Classic 1-Ton
Vehicle: '57 Ford F-350 4x4
Owner: Mark Bellinger, Elmira, NY
Tires & wheels: 44x18.50-16.5 Ground Hawgs on 16.5x12 Eaton wheels
Suspension: Skyjacker 4-inch springs and shocks
Drivetrain: 390ci V-8, '57 F-350 four-speed with F600 clutch and flywheel, NP205 transfer case, high-pinion Dana 60 front with limited-slip diff, rear Dana 60 with limited-slip diff, 4.10 gears
Other Doodads: Power-assist steering with Rockram, 8,000-pound PTO Tulsa winch
Does everything work the way you want?: Works great
Anything you would change: Maybe a lower ring-and-pinion combo
Another Cheap Truck Winner
Vehicle: '81 Ford Bronco
Owner: Chris Harrington, Nipomo, CA
Tires & wheels: 37x13.50 Mickey Thompson Baja Claws for $400
Suspension: Rancho 4-inch lift with extended radius arms
Drivetrain: 302ci V-8 engine, Dana 44 TTB front, Ford 9-inch rear, 3.54 gears
Performance Mods: Holley carb and K&N air filter
Other Doodads: Bully bar in front, cut fenders and sewer piping Sawzall'd to fit on the fenders
Anything to add?: I got it for $700 with a 4-inch lift and extended radius arms, and I bet I could keep up with all your magazine cheap trucks!
Pic of the Month
Escape From The Zoo
Vehicle: '93 Isuzu Rodeo
Owner: Mike Bantz, Erie, CO
Tires & wheels: 35x12.50-15 Goodyear MTRs on 15-inch steel
Suspension: Wagoneer leaves
Drivetrain: Teralow 3.07 transfer-case gear conversion, Chevy Dana 44 front and rear factory Dana 44 packed with 5.13 gears
Performance Mods: K&N air filter
Other Doodads: M8000 winch
Funniest wheeling incident: Snapping two CVs and making a date with a plasma cutter
Anything you would change: The stock tranny
Anything to add?: There's a bunch of us miscreants who can't figure out how to 'wheel anything other than an Isuzu. How about givin' us some love? Thanks, and keep up the good work.
Not Quite A Rockcrawler
Vehicle: '48 Willys Overland Jeepster
Owner: John Maguire, Ontario, CA Tires & wheels: P235/75/R15 street tires on plain ol' everyday steel wheels with "beauty rings"
Suspension: Rancho 2 1/2-inch lift, 6-inch long shackles
Drivetrain: 327ci Chevy V-8, T-90 tranny, Dana 18 transfer case with Saturn overdrive, 4.27 gears, and whatever could be salvaged from a '55 Jeep pickup
Other Doodads: Dolphin electronic instrumentation, Ford radiator with three electric fans
Funniest wheeling incident: Being passed on the freeway by a Cal Trans street sweeper when I had 5.38 gears
Anything to add?: It was hard trying to turn an antique touring car into a reliable 4x4
Blaster
Vehicle: '81 Dodge Power Ram
Owner: Derek Rose, Casco, MI
Tires & wheels: 44-inch Boggers on 16x5x10 Rockcrawler steel wheels
Suspension: Custom 8-inch front leaves with 2 1/2-inch drop shackles, custom link to eliminate axlewrap, 6-inch Skyjacker spring rear, custom shackle flip in rear, Skyjacker shocks
Drivetrain: 360ci V-8, 727 TorqueFlite tranny, divorced NP205 transfer case, Dana 60 front axle with Detroit Truetrac, rear Dana 60 with disc brakes and Detroit Locker, 5.13 gears
Performance Mods: Edelbrock intake manifold and carb, Comp cams, Hedman headers, MSD Off Road ignition and coil
Other Doodads: Corbeau seats and five-point harnesses, stainless steel dash, military toggle switches, Bushwhacker cut-out fender flares, frame sandblasted and coated with POR 15
Funniest wheeling incident: Every time I pull out my brother's Ford
Does everything work the way you want?: Everything works flawlessly, no axlewrap, no broken U-joints, and it handles pretty well
Anything you would change: I should've worked two jobs so I could've thrown in a big-block
Anything to add?: I did 95% of the work myself, and I beat the snot out of this thing
Severe-Duty Sport Trac
Vehicle: '01 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Owner: John Johnstone, Houston, TX Tires & wheels: 35-inch Goodyear MTRs on American Racing 767
Suspension: Spring-over axle conversion in rear
Drivetrain: Stock engine and auto tranny, Powertrax Lock-Right lockers front and rear, 4.10 gears
Other Doodads: 3-inch body lift, rocksliders, homemade snorkel, Hanneman fiberglass fenders
Funniest wheeling incident: The time I bent the tie rod 90 degrees. Wait, that wasn't funny...
Does everything work the way you want?: Not the front end, IFS does not need the antisway bar removed