2013 Ultimate Adventure Attendees
The Kids At UA Summer Camp
Fred WilliamsWriter
2013 Ultimate Adventure Attendees
The Kids At UA Summer Camp
Fred WilliamsWriter
Ultimate Adventure is fun, but it wouldn’t be half as much fun without the people on the trip. It’s always a weird mix of random characters from a variety of backgrounds with four-wheeling as the one common link. This year our troop was as big as ever, and though it is like herding a class full of third graders when you try to get 50 people through a trail, it is still always fun. Here are this year’s Ultimate Adventure attendees.
Readers
Aaron’s Taco
2002 Toyota Tacoma
Drivers:Aaron Duncan & Dana Allard
Aaron Duncan just liked Tacomas, and he wanted a big green one. After a year of work his wish was completed. When he is not building or wheeling his Toyota he is working as a linesman for a communications company on the northern coast of California. His copilot, Dana Allard, is also from NorCal. Although they had a busted front locker early in the trip, they worked together through the night and had their tough Toy back on the road without drama. By the end of the week the Toyota was really starting to shine (actually it was shining all week due to the bright green paint) and climbing hills or diving into mud holes with two smiling guys behind the windshield.
Drivetrain
Engine:3.4L V-6
Transmission:Stock automatic
Transfer Case:Toyota crawl box and a flipped Dana 300
Front Axle:High-pinion Dana 60, Detroit Locker, 5.38
Rear Axle:GM 14-bolt, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:3-inch All Pro leaf springs in front; 4-inch Marlin leaves in rear
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers on 17x9 Raceline beadlocks
Winch:Warn 12,000-pound winch
Sponsor
BDS Suspension
2005 Jeep Liberty KJ
Drivers:Carter Reed & Dave DeVormer
BDS Suspension told us about their crazy project truck for UA a while back, but as with many freshly built 4x4s, they had a few new-car blues. The little Jeep that Carter Reed and Dave DeVormer drove was wicked cool and worked awesome—when it would run right. The BDS crew started with a ’05 Jeep Liberty KJ and turned it into a wild little romper. Under the hood hides a factory 2.8L common rail diesel, and it gave the little Jeep a cool sound and plenty of power, and the suspension soaked up trail with ease. But electrical gremlins kept popping up throughout the week. We have been in that same position before on the UA, and if you can imagine being stuck inside with a cold while all your friends are on the playground then you can imagine how those guys felt. We’re sure with some more fine tuning Team BDS will be back with a vengeance, and we can’t wait to be there to see it.
Drivetrain
Engine:2.8L diesel I-4
Transmission:545RFE
Transfer Case:Jeep Rubicon NP241 Rocktrac
Front Axle:Jeep JK Dana 44, Air Ox Locker, 5.13 Nitro gears
Rear Axle:Jeep JK Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.13 Nitro gears
Suspension
Springs & Such:BDS Suspension custom 4-link with Pac springs on Fox coilover shocks (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:37-inch Maxxis Trepador radials on B.A.D 17-inch beadlocksWinch:Warn RC9
Old Cronies
Sam’s Tube car
2008 Mean Green Buggy
Drivers:Sam Gillis & Dave Chappelle
Sam Gillis and Dave Chappelle were the cleanup crew on UA 2013. They ran as tail gunner for a good portion of the event, but they also spent a lot of time helping others get back up and running. Gillis’ buggy is simple, tough, and bright Viper green, and other than a sticky brake caliper it worked flawlessly all week, much like Gillis and Chappelle do. They helped fix readers and sponsors alike whenever carnage struck. Gillis’ buggy worked hard as well, whether scaling rock obstacles or dragging broken 4x4s back to camp for wrenching. Back home Gillis is in the military and Chappelle has a 4x4 shop, Chappelle Customs, so they were not willing to leave any man behind.
Drivetrain
Engine:5.7L Chevy LS1 V-8
Transmission:TH350
Transfer Case:Atlas 2 4:1
Front Axle:High-pinion Dana 60, Yukon Grizzly Locker, 4.56
Rear Axle:GM 14-bolt, Detroit Locker, 4.56
Suspension
Springs & Such:4-link suspension, 14-inch Walker Evans 2.0 Air Shocks (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers on 17-inch Spyderlock beadlocks
Winch:Warn Zeon 10
Sponsor
Discount Tire
2007 Jeep Wrangler JK Truck RESQ1
Drivers:Verne Simons & Steve VonSeggern
Verne Simons is a wordsmith for our Jeep-specific sister magazine Jp. When Jp worked with UA sponsor Discount Tire to build a custom trail-capable show truck, Simons earned (or was assigned) a spot on UA as the captain of the SS RESQ1. It’s not that the RESQ1 is a land barge, but it may be a tire-slinging battleship. It crested the scales at 10,300 pounds and has an aircraft carrier 146-inch wheelbase. All kidding aside, Simons (who specializes in driving Willys flatfenders and shortened Jeep TJs) must have felt out of place with twice the vehicle footprint that he is used to. Nonetheless, he was able to throttle down, twist through, and hop, bounce, or force his way up the obstacles with considerable skill. And when any tire calamities did befall a UA attendee, he was ready with an onboard compressor and tire mounting machine to help keep everyone rolling.
Drivetrain
Engine:5.3L Gen IV
Transmission:6L80E
Transfer Cases:Atlas 4-speed
Front Axle:Dynatrac ProRock 60, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
Rear Axle:Dynatrac ProRock 80, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:Evo double throw-down (front); Evo double throw-down cantilever (rear)
Tires & Wheels:Nitto 40x13.50R17 on Raceline bead locks
Winch:Warn Zeon 12 in front and Warn 18 in rear
Old Cronies
Keith’s Tube Car
2003 PSC Blueser Buggy
Drivers:Keith Bailey & Tom Boyd
Keith Bailey and Tom Boyd are pillars of the Ultimate Adventure community. This year they came in Bailey’s big blue buggy. Well, Bailey is a pillar; Boyd is more of a flagpole with some weird glittery pirate clown flag flapping in the wind and a bullhorn blaring from the top. Either way, we couldn’t have the UA without cronies like these two guys. Bailey runs a 4x4 shop in Alabama, The Off-Road Connection, and is always ready to lend a hand sussing out any mechanical problems. Boyd is the marketing guru of a self-propelled scooter/bike company attempting to help the masses roll down sidewalks faster (it sounds weird because it’s true) and a general madman always ready and willing to start a water battle or dowse someone with a glitter-filled water balloon.
Drivetrain
Engine:5.7L Hemi
Transmission:545RE automatic
Transfer Case:Dana 300
Front Axle:High-pinion Dana 60, Yukon Grizzly Locker, 5.13
Rear Axle:High-pinion Dana 60, spool, 5.13
Suspension
Springs & Such:Off-Road Connection 4-link with 14-inch Fox emulsion coilover shocks, Sway-A-Way air bumpstops (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on 17-inch Spyderlock beadlocks
Winch:Warn XP9.5
Readers
Alan’s 10A
1989 Jeep CJ-10A
Drivers:Alan Buchholz & Geoff O’Brien
Alan Buchholz and Geoff O’Brien had one of the most drool-worthy rides on UA. Buchholz’s Jeep CJ-10A has custom-rolled tube fenders to give it an M37 look, a removed top for plenty of fresh air, a perfect bed for hauling gear galore, and a strong drivetrain. Some steering and brake issues cropped up now and then, but for most trail days it flat out worked like a boss (maybe “worked like a ground floor grunt” would be a better analogy). Either way, this unique Jeep had plenty of cool factor and fit the bill as a perfect vehicle for a trip like the UA where any type of terrain may be encountered.
Drivetrain
Engine:Chevy 350 TBI
Transmission:Automatic
Transfer Case:NP231 with slip yoke eliminator
Front Axle:Dana 60, Detroit Locker, 4.88
Rear Axle:Dana 61, Lincoln Locker, 4.88
Suspension
Springs & Such:Leaf springs with spring sliders (front); custom 4-link with coil springs (rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on 17-inch Walker Evans beadlocks
Winch:Warn 8274
Sponsor
Nitto Tire
2001 GMC Z71
Drivers:Mel Wade & Jared Lehenbauer
Nitto Tire has been a long-running sponsor of the UA, and since the company came on board we have not had a single puncture with a Nitto tire on the trip. That’s an impressive record. Mel Wade and Jared Lehenbauer came on the trip to represent Nitto and brought the GMC Z71 that was our official lead vehicle back in 2008. Since then Wade and the crew at his off-road shop, Off Road Evolution, have tuned and tweaked it a bit, but it still has the tired 5.3L engine that just keeps going and going and going. The truck has a full array of spare parts. We even noticed a spare driveshaft mounted inside the framerail for easy access where needed. Up on top is a luxury ARB rooftop tent, a great place to sleep up off the wet muddy ground.
Drivetrain
Engine:Worn-out 276,000-mile 5.3L V-8
Transmission:B&M 4L65
Transfer Case:Off Road Designs 203/205 doubler
Front Axle:Chevy Dana 60, Detroit Locker, 5.38
Rear Axle:GM-14 bolt, Detroit Locker, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:Off Road Evolution custom linked suspension with King 21⁄2 coilover shocks (front); Deaver leaf springs with Evo cantilever shock mounts (rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on ATX Slab beadlocks
Winch:Warn 16,500
Sponsor
Warn
2007 Jeep Wrangler JK
Drivers:Corby Phillips & Fred Perry
Corby Phillips came representing Warn and brought with him Southern gentleman Fred Perry, but before they could go they had to build Phillips’ Jeep Wrangler. Yes, the UA was the first run for this two-door JK, and Phillips, Perry, and Little Red did excellently. Phillips is a national sales manager for Warn and as such needs a vehicle that can showcase all of Warn’s products, and this little Jeep did just that by spooling out Warn Zeon winch line whenever needed. To build this vehicle, he drug it over to Perry’s shop, Clemson 4Wheel Center, where they outfitted it with a variety of basic bolt-on components and Warn bumpers and lights. In fact, Warn products pulled many of our gang up hills, out of mud, off rocks, and over obstacles when all other forms of forward motion ceased to work.
Drivetrain
Engine:3.8L V-6
Transmission:Stock automatic
Transfer Case:NP241
Front Axle:Currie Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.13
Rear Axle:Stock Jeep Wrangler Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.13
Suspension
Springs & Such:Rancho 4-inch Rockcrawler (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:37-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on 17-inch Raceline Monster beadlocks
Winch:Warn Zeon 10
Sponsor
ARB
2012 Jeep Wrangler JK
Drivers:Matt Glass & TR Burrus
ARB sent representatives Matt Glass and TR Burrus in their decked-out Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. It was packed with the full Monty of ARB goodness from suspension and lockers to bumpers, lights, skidplates, and storage drawers. In the sweltering heat of the Southeast many UA attendees enjoyed their ARB fridge freezer electric coolers. Glass and Burrus put the JK through its paces and took home a few scars to remember the trip by. All in all, the ARB Jeep proved the ability of the long-wheelbased JK with a few simple upgrades.
Drivetrain
Engine:Pentastar 3.6L V-6
Transmission:Stock automatic
Transfer Case:NP241
Front Axle:Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.13
Rear Axle:Currie 9-inch, ARB Air Locker, 5.13
Suspension
Springs & Such:ARB Old Man Emu 4-inch lift coils and shocks (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:37-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on 17-inch Walker Evans beadlocks
Winch:Warn Zeon 10
Readers
Erik’s Grand
Jeep 5.9 Grand Cherokee
Drivers:Erik Miller & Rob Ruggiero
Erik Miller won the infamous King of the Hammers a few years back with co-driver Rob Ruggiero, but rather than bring his race buggy on this year’s Ultimate Adventure he applied with a Stock-class-racing ’98 Grand Cherokee. This Grand is one of the most highly sought-after versions with a 5.9L V-8 under the hood, and Miller wasn’t scared to use every last drop of 5.9 displacement and then some. He and Ruggiero attacked obstacles with seemingly disregard for mechanical wellbeing, and the Jeep just laughed. The drivetrain is plenty beefy with Spidertrax axles front and rear. Since they were running the minimum 35-inch tires, these racers become adventurers and had no reason not to bombard the steep climbs and slick ledges of the southeast.
Drivetrain
Engine:5.9L V-8
Transmission:46RE automatic
Transfer Case:Atlas 4
Front Axle:Spidertrax 9-Inch, Hi-9 with ARB Air Locker, 5.40
Rear Axle:Spidertrax 9-Inch, ARB Air Locker, 5.40
Suspension
Springs & Such:Clayton Offroad 3-link with Fox Racing shocks (front); Clayton Offroad 4-link with Fox Racing shocks (rear)
Tires & Wheels:35-inch BFGoodrich KM2 Mud-Terrains
Winch:Warn Zeon 10S
Old Crony
Durham’s Dirt-Truck
Willys Jeep TJ Truck
Driver:Chris Durham
Chris Durham is a crony with a neat Jeep truck and an open seat. He is a hardworking crony on road days as he races up our course to get a cameraman in place for when the whole parade comes around a corner or crosses an historic bridge, but he gets to play on trail days, and play he does. This truck is a conglomeration of Jeep and Dodge parts with a little Willys flair thrown in for good measure, and Durham drives it like a wired surgeon on a few too many Red Bull energy drinks. He’ll scout out the hardest obstacle, devise an intricate plan of attack, and then just go for it, letting the 360 sing and 42-inch Goodyears eat. Then after he (usually) has simultaneously made it look easy and entertaining to watch, he backs out of the Jeep to help spot, wrench, or tell you an amazing story about his momma’s Southern cooking.
Drivetrain
Engine:2000 Dodge 5.9L V-8
Transmission:TF904
Transfer Case:Atlas 2 3:1
Front Axle:Ford Dana 60, Detroit Locker, 5.38
Rear Axle:GM 14-bolt, Detroit Locker, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:3-link with Zone 3-inch coils (front); 4-link with stock TJ coils (rear)
Tires & Wheels:42-inch Goodyears on 17x9 Walker Evans beadlocks
Winch:Warn RC 9
Readers
Jimmy Jack’s Long Jeep
Long Willys Jeep Buggy
Drivers:Jimmy Jack & Tony Carvallo
Jimmy Jack attended the UA last year and was lucky enough to be invited back as the returning reader for 2013. His co-dawg, Tony Carvallo, works for last year’s title sponsor and had so much fun he ditched work to come camping and wheeling with us again. These two rode in Jack’s buggy/Jeep contraption and were having an awesome week and dominating off-road obstacles until the Chevy LT1 got fussy and they ended up sleeping in a police station parking lot in lieu of a safe campground while trying to get fixed and caught up to the rest of the group. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true, and it’s that type of insanity that makes the Ultimate Adventure a lifelong memory.
Drivetrain
Engine:1996 Chevy LT1 V-8
Transmission:TH400 automatic
Transfer Case:Offroad Design 203/205 doubler
Front Axle:Dodge Dana 60, Miller (welded) spool, 5.13
Rear Axle:GM 14-bolt, Detroit Locker, 5.13
Suspension
Springs & Such:Bob Roggy/Get Bent Fab linked suspension with King coilover shocks (front); Bob Roggy/Get Bent Fab linked suspension with Bilstein coilover shocks (rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on 17x9 Trail Ready beadlocks
Winch:Warn 8274
Sponsor
Synergy Mfg.
2012 Jeep Wrangler JK
Drivers:Dave Schlossberg & Lance Clifford
Synergy Manufacturing had an ace up its sleeve this year when owner Dave Schlossberg brought Lance Clifford on the trip in Lance’s new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, aka Wes. Wes is a very sexy black JK, and Clifford was in no way ready to bring it home with a scratch on it, but rather than take any bypasses he just drove like a champ and kept his shiny Jeep shiny-side-up. This JK is packed full of great components and is a great balance of strong drivetrain and a new but basically stock JK engine, so none of the drivetrain was taxed from too much power—though we’re sure the guys are already scheming to put something bigger under the hood.
Drivetrain
Engine:3.6L Pentastar V-6
Transmission:Stock automatic
Transfer Case:Atlas 2 4.0:1
Front Axle:Dynatrac ProRock 60, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
Rear Axle:Dynatrac ProRock 80, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
SuspensionSprings & Such:Synergy Stage 4 long arm 4-inch with Fox Internal bypass 21⁄2 shocks (front); Synergy Stage 4 long arm 3-inch Suspension with Fox Internal bypass 21⁄2 shocks (rear)
Tires & Wheels:39.5 BFGoodrich Krawlers on Method 17x9 beadlocks
Winch:Warn Zeon 10
Sponsor
Nitro Gear & Axle
1987 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ73
Drivers:Carl Montoya & Jeremy Ayers
It is unusual to see as rare a vehicle as an imported Land Cruiser diesel on the Ultimate Adventure, but this year was one such opportunity. Nitro Gear & Axle’s Jeremy Ayers and Carl Montoya had this special BJ73 built up just for the UA, and it was awesome to see it out there wheeling hard. We cannot deny that there were plenty of teenage boy jokes about the short- wheelbased “BJ,” but that didn’t stop it from impressing many as it twisted and crawled over the slick Southern trails. In fact, many were wondering why this rig never came to the U.S. to compete against Jeep CJs and YJs. The Nitro Gear gang even bought another Toyota truck at one of our junkyard stops.
Drivetrain
Engine:Toyota 3.4L 3B diesel I-4
Transmission:Toyota H55 5-speed manual
Transfer Case:Toyota with 4:1 Advance Adapters gears with 10% high-range reduction
Front Axle:Land Cruiser 91⁄2-inch with Ruffstuff housing and Hellfire 80 Series knuckles, ARB Air Locker, 4.30 Nitro gears
Rear Axle:FZJ80 housing, ARB Air Locker, 4.30 Nitro gears
Suspension
Springs & Such:Custom Hazzard FabWorx 3-link with track bar, Icon Vehicle Dynamics 21⁄2 coilover shocks (front); custom Hazzard FabWorx link suspension, Icon Vehicle Dynamics 21⁄2 coilover shocks
Tires & Wheels:37-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on Hutchinson 17-inch Rockmonster beadlocks
Winch:Warn XP9500
Sponsor
Offroad Power Products
2009 Jeep Wrangler JK
Drivers:Cooper Rasmussen & Bryan Howell
Bryan Howell and Cooper Rasmussen came all the way from Washington to represent Offroad Power Products, and although they had a fun trip, they didn’t get to see as much dirt as they had hoped. First, you must realize that these are big guys. Rasmussen could almost be confused with the Incredible Hulk, without the green, or the anger, but with the ability to SMASH! Unfortunately he smashed things that he needed, like axle gears and radiator components. Meanwhile Howell just shook his head and smiled. These guys never gave in to the challenge, and though they didn’t get to wheel as much as they wrenched, they didn’t complain and kept having fun, a perfect Ultimate Adventure attitude. Now it’s time for bigger un-SMASHable parts.
Drivetrain
Engine:2005 Cummins 4BTA
Transmission:4L60E
Transfer Case:Atlas 2
Front Axle:Dynatrac ProRock 44, stock Rubicon Elocker, 5.38
Rear Axle:Dynatrac ProRock 60, spool, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:Synergy long arm, Offroad Power Products 31⁄2-inch progressive coils, Icon Vehicle Dynamics 21⁄2 dual bypass shocks (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Toyo Open Country MT tires on ATX slab beadlocks
Winch:Warn 9.5 XP
Readers
KEN’S Little 2A
1948 Willys CJ-2A
Drivers:Ken Smith & Daniel Page
Ken Smith flies and works on helicopters for the Army, and his co-driver, Daniel Page, works for a his family-run business, but for one week this year they got to be honored guests as chosen readers on the Ultimate Adventure. Smith’s little Jeep wasn’t scared to raise a tire or get light on climbs, and it always landed just fine, most likely due to his pilot experience. A few quirky engine and clutch issues came and went during the trip, but nothing our ensemble of off-roaders couldn’t help tinker with. Speaking of our troop, head honcho Péwé drooled when the little 2A would scramble up hills and over boulders on trail days and then somehow swallow all the camping gear of two passengers for long road days.
Drivetrain
Engine:Buick 231 V-6
Transmission:T-18A 4-speed manual
Transfer Case:Dana 18 with Warn overdrive
Front Axle:Dana 44 widetrack, Detroit Softlock, 5.38
Rear Axle:Dana 44 widetrack, Detroit Softlock, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:Hybrid M-38 military wrapped main leaf springs with ’71 CJ-5 secondary leaves (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:35-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers on 15x10 chrome-spoke rims
Winch:Warn 8274 with Spydura synthetic rope
Readers
Artur’s Superzuki
1989 Suzuki Sidekick
Drivers:Artur Pasternak & Steven Anderson
Some readers show up on the UA a bit reserved and wary of our team of sponsors, wacky cronies, and stressed-out photogs and cameramen. Others just dive right in, happy as pigs in mud with other old piggy friends. Artur Pasternak from Canada was that happy pig as he bound up every hillclimb and raised his hand to be the first in any mud pit. Maybe it was the thousands of miles he drove to get there, or just his general Polish-Canadian friendliness, but he and co-driver Steven Anderson shied away from nothing. Plus, when you teamed him up with other short-wheelbased buddies Tim Hardy and Ken Smith, it was a brain trust of how to get little rigs up steep hills and over big rocks. No matter what, the Suzuki Sidekick team had gotten all dressed up and they were ready to dance.
Drivetrain
Engine:2.5L V-6
Transmission:Automatic
Transfer Case:Front Toyota, rear Dana 300
Front Axle:Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.88
Rear Axle:Dana 70, ARB Air Locker, 5.86
SuspensionSprings & Such:Long-arm radius arms with remote-reservoir coilovers (front); Double X 4-link coilovers with hydraulic bumpstops
Tires & Wheels:37-inch Nitto Mud Grapplers on 17-inch H2 rims
Winch:Warn M8000 winch
Sponsor
Bubba Rope
2008 Jeep Wrangler JK
Drivers:Rich Conlon & Faron Tidwell
Every year a few things always happen on the trip. We find a variety of terrain, we camp in the woods, and someone at some point gets pulled out with a Bubba Rope. Bubba Rope sent Rich Conlon and Faron Tidwell in Conlon’s ’08 Jeep JK four-door. Conlon has a shop in Iowa, Complete Off-Road, that sells a variety of 4x4 parts and is a dealer for Bubba Rope, while Tidwell is based in Florida and works at Bubba’s world headquarters. Their yellow Jeep wheeled like a champ, and although it may not have had the most power or the wildest suspension, it did have something everyone was jealous of: a cool custom Ultimate Adventure diff cover.
Drivetrain
Engine:3.8L V-6
Transmission:Stock
Transfer Cases:Stock
Front Axle:Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
Rear Axle:Dana 44, ARB Air Locker, 5.38
Suspension
Springs & Such:ARB Old Man Emu 4-inch lift coils and shocks (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:37-inch Mickey Thompson MTZs on 17x9 Raceline beadlocks
Winch:TJM 9000
Old Crony
Trent’s Rents
2007 Cummins Jeep Wrangler JK
Drivers:Trent McGee & Ricky Berry
Trent McGee is a returning crony and the only person to ever attend every day of every Ultimate Adventure. This year he drove “the rental,” also known as the ’07 Jeep Wrangler we built for UA 2007. This hot rod Jeep is set on a Ram truck chassis, with a Cummins engine and Power Wagon axles. Built by American Expedition Vehicles and Twisted Customs six years ago, this monster is still running strong. It makes a great crony vehicle since it can seat additional photographers like our freelance shooter Ricky Berry, as well as video crew and tools, and still have plenty of power to run down the road and tow broken vehicles off the trail.
Drivetrain
Engine:5.9L Cummins diesel
Transmission:NV4500
Transfer Case:Atlas
Front Axle:Mopar AAM 91⁄4 Power Wagon, AAM electric selectable locker, 4.56
Rear Axle:Mopar AAM 101⁄2 Power Wagon, AAM electric selectable locker, 4.56
Suspension
Springs & Such:Ram 2500 coil spring, BDS/Fox shocks (front); Ram 2500 leaf spring, BDS/Fox shocks (rear)
Tires & Wheels:42-inch BFG Krawlers on 20-inch Trail Ready beadlocks
Winch:Warn 8274
Old Crony
Timmy’s Unwrinkled Ride
1987 Suzuki Samurai
Driver:Tim Hardy
Tim Hardy is the crony who buzzes along in the smallest, most underpowered 4x4 of the group yet has no big problems keeping up with the rest of us on the trail—except for the continual process of reseating beads on his tires. Hardy’s Samurais are great trail rigs (he brought the blue one this year, not the wrinkled red one), and he has built them light and efficient, but when you air down to super-single-digit tire pressure (0-2 psi) the beads seem to fall off. Luckily he is very self-sufficient and can reseat a bead or fix a broken timing chain in the rain and quickly get back to buzzing down the trail.
Drivetrain
Engine:1.3L Suzuki
Transmission:Suzuki manual
Transfer Case:Stock with custom low gearset
Front Axle:Stock housing, Tim Hardy armor and custom axleshafts, EZ locker, 5.12
Rear Axle:Stock housing, Tim Hardy armor and custom axleshafts, EZ locker, 5.12
Suspension
Springs & Such:Spring-over with Rancho shocks (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains on 15-inch aluminum rims
Winch & Bumper:Warn 8000 on ARB bumper
Readers
CUCV.J.
1985 Chevy K30 CUCV truck
Drivers:V.J. Perrin & Travis Bennett
The Chevy CUCV (Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle), or military variant of the venerable K30, is one of the best bang-for-the-buck trucks you can come by, with the exception of the less-than-heroic 6.2L diesel under the hood. V.J. Perrin and Travis Bennett kept that 6.2 and added a few other improvements to the truck, such as a front-welded spool and required winch and cage for the UA. The crazy thing is Perrin has a well-built buggy at home, but the underpowered CUCV makes wheeling an adventure, especially when spinning (or trying to spin) 40-inch Nittos. The 6.2L clattered up many a trail and even earned its driver a talking-to by a local authority for (somehow) exceeding the speed limit. Rumor has it something from a Dodge 1-ton is headed under the hood post-UA.
Drivetrain
Engine:6.2L Detroit Diesel
Transmission:TH400
Transfer Case:NP208
Front Axle:Dana 60, Lincoln Locker, 4.56
Rear Axle:GM 14-bolt, Detroit Locker, 4.56:1
Suspension
Springs & Such:6-inch Superlift leaf springs (front); 6-inch Pro Comp leaf springs (rear)
Tires & Wheels:40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on 17-inch Raceline Monster beadlocks
Winch:Warn 12,000-pound
Sponsor
Offroad Design
1982 Chevy Blazer Buggy
Drivers:Stephen Watson & James Watson
Stephen Watson and his dad, James, are the parts slingers at a fullsize 4x4 shop in Colorado known as Offroad Design. They have come on the UA multiple years with big trucks, and this year they brought Stephen’s Blazer Buggy, affectionately referred to as Wally. Wally started as a clean ’82 Blazer that Stephen used for camping and hunting, but as his wheeling lifestyle progressed so did his SUV, becoming more of a buggy. Stephen never shies away from an obstacle. Wally has been tuned and fine-tuned with plenty of tire, power, and suspension to surmount whatever gets in the way.
Drivetrain
Engine:504 Chevy big-block
Transmission:TH400 automatic
Transfer Case:Offroad Design 203/205 doubler
Front Axle:Dynatrac Pro Rock 60, ARB Air Locker, 5.13
Rear Axle:GM 14-bolt, ARB Air Locker, 5.13
SuspensionSprings & Such:Offroad Design coilover shock conversion with King 21⁄2x16-inch coilovers (front and rear)
Tires & Wheels:42-inch Goodyear MTRs on Trail Ready 17x9 beadlocks
Winch:Warn Zeon 10
