1988 GMC Jimmy: From Craigslist To A-List

From Craigslist To A List Gmc Jimmy Front Three Quarter

Building a fullsize rig for rocks and tight trails comes with its own set of challenges, especially if you wish to keep the body intact. Wade addressed these issues by narrowing the front clip 12 inches and boatsiding the body 9 inches. A custom Hardline front bumper offers a stout antidote to trail damage and it’s made from 2-inch-diameter, 0.188-inch-wall tubing and it has an integrated stinger, skidplate, and D-rings. Helping generate height and traction is a set of 37x12.50R15 Goodyear MT/R tires that are mounted to 10-inch-wide Cragar D Window wheels with ¼-inch-thick Copperhead Fabrication rim stiffeners. DuPont calls the color of the rig Buckskin, but Wade calls it “Hot Dog Bun Yellow.”

Building a fullsize rig for rocks and tight trails comes with its own set of challenges, e

Aspontaneous decision to ride with a friend on the Rubicon Trail was the catalyst for the creation of this incredible ’88 GMC Jimmy. You see, Reno, Nevada, resident Dee Wade had never been on the Rubicon up to that point and what he experienced had a huge impact. “It changed my life,” he says of the two-day experience.

From Craigslist To A List Front Suspension

The front suspension is a simple, yet flexy setup that uses Chevy pickup rear-application 52-inch leaf springs. Wade rebuilt the spring packs and installed polyurethane bushings at the ends and strips of 1⁄8-inch-thick Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) polyethylene between each leaf to help eliminate binding and squeaking. He also moved the spring packs forward 2½ inches. He fabbed custom mounts and increased the bolt size at the upper shackle hanger from 7⁄16- to 9⁄16- inch. Other suspension components consist of 15-inch-travel Edelbrock piggyback-reservoir shocks and Pro Comp limiting straps.

The front suspension is a simple, yet flexy setup that uses Chevy pickup rear-application

Wade, a heavy equipment mechanic, was hooked after running the Rubicon and he wanted to return with his own rig. Problem was, he didn’t have a rig that was Rubicon-ready. Now when most people think of a Rubicon-ready rig they think of something small and compact. Not Wade. This Chevy fan trolled Craigslist and found a fullsize ’88 Jimmy that was minimally modified with a 4-inch lift and a brand-new set of 35s. He liked what he saw, shelled out $2,800 for the rig, and took it home. “I wheeled it for about a week and decided that the 10-bolt rearend had to go. I swapped in a semi-floating 14-bolt, then came a locker, then some bumpers and sliders,” he says. With these mods he drove the Jimmy over the Rubicon for the first time. After that, things really took off. Wade, a competent fabricator as well as mechanic, began a full-on buildup of the Jimmy, using many parts he created at his part-time venture, Hardline Metal Works. This culminated with the Jimmy being driven over the Rubicon for a second time.

Since then, the rig has seen a lot of trail time and undergone even more mods. We ran into Wade and his rig in Johnson Valley, California, where we had a chance to see the rig in action. Its capabilities put it on the A-list of off-highway vehicles.

A Chevy Dana 60 axle resides up front and this kingpin-equipped axle has been regeared with 5.13:1 ratio Yukon cogs. It also has a Detroit Locker, Warn manual locking hubs, and a Dynatrac diff cover. The 5.13s are spun by a Bayshore Truck Equipment custom front driveshaft made from 2-inch-diameter, 0.250-inch-wall tubing and it has a 1350 CV and U-joints. Wade aims the big 37-inch Goodyear’s with a stout, high-mount steering system that consists of a Chevy power steering box from a two-wheel-drive truck fitted with a Wrangler YJ pitman arm, an Offroad Design drag link and tie rod (with Chevy 1-ton ends), and Off Road Design high-steer arms. There’s also a Pro Comp ES3000 steering stabilizer.
A Chevy Dana 60 axle resides up front and this kingpin-equipped axle has been regeared wit
The rear axle is a full-float 14-bolt that has 1-inch shaved off the housing to enhance ground clearance. Like the front axle it sports 5.13 gears and a Dynatrac diff cover. The brake calipers and rotors are from a Chevy 3/4-ton truck. Bayshore Truck Equipment made the 3-inch-diameter, 0.250-inch-wall driveshaft with a 1350 CV and U-joints. A Powertrax No-Slip differential sends power to each wheel. Wade flipped the overload springs in the stock rear leaf packs, reinforced the stock spring shackles, and added an Offroad Design shackle flip kit and Zero Rate kit. He says this system moved the rear axle 1 1/2 inches outboard and created five inches of lift. Damping duties are handled by a pair of 12-inch-travel Fox 2.0 emulsion shocks.
The rear axle is a full-float 14-bolt that has 1-inch shaved off the housing to enhance gr
Protected by a 3⁄8-inch-thick Hardline skidplate is an Offroad Design NP203 transfer case and a salvage-yard-sourced NP205 transfer case. They’re mated together via an Offroad Design Doubler kit and they’re controlled via an Off Road Design three-stick shifter kit.
Protected by a 3⁄8-inch-thick Hardline skidplate is an Offroad Design NP203 transfer case

The custom Hardline prerunner-style rear bumper/tire carrier allows Wade to safely carry a pair of spare tires into the backcountry. It also offers a 2-inch hitch receiver and was designed to help to facilitate the carrying of larger items like an ice chest. The bumper is made from a combination of 1 1/2-, 1 3/4-, and 2-inch- diameter, 0.120-inch-wall tubing.
The custom Hardline prerunner-style rear bumper/tire carrier allows Wade to safely carry a
The custom 10-point Hardline rollcage is made from 2-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall tubing and it envelops the passengers. Backseat passengers sit on a pair of Beard seats with Crow lap belts. Easily accessible, but safely mounted, is a Powertank and a Hi-Lift jack. Wade says he designed the rollcage so the factory hardtop can be installed if needed.
The custom 10-point Hardline rollcage is made from 2-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall tubing
A pair of Rubbermaid ActionPacker storage boxes are mounted securely in the cargo area of the Jimmy. One stores recovery gear and tools and the other houses a pair of Optima YellowTop batteries mounted on a Ruffstuff Specialties Optima dual battery box.
A pair of Rubbermaid ActionPacker storage boxes are mounted securely in the cargo area of

The 350ci small-block V-8 remains mostly stock with the exception of a custom 3-inch-diameter exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and high-flow catalytic converter. The ’plant is cooled via a four-core aluminum radiator and a clutchless Flex-a-lite fan. A 700R4 automatic used to be bolted to the engine, but Wade replaced it with an SM465 four-speed. He did this to get the durability and low gearing of the SM465.
The 350ci small-block V-8 remains mostly stock with the exception of a custom 3-inch-diame
A pair of custom Hardline boatside sliders protects the body of the Jimmy and they tie in with the rollcage. These sliders are made from 3-inch, 0.250-inch-wall square tubing and the steps are made from 1 1/2-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall round tubing.
A pair of custom Hardline boatside sliders protects the body of the Jimmy and they tie in
The Corbeau front seats are mounted on a custom seat frame that is welded to new sheetmetal that Wade installed in the floor of the Jimmy. The seat frame is attached at four points and features four greasable urethane bushings. The frame also holds the factory center console.
The Corbeau front seats are mounted on a custom seat frame that is welded to new sheetmeta

The Details
General
Owner/Hometown: Dee and Andrea Wade/Reno, Nevada
Vehicle/Model: ‘88 GMC Jimmy
Estimated value: $15,000
Engine
Type: GM 350ci V-8
Aspiration: TBI, custom 3-in-diameter exhaust, high-flow catalytic converter, Flowmaster muffler
Output, hp/torque (estimated): 14/15 (Wade’s words, not ours)
Drivetrain
Transmission: SM465
Transfer Case(s): NP203/205, Offroad Design Doubler kit
Suspension
Front: 52-inch Chevy leaf springs moved 2½-in outboard, 15-in-travel Edelbrock piggyback-reservoir shocks
Rear: Factory leaf springs moved 1½ inches outboard, flipped overload springs, ORD 1-in Zero Rate kit, 12-in-travel Fox 2.0 emulsion shocks
Axles/Differentials
Front: GM Dana 60, Dynatrac cover, ORD high-steer arms, drag link, and tie rod, Wrangler YJ pitman arm, GM two-wheel-drive steering box /Detroit Locker
Rear: GM 14-bolt, shaved 1-in/Powertrax No-Slip
Ring and pinion: Yukon 5.13:1
Wheels/Tires
Wheels: 15x12 Cragar D Window w/Copperhead Fabrication rim stiffeners
Tires: 37x12.50R15 Goodyear MT/R