a part on our K10 that works and does what we need, it stays." The street/trail A1 had a buildup price tag of $12,712: "We needed a bulletproof drivetrain, reliable and workable suspension, steering, braking, and safe and secure occupant protection," explained Editor Rick Pw. Like all Ultimate rigs, the A1 was still being wrenched on at the eleventh hour. And in a different U.S. state from which UA was going to take place. And at least seven states away from the event.
When it came to the Avalanche, it was Fred Williams' first major buildup, "so it was the biggest headache-I wasn't sure yet how to work with suppliers, organize, and plan a vehicle. In fact, I thought building an Avalanche was a dumb idea, and when I said so to Rick, he made me do it. But now I won't let anyone borrow the truck." The Tacoma was noteworthy for being one of the most extreme trucks 4WOR had built. "While it didn't really push any tech advances, it was masterfully built, part rock buggy, part race truck." Another Toyota built by Fred was the FJ, which "wasn't very exciting when I started it, but it turned out excellent. In fact, I did the least amount of wrenching that year during the trip. The drivetrain cannot be beat by any other rig we've built."
Other Fine and Not-So-Fine Moments in Project Truck History
* Mighty Rat Blazer (Oct. '87- Apr. '88): A 454 big-block, a high-performance TH400, and Dana 60s.
* Project Force 250 (Mar.-July '93): "Take a plain vanilla work truck ('93 Ford F-250) and turn it into the eye-catching fun truck rendered by designer Thom Taylor."
* Bolt-On Beetle (Jan.-Nov. '80): "The ultimate on- and off-road machine."
* Project Rubicon Runner (June '84-Sept. '85): The goal was to get it over the Rubicon Trail; you'll enjoy this caption from the story: "The final step: cleaning the raised white letters so that our new wheels and tires will look their best."
* Project Step-By-Stepside/ Project Toyota (Jan.-Nov. '81): A stepside was added to a Toyota longbed.
* Project All American Heavy Metal (Nov. '84-May '86): "We intended to equip it with only parts made in the USA but the world had already shifted to a global economy."
* Project 4xForgery (Jan.-May '81): "A two-wheel-drive wonder."
Other Trucks with "Project" in Their Name
* Project Dodge Power Wagon
* Project LUV 4x4
* Project Premudder
* Project Street Lethal
* Project PreRun'r
* Project Super Utility
* Project Major Motion
* Project Super Jeep
* Project Resto
* Project Jinxy
* Project Race 150
* Project Excursion Killer