First off, this is not what I would call a "coolest" reading place. At the time of the picture I believe it was 118 degrees, and that was before noon. My name is Shawn Stafford, and I'm a staff sergeant currently serving in the U.S. Army deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I have been in this hellhole now for a little over four months. During convoys I sit atop my Humvee and pull either rear or front security from camp to camp. I keep a copy of your magazine (and a picture of my wife/truck) in my Kevlar with me to read during our stops to keep me sane. No matter what situation I have found myself in (and trust me, there have been situations), I always convoy from point to point with your magazine.Staff Sgt. Shawn StaffordU.S. Army
I am 1st Sgt. Richard Rucker of the 795th Postal Company, an Army Reserve unit from Bethany, Missouri. We have been located on the abandoned Iraqi Air Force Base at Tikrit since mid April. We handle all of the mail for 4th Infantry Division and its support elements, approximately 35,000 pounds of packages and letter mail each day. We are living in old Iraqi soldiers quarters. No running water, most windows and doors are broken or missing. Definitely no A/C. It gets over 100 degrees each day and down in the high 70s or low 80s at night. We have learned to sleep in our own sweat very well. Anyway, in the photo, at left is Sgt. Garry Umphry from Bethany, Missouri, who wheels his '03 Jeep Sport. That's me in the middle, from Blythedale, Missouri, and I own and wheel a '70 Jeepster Commando, an '87 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, an '89 Jeep YJ, and an '03 Jeep Rubicon. On the right is Spc. Casey Holmes from Red Oak, Iowa, who wheels his '82 Jeep CJ and '87 Jeep YJ. As proof for your doubting mind that we are in Iraq, note the bigger-than-life mural of Saddam Hussein behind us complete with the bullet hole in the forehead.1st Sgt. Richard RuckerU.S. Army Reserve
This is my husband, Cpl. Zach School of Suring, Wisconsin. He fit a few copies of your magazine in his C-bag before leaving for active duty in Kuwait for the Marine Corps. Here's a photo of him on a small break from preparing for the war with Iraq.Tabitha School, Suring, WI
Bigfoot Street Truck IntroducedEver hankered to drive a Bigfoot monster truck on the street? Well, unless you're in the employ of Bigfoot creator Bob Chandler, that's probably not going to happen. However, if you're a fan of the prototypical car crusher, you may be interested in the Bigfoot Street Series Extreme, or SSX.
The folks at Bigfoot 4x4 in St. Louis are working with a Ford dealership in nearby Potosi, Missouri, and Superlift Suspension Systems to produce a series of Ford pickups that approximate the Bigfoot experience in street-legal form. The SSX prototype that you see here was shown for the first time at the Ford Centennial celebration in Dearborn, Michigan. Based on an F-350 Super Duty, the truck was upfitted with an 8-inch Superlift suspension system and a set of 38-inch Parnelli Jones Dirt Grip tires on Weld wheels. The truck's stock V-10 engine and powertrain were retained.
The prototype truck was built by Potosi Ford to showcase what it can do for customers who want a similar SSX pickup. Ken Jaco, Potosi's general manager, told us his store will build SSX trucks on F-250 or F-350 chassis; in regular, SuperCab or Crew Cab body styles; and with 4, 6, or 8 inches of lift, depending on customer preference (and lift laws).
For more information, contact Jaco or Chris Dicus, Potosi's performance specialist, at 573/438-2174. Or you can e-mail Jaco at ken.jaco@potosiford.com.
CalendarSept. 6-7 North Eastern U.S. Rockcrawling and Offroad Championship, Paragon Adventure Park, Hazleton, PA. Information: NEUROC, 570/384-0550, neuroc.com
Sept. 12-13 8th Annual SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, Primm, NV. Information: SCORE International, 818/225-8402, www.score-international.com