37. Jeffrey Johnson
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
'82 Chevrolet
If Jeffrey's truck really started life as a C10, as he said, he's grafted on the T-case and front-driving pieces
Engine: Chevrolet 350 V-8
Transmission: SM465
Transfer case: NP205
Axles (f/r): Dana 60/GM 14-bolt
Traction aids (f/r): Welded/welded
Ratio: 5.13:1
Suspension (f/r): 4-inch leaf spring/3/4-ton leaf springs minus overload with shackle flip
Tires: 39.5-inch Boggers
Special features: Garage-fabbed bed and fenders; 9,000-pound Superwinch
Driver experience: "12 years with some dry spells."
Cool: Sometimes these plain-Jane rigs can fool you.
38. Eric Nelson
Reno, Nevada
'79 Jeep CJ-7
Eric has built some pretty cool features into his CJ. We'd guess years of running the Rubicon will teach you a few things.
Engine: Ford 4.6L DOHC V-8
Transmission: T98
Transfer case: Dana 20 with PTO
Axles (f/r): Currie 9-inch/Currie high-pinion 9-inch
Traction aids (f/r): Full spool/full spool
Ratio: 4.88:1
Suspension (f/r): Skyjacker 2-inch Softride with spring-over conversion and shackle-reversal, dual Rancho RS 9000 shocks/Skyjacker 2-inch Softride with spring-over conversion, Rancho RS 9000 shocks
Tires: 35x16-15 Boggers on M/T Classic wheels with Champion bead locks
Special features: Wheelbase extended 3 inches, Ramsey PTO winch in front, Ramsey electric 8,000-pound winch in rear, AGR steering box, Sam's Offroad steering bracket and pitman arm, chrome-moly tie rods sleeved with 1 1/4-inch tubing and 3/4-inch Heim joints, custom crossover steering, Currie 1350 yokes front and rear, long-travel front driveshaft, CO2 tank behind seats
Driver experience: 16 years
Cool: Rock-ready suspension and axles matched with a late-model Mustang engine. Interesting.
39. Chuck Kammer
Murrieta, California
'48 Willys CJ-2A
This is not your garden-variety flat fender. Check out that articulation!
Engine: Fuel-injected Chevy 350 V-8
Transmission: 700-R4
Transfer case: Atlas 4.3
Axles (f/r): Dana 44/Dana 60
Traction aids (f/r): ARB/Detroit Locker
Ratio (f/r): 5.14:1/5.86:1
Suspension (f/r): Leaf spring, air shocks/three-quarter elliptical springs and 4-link, air shocks
Tires (f/r): 39-inch Super Swampers/44-inch Super Swampers
Special features: Warn 8,000-pound winch, the baby seat tethered to the back
Driver experience: Eight years
Questionable: A baby seat?!?
40. Kent Key
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
'89 Jeep Wrangler
This could be one of those "wolf in sheep's clothing" Jeeps. Check out the specs.
Engine: Chevrolet ZZ3 350 V-8 crate motor
Transmission: Jet Performance 700-R4
Transfer case: Atlas 3.8:1
Axles (f/r): Dana 44R/Currie high-pinion 9-inch
Traction aids (f/r): ARB/Detroit Locker
Ratio: 4.56:1
Suspension (f/r): Warn Extreme coil link/same
Tires: 35x12.50-15 Super Swamper Radial SSRs
Special features: Warn 9000i winch on Tomken stubby front bumper and winch mount, Currie rocker guards, Power Tank CO2 bottle
Driver experience: 18 years, though he's only been driving the Jeep for about a year after its 4 1/2-year buildup.
Cool: Soon to come are 37-inch Swampers on bead-lock wheels.
41. Robert Lane
Kennesaw, Georgia
'86 Chevrolet K30 pickup
Robert says he built his truck to "do it all," not just rockcrawling or mud whomping.
Engine: Chevrolet 454 V-8 with a Comp Cams RV cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum heads, Edelbrock Q-Jet carb
Transmission: TH400 with a 3:1 First gear
Transfer case: NP205
Axles (f/r): Dana 60 with 35-spline outers/GM 14-bolt
Traction aids (f/r): Detroit Locker/Detroit Locker
Ratio: 5.13:1
Suspension (f/r): 3-inch Rancho leaf springs/2 1/2-inch Skyjacker leaf springs
Tires: 44x18.5-16.5 Ground Hawgs
Special features: Wheelbase shortened to 110 inches from 131.5, Klune-V crawler, 1410 U-joints, 15,000-pound Warn winch in the bed that works out the front or the back
Driver experience: "Since 1973-before it was 'in.'"
Questionable: Robert claims the 44s "tuck nicely in the fenderwells," but we're not so sure.
42. Michael L. Holtz
Ann Arbor, Michigan
'78 Ford Bronco
"This baby moves and dominates the dunes," says Michael. But can it cut TTC?
Engine: Original 400M V-8 with 68,000 miles on it, fitted with an Edelbrock intake, Holley 750 carb, mild Crane cam, Black Jack headers, and dual exhaust
Transmission: Four-speed manual with granny low First
Transfer case: NP205
Axles (f/r): Dana 60/Dana 60
Traction aids (f/r): Open/Detroit Locker
Ratio: 5.13:1
Suspension (f/r): 10-inch coil springs, dual Rancho RS 5000s, limiting straps, quick-release sway bar/lowered and narrowed spring mounts, flipped shackles, custom leaves, single Rancho RS 5000s
Tires: 44x19-16.5 Boggers
Special features: Warn multi-mount winch, homemade link bars with Heim joints in rear, "large assortment of recovery tools, tow straps, Hi-Lift jack, an air tank and spares."
Driver experience: 15 years; owned the Bronco for 10
Questionable: Open front diff, stock T-case, and check out the tire-to-fender clearance.
43. Wayne McGoldrick
Croydon, Pennsylvania
'86 Chevy S-10
Wayne has built one serious muddin' Chevy here, but without a winch, he's dead in the water.
Engine: Chevy 350 V-8
Transmission: SM420
Transfer case: Divorced NP205
Axles (f/r): Dana 60/GM 14-bolt
Traction aids (f/r): Open/"Lincoln Locker"
Ratio: 4.10:1
Suspension (f/r): 12-inch leaf springs
Tires: 44-inch Boggers on 14-inch steel wheels
Special features: 9-inch body lift, fuel cell, four-point harnesses
Driver experience: Six years
Questionable: Where's your winch, Wayne? That snatch strap isn't gonna get you very far.
44. Chris Ellsworth
Phoenix, Arizona
'85 Toyota 4Runner
Ah, a 4Runner from back in the days when it was really a pickup with a 'glass shell over the back seat. But Toyota never made 'em quite like this.
Engine: 22R-E with K&N filter, Downey header and Flowmaster exhaust
Transmission: Stock five-speed
Transfer case: Marlin Crawler 4.70:1
Axles (f/r): Stock Toyota 8-inch/stock Toyota 8-inch
Traction aids (f/r): Lock-Right/Lock-Right
Ratio: 5.29:1
Suspension (f/r): 3-inch Tuff Country springs with extended shackles, Rancho RS 5012 shocks/6-inch Superlift springs with Revolver shackles, Rancho RS 5012 shocks
Tires: 38.5x14.5-15 Super Swamper TSL SX
Special features: Full eight-point rollcage, Warn 8274 winch, Warn premium hubs, Land Cruiser vented brake rotors with IFS calipers
Driver experience: Over 20 years
Questionable: If only it had more than the stock driveline, complete with four-banger, in it.
45. Tim Miller
Two Harbors, Minnesota
'96 Jeep Cherokee
A nice XJ with some, but not all, of the right stuff.
Engine: Jeep 4.0L I-6 with Extrude Honed intake and Flowmaster exhaust
Transmission: Stock
Transfer case: Atlas II 4.3
Axles (f/r): Dana 30/Chrysler 8.25
Traction aids (f/r): ARB/ARB
Ratio: 4.56:1
Suspension (f/r): Custom 10-inch lift/custom 10-inch lift
Tires: 35x14.5-15 Boggers
Special features: AGR Rock Ram steering, Borgeson steering shaft, Warn 9,000-pound winch, ARB snorkel, ARB front bumper
Driver experience: Five years
Questionable: We think that the Top Truck Challenge would use this Jeep's light-duty axles as toothpicks.