fordyce Creek Trail Ride - jason Scherer Buggy - Photo 8330054

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Jason Scherer of Alamo, California, served as our friendly Trail Fun organizer and smile distributor. Jason's Nelson & Nelson-built moon buggy uses a Fat Performance 3.0L Type IV engine with front and rear Currie 9-inch axles stuffed with ARB Air Lockers and CTM 300m axleshafts and U-joints. Thirty-seven-inch BFG Krawlers are held fast on the Alcoa wheels using Staun internal beadlocks.

Kevin Yoder leads the Trail Fun group through a portion of Fordyce Creek Trail in his '86 CJ-7. Kevin's CJ uses a small-block Chevy 350 engine and front and rear Detroit Locker-equipped Dana 44 axles. Even with the 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains, this is one of the smallest Jeeps Kevin has ever owned.

Kevin Yoder leads the Trail Fun group through a portion of Fordyce Creek Trail in his '86 CJ-7. Kevin's CJ uses a small-block Chevy 350 engine and front and rear Detroit Locker-equipped Dana 44 axles. Even with the 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains, this is one of the smallest Jeeps Kevin has ever owned.

Pirate4x4.com front man, Lance Clifford, borrowed his sister's '91 Toyota pickup for the Trail Fun. The rig has been tested on the streets of Moab and is a poster child for how to build an indestructible Toyota. A Marlin Crawler front solid-axle swap replaced the factory IFS, and a spring-over axle suspension is employed at the front and rear. Other features include 30-spline Longfields, dual Inchworm transfer cases, and 37-inch BFG Krawlers on Alcoa wheels.

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The view is spectacular from almost every point along the Fordyce Creek Trail. The immense beauty of the area and the difficulty of the trail are both reasons for the region's similarity to the Rubicon Trail. Many even refer to Fordyce as the "mini-Rubicon."

The terrain throughout Fordyce Creek Trail is mostly rocky, but various sandy washes and meadow lowlands are to be discovered as well.

Born with Jeep on the brain, Jeff Mello of Danville, California, wheels almost nothing but. Down to four slats on the grille, Jeff's comp Jeep is narrowed for tight maneuvering and rolls on 35-inch BFG Krawlers mounted to Staun internal beadlock-equipped Alcoa wheels. The propane-powered V-6 engine also features many polished internal components.

Greg Hussey's "Shocker" tube buggy is a homemade wonder crafted from junkyard parts purchased on half-price day. It uses a $100, propane-burning Chevy 350 mated to an NP465 and a flipped Dana 300. A high-pinion Dana 60 resides up front and a Corporate 14-bolt is employed at the rear.

Eric Woodworth of El Dorado Hills, California, gets his '83 Toyota 4x4 pickup a bit close to the trail's edge. With dual transfer cases, however, the rig had plenty of "slow go" to continue forward momentum without tumbling down the mountainside.

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Being the Jeep guy that he is, Jeff Mello brings at least two Jeeps to every trail ride. Here Brandon Stotsenburg and Brian Thomas of Alcoa Wheel Products take a spin in Jeff's old competition Jeep.

Still running strong in my 26th hour after the all-night dash to meet the Trail Fun crew, I exercised the 4WD&SU Project TJ through all of the obstacles without incident.

Jason Scherer of Alamo, California, served as our friendly Trail Fun organizer and smile distributor. Jason's Nelson & Nelson-built moon buggy uses a Fat Performance 3.0L Type IV engine with front and rear Currie 9-inch axles stuffed with ARB Air Lockers and CTM 300m axleshafts and U-joints. Thirty-seven-inch BFG Krawlers are held fast on the Alcoa wheels using Staun internal beadlocks.

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Jason Scherer's buggy, "Tiny," was featured on the June '03 cover of 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine with All-Pro Off-Road's Jon Bunderant behind the wheel. Here a shirtless Lance Clifford enjoys some rock play along the trail.

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The Project TJ, which pretty much goes by "Yellow" these days, is a dream to drive on the highway or the trail. Considering my sleep-deprived state for most of the day, I think it actually drove itself over a few obstacles.

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A one-time professional downhill mountain biker, current heli-skier, and all-around extreme athlete, Tom Wayes of Tahoe City, California, shows how he goes light on the throttle in his Trent Fabrication Cruiser Buggy. A Chevy 383 V-8-TH400-Atlas combined powertrain spins the 44-inch Super Swampers on a high-pinion Dana 60 front axle and a Dana 70 rear.

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Fordyce Trail local Jason Berger of Truckee, California, was at the helm of his nitrous-equipped competition rock racer. Aside from a nitrous-fed 347 stroker V-8, the buggy uses a C6 transmission and Currie/Mog portal hybrid axles to spin the 39-inch BFG Krawlers on 17x8 Alcoa wheels.

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