Do you pay $35,000 for a new Chevy tow rig or make your own out of this $750 beater? Scored goodies included a four-bolt 350, an SM465 tranny, an NP205 case, a Dana 44 front axle, and a Detroit-Locked 14-bolt with 4.10 gears. Add a monster big-block, Gear Vendor’s Overdrive, a Dynatrac Dana 60 front axle, replace the interior, stereo, and do some bodywork, and you’d still be under $35,000.Do you pay $35,000 for a new Chevy tow rig or make your own out of this $750 beater? Score Two rigs that haul 17,500 pounds. If you’re handy, you’ll build the monster on the top, load your trail rig on the back, and legally haul at 75 mph. If your wallet is more impressive than your fabrication skills, call up J&J Enterprises (909/628-5679) for one of its “Double-J Haulers” (second photo). The upscale F-550 goes for a cool $55,000-$60,000, but damn, you’d be styling.Two rigs that haul 17,500 pounds. If you’re handy, you’ll build the monster on t Having an 875-horse big-block built can run you upwards of $17,000. And then it will be only marginally streetable. If you’ve got the knowledge, why not build a monster out of a GM crate 502? We popped a photo of this twin turbo, fuel-injected, 900hp beast that’s mounted in a boat. But it would feel right at home in your mud truck.Having an 875-horse big-block built can run you upwards of $17,000. And then it will be on If you can change your oil you can probably rebuild an NP205 (first photo). While you can’t buy anything new with one of these iron giants anymore, you can still find them everywhere in used trucks and junkyards. For many rigs they’re the ultimate in strength and give just enough low range for mud or sand running. If you find an Atlas II (second photo) in the junkyard, let us start taking you to Vegas with us because you’re the luckiest person on earth.If you can change your oil you can probably rebuild an NP205 (first photo). While you can& Way back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and Raquel Welch was still a babe, the question of whether its better to build or buy first arose. And to this day, one clear answer has failed to materialize. It comes down to this: cut, hack, chop, and weld yourself, or have somebody else do it for you. And, yes, somebody else includes the factories. We dont care if youre talking trail rig, mud whomper, or tow rig. There are a hundred different permutations for each type of vehicle, but were only interested in whats worked for you. Thats why were asking for you to show us your perfect drivetrain. Send us a photo of your rig (color print or high-quality digital) with a description of your engine, tranny, transfer case, and axles. Also, tell us how you primarily use your vehicle and how much youve got invested in the package to get it to where it is. Those we use will get a shiny new 4-Wheel & Off-Road license plate to hang on their front bumper or use as currency in certain Third World countries. Send entries to: Perfect Drivetrain, Readers Rides, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, or e-mail them to hazelc@primediacmmg.com. Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
