BUCKING BRONCO
Scott Jackson of Hollister, California, wanted to have some fun without dumping a bunch of money and time into a vehicle. He started off by buying a used '85 Ford Bronco that offered some strong components straight from the factory. First to go on was a 4-inch Pro Comp lift, the better to clear 35-inch mudders on 15x10 American Racing wheels. To help keep the tires turning, 4.11 gears were put in the Twin-Tractor Beam Dana 44 front and 9-inch rear while the 351 received a rebuild. With most of the work completed, Scott uses his Bronco whenever possible.
TACO
If ever you find yourself in Umatilla, Florida, then you might want to keep an eye out for Ryan Henry's '96 Toyota Tacoma. It features a 3-inch Downey lift kit with Bilstein shocks on each corner. A 3-inch body lift made enough room for 33-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrains on 15x10 American Racing wheels. The 2.7L four-cylinder received help in the form of a cat-back exhaust. Other mods include a set of nerf bars and an in-bed toolbox.
SLIMED SILVERADO
Mark Oswald of Edgerton, Wisconsin, is surrounded by muddy trails so he built his '87 Chevy K20 to do battle in the slime. First to go on was a 4-inch suspension lift followed by a 3-inch body lift. With this much lift, 35x16 Boggers on 15x10 steel wheels fit without any problems. To supply traction in the muck, an ARB Air Locker was put in the front while a Detroit locker rests out back with 4.88 gears at both ends. Plans are in the works for an engine with some serious horsepower to help the big Chevy bull through the mud.
WILD WILLYS
Willys pickups are cool and Kevin Ulery of St. Helena, California, made his even better. Out came the original engine, which Kevin replaced with a Chevy 350 that sends power through a T-90 tranny and Spicer 18 transfer case. Axles out of a 1/2-ton Chevy were mated to 2 1/2-inch-lift Rancho springs in the spring-over position. Enough room was made for 40x17 Ground Hawgs on 15x12 Centerline wheels. Future plans include going with 1-ton axles.
CHEVOTA
Davenport, Iowa resident Scott Ammons started out with a '81 Toyota pickup and went nuts with it. Out came the original drivetrain and in went a Chevy 350 backed by a TH350. An NP208 sends power through custom-made driveshafts to the stock axles. For suspension, a 7-inch Skyjacker lift was installed. This netted enough clearance to run 36x12.50 Super Swampers on 15x10 Superior wheels. Finally an in-cab cage was fabricated to protect occupants.
CLEAN CHEROKEE
Justin Wheeler's last name is appropriate because he likes to 'wheel local trails in his '92 Cherokee whenever possible. Making the trails easier is a 6-inch Tomken lift that provides enough room for 33-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrains on 15x10 steel wheels. Also helping out on the trail is the Detroit Locker in the rear. A K&N air filter and a Flowmaster exhaust system work together to extract a few more ponies from the 4.0L straight-six.
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