Hey, readers! We appreciate you sending in pics of your rides, and we'd like you to keep doing so, but we encourage you doing it via e-mail from now on. We can still receive 'em by snail-mail, but you'd make our lives a lot easier by sending us a submission electronically. Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file.
Please e-mail photos to:
rides@4wheeloffroad.com
Write to:
Readers' Rides 4-Wheel & Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515
Digger
Vehicle: '90 Geo Tracker
Owner: Neil Tackett
Tires: 31x9.50-15 Swamper TSL radials
Wheels: 15x8 black steel
Suspension: 11/2-inch coil spacers with front upper strut flip mount and Crown Victoria rear shocks
Drivetrain: 1.6L eight-valve engine, five-speed manual tranny, 5.13 gears
Performance: K&N air and oil filters, Calmini header, 2-inch exhaust system
Other Mods: 2-inch body lift, custom-built front bumper, skidplate/truss for front A-arm mounts, Mile Marker E3000 winch, Bosch driving lights, CB, Hi-Lift Jack, auxiliary back-up lights
Does Everything Work the Way You Want?: Yes, nothing has let me down yet
Anything You Would Change: I would've built the bumper before the body lift for better fitment
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Going for one last loop around the trails and finding a new offshoot that had a bottomless quagmire at the end of it
Climber
Vehicle: '73 Jeep CJ-5
Owner: James Cochran, Mena, AR
Tires: 36x12.50-15 Swamper TSLs
Wheels: 15-inch American Racing
Suspension: 31/2-inch Rancho, RS 5000 shocks
Drivetrain: AMC 304ci engine, T-18 manual tranny, Dana 20 transfer case, Dana 30 front axle, Dana 44 rear, 4.27 gears
Performance: Edelbrock Performer intake manifold and cam and 500-cfm carb, D.U.I. distributor
Other Mods:Chevy alternator, power brakes
Does Everything Work the Way You Want?: Yep, definitely the best is the custom hydraulic clutch and power brakes
Anything You Would Change: In hindsight, I would've put in a 4.3L Vortec instead of the 304ci V-8, and vinyl seats instead of cloth (dirt)
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Going up a loose climb totally open, while a buddy couldn't make it up with a locker
Tame Ride
Vehicle: '91 Chevy S-10
Owner: Keith Maclennan, Ithaca, MI
Tires: 40x17-15 Gumbo Monster Mudders
Wheels: 15x12 aluminum
Suspension: 4-inch, custom body lift
Drivetrain: 350ci engine, TH350 tranny, NP203 transfer case, 10-bolt front, 12-bolt rear welded up, 4.56 gears
Other Mods:All built with help from my dad
Best Mod: Keeping it light
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Watching my buddies
Range Riding
Vehicle: '88 Land Rover Range Rover
Owner: Tim Woolford, Mabelvale, AZ
Tires: 245/75/R16 Dunlop Radial Rover
Wheels: Stock alloys
Suspension: Old Man Emu springs, 2-inch spacers in front, 1-inch spacer in rear, Pro Comp shocks
Drivetrain: 3.5L aluminum V-8, ZF four-speed auto tranny
Performance: K&N air filter, replaced three catalytic converters with one
Other Mods:8,000-pound Warn winch, Garmin GPS, CB, KC lights, Hella lights
Does Everything Work the Way You Want?: Everything works great for now
Anything You Would Change: I would add taller mud tires, axle upgrades, a rear locker, and a limited-slip front diff
Fuelie Wannabe
Vehicle: '59 Jeep CJ5/M38A1
Owner: John Peterson, Elks, NV
Tires: 35x16-15 Boggers
Wheels: 15x10 white spoke
Suspension: Wheelbase stretched to 100 inches, rear XJ leaves front and rear, revolver shackles
Drivetrain: Chevy small-block V-8, NP465 four-speed manual tranny, Warn overdrive, Dana 18 transfer case, Dana 44 front with Detroit Locker, Dana 44 rear with welded diff, 5.38 gears
Performance: V-8 engine
Does Everything Work the Way You Want?: Doesn't sidehill very well
Anything You Would Change: Need to add a fuel cell and fuel injection