Hi all.
I'm new to the forum, but not new to off-roading. My wife and I have been banging around the Rockies for at least 20 years.
My first build was a Ram 1500. A 408 stroker, 6" of lift, 37" Swampers, MileMarker 15,000lb hydraulic winch, an ARB in the front with a Detroit in the rear, and a ton (literally) of custom bumpers and sliders. This was the rig I used when I competed in 4Wheeler Magazines Real Truck Challenge. I didn't do super well, ending up in 18th out of 20. But I was the only competitor who actually drove their "real truck" to the event. For me, that was roughly 1,500 miles each way. Photos taken at Badlands Offroad Park near Attica IN.
My next build was an '89 Wrangler. A Holley EFI 383 Chevy stroker and Turbo300 transmission. I used the torque converter from a T400 so it would lock up sooner. An Atlas 4-speed TC. Full width axles from the Chevy truck that donated the engine, a D44 in front and 12-bolt in the rear. 40" IROKs on Staun internal beadlocks. Poison Spyder Stinger and rollcage. 15,000lb MileMarker electric winch. This rig was used to run trails that tried to kill me. Photos taken in my garage, driveway, and on Independence Trail near Penrose, CO.
My wife has had a 2011 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon for years. She loves it and refuses to trade it, despite the 180,000 miles we put on it commuting for work. So when we recently retired, we decided it need a makeover. 3.25" Rough Country lift. 18x9" Rockstars with 35x12.5" Toyo Open Country M/Ts. Vijay front and rear bumpers. Hook Roade flares. Poison Spyder Bruiser rock sliders. Smittybilt 9,500lb winch. Voswitch system. Off-road lights. 10" Android/CarPlay touch screen with backup camera. Photos taken in our driveway and on Medano Pass, near Westcliff, CO.
We are really happy with the way it turned out. So I sold my Chevy Colorado and bought a '13 Rubicon on August 20th. Bone stock, other than a Bullydog GT Platinum tuner.
Basically the same build, but but with a 5" lift, Rockstar II's, and a Smittybilt 10,000lb wireless winch. After a month of ownership... Photos taken on the St Elmo to Tincup trail and my driveway.
It might be of less interest to people here, but for paved roads, I use this '99 M6 Corvette with a heads/cam/blower LS3 swap. In exactly the same condition as a road trip, not even air pressure changed, it runs high-11's @ 122-123MPH at a DA of 8500-9000'. Photos taken in my garage and on a road new my home.
If that isn't enough expensive hobbies, I do a bit of skydiving and a LOT of SCUBA diving.
I'm new to the forum, but not new to off-roading. My wife and I have been banging around the Rockies for at least 20 years.
My first build was a Ram 1500. A 408 stroker, 6" of lift, 37" Swampers, MileMarker 15,000lb hydraulic winch, an ARB in the front with a Detroit in the rear, and a ton (literally) of custom bumpers and sliders. This was the rig I used when I competed in 4Wheeler Magazines Real Truck Challenge. I didn't do super well, ending up in 18th out of 20. But I was the only competitor who actually drove their "real truck" to the event. For me, that was roughly 1,500 miles each way. Photos taken at Badlands Offroad Park near Attica IN.
My next build was an '89 Wrangler. A Holley EFI 383 Chevy stroker and Turbo300 transmission. I used the torque converter from a T400 so it would lock up sooner. An Atlas 4-speed TC. Full width axles from the Chevy truck that donated the engine, a D44 in front and 12-bolt in the rear. 40" IROKs on Staun internal beadlocks. Poison Spyder Stinger and rollcage. 15,000lb MileMarker electric winch. This rig was used to run trails that tried to kill me. Photos taken in my garage, driveway, and on Independence Trail near Penrose, CO.
My wife has had a 2011 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon for years. She loves it and refuses to trade it, despite the 180,000 miles we put on it commuting for work. So when we recently retired, we decided it need a makeover. 3.25" Rough Country lift. 18x9" Rockstars with 35x12.5" Toyo Open Country M/Ts. Vijay front and rear bumpers. Hook Roade flares. Poison Spyder Bruiser rock sliders. Smittybilt 9,500lb winch. Voswitch system. Off-road lights. 10" Android/CarPlay touch screen with backup camera. Photos taken in our driveway and on Medano Pass, near Westcliff, CO.
We are really happy with the way it turned out. So I sold my Chevy Colorado and bought a '13 Rubicon on August 20th. Bone stock, other than a Bullydog GT Platinum tuner.
Basically the same build, but but with a 5" lift, Rockstar II's, and a Smittybilt 10,000lb wireless winch. After a month of ownership... Photos taken on the St Elmo to Tincup trail and my driveway.
It might be of less interest to people here, but for paved roads, I use this '99 M6 Corvette with a heads/cam/blower LS3 swap. In exactly the same condition as a road trip, not even air pressure changed, it runs high-11's @ 122-123MPH at a DA of 8500-9000'. Photos taken in my garage and on a road new my home.
If that isn't enough expensive hobbies, I do a bit of skydiving and a LOT of SCUBA diving.
