The Ultimate K10 rebirth looked straightforward on paper: Replace drivetrain parts that were lifted for other projects, replace the body panels with affordable repro parts, squirt on some paint, add a seat and some armor, and hit the trail. The two biggest barriers to success were taken for granted: fuel and fire. Because we wanted to get the previous gas tank out of the bed, we knew that the fuel system would need attention. But getting power to the fuel pump became an electrical rat’s nest that GM Truck Center decided was easier to fix by completely rewiring the truck rather than trying to troubleshoot all of the rodent-gnawed and “midnight auto supply” snipped wires.

Whether it’s that one bracket that fits perfectly in place or a wild idea that turns out to be the right one, small victories can make working on a project vehicle much more enjoyable. Likely one of the most rewarding moments on any project vehicle is the first drive. This month we focused on getting our ’97 Ford Ranger project vehicle moving under its own power. This meant finishing up the solid-axle conversion we started on last month and getting our new drivelines bolted in place.

FabWorx Offroad has a new solid-axle swap kit for ’01-’07 3⁄4- and 1-ton GM 4x4s that uses a four-link and track bar system to locate a solid Dana 60 where the torsion bars and A-arms used to live. This system incorporates coilover shocks for 10 to 12 inches of lift to clear massive tires (up to 40s, depending on wheel opening) . We recently upgraded our ’03 Avalanche to this setup and noticed improved ride right out of the shop. Using rebuildable 12-inch-travel, 21⁄2-inch-diameter Sway-A-Way shocks we can further fine-tune the suspension for greater high-speed control whether we’re heading to the desert for the weekend or across the barren wasteland should we encounter the zombie apocalypse in our flat-black monster truck.

Welcome to part 3 of our Ranger Rehash project. Over the past couple of months we’ve torn down the well-used ’97 Ford Ranger (Mar. ’12) and hung the new rear axle and suspension in place (Apr. ’12). This month we’re turning our attention to the front of the truck. This means getting our new front axle prepped and starting in on the solid-axle conversion.

If there is one project I’ve been working on longer than any other, it would have to be Pete’s Jeep. It’s an on-again, off-again, on-again project that just never seems to go away. Not that we would want it to, as it’s one of my favorites, but enough has been modified since the last redo that I figured it needed a good recap of recent mods.

Every project has places where you want to spend time and money and other places where you want to save. Since we’re basically starting from scratch with our ’97 Ford Ranger’s axles and suspension, we have a clean slate. It’s at these times that your imagination can run wild with ideas of mega-suspension travel and monster full-width axles. Ultimately though, you have to be realistic with yourself and what you plan on doing with your rig.

Nearly five years ago I began my stint here as feature editor. Like many of you I was a longtime reader and never could imagine that I would actually land what I truly considered to be my dream job. It wasn’t long after getting my position at the magazine that I got the opportunity to transform my completely stock ’97 Ford Ranger 4x4 into a truck capable of surviving our Ultimate Adventure. With little money and limited time I managed to convert my TTB (twin traction beam) Ranger into a solid-axle crawler in just five weeks.

Old trucks can hide surprises. Rewiring wasn’t originally on the menu for our Ultimate K10. At our project headquarters, GM Truck Center redid the fuel system (Dec. ’11) then connected the existing wiring to the new fuel pump. The truck cranked but wouldn’t fire. Troubleshooting uncovered multiple issues: wires to nowhere, snipped leads at the electric fans, an intake manifold and EFI harness that were in the early stages of removal, missing and broken gauges, rodent droppings, and more. After half a day of detective work, the unexpected upshot concluded that sorting out the existing wiring would be more time-consuming and less reliable than starting from scratch.

My first 4x4 was a Jeep CJ-5, but it is long gone. At some point last year I realized that I wanted another CJ-5. I’m not sure why since the CJ-5 isn’t everyone’s favorite Jeep. Flatfender guys hate it for its round fenders, CJ-7 guys hate it for its annoying door hump you have to climb over, YJ and TJ guys dislike the short wheelbase and less-than-plush ride, and JK guys just think it’s old. But I wanted one again, so I found the perfect CJ-5 for me.

Our Ultimate Adventure F-150 is a project to push boundaries from our other projects over the years. We started with an ’11 Ford F-150 with the new EcoBoost V-6, a groundbreaking twin-turbo, direct-injection engine designed for power and mileage. The truck was taken to Randy Ellis Design, where the body was armored and the suspension overhauled to better control the 40-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers over whatever extreme trails our Ultimate Adventure troop may encounter. Our biggest challenge was to build an independent front suspension (IFS) that would be strong enough to withstand the rocks, ruts, and roads of the UA while leading the 20-some 4x4s filled with readers, sponsors, and cronies for a week.

Our Ultimate K10 is mobile again now that fire is back in the proverbial hole. In its previous life, the truck relied on a custom in-bed aluminum fuel tank, a quick-fix way to get the K10 to the 2005 Ultimate Adventure. This 8-gallon cell served its purpose back then.

Ultimate Adventure is over. Our truck survived and made it home in one piece, but we can’t say it was easy. There was carnage, things broke, but we fixed them and kept going. In the end that is all that matters: Can you keep going?

Our Ultimate K10 is getting close to exceptional again. To bring first-time readers up-to-date, we built this ’75 Chevy for the 2005 Ultimate Adventure. It tackled some of the country’s toughest trails on 39-inch BFGs. Then the truck was parked and pillaged. Even its license plates and insurance fell to the wayside. To get this popular truck back in circulation, we are doing a budget-conscious street/trail buildup. It will ride on 37-inch Mickey Thompsons and will be able to hold its own on the trail and also spend time as a Jeep-tower .

The Ultimate Adventure is a weeklong wheeling road trip where we head to a small segment of the United States (different each year) and explore the trails and tarmac. The trip is made up of around 20 vehicles, including selected readers, sponsors, old cronies, and staff. The lead truck is our official Ultimate Adventure vehicle. For 2011 we are building a new Ford F-150 to lead our expedition of off-roading.

This story goes to press about eight weeks before Ultimate Adventure begins, but for some reason this year feels different. No, the truck isn’t finished, but maybe the reason we’re not losing sleep is because the crew at Randy Ellis Design is doing such a topnotch job. (Or maybe we just sleep less.)

All of our off-road machines are probably running more electrical gizmos, widgets, and junk than we really need. We think it has something to do with the fact that we are becoming too reliant on the fine appointments and creature comforts of the late-model vehicles we run around town in. Whatever happened to the Jeeps that only had a gas gauge, a speedometer, taillights, and headlights?

We have been teasing you with the finish of the Scrambler project for what seems like years—because it has been years! The reality of the build is that we might be a little picky. We also have a bad habit of changing things around.

Six years ago we bought, built, and thrashed a ’75 Chevy K-10 for our Ultimate Adventure in the Midwest. After years of neglect and parts pilfering, we are bringing it back to life, and a better future.

The new Ford F-150 we are building for Ultimate Adventure 2011 is in Phoenix undergoing more modifications than a Hollywood starlet past her prime. We’re giving this brand-new EcoBoost F-150 a nip, tuck, trim, wack, grind, cut, shape, slim, and chop to make it fit down whatever trail Editor Péwé takes us on this summer.

Our Ultimate K10’s worst feature is its body, which resembles an oversized, recycling-ready, crushed aluminum can. First glances often provoke gag reflexes. But this beast’s beauty is beneath the skin. (Many might argue that the rock-sculpted body panels are more aesthetically pleasing than the stock bodylines.)

It takes a lot of work to build our official Ultimate Adventure vehicle every year. We have to add big tires, recovery gear, body armor, a rollcage, and all the various and sundry tools, food, storage, and navigational equipment to lead our charge. Plus, we usually do this buildup in a matter of months (roughly three).

Last month we introduced our latest challenge, rehabbing the Ultimate K10. The truck attracted substantial attention in 2005 and 2006 then fell on hard times. Many of its premium parts were cherry-picked for other projects. In high-on-the-hog times, we might have put Old Yeller out of its misery. After all, its high-end, high-pinion Dynatrac Dana 60 frontend, Off Road Unlimited disc-braked Chevy 14-bolt rearend, and NP205 with Off-Road Design Doubler were long gone. So were the winch, Optima batteries, seats, steering column, steering box, bumpers, and more. A saner, higher-heeled approach might be to pull the RamJet 350 and TCI TH350 and put them in a truck that’s more together.

Our project white truck, a ’10 Ram 3500, is quickly earning its stripes as the go-to tool for tow and go. Six months ago we took delivery of this basic brute loaded with the 6.7L Cummins diesel and the six-speed manual transmission, a combo unmatched by other OEMs (Mar. ’11). The truck is as basic as can bevinyl seats and floors, steel wheels, painted bumpersand because of that we like it even more.

Two and a half years ago I drug home this '65 Dodge M37 military truck. It was just a shell of a truck, no engine or transmission, broken axles, and tired suspension. None of that mattered as I saw potential for a retro wheeler with a late-model drivetrain. I realized that many of you readers may have that same type of vision, so I proceeded to showcase not just how to build my M37, but how to stuff a new drivetrain into just about any old 4x4. Over the past year we've dropped in an '04 GMC 6.0L V-8 engine, late-model Dodge and Chevy axles, a steering box, shocks, and radiator designed for a Ford, and various other used parts we had lying around. The truck was called the Dumpster for all the used parts we threw in it.

Last month we took our '10 Ram 3500 to a local Dodge dealership to get some Mopar upgrades. This truck is our base-model bruiser that is earning monthly upgrades to make it more useful and off-roadable. It started as a basic ST package Ram with vinyl seats, floor mats, a Cummins diesel, and manual transmission. Last month this no-frills killer grew up a little with a Mopar leveling kit and 35-inch BFG's on the stock steel wheels.