February 2009 Custom 4x4 Vehicles - Readers' Rides

What Truck?
Vehicle: '71 Chevy El Camino SS454
Owner: Terry Bowman, Muskegon, MI
Tires & Wheels: 33x12.50 Pro Comp All Terrains on 15x8 Rally
Suspension: 4-inch Tuff Country
Drivetrain: TH350, NP203, 1/2-ton axles
Performance Mods: 454ci, Holly carburetor, Weiand intake, RV cam, 2.5-inch dual Flowmaster exhaust
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes

Pinto Dream
Vehicle: '79 Ford Pinto
Owner: Alex Bock, Millington, MI
Tires & Wheels: 39.5-inch Boggers on custom 16.5x13 front and 16.5x14 rear
Suspension: Stock 3/4-ton Ford
Drivetrain: C6, Dana 50 front, 10.5-inch Sterling rear, 4.10 gears
Performance Mods: 460ci
Other Doodads: Custom firewall and frame
Does everything work the way you want?: Not yet. It still can't lift the front tires off the ground!
Anything you would change?: New heads and ditch the fuel injection for a carburetor
Anything to add?: It still needs more horsepower! I know it's not a truck, but the mud still sticks the same.

Van Island
Vehicle: '68 Chevy Van
Owner: Nando Gurreri, Long Island, NY
Tires: 33x12.50 BFG A-Ts
Suspension: Custom straight-axle conversion via leaf springs
Drivetrain: TH400, Dana 20, Dana 44 front axle, 12-bolt rear with a Lock-Right, 3.73 gears
Performance Mods: 350ci, Edelbrock intake and carburetor
Other Doodads: Four-way disc brakes
Does everything work the way you want?: Yes, the custom springs make it ride like a Cadillac

Big-O-Geo
Vehicle: '91 Geo Metro/'94 Chevy Blazer frame
Owner: Dustin Jordan, Granville, MA
Tires & Wheels: 42-inch TSLs on 15-inch
Suspension: 6-inch front springs, custom rear leaves with a shackle flip
Drivetrain: Dana 44 front, 10-bolt rear, 4.56 gears
Performance Mods: 350ci, bored 0.030 over, headers, Edelbrock manifold and carburetor
Other Doodads: Roof-mounted radiator
Does everything work the way you want?: Everything that needs to work does!
Anything you would change?: Four-link rear suspension

The Tater
Vehicle: '95 Toyota Previa S/C All-Trac
Owner: Chris Wilberg, Denver, CO
Tires & Wheels: 245/75/15 All Seasons on stock steel
Suspension: Stock
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: Supercharged 2.4L
Other Doodads: Platinum spark plugs and custom alternator bracket
Funniest Wheeling Incident: Getting told to leave after making it too far down a snowmobile trail
Does everything work the way you want?: With over 300K on it and this kind of torture, I have to say yes.
Anything you would change?: Needs low range and lockers
Anything to add?: I made it farther up Potato Salad Hill in Moab than what's pictured, but couldn't get the shot. I guess it's time for a camera crew!

Autobot
Vehicle: '74 Ford F-250
Owner: Lance Husted, Cokato, MN
Tires: 39-inch Mickey Thompson Bajas
Suspension: 4-inch
Drivetrain: Stock
Performance Mods: 428ci
Other Doodads: 3-inch body lift, lots of chrome and moving parts
Does everything work the way you want?: It does, but being active duty in the Army, I never get to drive it.

Bog Thru
Vehicle: '92 Chevy Lumina APV
Owner: Clay Jeffries, Jerico Springs, MO
Tires & Wheels: 39.5-inch Boggers on 15x14
Suspension: Custom 3/4-ton
Drivetrain: TH350, NP205, Dana 60 front, Dana 70 rear
Performance Mods: 350ci, Edelbrock carburetor and headers
Does everything work the way you want?: Everything works well except the A/C.
Anything you would change?: Rockwells and more horsepower

Still Kicking
This is an update on two trar-vettes that graced the pages of 4WOR almost two decades ago. It's safe to say that both Good News and Bad News have yet to be put out to pasture.