THE TOY
Joanna Ballard and her '79 Toyota 4x4, of Arnold, California, prove that you don't need to dump a lot of money into a rig to have fun in the dirt. Most of Joanna's time and money was spent getting the truck in running shape. The 20R four-cylinder engine was treated to a K&N air filter and a set of Monroe shocks was put into place to control the Ridge Runner 31-inch tires. After that, the Toy was rattle-can painted in a snow-camo pattern. The final step was to wheel it.
IFS NO MORE
Bobby Godwin of Tensed, Idaho outfitted his Dakota with a lift kit for his IFS suspension, but was disappointed with the results. So he decided to ditch the IFS and go with a live-axle setup. After some searching, Bobby found a front Dana 44/coil suspension system out of a '79 Ford Bronco. The surgery was performed and the fit was almost perfect, with the result being lots more flex. An ARB Air Locker, along with 4.56 gears, was put in the front Dana 44, while a Detroit Locker and another set of 4.56 gears was popped into the transplanted rear Ford 9-inch. A set of 35-inch Super Swampers is used to supply grip.
TRICKED-OUT TJ
Lonzo Ray of Blue Ridge, Texas claims that he still has plenty left to do on his '99 Jeep TJ, but the results so far look good to us. The folks at Currie Enterprises built custom Ford 9-inch front axles for the front and rear. Both come equipped with 4.10 gears and ARB Air Lockers. Tires are 33x12.50-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains on 15x10 Rock Crawler steel wheels. Making space for the tires and providing flex is a Teraflex 3-inch suspension system that operates in conjunction with a 1-inch body lift. To help the TJ creep along, a Tera Low gearset with a 4:1 ratio was put into the transfer case. Finally, to protect Lonzo and his passengers, a M.O.R.E. bolt-in rollcage kit was installed.
ON PATROL
It takes a special breed to find and maintain an old Nissan Patrol, and Robert Rusch is one of that breed. He took a '67 Patrol and transformed it into what you see here. Powering it is the stock engine, fed through a one-barrel Rochester carb. The rest of the drivetrain consists of the stock three-speed manual and stock twin-stick transfer case. Front and rear axles are also straight from the factory, so they feature 4.10 gears. Robert deviated from Patrol gospel, just a little, when it came to his rig's suspension. Leaf springs from a Jeep were used in the rear. But the original springs were retained up front. A set of 33x9.50-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains is what this Patrol rolls upon.
DIRTY DODGE
Harold Mitchell of Wenatchee, Washington is the happy owner of this '97 Dodge 1500 Sport. A 3-inch Rancho lift provides lift and flex. The additional altitude made room for 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires that assist on the slippery trails of Washington. To help the 318ci V-8 breathe, a K&N air filter system is used on the intake side, along with a 3-inch exhaust with a Flowmaster muffler. Finally, to provide some music to 'wheel by, a Pioneer CD player that feeds two 12-inch subwoofers was put into place.
FSJ IS OK
Lynn Jackson of Ashville, Alabama owns this interesting '82 Jeep Wagoneer. Powering the big beast is a 360ci V-8 that is backed by a TorqueFlite 727 tranny and an NP205 transfer case out of a Ford. Slung under the front is a high-pinion Ford Dana 60 stuffed with 5.13 gears and a Detroit Locker. Out back is a GM 14-bolt equipped with another set of 5.13 gears and a stock diff with welded spider gears-what's called a Lincoln locker. Suspension in the front comes in the form of 4-inch-lift BDS Wagoneer springs along with reverse-mounted and lengthened shackles. The rear suspension uses 1-ton Chevy springs and longer-than-stock shackles. Also, all the spring mounts were moved 3 inches downward to gain more lift. This resulted in sufficient clearance for 44-inch Swampers in the front and 44-inch Boggers out back.