The rig’s tube chassis is made from 1.5-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall DOM tubing with panels made out of .096-inch-thick aluminum. The grille is from an ’80 Jeep CJ-7. Integrated into the design of the chassis are mounts for the front 8.5 and rear 9,000-pound Kingone electric winches as well as a full rollcage to protect the occupants. The rig’s wheels are 16.5x9.75 Trail Worthy Fab recentered Hummer double beadlocks and the tires are cut and grooved 44x19.5-16.5 Super Swamper TSL Boggers.

The rig’s tube chassis is made from 1.5-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall DOM tubing with pan

Name: Brad Austin
Champion in: 2004
Driving: 2010 BradFab tube buggy

A win in the Acceleration and Tank Trap competitions helped Austin gather enough points to walk away the winner of TTC ’04. He won it behind the wheel of his big-block-powered ’91 Jeep YJ that was rolling on “only” 44-inch tires. On his return trip to Hollister for TTCC he’ll be driving a new rig that he built in 2010 and like his TTC-winning rig from 2004 it’s rolling on 44s. Hey, if it worked the first time….

“Love to wheel.”
—Brad Austin

Sounding Off
Most memorable moment from 2004: “Everyone coming together as an event, not a competition.”
Wants First Place in: “The Tank Trap.”

A fuel-injected GM Vortec 5.3L V-8 engine propels the buggy and it has been fitted with a 150 horsepower Cold Fusion nitrous kit. Other mods include Hooker Block Hugger headers, an Injection Technology wiring harness, and a pair of Optima RedTop batteries. A Griffin Radiator with 16-inch electric fan helps keep the engine in its happy place when it comes to temperature. Another cool feature of the rig is that there’s a separate power steering pump for the front and rear steering and these pumps are mounted on a custom bracket made by Metal Fusion. Engine power flows downstream through a TH350 transmission with manual valvebody to an Advance Adapters Atlas four-speed transfer case.

A fuel-injected GM Vortec 5.3L V-8 engine propels the buggy and it has been fitted with a

The Details
Driver name/city: Brad Austin/Mustang, Oklahoma
Occupation: Supervisor at Cox Communications
Vehicle model: 2010 BradFab buggy
Estimated value: $66,000
Engine: GM 5.3L V-8, 150hp Cold Fusion nitrous kit
Transmission: TH350, manual valvebody
Transfer case: Advance Adapters Atlas 4-spd
Suspension (f/r): Four-link, 16-in-travel Fox remote-reservoir coilovers, Fox 4-in-travel bumpstops/four-link, 16-in-travel Fox remote-reservoir coilovers, Fox 4-in-travel bumpstops
Axles (f/r): GM 14-bolt, RCV axleshafts, ARB Air Locker/GM 14-bolt, RCV axleshafts, Yukon Grizzly locker
Axle ratio: 5.13:1
Wheels: 16.5x9.75 Trail Worthy Fab Hummer double beadlock
Tires: 44x19.5-16.5 Super Swamper TSL Bogger

The core of the machine is a compact and nimble Rock Ware Motorsports custom four-seat Mini Cooper chassis. It’s sporting a Mini Cooper-esque aluminum body with paint applied by Keating Paint & Body and graphics by Western Posters & Services. The chassis also includes an integrated full rollcage and a mount for the front-mounted Warn HS9500i winch. The tires are Racing in the Dirt-cut 44-inch Super Swamper TSL’s (reversed in these photos, more on that next month) mounted on 17x9.5 Raceline aluminum beadlock wheels.

The core of the machine is a compact and nimble Rock Ware Motorsports custom four-seat Min

Name: Toby Harrell
Champion in: 2003
Driving: 2012 Rock Ware Mini Cooper buggy

Some may have thought that Harrell would be at a disadvantage by showing up for TTC back in ’03 in a fullsize Blazer. They wouldn’t be thinking that for long. Harrell ended up impressing everyone with his fullsize iron, and he was the only competitor that year to finish the dreaded Tank Trap. This time around Harrell has defected from a fullsize and will be driving a much smaller buggy machine. Will it be a runaway success?

Sounding Off
Most memorable moment from 2003: “Got up early, went to shower, and somebody had caught a pig the night before and locked it in the shower. That was a surprise.”
Wants First Place in: “Got to be the Tank Trap. It’s you against the Trap, who will win? We did last time.”

“I have three boys that I’m very proud of.”
—Toby Harrell

Propelling the buggy is a propane-fired GM 377ci V-8.The Machine Shop did all the machine work and then it was fitted with forged Icon pistons; an Aaron’s oil pan; early angle-plug GM heads; a solid camshaft; Howard’s valves, valvesprings, and roller rockers; an Edelbrock Air-Gap Performer intake; dual 425 IMPCO carburetor mixers; Spectre air cleaners; Pertronix distributor; custom headers; and a Dynomax muffler. Harrell estimates the ‘plant produces 450 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Amperage is generated by a Dusty’s Suzuki Samurai-application 83-amp alternator and a pair of Optima RedTop batteries. Keeping the V-8 cool is the job of a Speedway radiator with a single 16-inch-diameter pusher fan. Bolted to the engine is a Key Transmission-built TH400 transmission with manual valvebody and cooler. An Advance Adapters 3.8:1 two-speed transfer case sprouts a pair of West Texas Off Road-built driveshafts.

Propelling the buggy is a propane-fired GM 377ci V-8.The Machine Shop did all the machine

The Details
Driver name/city: Toby Harrell/San Angelo, Texas
Occupation: Natural gas compressor technician
Vehicle model: 2012 Rock Ware Mini Cooper four-seat buggy
Estimated value: “Worth every dime.”
Engine: GM 377ci V-8, dual propane injection
Transmission: Key Transmissions-built TH400, manual valvebody, Winters shifter
Transfer case: Advance Adapters Atlas 3.8:1 2-spd
Suspension (f/r): Rock Ware radius arm, 12-in-travel ORI struts/four-link, 16-in-travel ORI struts
Axles (f/r): Dana 60, Yukon chromoly axleshafts, CTM U-joints, ¾-ton GM brakes with Cutthroat 4x4 brackets, Grizzly locker/GM 14-bolt, ¾-ton GM brakes with Cutthroat 4x4 brackets, Detroit Locker
Axle ratio: 3.73:1
Wheels: 17x9.5 Raceline aluminum beadlock
Tires: 44x19.5-17 Super Swamper TSL Bogger

The hood and passenger fender are the same panels that were on the rig back in 2001. Also carried over are a portion of the stock firewall, dash, and A- and B-pillars. Aside from about 3½ feet of the center of the stock frame, the chassis now consists of a custom tube-frame setup made from 2-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall tubing. Nowadays the Suburban looks more like an old-school Blazer (the ’72 is Waddell’s favorite), due in part to the cut-down long bedsides. The rig has also been narrowed since we last saw it in 2001. Approximately 2 feet has been removed from the front and rear of the rig and approximately 14 inches has been removed from the center of the machine. The bodywork was completed by Waddell, his buddies, his mother-in-law, and his wife. Up front there’s a Warn 9,500-pound winch, while in the rear there’s a Warn 8274. Gone are the 44-inch tires from 2001 and now the rig is shod with 54-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw TTCs mounted on 12-inch-wide Stazworks dual beadlock wheels with custom gussets.

The hood and passenger fender are the same panels that were on the rig back in 2001. Also

Name: Brian Waddell
Champion in: 2001
Driving: 1972 Chevy Suburban

Brian Waddell made Top Truck history when he drove his big Suburban to a win in 2001. This is because up until that point short wheelbase rigs had dominated Top Truck Challenge. He won one event and placed Second in three events and this earned him enough points to capture the First Place crown. Technically Waddell is returning to TTC with the same truck, but the reality is that with all the changes it’s a completely different animal.

“I have been in the United States Air Force for 19 years and counting.”
—Brian Waddell

Sounding Off
Most memorable moment from 2001: “I guess winching through the final hole in the Tank Trap and looking over at Robin Stover and he had a head nod that looked like he was saying “you got this.” I guess he was right, but at the moment I wasn’t so sure.”
Wants First Place in: “Tank Trap, because it is the pinnacle of Top Truck.”

Estimated to produce 450 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque, the GM 502ci big-block is topped with a Holley intake and Holley Commander 950 throttle body system. Exhaust gases are routed through a pair of Hedman headers, a 3-inch Flowmaster exhaust, and Hazel Dell muffler. Electrical needs are met by a 140-amp alternator and a pair of Optima RedTop batteries. The ’plant is cooled by a Ron Davis dual pass radiator with dual 14-inch Spal electric fans. Power is routed downstream through a TH400 transmission that has an Art Carr valvebody, B&M pan, and B&M cooler with electric fan. Sending the power to the axles is an NP203/205 Off Road Design Doubler transfer case setup with JB Conversions LoMax conversion in the NP205. A front driveshaft with 1410 U-joints and a rear driveshaft with 1480 U-joints spin the axle’s internals.

Estimated to produce 450 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque, the GM 502ci big-block is top

The Details
Driver name/city: Brian Waddell/Battle Ground, Washington
Occupation: AFE specialist, United States Air Force
Vehicle model: ’72 Chevy Suburban
Estimated value: $40,000
Engine: GM 502ci V-8
Transmission: TH400, Art Carr valvebody, B&M Quicksilver shifter, B&M aluminum pan
Transfer case: NP203/205 Off Road Design Doubler, JB Conversions LoMax-equipped NP205
Suspension (f/r): Four-link (triangulated lower links), BlueTorch Fab brackets, 16-in-travel Sway-A-Way RaceRunner dual-rate remote-reservoir coilovers/four-link, Ballistic Fab brackets, 16-in-travel Sway-A-Way RaceRunner dual-rate remote-reservoir coilovers
Axles (f/r): 2½-ton Rockwell, Ouverson Violator axleshafts, Ouverson Locker, Ouverson Bull Gear Stud Girdle/2½-ton Rockwell, Ouverson Violator axleshafts, Ouverson Violator Full Spool, Ouverson Bull Gear Stud Girdle
Axle ratio: 6.72:1
Wheels: 20x12 Stazworks dual beadlock w/custom gussets
Tires: 54x19.50-20 Mickey Thompson Baja Claw TTC