Dust Blower
Vehicle: '72 Chevy Blazer
Owner: Ken and Lauren Reighard, Fort Collins, CO
Tires: 35-inch BFGoodrich M-T
Wheels: Stock
Lift: 6-inch suspension
Drivetrain: Rebuilt 350ci engine with shift kit, Detroit Lockers front and rear
Performance Mods: Erson cam, Edelbrock intake, K&N air filter
Other Doodads: Custom bumpers and tire carrier, soft and hardtops, Rancho shocks
Worst Legal Violation: Trying
Best Mod: $25 paint job
Worst Mod: Dents on body
Turns Heads
Vehicle: '40 Dodge pickup Owner: Jason Dillon, Diamond, OH
Tires: 31x10.50-15 BFGoodrich M-T
Wheels: 15x811/42
Lift: Slight body lift and spring re-arch
Drivetrain: International Scout 196ci engine, four-speed tranny, front and rear posi-traction
Performance Mods: Coming soon!
Other Doodads: Custom bumpers, running boards, and snowplow
Worst Legal Violation: Driving with siren
Best Mod: Spring re-arch
Worst Mod: No V-8
Dirt Dweller
Vehicle: '92 Chevy K1500 Z71
Owner: Brad Hlinko, Bedford, VA
Tires: 39.5x18-15 Bogger
Wheels: 15x12 1/2 Super Single
Lift: 6 1/2-inch Superlift suspension, 3-inch body
Drivetrain: 350ci engine, 4.56 gears with Detroit Lockers
Performance Mods: 3-inch dual exhaust, chip, headers, K&N air filter
Other Doodads: Cowl induction hood
Worst Legal Violation: 12 inches over Virginia's legal height
Best Mod: Gears
Worst Mod: None
Dust Driver
Vehicle: '96 Ford F-350
Owner: Ben Smith, Richmond, UT
Tires: 35x12.50-16.5 Super Swamper
Wheels:16 1/2x9 3/4 Ultra
Lift: 4-inch Tuff Country EZ-Ride suspension, 2-inch reverse shackle kit
Drivetrain: 460ci engine, Detroit Locker, 4.10 gears
Performance Mods: 3-inch Cat Back system
Other Doodads: Toolbox, bedliner, tinted windows, Kenwood stereo system
Worst Legal Violation: None
Best Mod: Avoiding body lift
Worst Mod: None
Top Gun
Vehicle: '77 Jeep CJ-7
Owner: Patrick Bennett, Las Vegas, NV
Tires: 33-inch Uniroyal MT
Wheels: 15x10 steel
Lift: 5-inch homemade spring-over
Drivetrain: AMC 304, T-18 transmission, Dana 20, AMC 20 Lock-Right, Dana 30
Performance Mods: Modified rear springs, coil shocks, three-link setup
Other Doodads: $80 paint job, homemade rocksliders, tire carrier
Worst Legal Violation: Still trying
Best Mod: Spring-over, T-18
Worst Mod: Spring-over (Lot's of R&D)
Kid's Jeep
Vehicle: '70-'97 Custom CJ-5
Owner: Clay Houston, Laverkin, UT
Tires: 33x12.50-15 hand-me-downs
Wheels: 15x8 unknown
Lift: Homebuilt coil suspension
Drivetrain: 350ci engine, Dana 18 transfer case, Dana 44 rear
Performance Mods: Hedman headers
Other Doodads: Not enough room to begin
Worst Legal Violation: Driving on sidewalk
Best Mod: Suspension lift
Worst Mod: Not having enough bread to make it pretty
Axle Bender
Vehicle: '78 Ford Bronco
Owner: Toby Sieger, Aurora, CO
Tires: Super Swamper
Wheels: 15-inch unknown
Lift: 4-inch suspension
Drivetrain: 400ci engine, NP205 case
Performance Mods: Howell EFI Other Doodads: Hedman headers, Cobra CB
Worst Legal Violation: None
Best Mod: Fuel injection system
Worst Mod: Driver-side fender is now black
Forest Green
Vehicle: '70 GMC Jimmy 4x4
Owner: Bill King, Pueblo, CO
Tires: 33x9.50-15 Wild Country TRX
Wheels: Factory Rally, 3-inch trim
Lift: New springs in front, 2-inch blocks in rear
Drivetrain: 350 TH, NP205 transfer case, 3.73 Eaton Posi 12-bolt, Dana 44
Performance Mods: 383 Vortec Stroker, Edelbrock intake, Holley carb
Other Doodads: MSD ignition, K&N air filter, Dynomax headers
Worst Legal Violation: Going over the Rockies too fast
Best Mod: 383 Vortec Stroker
Worst Mod: Not doing it sooner
Call the Cops
Vehicle: '85 Ford Ranger
Owner: Danny Oldick, St. Johnsville, NY
Tires: 31-inch Fun Country
Wheels: Stock
Lift: Nope
Drivetrain: 2.8L V-6 engine, five-speed
Performance Mods: Don't think so
Other Doodads: Custom window and door mods; this truck cost me $40
Worst Legal Violation: This truck is a legal violation
Best Mod: Cutting out fenders, removing doors, selling the brakes
Worst Mod: Body mods from the rollover
Bayou Brawler
Vehicle: '94 Dodge Ram
Owner: Steve Huber, Santa Fe, TX
Tires: 295/75R-16 BFGoodrich All-Terrain
Wheels: 16x8 Center Line Sabre
Lift: Factory height
Drivetrain: 360ci V-8, NP231 case, Dana 44 front, Chrysler 9 1/4-inch rear
Performance Mods: K&N air filter, Mopar Performance computer
Other Doodads: Whatchamacallits and thingamajigs but no doodads
Worst Legal Violation: Talk to my lawyer-no comment
Best Mod: Truetrac front diff
Worst Mod: Front fender by a tree trunk while backing out of a snow drift
Submission information: All submissions to Readers' Rides must include an address or a telephone number. Include a complete list of all modifications made to the vehicle. Unfortunately, if we can make out faces of people in the photos, we cannot use them. Also, letters must be signed by the vehicle's owner. Due to the large volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot return photos. Please send submissions to: Readers' Rides, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515.