October 2005 Readers' Rides

Submission Information:
OK, so we think some of you may not be reading this intro, and that's OK, because lots of times we wouldn't read it either. But we did make a couple of changes, including some specs, so we're including submission info so we can catch the attention of those guys (obviously not you) who never read this part. We'd really like all fields filled out, and remember to shoot your truck in the dirt, because that's the way we like to see 'em. Getting all of these things right will greatly increase your chances of getting your ride in Readers' Rides, and for those of you who don't ... well, maybe we'll run out of submissions that are correct, but not likely. For you digital-savvy photographers, please make sure the photos measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file.

Write to:
Readers' Rides 4-Wheel and Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515
fax 323.782.2704

E-mail to:
jerrod.jones@primedia.com

Submission Information

Click HERE for a Readers' Ride submission form in MS Word format.

Click HERE for a Readers' Ride submission form in Adobe PDF format.

Stealth Cruiser
Vehicle: 1976 Toyota Land Cruiser
OWNER: Bob Lacourse, Alamogordo, NM
TIRES & WHEELS: 33x12.50-15 General Grabbers on 15x9 wagon wheels
SUSPENSION: 4-inch BTB leaves, front shackle reversal, Rancho 9000 shocks
DRIVETRAIN: Chevy 350ci, TH350, stock transfer case, stock axles, Tom Woods driveshafts
PERFORMANCE MODS: Power steering, rear disc brakes
OTHER DOODADS: Custom seats, Tuffy center console, Optima red- and blue-top batteries, Ron Francis wiring harness
FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: [Maybe wanting to go to work instead of wheel? -Ed.]
DOES EVERYTHING WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: [Probably not fast enough for him. -Ed.]
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Put on 35s and MT Classic II wheels

Red
Vehicle: 1992 Chevy Silverado K1500
OWNER: Will Morris, Fort Worth, TX
TIRES & WHEELS: 33x12.50-16 Pathfinder All-Terrains on 16-inch stock wheels
SUSPENSION: Stock
DRIVETRAIN: Stock
PERFORMANCE MODS: Summit cam, Flowmaster exhaust, Summit headers
OTHER DOODADS: Grilleguard, Ranchero rear bumper, Husky toolbox

Where'd It Go?
Vehicle: 1986 Suzuki Samurai
OWNER: Tony Lake, Pickering, Ontario, Canada
TIRES & WHEELS: 35x12.50-15 Goodyear MTRs
SUSPENSION: Spring-over-axle conversion
DRIVETRAIN: 4.16:1 transfer-case gears, 5.13 axle gears
PERFORMANCE MODS: Centerforce clutch
OTHER DOODADS: 3-inch body lift, steel front and rear bumpers, Sidekick seats
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Put on rear disc brakes and power steering

Cornhusker
Vehicle: 1999 Jeep Cherokee
OWNER: Scott Brayshaw, Westminster, CO
TIRES & WHEELS: 35x12.50-16 Interco TrXus on 16x8 Mickey Thompson Classic IIs
SUSPENSION: Rusty's long-arm kit, 6-inch coils and adjustable coil spacers, 6-inch leaf packs and longer shackles, Rusty's shocks, JKS antisway-bar disconnect
DRIVETRAIN: 4.0L engine, five-speed manual tranny, Dana 30 front with ARB locker, Chrysler 81/4 rear with Trac-Lok, 4.56 gears, Tom Woods driveshafts
OTHER DOODADS: Warn 8,000-pound winch, ARB and TJM bumpers, Cobra CB, KC lights, Optima YellowTop battery, Rusty's diff covers, Rusty's fender flares
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Maybe putting 35s on since it made everything so easy

Your Daughter May be In Here
Vehicle: 1989 Ford E-350 Van
OWNER: Steve Filla, St. Louis, MO
TIRES & WHEELS: 33-inch Dunlop Mud Rovers on American Racing wheels
SUSPENSION: F-150 4-inch lift and complete suspension
DRIVETRAIN: 302ci engine, AOD auto tranny, Borg-Warner transfer case, Dana 44 front, Ford 9-inch rear, 3.55 gears
PERFORMANCE MODS: What performance?
OTHER DOODADS: TV, VCR, Nintendo system
FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: All the attention a 4WD van gets on the trail
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Too tall for my 4-year-old daughter to climb into

Blood Mud
Vehicle: 1987 GMC Suburban
OWNER: Bill "Yankee1" Beard, Bonaire, GA
TIRES & WHEELS: 35x12.50-15 BFGoodrich All-Terrains on 15x10 Pacer Bullets
SUSPENSION: Custom 7-inch lift, with four shocks at each corner
DRIVETRAIN: 350TBI engine, 700R4 auto tranny
PERFORMANCE MODS: Flowmaster dual exhaust
OTHER DOODADS: 300-watt stereo, Cobra CB
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Swap in a crate engine and new tranny

SLO 4Runner
Vehicle: 1993 Toyota 4Runner
OWNER: Mike Watkins, San Luis Obispo, CA
TIRES & WHEELS: 33x12.50-15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains on 15x10 Xtreme Alloys
SUSPENSION: Superlift 4-inch lift, FROR antisway-bar disconnects
DRIVETRAIN: 3VZ-E V6, A340 auto tranny, IFS 7.5-inch open front differential, 8-inch Toyota rear with Lock-Right
PERFORMANCE MODS: Flowmaster muffler, K&N air intake, Optima red top
OTHER DOODADS: Custom sliders, custom transfer-case skid, Aisin manual hubs, Bushwhacker fender flares, Trenz grille, PIAA 1400 lights, Midland CB
FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: Taking it out with a new lift and sinking it up to the doors in a mudhole
DOES EVERYTHING WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: For the most part, yeah, it does the job
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: I wish I wouldn't have wasted the money on an IFS kit now that I want a solid axle

Beefy Blazer
Vehicle: 1987 Chevy S-10 Blazer
OWNER: Jason Perkins, Lynwood, WA
TIRES & WHEELS: 37-inch Swamper SSRs
SUSPENSION: Custom solid-axle swap with coil springs, spring-over axle conversion in rear with 2-inch blocks
DRIVETRAIN: 350ci engine, TCI 700R4 auto tranny, NP231 transfer case with slip-yoke eliminator, Dana 30 front with chrome moly axles and Powertrax locker, Dana 60 rear with Detroit Locker
PERFORMANCE MODS: Hedman Hedders, MSD ignition, 140-amp alternator, 0.484 lift cam, aluminum radiator, custom bumpers (rear doubles as air tank)
OTHER DOODADS: Mile Marker 9,000-pound winch

Blue Bomber
Vehicle: 1989 Toyota pickup
OWNER: Nicholas Baker, Beaver Falls, PA
TIRES & WHEELS: 32x11.50-15 BFGoodrich All-Terrains on 15x10 Eagle Stars
SUSPENSION: Stock
DRIVETRAIN: Stock
OTHER DOODADS: APC off-road lights, 200-watt PA system, a prerunner bar
DOES EVERYTHING WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: The PA system is not as loud as I would like
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: I'd change the axles and get a bigger engine

Cold Ride
Vehicle: 1996 Dodge Ram
OWNER: Zac Vossos, Petawawa, Ontario, Canada
TIRES & WHEELS: 285/75/R16 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains on stock alloys
SUSPENSION: Stock (for the moment)
DRIVETRAIN: Dana 44 front, Chrysler 9.25 rear, 3.55 gears
PERFORMANCE MODS: Magnaflow exhaust
DOES EVERYTHING WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: Solid, tough as nails, though the tranny won't shift into overdrive if below -25 degrees C
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Lift it 5 inches, put some 37s on black steelies, gear it, put some real bumpers on, and maybe a crate motor

Li'l Slinger
Vehicle: 1985 Chevy S-10
OWNER: Jason J. Gerrior, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada
TIRES & WHEELS: 31x10.50-15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains
SUSPENSION: 21/2-inch suspension
DRIVETRAIN: 305ci engine, stock S-10 tranny and transfer case, 4.10 gears
PERFORMANCE MODS: Bigger cam and drilled-out carb
OTHER DOODADS: 2-inch body lift
FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: Hooking up to a chain to pull out and realizing it wasn't in 4WD
ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE: Change the way my exhaust comes out behind the rear tire