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Custom 1999 Gmc 2500 Wheeling - Photo 56429384

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  • When we weren’t running around taking photos, we rode in Stephen Watson’s way cool ’99 GMC 2500. Watson, owner of Offroad Design, knows a thing or two about building GM trucks and his rig is the poster child for how capable a fullsize truck can be. It has 454ci power, a NV4500 transmission, Offroad Design Magnum two-speed gearbox mated to a NP205 T-case, Dana 60 front axle, 14-bolt rear axle, ARB Air Lockers, King remote-reservoir shocks, 40-inch tires, and a custom Offroad Design bed. fw
When we weren’t running around taking photos, we rode in Stephen Watson’s way cool ’99 GMC 2500. Watson, owner of Offroad Design, knows a thing or two about building GM trucks and his rig is the poster child for how capable a fullsize truck can be. It has 454ci power, a NV4500 transmission, Offroad Design Magnum two-speed gearbox mated to a NP205 T-case, Dana 60 front axle, 14-bolt rear axle, ARB Air Lockers, King remote-reservoir shocks, 40-inch tires, and a custom Offroad Design bed. fw
Darren Jackson, a firefighter by trade, says that he and his wife built this ’79 Blazer in their garage. “Simple home-built rig that works,” Jackson says. It has a 350ci V-8, SM465 transmission, Offroad Design Magnum two-speed gearbox mated to a NP205 T-case, disc brake-equipped 14-bolt rear axle, Chevy Dana 60 front axle with 35-spline stub shafts, Detroit Lockers and 4.56 gears in both axles, PSC hydro-assist steering, 3-inch-lift custom Offroad Design front springs, rear 63-inch springs with homemade shackle flip, Hummer H1 double-beadlock wheels, and 37-inch-diameter Goodyear Wrangler MT tires. Jackson says he cut off the half-cab and welded on the windshield of an earlier Blazer so he could use the full convertible top and doors. He also cut off approximately 8 inches of the rocker panels and added 2x6-inch, 0.250-inch-wall tubing “for better strength.” Other mods include a full rollcage, suspension seats, five-point restraints, a homemade tire carrier, and a Warn 8274 winch with Master Pull rope. At Top Truck Challenge 2006, we learned that Robert Boggio isn’t afraid to put his ’86 Chevy S-10 in precarious positions. We also learned that he’s able to dominate situations like that. Boggio was one of three past TTC competitors to come out and hit the trail with us in Moab, and he carried on the tradition of putting his S-10 on tough obstacles. In this case, he wisely chose to use a strap to counterbalance the tall Chevy on White Knuckle Hill. Darren Jackson, a firefighter by trade, says that he and his wife built this ’79 Blazer in their garage. “Simple home-built rig that works,” Jackson says. It has a 350ci V-8, SM465 transmission, Offroad Design Magnum two-speed gearbox mated to a NP205 T-case, disc brake-equipped 14-bolt rear axle, Chevy Dana 60 front axle with 35-spline stub shafts, Detroit Lockers and 4.56 gears in both axles, PSC hydro-assist steering, 3-inch-lift custom Offroad Design front springs, rear 63-inch springs with homemade shackle flip, Hummer H1 double-beadlock wheels, and 37-inch-diameter Goodyear Wrangler MT tires. Jackson says he cut off the half-cab and welded on the windshield of an earlier Blazer so he could use the full convertible top and doors. He also cut off approximately 8 inches of the rocker panels and added 2x6-inch, 0.250-inch-wall tubing “for better strength.” Other mods include a full rollcage, suspension seats, five-point restraints, a homemade tire carrier, and a Warn 8274 winch with Master Pull rope. Those with a keen eye will notice that even though it’s not flashy, there’s a lot going on with the exterior of Todd Farrand’s ’05 Dodge Ram 2500HD. Farrand, owner of Mercenary Offroad, removed the factory emblems, custom-cut the bedsides and front fenders, added a Mercenary Offroad A-bomb front bumper with Warn 12,000-pound winch, and mounted a set of 41.5-inch-tall Pit Bull Rocker tires on TrailReady beadlock wheels. There’s also a lot going on that you can’t see. The 5.9L Cummins turbodiesel engine has a Banks PowerPack tuner, Industrial Injection injectors, and a Bully Dog air intake kit. The rear axle is fitted with an ARB Air Locker, Mercenary Offroad plate diff cover, and 4.56 gears, while the front axle has PSC hydro-assist steering, 4.56 gears, and a Mercenary Offroad plate diff cover. It’s always fun to watch Dirk Phillips wheel his ’83 Chevy Silverado. He knows his truck and he throws it around like it was a narrow, short wheelbase rig. Each time we see his Chevy it has undergone a few more mods that seem to make it even more capable. This time around was no exception. Charlie Bennett’s ’77 GMC pickup was loaded with proven parts. The rig sports a 350ci V-8, Holley Truck Avenger carburetor, SM465 transmission, NP205 T-case, 14-bolt rear axle with Detroit Locker, Dana 44 front axle with chromoly axleshafts and a Detroit Locker, 4.11 gears, 4-inch Rough Country leaf-spring suspension with rear shackle flip, 17x8 Pro Comp wheels, and 37x12.50 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 tires. Inside, there’s a rollcage that he built for around $300. Jamey Holyoak found himself in a bit of a pickle on the Escalator obstacle on the Hell’s Revenge trail. His ’76 Chevy pickup was in a position that many have found themselves in over the years. But that’s the nice thing about wheeling with a friendly group, they’ll help get you out. At one point, there were three winches fastened to the Chevy including a line from Four Wheeler Editor John Cappa’s Jeep J2000. This unassuming but very cool ’99 GMC Yukon was driven by Anthony Brawner, owner of Hardcore Fab. The rig has a 350ci V-8, 4L60E transmission, NP241 T-case, Hardcore Fab Rock Rammer bumpers, Hardcore Fab rock sliders, “old” steel wheels with Hardcore Fab Ripper beadlocks, and 38.5-inch Interco Super Swamper TSL SX tires. An early ‘80s Dana 60 front axle with Detroit Locker and Hardcore Fab high-steer is held in place by a Hardcore Fab Solid Axle Swap Kit. Out back is a 14-bolt axle that is fitted with a Detroit Locker and 4.56 gears. We wheeled with Mickey Main at Moab in 2012 and learned that he bought his Chevy to mud race but found out he liked rocks more. He was back again in 2013, still on the rocks, and still having fun.
Christopher Hufstetler’s ’84 M1009 K5 Blazer was a blast to watch on the trail. It still sports the 6.2L diesel, TH400 transmission, and NP208 T-case. However, the 10-bolt axles were pitched and replaced with a 14-bolt rear axle and a Dana 60 front axle. Both axles have ARB Air Lockers and 4.56 gears among other upgrades. Hufstetler swapped in modified 56-inch M1008 front leaf springs and 64-inch rear leaf springs from an ’08 2WD Chevy truck. Other mods include hydraulic-assist steering, long-travel shocks, Raceline Comet wheels, 37-inch tires, rock sliders, Offroad Design front bumper, Bushwacker fender flares, and a 12,000-pound Warn winch. We’ll have a full feature on this rig in an upcoming issue. We wheeled with Kevin Mackie at EJS 2012 and he was back again in 2013 with his incredible 7.3L Power Stroke-powered ’69 Kaiser M715. Behind the wheel of his unique rig he made even the toughest obstacles look easy. It may be a ’97 Chevy S-10 extended cab body, but the rest of it is built like a fullsize truck. We wheeled with Dan Wright at EJS 2012 and we got to wheel with him again this year. The truck is showing some battle scars after a year of wheeling, but they haven’t affected the truck’s performance. Wright always pilots the truck on the toughest sections including the infamous hot tubs on the Hell’s Revenge trail, where he put on quite a show. Mitch Kleinstein’s ’93 Toyota pickup isn’t a fullsize truck, nor does it have 1-ton running gear. What it does have is an incredibly flexy suspension, beefy Toyota axles, and a mind-boggling number of cool mods ranging from trail protection to occupant protection to tool storage. This ’yota made even the toughest obstacles look insignificant, and it looked good doing it. We’ll have a feature on this rig in an upcoming issue. When we weren’t running around taking photos, we rode in Stephen Watson’s way cool ’99 GMC 2500. Watson, owner of Offroad Design, knows a thing or two about building GM trucks and his rig is the poster child for how capable a fullsize truck can be. It has 454ci power, a NV4500 transmission, Offroad Design Magnum two-speed gearbox mated to a NP205 T-case, Dana 60 front axle, 14-bolt rear axle, ARB Air Lockers, King remote-reservoir shocks, 40-inch tires, and a custom Offroad Design bed. fw Bryan Howell, owner of Power Products Unlimited, wasn’t afraid to put his ’12 Ford F-250 “Raptor SD” in even the most challenging places. Howell says the truck was built as a “heavy-duty Raptor,” and was a joint collaboration between Off-Road Power Products and Hazzard Fab Worx. Mods include Fiberwerx fenders and bedsides, a Warn 16.5ti winch, Titan fuel tank, Rigid Industries light bars, 17-inch Method Double Standard wheels, 40-inch-diameter Toyo Open County M/T tires, and custom decals by JK2 Detailing and Designer Decal. Engine mods to the 6.7L Power Stroke turbodiesel engine include an H&S Performance tuner and cold air intake and Flo-Pro exhaust. Suspending the truck is a flexy and tough Carli/King/Icon suspension system.
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