Editor's Note: Mail your submissions to 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility magazine, Trail Rigs, 774 S. Placentia Ave., Placentia, CA 92870. All photos remain the property of McMullen Argus Publishing.
Socal WranglerWith the vast California desert in his backyard, San Diego denizen Charles Torrez has plenty of opportunities to test his '91 Wrangler. The stock axles are currently equipped with 4.56 gears, with a Lock-Right up front and a Trac-Lok in the rear. The Rancho 9000s with in-cab controls give him a good ride on and off the road. Under the hood, the stock 258 has been outfitted with a Borla header connected to a DynoMax after-cat exhaust. The YJ rides on 33-inch BFG Mud-Terrains wrapped around Center Line HT wheels. Up front, a Warn X8000i winch sits on an Olympic rock bumper, while a custom unit protects the rear of the Jeep.
Nothing Like ThisAt just 17, Dustin Trent has built one of the coolest rigs around. This custom '87 CJ-7 runs a Dana 44 up front and a Dana 60 in the rear with 4.56 gears and Detroit Lockers in both. Sitting on custom motor mounts is a 350 small-block from GM Performance Parts that connects to a Turbo 400 tranny and a Dana 20 transfer case. Cooling the engine is a custom five-core radiator with a custom aluminum fan shroud. Dustin built the eight-point rollcage out of 2-inch tubing and gusseted every weld for maximum strength. There is simply too much to list, but try this: a 22-gallon Fuel Safe racing cell, JAZ seats, an aluminum dash, Auto Meter gauges, a Painless Wiring harness, a Hayden tranny cooler, a B&M power steering cooler, custom shock towers, custom skidplates, push-button start... Watch for a feature soon.
Jungle Jeepin'Currently stationed in Panama, army helicopter pilot Allen Raye and his wife Misty do most of their four-wheeling with the Back Country 4x4 Club. This shot was taken while they were trudging through the Panamanian jungle in their '85 CJ-7. The stock 258 straight-six has been upgraded with a high-volume oil pump, a Weber carb, a 90-amp alternator, and an Optima battery. To get them through the deep Central American mud, the couple installed Pro Comp 4-inch lift springs, Currie shackles, and a M.O.R.E. 1-inch body lift. The nerf bars and rear bumper were custom-made out of 3-inch steel pipe. To pull them out of sticky situations, the Rayes installed a military surplus Warn winch up front and converted it to 12-volt power.
Southern SevenMike Higby of Augusta, Georgia, is continually upgrading his '82 CJ-7. The AMC 401 engine, equipped with a low-torque cam, backs up to a T18 tranny and gives him enough low end to keeping grinding through the toughest terrain. For excellent clearance, Higby runs a springover suspension with 2-inch lift springs up front and military wrap springs in the rear. The Dana 44 axles, front and rear, are both equipped with Air Lockers and are capped with 35x15 Super Swamper tires. Rounding out the CJ are Off Your Rocker diamond-plate corners, a six-point rollcage, Bestop storage boxes, and flush-mounted taillights.