45. Sam "Slinky" Silveira, San Jose, California
Custom tube buggy
This Top Truck hopeful might be sporting the oddest drivetrain in TTC history. Regardless, this Mazda-powered buggy boasts the Rubicon, Fordyce and "all Hammers" among its many conquests.
Engine: 1.3L '88 Mazda 13B rotary
Transmission: Mazda RX7 automatic
Transfer case: Suzuki Samurai
Axles, f/r: Hybrid Toyota-Unimog/hybrid Toyota-Unimog
Traction aids, f/r: ARB Air Locker/ARB Air Locker
Ratio: 4.10:1
Suspension, f/r: Three-link, coil sprngs, panhard rod/four-link, coil springs
Tires: 42-in Interco IROKs
Special features: Warn 6000 winch
Driver experience: 17 years
46. John Retzloff, Covelo, California
1977 GMC K-15
Simple and sweet, this GMC is a humble example of old-school truck building. Will readers give this Rubicon vet the chance to compete in our Truck Class this year?
Engine: 454ci GM V-8
Transmission: SM 465
Transfer case: Twin NP205s w/custom adapter
Axles, f/r: Dana 60/GM 14-bolt
Traction aids, f/r: Ox Locker/Detroit Locker
Ratio: 4.88:1
Suspension, f/r: 52-in relocated Chevy leaf springs/63-in Chevy leaf springs
Tires: 53-in Goodyears
Special features: Warn 9500ti winch, PSC hydro-assist steering, Summit headers, Dynomax exhaust
Driver experience: 15 years
47. Rob Murphy, Millmont, Pennsylvania
2004 Jeep Wrangler
This driven-daily TJ came with two full pages of meticulously typed specs, but the one that really caught our eye was "391:1 final drive, and can still go down the highway at 70!"
Engine: 355ci Corvette V-8 w/'89 Suburban TBI
Transmission: SM420, Centerforce clutch
Transfer case: 4:1 Dana 300, Klune V 2.72:1
Axles, f/r: Power Wagon Dana 60, Mile Marker hubs/Ford Sterling 101/4-in, '89 Chevy rotors and calipers
Traction aids, f/r: Detroit Locker/Detroit Locker
Ratio: 5.13:1
Suspension, f/r: Custom three-link, 14-in coilovers/double triangulated four-link, 12-in coilovers, custom cantilevers
Tires: 42-in Interco IROKs
Special features: T-Max 10,000-lb winch in front, 8,000-lb winch in rear, hydro-assist steering, 200-amp alternator, Staun beadlocks, Tom Wood's driveshafts, serpentine belt conversion
Driver experience: 16 years
48. Ryan Knoche, Hamburg, New York
1990 Suzuki Samurai/buggy
Who says that New Yorkers don't rockcrawl? Not the owner of this 10-year creation, which started its life as a stock Samurai and is piloted here by Ryan's co-driver, Mindi Lane.
Engine: 4.3L GM full roller V-6
Transmission: TH700R4 w/full manual valve body
Transfer case: NP203/205 Jed's Machine doubler
Axles, f/r: Dana 60/GM 14-bolt
Traction aids, f/r: Spool/ARB Air Locker
Ratio: 5.38:1
Suspension, f/r: Dual-triangulated four-link, 16-in King air shocks/dual-triangulated four-link, 16-in King shocks
Tires: 47-in Interco Super Swamper LTBs
Special features: Warn 9000ti winch, PSC steering, Yukon axleshafts, 1410 driveshafts, dimple-died lower links
Driver experience: 15 years
49. Tim Alderson, McKeesport, Pennsylvania
1986 Chevy Blazer
Tim's turbo Chevy would appear to work well both on- and off-road, since it's doing both in this photo. Top Truck, though, is another level altogether. Readers, it's your call.
Engine: Turbocharged 355ci Chevy V-8 w/nitrous
Transmission: TH350, TCI clutches, manual valve body
Transfer case: NP208
Axles, f/r: GM 10-bolt/full-floating GM 14-bolt
Traction aids, f/r: Welded spiders/welded spiders
Ratio: 4.10:1
Suspension, f/r: Coil springs, panhard rod/quarter-elliptical leaf springs
Tires: "44s"
Special features: 8,000-lb winch
Driver experience: 6 years
50. Darren Sinkey, Oroville, California
1989 Ford Bronco
If chosen by our readers, this hopeful pledges to drive his rig to Top Truck. He may even have completed his promised right-hand drive conversion by then.
Engine: 351ci Ford Windsor V-8
Transmission: C6 automatic
Transfer case: Triple-stick NP203/205
Axles, f/r: High-pinion Dana 60, chrome-moly shafts, 300M Longfields/shaved GM 14-bolt, disc brakes
Traction aids, f/r: ARB Air Locker/Detroit Locker
Ratio: 5.13:1
Suspension, f/r: Three-link, Sway-A-Way Racerunner coilover shocks/leaf springs, four shocks
Tires: 47-in Interco Swamper LTBs
Special features: Full exocage, dual 20-lb CO2 tanks, four Optima YellowTop batteries, onboard welder, 40-gal fuel cell
Driver experience: 25 years