Plow First, Pull Later
"Finding parts for these is harder than pulling teeth!" So says the owner of this 1971 Dodge Power Wagon--and since Dennis Spillane is a dentist by trade, we'll gladly take his word for it. Dennis' W100 sports the Sno-Fiter snowplow, which means the Dodge also came from the factory with heavy-duty springs, either the 225 six or 318 V-8, and front ID lights. The six-ply M+S tires, on the other hand, appear to have been replaced by more recent rubber. Either way, Dennis' Dodge is well set up to wheel (and plow) the trails around his Deckerville, Michigan, home.
Flex on the Beach
At first glance, there might not be much excitement here, but Greg Cummings does get credit for showing his ride on a trail - and come to think of it, driven front axles aren't factory issue on Ford E-250s, either. That's because the Point Pleasant, New Jersey, resident's Triton-powered 2004 Club Wagon is in fact a Quigley conversion sporting a coil front suspension, a B-W transfer case, and stainless MileMarker hubs. Rancho 9000Xs and BFG A-Ts provide damping and traction, respectively, so Greg can enjoy 'wheeling his 3 1/2-inch-lifted E-van along the Jersey shores in search of surf-fishing spots with son Christopher.
Lone Star Mud Dubs
Most 'wheelers we know are skeptical of 18-inch rims, and no one in his right mind would even think of running 20s, right? Then again, most 'wheelers have likely never met Tanner Sheffield, whose 1978 Chevy Stepside runs 28s--yep, that's right - though to be fair, the 54x15 Kelly Springfield tractor tires ensure a decent aspect ratio, if not much sidewall flex. Built for mud, Tanner's rig runs a Holleyfied 350, but the presence of the SM465, NP205, and GM 2 1/2-tons with 6.17s would suggest this rig would be equally at home crawling the trails of Moab as it is in the bogs around Spurger, Texas.
Life on the Home Front
Bruce Andrew Peters sent along this pic of his Kaiser M35A2 10x6 cargo carrier. The 1968 sports all kinds of Mil/Spec muscle, including the 478ci Continental turbo I-6, Spicer 3053A grindbox, T-136 transfer case, Rockwell axles, and 10,000-pound PTO winch. Bruce admits the Kaiser is "more at home off-road than on-highway," and we'd certainly agree--though judging by the photo, could it be the Kaiser has spent a little too much time off the road around Bruce's Washington, D.C., home?
Tucson Low, for Sure
Glen Barnard's 1956 is one sweet-looking Bow Tie. And yes, we know that Chevy didn't start making trucks with transfer cases until 1957, but it should be obvious that this sparkling Stepside has gone through a few makeovers since it rolled off the line in Task Force trim. From the Hooker'd and Edelbrocked 350 to the Muncie 420 four-speed, 203 'case, and Dana 44/12-bolt axles, there's not much ol' iron to be found beneath the sheetmetal. The custom 5-inch lift wasn't standard in 1956, and the BFG radials wouldn't be invented for 25 years. Still, Glen's "labor of love" is sure to turn heads, whether it's cruising the streets or 'wheeling the desert around Tucson, Arizona.