With a parts budget of $8,000 and a build time of just three days, Skyjacker modified a four-door Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon into the vehicle you see here and won the first-ever Camp Jeep 4x4 Build Off. The work was done on-site at Camp Jeep, which was held last summer in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.
Working with handtools and "a lot of want-to" inside a 30x30 tent, the Skyjacker crew installed a 4-inch Skyjacker suspension and Hydro H7000-series shocks, then swapped the stock tires and wheels for 17x8 Eagle alloy rims and 35x12.50R17 Mickey Thompson Baja Belted Radial MTZs. Mopar Performance provided the tubular bumpers and side steps, chrome grille, lights, and some of the other accessories.
Team Toyo off-road racers spent a fair amount of time on the winner's podium during the Borg-Warner World Championship Off-Road Races at Crandon International Raceway over Labor Day. Curt LeDuc's Skyjacker/Toyo Tires/Rockstar Ford beat second place Josh Baldwin and his Baldwin Racing/Toyo Tires Ford in Saturday's Pro 4x4 class event. In the Super Stock Truck class, Ben Wandahsega (shown here) and Dave Waldvogel found themselves locked in a championship points battle. During Saturday's race, Waldvogel won at the wheel of his Bendix/Toyo Tires Chevy truck, while Wandahsega finished an uncharacteristic fifth in his Forest County Potawatomi/Toyo Tires Chevy. On Sunday, the two drivers traded spots, this time with Wandahsega finishing second and Waldvogel third.
Land Rover announced a new format for its latest G4 Challenge. The upcoming competition will take place over 18 months in 2008-'09; feature 18 national teams, each made up of one male and one female competitor; and will serve as a "platform to generate funds and assist life-changing humanitarian projects around the world," says LR. At the end of the competition, a vehicle will be donated to the winning country's Red Cross or Red Crescent society. Those who are interested in taking part can register at www.landroverg4challenge.com. The qualifying process will take place in 2008, with the Challenge itself scheduled for Asia in 2009.
You may recall that last year's CORVA Truckhaven Challenge had to cancel its event in its traditional home-you guessed it-Truckhaven, California, because of a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Desert Protective Council. The groups were able to suspend the event's permits because environmental impact reviews had not been completed.
Well, we're happy to report that Truckhaven will be open again to the Challenge. An agreement has been reached by the parties involved that will allow the state park agency to issue event permits in this area. As a concession to the environmentalists, the park agency has agreed to initiate a public planning process for the Truckhaven area.
Ford won't confirm it, but industry sources (including trade journal Automotive News) are reporting that Lincoln's luxury Mark LT pickup truck will be discontinued after the '08 model year. Ford is reportedly planning an extensive redesign of the F-Series for '09, and insiders say disappointing sales of Lincoln's high-end hauler don't justify including it in the revamp. So if you gotta have one, act fast.
Few changes to the truck are planned for '08-Sirius satellite radio is now standard equipment, while a tailgate-mounted camera is a new option.