sin46th magzus.org by Thomas Swift

INTRODUCING THE..

NEARLY 60 YEARS OF PROOF… THAT LEGENDS NEVER DIE.

REBIRTHED FROM THE DEPTHS OF BAJA, AND REPRESENTING DECADES OF RACING HERITAGE, MICKEY THOMPSON TIRES ANNOUNCES A NEW AMERICAN MUD-TERRAIN LEGEND. THIS DOMINATING TIRE IS PURPOSE-BUILT FOR THRILL-SEEKERS EVERYWHERE. THE NEW BAJA LEGEND MTZ™.

MICKEYTHOMPSONTIRES.COM

CONTENTS

JUNE 2022, VOL.59, NO.6

COVER SECTION

FLATFENDERS! 18 2021 GO DEVIL RUN

The second annual gathering of vintage Jeeps

28 FLATFENDER JEEP BUYING TIPS

Tip and tricks you can use when shopping for an early GPW or Willys MB, CJ, or M38 flatfender Jeep

34 HISTORY OF THE GO DEVIL The engine that made a company

36 PROJECT ODD FORD

PART 1: This 80-year-old flatfender GPW sees daylight after 23 years in a box

FEATURES & EVENTS 46 REDNECK MOTORHOME

Mike Presher’s 1959 Power Giant Power Wagon

64 MOTIVATED

Aneta Zarzycka’s cross-country Jeep Gladiator

76 FROM THE BACKCOUNTRY Light is not right

TECH & HOW-TO 40 TRANSFER OF POWER

34 46

How we swapped an F-150 T-case into our V-8 Explorer

52 ROCKCRAWLING 101

Thinking of going rockcrawling? Here are some simple steps to follow

56 LS FOR A JK

PART 3: Far from perfect, close to done

70 STRENGTH FOR THE LONG HAUL

52 70

TIRE TEST

DEPARTMENTS

6 FIRING ORDER 8 4XFORWARD 10 INBOX 12 RPM

60 UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

A year in the life of a Falken Wildpeak M/T

14 78

60 4 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

14 PARTS RACK 78 TECHLINE 81 CALENDAR 82 TRAIL’S END

Q ON THE COVER

VINTAGE POWER WAGON! THE WORLD’S LEADING 4x4 AUTHORITY

FLATFENDERS

PPE’s Stage 6 Allison 1000 transmission build

BUYING TIPS ARIZONA TRAIL RUN HISTORY OF THE GO DEVIL ENGINE AND MORE! SEE US AT FOURWHEELER.COM

JUNE 2022

It’s said that flatfender jeeps were the catalyst for recreational off-roading and flatties are still at it today. This flattie belongs to Four Wheeler’s own Verne Simons. There’s gobs of flatfender content in this issue beginning on page 18.

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FIRING ORDER

Flat be the fenders

’m old, but even through the brain fog of age I remember getting close to a flatfender for the first time. It was my grandfather’s ’51 CJ-3A and it grabbed and held my attention. My grandfather, Billie B. Brubaker, served in the U.S. Army as a motor pool sergeant and this took him to the Philippines and Japan. In 1946, after returning from Army service, he began working at a Cities Service station (it later became a Citgo) in Rockford, Illinois, and he eventually purchased the station. In a newspaper story published when he left the business after 26 years, he noted that he purchased the 3A in 1951. “From 1946 to 1951 we shoveled tons of snow by hand,” he recalled. “Then, in 1951, I bought the first snowplow-equipped Jeep used in Rockford, and that made snow removal less than a back-breaking chore.” He went on to say that he had to travel to Elgin, Illinois, to purchase the new 3A, which was equipped with a blade for plowing snow. Cost: $1,300.

Q Jeff Petrowich has injected his rig, which he calls Bam Bam, with modern tech like power steering, disc brakes, a fuel-injected V-6, and much more.

I spent a lot of time at that service station when I was a young lad, and his 3A held my attention for hours. It was different, even from other vehicles of that era. I recall inspecting it in great detail. It wasn’t a toy, it was a tool for my grandfather, and he used it as such. I’ve been around flatfenders many times since then, including a memorable trip from Michigan to California towing Sean Holman’s “new” fully restored Go Devil-powered ’51 CJ-3A. That machine, dubbed Project Colonel Mustard, made several appearances in Four Wheeler. And it’s worth mentioning that Sean recently acquired a Ford GPW flattie from his uncle. It had been parked in a container for over a decade. Sean dug it out, dragged it home, and got it running. Not only is the flattie a cool machine, Sean has a history with it. Back in the early 1990s it was the first 4x4 he drove. Sean’s uncle owned it since the late 1960s and it has an odd-fire V-6 and dual fuel tanks. You can see more about it by punching in @oddford on Instagram. A few years ago, I was stumbling around on a trail in Utah when an MB came along. It blew me away on visuals alone. That MB, I would learn, is owned by Jeff Petrowich (the gent behind Classic Jeep Tops, classicjeeptops.com). His MB is a droolworthy mix of modern and vintage. It’s a “’43” that has a 3A frame, a 4.3L Chevy V-6, an SM465 five-speed trans, a Dana 18 T-case with custom gearing by Jeff (which he says gives the MB a crawl ratio of 153:1), a Detroitlocked Dana 30 front axle with alloy ’shafts, a Detroit-locked Dana 44 rear axle, disc brakes, power steering, a stealthy rollcage, and much more. It’s an incredible melding of old and new, and if you want to see more of it search “jpetrowich” on YouTube. Flatties are great. They’re fun little 4x4s whether they’re bone stock or modded, and we’re excited to include some flatfender content into this month’s issue of Four Wheeler. Do you wheel a flatfender? Did you previously own a flatfender? Are you working on a project flatfender? If so, drop me an email at the address below and tell me about it and please include a high-res photo. –KEN BRUBAKER KEN.BRUBAKER@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: KEN BRUBAKER

6 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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4XFORWARD

Welcome to MotorDome: Two things enter, one thing leaves

side from 1980s-era Tina Turner’s legs, one of the most memorable things from the movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is the line, “Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves.” That pretty much sums up the blood-in-the-arena ethos of my automotive journalism career. At my core I have to admit my guilty pleasure is pitting two (or more) things against each other and devising diabolical testing criteria that ensures only one true victor emerges. I just love a good product shootout. I’m not alone, because no matter what the genre, one of the most widely used search words is “vs”. Apple versus pumpkin pie, vegetarianism versus veganism, blender versus juicer, you name it, somebody out there has compared something you’re interested in against something else you’re interested in, even if you didn’t know you were interested in it before you typed “versus” into your search browser. Don’t believe me? Go try it right now. Pick any old random word and type it into your search engine of choice followed by vs. Like, “marble vs.” and you’re most likely to see a long dropdown list of words like granite, quartz, porcelain, limestone, tile, and so on. And as you sit there thinking to yourself, “no, I meant the little round marbles that you play inside a little chalk ring on the schoolyard playground,” you’ll probably think to yourself, “but maybe I’ll click here to see how granite stacks up against marble.” To that end, the internet can create something of a self-fulfilling prophecy in which you can find yourself lumped into the same shrinking world-wide pool of interest. A homogenization, if you will, that limits the scope of your imagination while paradoxically at the same time opens an immense sea of information right at your

8 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

fingertips. But like a search engine that took the reins and dragged you off to places you didn’t anticipate heading, my original point is getting a bit diffused here. It’s the day job of my Four Wheeler coworkers and myself to go out and test things in the offroad environment. Spending three days out in Johnson Valley repeatedly winching an M-715 up a dune to intentionally drain batteries in order to determine a clear winner? Yup, we’ve done that. Mounting six different sets of various off-road tires on wheels and dragging the whole shebang to a mud pit to test which tread works the best on the same test vehicle? Been there, done that. Installing one fuel-injection system, then taking it off and installing another, and another, and another on the same engine to see which is easiest to install and works best? Guilty. CO2 tank versus onboard air compressor, this shock versus that shock, that winch versus that winch, and so on. Comparative battles were something we excelled at, but admittedly, is also something we throttled back on. But no more. The foot is getting smashed to the arena floor. Two things enter, one thing leaves. Email me at

christian_hazel@motortrend.com or DM me at @hbombindustries on Instagram to let me know if there’s something you wanna see us flog for all it’s worth before you make your purchase decision. -CHRISTIAN HAZEL CHRISTIAN_HAZEL@MOTORTREND.COM PHOTOS: CHRISTIAN HAZEL

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The Right Gear for Off-Road Fun

UNBEATABLE SERVICE, TECH ADVICE, SATISFACTION, AND SELECTION.

Order by 10 PM EST: In-Stock Parts Shipped That Day! 1.800.230.3030 • Int'l: 1.330.630.0230 SCode: 2206FW • Prices subject to change without notice. Visit SummitRacing.com for current pricing. Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction. Some parts are not legal for use in California or other states with similar laws/regulations. Please check your state and/or local laws/regulations. © 2022 AUTOSALES, INC.

Inbox

BY KEN BRUBAKER EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM

CRAIG’S 1974 FORD ECONOLINE 300 QUADRAVAN

I’m from Arlington, Virginia. I always bought all my parts from my local dealer, Dick Blanken Ford in Arlington. One day on my way in to get my parts, I saw a van parked in front of the showroom with a for sale sign in the back window. After I got my parts, I went into the showroom to see about the van. Turns out, the showroom was being painted and the guy painting it owned the van. It was his painter work van. If you take out all of the carpet, cabinets, and interior, there is still a lot of paint spills and spatters on the floor and walls. This was 1976. I bought it the next day and became the second owner. We did a lot of driving in the snow that winter. In the summer of 1976 it did a trip to Padre Island, Texas. We did the 4x4 “area” and passed a sign that said “4 wheel drive only.” This guy stopped us and said, “You can’t take that van past here, you’ll get stuck!” I floored it and threw sand all over him. Ha! In 1977, I did the interior that is still in it to this day. The van did many van events in the 1970s throughout Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. It always won “Best 4x4” at every van show. I moved to Florida in 1980. With starting a new business and building a new house, the vanning events were very limited, so the van sort of got parked for a while. Luckily for it, it has always been stored inside. A couple of years ago I got it out of the corner of the old shop, got it running and went through all the brakes; changed all the fluids; and resealed the C4 trans, transfer case, and both axles. It still has the original 302ci V-8 with 77,000 miles, but has a mild cam, aluminum intake, Holley 600-cfm carb, and has been updated to a Duraspark ignition. Most of the paint is original except for minor rust and off-road dents. The van was definitely not a “pavement princess.” It has had a lot of red Virginia clay and black Florida mud on it. I have taken it to two van events recently and plan to go to Deland, Florida, for Vanners in the Forest. One of the pics was taken on Assateague Island, Maryland, around 1977. I jumped it at about 40 mph. Broke the front axlehousing. Ordered a new one from Pathfinder, which was still in business then. That Dana 44 housing was specifically made for Pathfinder, not a transplant F-150 or Bronco housing. The overhead console also came loose and hit me in the head on the landing. This pic is inside of the van on the wall. I get a lot of comments on it at shows. CRAIG VIA EMAIL

BLACK BEAR ON A CUSHMAN TRAILSTER

I enjoyed reading the article you wrote and researched (Firing Order, Feb. ’22) about the history behind the picture you chose for the cover of your 60th anniversary issue. I have run across this picture several times in my life, minus the electric pickup, and it always takes me back to the time I traveled that legendary trail. Only I did it on a Cushman Trailster. It was in the mid-1960s, and I was a teenage boy about 15. I was on a summer vacation with my parents. We camped in a 15-foot Aljo travel trailer towed by our ’63 Chevy sedan. The Cushman was mounted to the rear bumper of the trailer and a Tote Gote, which I still own, was mounted on the tongue of the trailer. We were camping just outside of Telluride near the start of Black Bear Road. One morning I got on the Cushman and started riding. I ended up going about three quarters of the way up Black Bear Road and then turned around and came back down to camp. I had no idea where I was at the time. I will save you having to do the math. I’m 72 years old now and still an avid and active offroader. I live in Kingman, Arizona, now and own a Jeep Wrangler and a vintage Chenowth two-seat buggy that I built in the 1980s and have recently restored to its former glory. Although they have very different driving styles, I enjoy them both and drive them often. As Roy Rogers always said, “happy trails to you.” STUART

WHERE TO WRITE

Address your correspondence to Four Wheeler, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245 or send an email to ken.brubaker@fourwheeler.com. All letters become the property of Four Wheeler, and we reserve the right to edit them for length, accuracy, and clarity. The editorial department can also be reached through the website at fourwheeler.com. Due to the volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every reader, but we do read everything.

10 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

VIA EMAIL

QUICK AND TO THE POINT Great job on the Anniversary issue!

BENJAMIN VIA EMAIL

ORDER AT

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RPM PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS

BY JERED KORFHAGE

JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

InThe News

1 GM has recalled 1,789 fullsize SUVs, including the Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, and the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, for driveshaft-related issues. 2 The world is changing, and Nissan is working to keep up. The automaker is reportedly making dramatic moves behind the scenes to cut its ICE—that’s internal combustion engine—development outside of the U.S. pickup truck market and reallocate most of its $4 billion enginerelated research and development budget almost exclusively to electric vehicles. 3 The U.S. Postal Service’s estimated $6 billion deal with Oshkosh Defense for the new NGDV mail truck has been officially called into question by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A letter complains about the poor fuel economy of the proposed mail truck replacement and urges the Postal Service to “not proceed to a decision.” The EPA claims the new truck offers a “0.4-mile-per-gallon fuel economy improvement over the agency’s current fleet,” which is 30 years old and lacks air conditioning. 4 Ford dealers are being warned against asking for additional deposits or any other presale payments for the new F-150 Lightning EV pickup. It also puts in a new “no-sale” provision upon purchase for the customers, to prevent folks from flipping their Lightnings for a quick buck. 5 Toyota auctioned two of the first i-FORCE MAX Tundras at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Toyota Tundra Capstone with VIN 001 sold for $700,000. The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro with VIN 002 sold for $550,000. Proceeds benefitted the Toyota U.S. Paralympic Fund. 12 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

2 3 4 5

Is It True?

Q Are faulty valves in some ’21 Ford Bronco 2.7L V-6s causing engine failures? Q Can we expect to see the V-8 Ford Raptor R by the end of 2022? Will it one-up the Ram 1500 TRX? Q Is Ram struggling to meet the demand of its current 2500 Power Wagon Model? Q Did the Ford Maverick outsell its competitor, the Hyundai Santa Cruz? At least in the first quarter of 2022? Q Will the Ram 1500 EV arrive in 2024 and will it have what it takes to compete with the Ford F-150 Lightning EV, the Rivian R1T, and the Chevy Silverado EV?

TRUCK QUOTE

FROM CHEVY’S SILVERADO EV VEHICLE CHIEF ENGINEER, NICHOLE KRAATZ, WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE INFLUENCE THE INNOVATIVE AVALANCHE HAD OVER THE SILVERADO EV’S DEVELOPMENT:

“THERE ARE DESIGN CUES THAT ARE REMINISCENT [OF AVALANCHE]. WE ABSOLUTELY DID NOT HAVE AVALANCHE IN MIND WHEN WE WERE DESIGNING THE TRUCK. WHAT DROVE THE DESIGN OF THE TRUCK WAS REALLY THE GROUND-UP APPROACH TO THE ARCHITECTURE. WHAT WERE WE GOING FOR? WE WERE GOING FOR 400, OR MORE, MILES OF RANGE. WE WERE GOING FOR DESIGN STYLING THAT LOOKS MORE ATHLETIC, MORE SPORTY.”

• The Ranger Splash Package has returned for the ’21 Ford Ranger and it introduces three unique and one-time-only color options. Avalanche (pictured), Forged Green, and Desert Sand are the new paintjobs, each available with additional package-specific graphics and options.

• Warn Industries has partnered with the Jessi Combs Foundation for 2022 and the company has pledged to help educate, inspire, and empower the next generation of trailblazing and stereotype-breaking women. Since the foundation’s beginnings in 2019, it has awarded $70,000 in scholarships to 14 women.

Nissan’s latest trio of concept vehicles was released at the Chicago Auto Show featuring its redesigned Frontier. Project 72X Frontier

1 With a base Frontier Crew Cab S 4x4 as a starting point, Nissan used the ’79 Datsun 720 as inspiration for this build. Project 72X uses an understated gray exterior with retro graphics, augmented by white-painted steel wheels. These are the actual wheels that come with the Frontier’s spare tire and Pro-4X tires have been fitted to them. The retro vibe has been enhanced with Nissan’s sport bar and a 2.5-inch suspension lift with adjustable upper control arms.

1 2 3

2 This ’22 Frontier Crew Cab Pro-4X features a 5-inch Calmini lift with adjustable upper arms to clear 34-inch (285/75R17) BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires, and we think the stance is just right. With a wrap that features the entire U.S., Nissan is nudging you to take this truck somewhere, anywhere.

Q Jeep and Razor have partnered to bring you the Jeep RX200 electric scooter. It’s Trail Rated and claims a 12 mph top speed, 40 minutes of ride time, and a 154-pound weight limit.

Project Hardbody

3 Anyone of a certain age will immediately connect with the Southern California-designed, D21 body style that many of us remember from our high school exploits. Notice the tri-spoke monoblock wheels, which were so unique and so different as to be iconic to the Hardbody itself. The wheels on the concept are not an exact reproduction but have been up-scaled fourwheeler.com

into 17x8-inch rollers and are actually made from billet blanks and carved out on NDA’s CNC machine. Other retro touches include the amber lenses, a blacked-out front fascia, and tasteful shadow graphics that have a yesterday vibe but are fully modern. Nissan also includes its sport bar with 10-inch rectangular Rigid LED off-road

lights and a bed-mounted spare tire carrier to remind everyone of Nissan’s off-roading roots. Project Hardbody started out as an SV-grade ’22 Frontier Crew Cab 4x4, but adds the Pro-4X fender flares, a 3-inch suspension lift with adjustable upper control arms, and a host of Nissan Accessories products. FW FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 13

Photo: Razor

Project Adventure

Parts Rack

BY JERED KORFHAGE JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS

SMART 4X4 AUDIO

Alpine’s all-new iLX-F511 11-inch Multimedia Receiver and the iLX-F509 9-inch Multimedia Receiver come loaded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, Bluetooth hands-free calling, a 1280x720 high-resolution display screen, a single-DIN chassis built to fit a variety of vehicle applications, and much more. Alpine’s sleek new unit features a tapered display housing and silver trim for a clean, modernized fit and finish along with a floating-style display with a mounting bracket allowing for height, depth, and angle adjustments. You’ll find built-in HD radio; inputs for USB, AUX, and HDMI; MP3/WMA/AAC/ FLAC/APE music playback capabilities via the USB drive; as well as compatibility with many Alpine expandability options (sold separately). INFO: Alpine Electronics, 800/421-2284, alpine-usa.com

VERSATILE TOWEL

BOOSTED THROTTLE

Take the Sea to Summit Tek Towel with you to camp for your dishes, to the lake for a beach towel, or anywhere you need to dry off but don’t have space to pack that bulky and minimally absorbent towel from the linen closet. The Tek Towel comes in sizes from X-Small (hand towel) to X-Large (beach towel) with three sizes in-between. Why this towel? Its super absorbent microfiber material is said to pick up more moisture than traditional towels and dry out faster, all with a plush terrycloth feel. The towels are sold individually, are machine washable, and come with a zippered storage pouch. INFO: Sea to Summit, seatosummitusa.com

Take the wires out of the throttle sensitivity adjustments on your 4x4! The Amp’d 2.0 throttle sensitivity booster from Holley is said to remove throttle response delays, instantly putting you in total control of your vehicle’s throttle response. The Amp’d 2.0 features a new wireless Bluetooth switch and the mobile application allows for finetuning of your throttle response from Apple and Android mobile devices. Amp’d 2.0 is pre-loaded with five preset throttle curves and thousands of custom curve possibilities and is said to increase accelerator pedal response, reduce acceleration lag, and should be compatible with a wide range of popular vehicles. INFO: Holley, 866/464-6553, holley.com

THE BAJA LEGEND

Mickey Thompson’s Baja Legend EXP tire is designed to excel on the pavement as much as it does when the tracks turn to dirt. The Baja Legend EXP’s tread design is optimized for maximum grip and a smooth, quiet ride while the rugged Sidebiters provide a bold look, off-road traction, and sidewall protection. The silica-reinforced compound gives the Baja Legend EXP long-lasting treadlife and exceptional cut and chip resistance, along with excellent wet handling and braking performance. The Baja Legend EXP hybrid all-terrain tire is available in 41 sizes to fit many popular vehicle platforms and is covered by a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. INFO: Mickey Thompson, 330/928-9092, mickeythompsontires.com 14 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

SLEEP WARMER!

Are you tired of choosing between comfort and warmth? Say no more to sleeping like a mummy or in the fetal position to stay warm while in your camper, tent, or 4x4. The Aeronaut Hoverquilt is a buttery soft and toasty warm goose down quilt that packs into a compact size and is big enough for two people. The quilt comes with no zippers, is filled with 750 fill power goose down, and is said to be comfortable down to 30 degrees F. It measures 90x80 inches; the 20D nylon shell balances softness, durability, and noise; it’s machine washable; and it comes with its own storage sack. INFO: Aeronaut Outdoor, aeronautoutdoor.com

W A T C H L I V E E X C L U S I V E LY O N

SCAN HERE

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FEATURE

1 2 0 2

GO DEVIL RUN The second annual gathering of vintage Jeeps By Verne Simons editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Verne Simons There is an event in the desert that tests the mettle of driver, the strength of their fiber, their skills off-road, and pushes the limits of machines. No, we’re not talking about some Ultra4 race you didn’t know about. It’s not some sort of high-end overlanding adventure with titanium cutlery and fancy cooking discs … although we hear Skottles are great. What we’re talking about is the second annual 2021 Go Devil Run (often referred to simply as GDR). There are rules for GDR. The main decree is that it’s only open to Jeeps from the 1940s, 1950s, or 1960s powered by the venerable 134ci L-head, the Go Devil engine. The more stock, the better. Sure, rules are made to be broken and bent, so many run limited-slip differentials (which are period correct) and others run lockers (which may or may not be period correct). Bias-ply tires are encouraged, and radials ridiculed. Any tire over 30.5 inches is too large and not allowed … unless you bribe the right people. The idea of GDR is simple: Keep things visually as though we were on a run in the 1950s. If this sounds familiar, that’s because we did the inaugural GDR run in 2020 and wrote all about it in the March 2021 issue of Four Wheeler. Four days of frivolity and old vehicle issues with a great group of enthusiasts makes for what is one of the most amusing times we’ve had in a while. Honestly, the idea of driving almost 40, 60–75-year-old 4x4s from Phoenix to Crown King, Arizona, is a series of disasters waiting to happen. Add in three more days of road trip adventures, and you really have something. Something filled with vapor locks, drivetrain repairs, fuel filter clogs, carburetor replacement, laughs, camaraderie, and more.

18 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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POINT YOUR PHONE CAMERA AT THIS CODE TO SEE VIDEO AND A HUGE PHOTO GALLERY OF THE 2021 GO DEVIL RUN

FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 19

Feature GO DEVIL RUN

Day 1:

Lake Pleasant to Crown King Q The back way to Crown King is an Arizona offroad staple. It’s a legendary trail that many folks in Arizona have undertaken, including our group of vintage Jeeps. The trail varies with use and erosion and is occasionally groomed by local municipalities, but generally has some fun optional obstacles and a few that are nonoptional. High ground-clearance, four-wheel drive, self-sufficiency, and a sense of adventure are necessary for this trail, which generally takes a few hours to complete (maybe more with a large group of cantankerous old Jeeps and their owners). The trail starts with a series of dirt roads that head north into the desert toward the mountains northeast of the suburban sprawl of Phoenix. It first is a paved road past Lake Pleasant but becomes dirt north of the last official access and boat ramps to the beautiful and refreshing Lake Pleasant. After another 10 or 12 miles of dirt, the official back way to Crown King trail starts just north of the last few regularly inhabited houses on Cow Creek Road. The trail is fun and challenging, starting in the low desert environment that surrounds Phoenix, passing through scrub forests, and ending in the lodgepole pines that surround the old mining town of Crown King. This was the hardest off-road day of the GDR with some tough rock obstacles. Near the town of Crown King, we set up a base camp that we would use as home base for the next few days of vintage Jeep adventure. Everyone made the trip the first day despite several minor challenges to several of the participants.

20 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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Day 2:

Horsethief Basin, a Broken Axle, and Tacos Q Traditionally (and by that we mean last year), Day 2 of GDR is a good time to take it easy. A day with not much agenda other than to address needed repairs while trying to have fun. And boy oh boy did some make repairs ... but it was also a ton of fun! The day cracked off with GDR’ers waking and fixing breakfast while others addressed repairs and general maintenance. Mary and Mike Dora are GDR alumni and this year they had big issues with Mary’s ’48 CJ-2A. We’re not exactly sure when it happened, but Day 1 of GDR had been pretty hard on the old Jeep. Mary had driven the Jeep up the hardest obstacles on the trail while also lending the Jeep to friends Ben and Lindsay Smith. Who hurt the axle? Who knows, but just about everyone in camp helped with the fix. The Jeep was held off the ground using Moe The Tow Willys, and replacement parts were sourced from Ryan Miller, who seemed to have two of everything ... including a spare set of axleshafts for a Dana 41. Once Mary’s rear axle was all sorted, the group headed out to explore the area around Crown King. Namely, the area known as Horsethief Basin. The Basin is home to a lake (it’s a big pond except by Arizona standards) built by the CCC in 1936, and adjacent to similarly aged Hazlett Hollow Campground, all that remains of another camp area called Turney Gulch. The area is about a 40–45-minute drive from Crown King (and nothing else) and affords a great place to explore, do some fishing, or maybe have a picnic. From there, we headed back to Crown King and base camp for GDR. Back at camp, dinner was waiting with delicious tacos supplied by our friend, creator of the GDR, fabricator extraordinaire, and apparently a darn good cook too, Ian Liljeblad. Also, chips, salsa, guac, and cheese crisps were supplied by Scottsdale, Arizona’s own, the world famous and family-owned Los Olivos Mexican Patio (losolivosrestaurants.com).

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FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 21

Feature GO DEVIL RUN

Day 3:

Gas Station Head Gasket Swap and Pressing on to Prescott

Q The history of the first commercially available 4x4s, before all other commercially available 4x4s, the vehicles that would become the Jeep, shouldn’t be a mystery to most. Jeeps were first built for the military before the U.S.’s full involvement in WWII as a small, 1⁄4-ton four-wheeldrive reconnaissance car. The idea was to have a simple, lightweight, durable, and capable vehicle to move troops around quickly. It worked. Given that provenance, it should be obvious that early Jeeps, like those on the second annual Go Devil Run are easy for just about anyone to work on. So, when we noticed excessive steam coming from Mike Tarvin’s CJ-2A, we knew it was probably a bad head gasket. In all honesty, the idea of doing a head gasket swap in a parking lot of a quickie mart wasn’t exactly something that popped to mind. That came with the insight and determination of two other folks on hand. One was Bryan Crofts, who reminded all of us that replacing a head gasket on an L-head isn’t that hard, and Ryan Miller, who seemed to be literally driving a rolling Willys Jeep parts store. That’s right, he had on hand not only a fresh head gasket but also a can of copper gasket maker spray. Amazing! Who carries a spare head gasket and copper gasket spray? So, we got to work for what would end up being a 40–48minute head gasket swap. While six or seven of us replaced the head gasket, the rest of the group took the Senator Highway to the historic and beautiful town of Prescott, Arizona. Prescott is filled with history, and it’s a vibrant but lowkey tourist town featuring cool mountain air (most of the year), the amazing Courthouse Square, and Whiskey Row. The drive is about 40-50 miles, most of which is slow and scenic, which is great for anyone in a 70-year-old vehicle. We explored Prescott before the drive back to GDR Base Camp near Crown King.

22 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

IN ALL HONESTY, THE IDEA OF DOING A HEAD GASKET SWAP IN A PARKING LOT OF A QUICKIE MART WASN’T EXACTLY SOMETHING THAT POPPED TO MIND.

Feature GO DEVIL RUN

Day 4:

Farewell Crown King, Hello Cleator, and Home Q Someone long ago said that all good things must come to an end. We’re not exactly sure who said that, but it’s still true. Luckily, Willys flatfenders have stood the test of time, and we’ve just proven again why these venerable little 4x4s that arguably started recreational off-roading are still valuable for bringing smiles to our faces. We call it perma-smile, and it happens every time we drive or ride in a stockish flattie. The 134ci flathead engine, known as the L-head or Go Devil engine, proves viable and reliable (enough) to take something like 34-38 vintage and nearly stock flatties built from the early 1940s through the late 1950s (and a few even into the 1960s) several hundred miles. And all that without too much drama. Sure, many of them vapor locked, so we had to take a break and enjoy whatever piece of heaven on earth we happened to be in at that moment. Many more had other issues, but with some work and a positive attitude, we left no Willys behind. We did, however, leave

24 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

the beautiful mountain town of Crown King, Arizona, behind, if only for a little while. From Crown King, we headed down the front way (we took the back way to Crown King on Day 1) to the small town of Cleator, Arizona. In Cleator, the General Store and Cleator Bar & Yacht Club were in full swing. After grabbing a root beer and a hot dog and touring the General Store, we headed back down toward Black Canyon City and through the desert to New River, Arizona. New River has been the official unofficial starting and ending point of the GDR. From there, we all bid the other flatfender freaks a fond farewell and puttered back to our respective domiciles to recoup and relive the memories of the second annual 2021 Go Devil Run. Special thanks to Ian Liljeblad, the inspiration for the event, and everyone who helped and participated—except Sean, the GDR 2021’s unofficial worst/best DJ. We need more Hank Williams Senior, more Bob Marley, less EDM. FW

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POINT YOUR PHONE CAMERA AT THIS CODE FOR A GLIMPSE OF CHRISTIAN HAZEL’S 1953 WILLYS FLATFENDER BUILD THROUGH THE YEARS

JEEP BUYING TIPS Tips and tricks you can use when shopping for an early GPW or Willys MB, CJ, or M38 flatfender Jeep

e’re amazed at the popularity explosion early CJ Jeeps are currently enjoying, specifically the WWII-era Willys MB and Ford GPW, early Willys CJ-2A, CJ-3A, and Korean War-era M38 Jeeps. Known more affectionately by their nickname, flatfender or flattie, these early Jeeps have long been a crowd favorite for modification, but now a new movement has taken hold with an increasing number of off-roaders enjoying them in mostly stock form. So, assuming you’re not going to automatically throw all the factory parts away for new aftermarket “upgrades,” in no particular order, here are some things to look for and consider when shopping for a flatfender.

BY CHRISTIAN HAZEL EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: CHRISTIAN HAZEL 28 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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Dash and Interior It’s not very common to find an early Jeep with an unmolested dash. Over the decades since they left the factory, many get butchered with holes chopped for radios or CBs, various wiring switches, and non-factory gauges. To some it’s no big deal, but if you’re planning a restoration or want a purer throwback feel, consider a candidate that hasn’t had its dashboard butchered, that still retains the factory large-diameter steering wheel, and that still has the factory seat frames. Aftermarket or custom cushions and seat covers can be easily added, and replacement steering wheels are available, but flatfender dashes don’t unbolt like later CJ-5 and CJ-6 models, so if the dash is butchered and you dislike the additional holes, you’ll be doing some sheetmetal repair.

Taillights, Tailgate, and Tow Hitch Like the dashboards, the back end of these vehicles oftentimes get butchered to the point of no return. It was common in the 1960s and 1970s to open up the back of the tub and insert car taillight assemblies. Or perhaps simple trailer lights or later-model CJ taillights get added. Tailgates on models that have them are another item that can be damaged or lost over the years. Not all replacement tailgates are stamped with “Willys,” so

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if you see a blank center bar in the tailgate it’s probably an aftermarket reproduction. Finally, the rear tow hitch is a nice thing to have, but it can often interfere with the Jeep’s off-road departure angle, so may have since been removed. There’s bracing that runs from the top of the hitch to the top of the framerails and rear crossmember, so if you want the factory implement/tow hitch and are planning on adding one, remember you’ll need these parts to make it structurally sound.

FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 29

Tech FLATFENDER JEEP BUYING TIPS

Rear Axleshaft Considerations Regardless of which axle is in the back of the flattie you’re looking at, once again give the housing a good eyeballing to see if it appears bent. The earliest MB and GPWs have full-float rear axles and 4.88 gears, some with or without a limited slip depending on the branch and theater of service. And many CJ-2As have a rather oddball Dana 41 that doesn’t have great parts availability. It’s not uncommon to see either of these axles cobbled with scrounged or makeshift repairs to keep them going, so before you

Windshield Glass and Frame There are all sorts of different flatfender windshield types, with kick-out glass, fixed glass, central vents that open, vestigial vents that are sealed shut, and so on. In many cases you can transplant windshields across the various flatfender models, so if you’ve got an early split CJ-2A frame with lollipop vent brackets on your CJ-3A and want a period-correct restoration, you can swap it without too much fuss. But nowadays original windshield frames are becoming a bit scarcer and more expensive to buy alone, so if the vehicle you are shopping for doesn’t have a windshield frame bolted to it, either be willing to accept an aftermarket frame or factor the increased cost of a used windshield frame that’s appropriate for your vehicle into your purchase negotiations.

Dana 25 Front Axle Considerations Flatfenders have a Dana 25 front axle with teeny 8-inch drum brakes. You want to give the housing a good look because the axletubes can get bent with hard off-roading and they’re just not making new Dana 25 housings anymore. Additionally, these Jeeps didn’t come with locking hubs from the factory, but by now almost all will have been upgraded with some form of locking hub. If yours have a vintage old-school variety like Cutlass or Warn or even Sears, make sure the hubs lock and unlock. If you see an axle that’s still wearing the original drive flange on one side, but the flange is missing on the other it can often be a sign of internal axle damage. This particular ’48 CJ-2A had the passenger-side drive flange removed and when we got it home and pulled it apart it quickly became apparent the reason for the flange removal was an exploded inner and outer axleshaft. 30 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

get your new purchase up to road speeds make sure you pop the diff cover and inspect the internals for any signs of damage. On our ’48 CJ-2A, the Dana 41 had apparently suffered some issue, with the lemon-shaped diff cover having been braze-welded back together. Later CJ flatties have a Dana 44 rear with a coarse-spline pinion and 10-spline axleshafts. On any early flatfender rear axle, with the exception of the WWII-era full-floaters, you’ll also want to check the two-piece axleshafts to make sure the nut that holds the hub to the tapered shaft hasn’t begun to walk off. The nut should be good and tight, and the keyway should be in good shape and without damage. Hopefully you won’t find an old nail or chunk of wood wedged in the keyway to gingerly get the Jeep down the road.

134ci Go Devil Four-Cylinder Engine Issues As with any engine in a prospective vehicle purchase, the first thing you should do is pull the dipstick to check the oil condition. Many of these engines didn’t have an oil filter on them, or they run an external oil filter with lines that can be damaged, so bearing condition should be carefully listened to if the engine runs when you’re checking it out. Black and gritty

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oil is often a sign of a poor running engine with carbon or bearing issues. On our ’48 CJ-2A, the oil was white milkshake, indicating a bad head gasket or a cracked block. We rolled the dice on a bad head gasket and, after carefully soaking the head stud nuts in penetrating oil for weeks, got them to budge without snapping the studs off in the block. Many aftermarket head gaskets for these engines have inferior fit and finish, so we got an N.O.S. one from a local source. You also want to make sure if it’s there, that all the oil bath air filter components are intact. Back in the day, many of these were tossed in the trash in favor of more modern paper or oil-impregnated aftermarket filters, but these oil bath air filters do work quite well.

Transmission and Clutch Most of the flatfenders you’ll be shopping for probably won’t have a top. And if it does, who knows when that top was added. Sitting out in the rain is a great way to fill the transmission in these things up with water, so if there’s any difficulty shifting the transmission, it is possible the gears, syncros, or shafts are contaminated with rust. We’ve purchased flatties that had their transmissions completely filled up to the top with water and that wouldn’t spin at all. However, hard shifting can also be attributed to worn components in the clutch or clutch pedal, so make sure you take a good look at each component before throwing the baby out with the bath water. For example, what we originally thought was a worn pressure plate between our Go Devil engine and T90 transmission wound up being a clutch fork with a cracked pivot ball that flexed to the point of not disengaging the clutch all the way. A good, used clutch fork fixed the issue without replacing the pressure plate or clutch disc.

Four-Cylinder Carter or Solex Carburetor Man, we’re not even going to go into all the different carburetors that fourwheeler.com

were available on these engines and what you should and shouldn’t be looking for. Aside from the incredibly rare, original WWII-era carbs that collectors clamor over, as long as the carb is functional and makes the engine run, we’re usually happy to leave well enough alone. Going down the “correct model carburetor” rabbit hole on these engines is frequently an exercise in frustration, as is dealing with some aftermarket replacement carburetors. Some, but not all, of the aftermarket carbs we’ve used have had issues right out of the box, so bottom line, if the engine you’re looking at runs well with a carburetor that clearly isn’t original, just take it for what it is and worry about other stuff that’s more pressing.

Spicer 18 Transfer Case Considerations We love the Spicer 18 T-case. Even if the flatfender you’re looking at isn’t equipped with an aftermarket overdrive bolted in place of the PTO cover, or it’s sporting a single- or dual-output PTO attachment, the twin-stick Spicer 18 is a plucky, durable T-case. Look to see if the one you’re considering shifts smoothly in and out of 4WD and from Low to High. Remember, these are not shift-on-the-fly T-cases, but with some ginger love they can be bumped in and out on a slow roll down the trail. The drum E-brake on the rear output is a nice feature if it hasn’t been removed. When in good shape they actually function quite well. One thing we’ve run into with infrequency is intermediate shaft issues. The intermediate shaft is one point of wear in these early cases and sometimes, if they’ve been rebuilt poorly and reassembled improperly, the locking tab bolt can come out, allowing the intermediate shaft to spin in the case bore.

Body Damage and Rust Issues These vehicles were built before fancy galvanized sheetmetal panels and other weather-resistant treatments, so rust and rot can be commonplace. Watch out for body filler and rot, especially in the tub corners down by

Tech FLATFENDER JEEP BUYING TIPS potential wear, so it’s not uncommon to find a lot of slop in the steering system of these vehicles. In addition to looking over the tie-rod ends, have somebody saw the steering wheel as you inspect the bellcrank for wear, the pitman arm sector shaft for any lateral movement, and the drag link ends for excessive play. Rebuild kits are available for most of these points of wear, though, so don’t let a worn steering system be a deal breaker in an otherwise good candidate.

Suspension the seat frame and in the front passenger footwell areas. Another high rot spot are the hat channels underneath the tub in which the body mounts are located. These channels were filled with wood, which absorbs and retains moisture and often leads to premature rotting of the overlaying metal. Another spot is the underseat toolbox, which can collect with rainwater and rot out. Make sure you push the passenger seat forward and lift the toolbox lid to inspect the condition of the floor. And finally, give the rear wheeltubs a good look over. Oftentimes these vehicles have been festooned with aftermarket trinkets, rollbars, seats, and other things that get bolted to the horizontal areas of the rear tubs and turns them into Swiss cheese.

Ross Cam & Lever Steering Linkage All flatfenders were equipped with a super complicated Rube Goldbergesque steering system. Called a Ross Cam & Lever, the steering column connected to a frame-mounted box housing the pitman arm. A drag link then ran longitudinally up from the pitman arm to a pivot arm that mounted to a bellcrank underneath the center of the front crossmember. This then actuates two separate tie rods, one to each front steering knuckle. It’s a cumbersome arrangement in that there are many points of

32 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

By now many early Jeep flatfender suspensions have been upgraded with aftermarket parts, but if original you’ll find spring packs made up of many thinner springs, rather than fewer thicker springs. These original packs ride pretty nicely and flex quite well, so original springs are a bonus. The shackles, if original, will be the open “C” type with threaded bushing sleeves featuring Zerk grease fittings. The bronze bushings inside can wear, but it’s worth replacing them if you’re looking to keep things original. If the vehicle you’re looking at has been converted to more modern shackles with rubber or poly bushings it’s not a deal breaker, nor are aftermarket spring packs. Don’t be surprised to find modifications of unusual or questionable design, like these coil springs mounted to act as both a bumpstop and overload spring for carrying heavy loads.

Wheels and Tires There’s just no telling what wheels and tires may be on the Jeep you’re looking at, but they could be anything from the factory 16-inch tube-type originals to fancy aftermarket aluminum. However, if the wheels are steel and look original, pay close attention to the area around the lug nuts. Over the life of these vehicles’ different lugs with the wrong taper may have chewed up the steel or cracks frequently spider out away from the lug nut holes. Also, don’t forget that, if original, many flatfenders have reversed left-hand lug nut threads on the passenger side to help prevent the lug nuts from loosening as the vehicle is driven forward. So don’t automatically hit the lugs with an impact gun set to “liquify.” FW

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Tech

HISTORY OF THE GO DEVIL By Jim Allen

editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jim Allen Collection and Verne Simons

The engine that made a company

f the three prototype jeep designs of 1940, the Willys-Overland fielded the most powerful engine, but that advantage was largely negated by it being in the heaviest vehicle. Being well over the Army’s weight limit nearly cost Willys the opportunity to bid, and only political intervention kept the company in the game. Predictably, the Army’s unrealistic weight limits moved upward, and by the time Willys’ July 1941 low bid was accepted for the first contract, the standardized design weighed as much as the original Willys prototype. Thusly, the Willys 134ci Go Devil fourcylinder engine became the heart of the jeep and part of the legend. Had Ford or Bantam won the bid, it’s very likely their final designs would also have had a bigger engine by necessity. Willys’ part in the story might have been different had it not been for Delmar G. “Barney” Roos. Willys-Overland hired Roos as chief engineer in 1938, and Roos had an enviable resume. His automotive career began in 1912 working for Locomobile (then Timken Axle), Pierce Arrow, Marmon, Studebaker, and Rootes in England. He was noted as a great

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Willys Go Devil Production dates: 1938-1965 Type: I-4, L-head Displacement (ci): 134.2 Bore & stroke (in): 3.125 x 4.380 Gross power (hp @ rpm): 60-68 @ 4,000 Net power (hp @ rpm): 54 @ 3,800 Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 105-109 @ 2,000 Compression ratio (:1): 6.48 (7.0 in some applications) Engine weight (lb): 365 (bare)

34 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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1 The Go Devil was a castiron L-head, also known as flathead or valves-in-block. It used only three main bearings, but often had a forged crankshaft. It was undersquare, meaning the stroke dimension was greater than the bore (by more than two inches in this case). This was typical for the era and resulted in slowrevving engines with a lot of torque down low. Breathing was the weakest link due to the intake and exhaust valves being in the block. Our sister magazine Hot Rod hopped one up in 1953 with a 7.75:1 compression ratio, ported intake and exhaust, dual single-barrel carburetors, and a hot cam. The January ’53 article didn’t list the output, but similarly built engines could make nearly 90 hp at a bit over 5,000 rpm.

2 2 Here is a postwar civilian Go Devil on display at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. Significant differences from the wartime engines included a change from timing gears to a chain, head upgrades, and a new crankshaft. The casting number of this engine dates it to the ’46-’53 period. It could have gone into any jeep of that era. The most common compression ratio was 6.48:1, but an optional, high-altitude head delivered a 7:1 ratio.

3 Here is a high-compression head for an L-head that our own Verne Simons snapped a photo of in a secret location. Keep your eyes peeled for these as they are rare but can be found. Using one is a great way to build power for a possible vintage L-head hot rod Jeep project—if you can find a good L-head block that can be rebuilt, that is. 4 You are looking at an N.O.S. WWII jeep engine recently removed from its crate. That’s about as close to the legendary jeep-in-a-crate as you are likely to ever see. The military engines were not much different than the pre-war Willys 440 and 441 engines but had radio-shielded ignition systems. When Ford got into building the Willys-pattern jeeps, they built a clone of this engine in-house. It was different in small ways from the Willys but the parts interchanged.

“engine man” and had created several notable designs. Short fused and impatient, he was a tough guy to work around, but Roos was an undeniable mover, shaker, and hard driver. Job one for Roos was to redo the anemic Willys four and do it on a budget. The Willys four had appeared in the ’26 Whippet, which was the company’s first economy car, albeit an upscale one. It displaced 134.2 ci, just like the later Go Devil, but only made 30 hp. By the late 1930s, the Willys four was making 48 hp thanks to a few upgrades, but it had become notoriously unreliable and was well under the market’s power curve. Roos’ reliability benchmark was 100 hours at full power. One of his first tasks was to strap the 48hp engine to a dyno. It lasted 22 hours at 3,400 rpm—’nuff said. Roos and his staff set to modernizing the engine, incorporating insert bearings, a fully counterbalanced crankshaft, aluminum pistons, a fully pressurized lubrication system, and a revised valvetrain. In just fourwheeler.com

a few months, the new engine was ready for the dyno. It exceeded 100 hours at over 60 hp at a whopping 4,400 rpm. Success! The new engine was dubbed Go Devil and first appeared in some of the ’39 Willys cars rated at 61 hp at 3,600 rpm. In 1940, when the stylish new Willys 440 (referencing its four-cylinder engine and model year) vehicles appeared, they were all powered by the Go Devil, as were the ’41 441 and ’42 442. Later in 1940, Roos spearheaded Willys’ entry into the 1⁄4-ton military game. The Go Devil was ready for prime time, but the rest was a clean-sheet workup. One of the crucial parts of the company’s involvement was Roos’ decision to push for the bigger engine despite the weight penalty. A smaller engine was seriously contemplated, but Roos’ choice was vindicated later when the standardized jeep had gained the weight needed to be the durable machine the Army wanted.

4 The Go Devil lived a long life. It lived in Willys cars prior to WWII, was mounted in military jeeps from ’41 to ’52, used in civilian 4x4 Jeeps from ’45 to ’54, and in the DJ 4x2 Jeeps through ’64. The Jeep station wagons and trucks used them until the mid-’50s, and they were also used as commercial, marine, and stationary (generator) engines. The Go Devil was not used in the shortlived postwar Willys Aero cars but was used in the Kaiser Henry-J from ’51 to ’55 and its Sears clone, the Allstate. These engines featured a 7:1 compression ratio, uprated intake system and were rated for 68 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque—the highest stock ratings the Go Devil achieved. The Go Devil was in U.S. production at least into 1965 and was built under license in France, Japan, and Argentina. The mid–’50s-and-up F-head four—also a Roos design—was largely based on the Go Devil, and it lived on through 1971. FW FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 35

Tech

PROJECT

ODD FORD

Part 1: This 80-year-old flatfender GPW sees daylight after 23 years in a box

By Sean P. Holman editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Sean P. Holman

f you have been reading Four Wheeler for any length of time, you’ll know about our extreme love of flatfender jeeps. In fact, you might remember Project Colonel Mustard, this author’s ’51 Willys CJ-3A. Unfortunately, after having my first child, I found myself in a position where I had to sell it, and I have wanted to get back into a flatfender again ever since.

My love affair with flatfenders started in my early teens with my uncle’s ’42 Ford GPW on his ranch in Southern California. The first time I ever drove it, he upgraded me from the three-wheeler I used to run around on and handed me the keys to his prized ranch “jeep.” It was at that point in the mid-’90s, after running around the roads on the ranch, that I was officially hooked on off-roading. The old flattie was my first time driving a jeep and I never forgot the experience. It’s funny what you remember when you think back in time. This particular flattie had a short area of “dash” and a vertical windshield, and I always remembered my uncle telling me it was a Ford (he is the consummate “Ford guy”). For the longest time, I assumed that all Ford GPWs had this trait, not realizing that his was once equipped with an Arctic Top. I also didn’t really remember much, just that it was tan with a green dash, later finding out it had been painted numerous colors over the years, possibly even purple at one point. 36 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

My uncle purchased the GPW as someone’s abandoned project in Oceanside, California, sometime around 1970 and used the GPW as his daily driver for years. He made a ton of upgrades, including a ’66 Buick 225ci V-6 swap in 1988 at 61,900 miles ($3,163 out the door), affectionately known as an “oddfire” V-6. Of course, the V-6 required some downstream changes, such as the stouter T-90 manual transmission with the military top cover, and a later transfer case with the larger intermediate shaft, necessitated after the original T-case couldn’t hang with the V-6 swap. Axles are still the Dana 25 design up front and the Dana 23-2 design in the rear (but manufactured by Ford), sporting the same 4.88 gear ratio they had when they left the factory. Thanks to the many receipts that my uncle kept over the years, I know he purchased a Warn 8274 in November 1978 for $429.75 (the mounting plate was $52.50), just four years after this classic winch debuted. I checked with Warn

Q This photo inside the storage container represents the first time I laid eyes on the old GPW in over 25 years.

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and the date code on the winch shows that it was manufactured in July 1977. He installed a Saginaw steering conversion, a Warn overdrive, and Dualmatic locking hubs. The GPW even has a rear seat installed. Over the years there were tons of mods made for ranch work, including the aforementioned Arctic Top, a CB radio (of which the antenna is still mounted), an underdash heater, a large platform off the rear for holding four jerrycans (it was the ranch “tanker”), a new front bumper, and a heavy-duty tow bar. It even has additional on-board fuel capacity in an expanded fuel tank under the passenger seat. The flattie’s overall vibe is definitely of a ’70s vintage. The V-6 was rebuilt at least once and has some classic hi-po parts like an aluminum Offenhauser intake and big 625-cfm Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor. There are bucket seats from what we think is a Triumph and the headlights are standard 7-inch halogen-style fourwheeler.com

mounted in what people assume are CJ buckets. Look closely and you’ll see that they are actually ’54 Chevy buckets, all because my uncle couldn’t see at night with the military headlights, and he had the donor Chevy parts lying around. This GPW lived a hard life in its later years as a ranch implement and it shows. There isn’t a straight panel on it, third-degree Bondo covers over 90 percent of its body, and there are stick-welded repairs and scars that make up the rest of the patina covering the body. The frame serial number shows that it has a build date of April 1942, but the body must have been replaced at one point, because it’s not a script body. I look at this GPW and imagine all the history that has happened to it over the course of 80 years. Sadly, I don’t have any of the military numbers to know where it was stationed or where it came from. The average person might see an old, clapped-out jeep. I see my four-wheeling origins story, a family heirloom, and a vehicle that I first connected with 30 years ago that helped bring out the passion in what I do today. So, imagine my surprise and delight, when my uncle asked me if I would be interested in having his beloved GPW, understanding my passion for it and the connection I had to it. Of course, I said “yes,” and Project Odd Ford was born. Why is it an odd Ford? Well, first of all, it isn’t a Jeep, but one of the Ford-manufactured GPWs (G = Government, P = 80-inch wheelbase, W = Willys design). Secondly, this one

has an odd-fire Buick V-6. I thought “Odd Ford” was a fitting name and would be a good way to inspire conversations around it. The Odd Ford was decommissioned and driven into a container on the ranch in 1998 and in 2021 we pulled it out into the light of day again. My plan is to address all the mechanical issues and complete a full service on it to get it safe and roadworthy again. I know the wiring is shot and needs to be redone, and there are some frame issues that need to be addressed, especially at the front where it needs to be repaired and cleaned up. The radiator needs to be fixed and the seats need to be replaced. It also needs new springs and shocks. The carb on it is also oversized, so I may look to find another option down the line. Beyond those basic things, I want to keep the patina, and the ’70s-vintage modification vibe. My last flatty was a museum piece and I’ve never owned a patinaed rig before, so I am looking forward to having one that is more about function than form. Other items on the list will include rebuilding the 8274, installing modern tires, swapping out the windshield frame, cutting off the rear extension to get the departure angle right again, and maybe add some sliders and skidplates for protection I look forward to sharing the journey with you as we get Project Odd Ford back up and running and back out on the trail. The goal is for it to eventually join other flatfenders in the Four Wheeler family on some ambitious trail rides down the road. FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 37

Tech PROJECT ODD FORD

1 With the cool stuff, like the vintage Ford 8N tractor moved out of the way, we had a clear shot to pull the Odd Ford out of storage. 2 A little help from a chain attached to the resident Kubota tractor was all that was needed to coax the old flatfender out into the daylight. 3 Basking in the sun for the first time in a quarter of a century, I finally got a good

look at what I had to work with.

The fact that it fired up and ran for a few seconds was a good sign.

4 The first things I did were top off the oil, bleed the brakes, toss in a splash of gasoline, and pop in a charged battery to see if it would turn over.

6 Notice the “dash” in this photo of the interior, created by the repositioning of the windshield frame to accommodate the hardtop.

5 Despite a recalcitrant starter, I was not only able to get the odd-fire V-6 to turn over, but it also ran for a few moments before a split fuel line needed to be replaced.

7 While the data plates are missing, there is this cool plate indicating that the Odd Ford was reconditioned at Moore Equipment Co. in Modesto, California, in June 1945.

8 Thanks to a homemade fuel tank, the Odd Ford has about double the range it would have had otherwise.

11 The front axle is essentially a Dana 25, manufactured by Ford, known as a GPW3001. It still houses 4.88 gearing.

9 With the transmission access plate removed, it’s possible to see what looks like a T-90 out of a later M38A1 with the military top cover.

12 Like the front axle, the rear uses 4.88 gearing and is a Dana design. In this case a 23-2, manufactured by Ford and known as a GPW4001.

10 The Odd Ford has a rear seat installed, and you can see the GPW’s unique stamped toolbox lids.

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13 The original steering system was tossed long ago in favor of a Saginaw-style setup.

setup, as well as the cool JC Whitney electric “bull” horn. Yes, it’s staying.

14 One of the areas I plan to clean up is the front frame section. My plan is to fab a new front bumper and mount the 8274 low enough that the fairlead runs through the bumper, allowing for better airflow through the radiator.

16 The classic Warn 8274 was $429.75 back in 1978 and I checked with Warn on the serial number and date code, which indicate the winch was built in July 1977 on the 10th working day.

15 Here you can see the current Warn 8274 mounting

17 The Odd Ford is also equipped with an original working Warn overdrive, which

is a perfect match for the V-6 and 4.88 gearing. 18 Dualmatic hubs currently grace the front axles, but I’ll be searching for a set of period-correct Warn hubs to keep all of the accessories in the Warn family. The Dualmatics were a good hub design, but the arms had the potential to bend when operating them. 19 While the rear platform

was perfect for carrying 20 gallons of fuel from town back to the ranch, I’ll be removing it in favor of a better departure angle and trailability. 20 The original hardtop and doors still exist, although I’ll be rehoming them in the future. 21 Look closely and you’ll see those are not CJ civilian headlight buckets. Nope, those came right off a ’54 Chevy.

21 22 23

22 With no plans to run the hardtop, I’ll be changing the proportions up a little bit and returning the windshield to its original pivot location. One thing I’ll miss is that awesome corrugated metal bikini top! 23 This is me and my uncle, Tom Miller, celebrating after pulling the Odd Ford out of storage and getting it to fire up again. FW

Tech

TRANSFER OF

POWER How we swapped an F-150 T-case into our V-8 Explorer By Verne Simons editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Verne Simons

he Ford Explorer debuted for the ’91 model year, replacing the small two-door Bronco II. The Explorer, available with four doors, quickly became the backbone of the grocery-getting crowd. The first two generations of Explorers (’91-’94 and ’95-’01) were driven by families and soccer moms for a cumulative millions of miles. This includes the similar Mazda Navajo and the later-arriving Mercury Mountaineer.

Explorers Make Good Off-Road Builds

While these vehicles’ utility as family friendly SUVs is undeniable, they also have several characteristics that make them appealing as a base for an off-road vehicle build. To start, the base engine for these trucks is the venerable 4.0L V-6, an engine that is a potent package for its displacement and was available with both manual and automatic transmissions as well as two-speed transfer cases (both a few manualshift T-cases and electronically shifted versions). Also powering RWD and AWD Explorers (starting with the 1996 model) was the tried and true small-block multi-port fuel-injected Windsor-based 5.0L V-8. This is essentially the same engine that came in the hallowed Fox body Ford

40 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

Mustang of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Even in the Explorer, this engine came with several performance carryovers from the early 1990s Mustang 302. This includes a roller cam and the GT40 heads and a factory rating of 215 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. That forms a desirable and reliable powerhouse. Also, the ladder-style frame and front suspension of these SUVs was similar to that used in the Ford Ranger light trucks. That means many of the front suspension components are the same between the two platforms (Ranger and Explorer) with similar model years. So, while these Explorers were SUVs, they were also trucks based on durable truck parts rather than smallish car components that make up several more modern “crossover” SUVs.

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Other components of note include the darn near bulletproof Ford 8.8 rear axle, Twin-Traction Beam (TTB) front suspension (’91-’94 model years), and then later a torsion bar-sprung IFS system that is essentially identical to that of the Ranger (’95-’01 model years). The used market is flush with older Explorers, many of which have well over 200,000 miles on them and can be found with many desirable options for well under $2,000. Sadly, the year span means you can’t get an Explorer with TTB, the 5.0L V-8, and a manual transmission. And, as mentioned earlier, you can’t get the second-gen V-8–powered Explorer with a real transfer case … by that we mean one with a true low range. Luckily, you can fix that as many others have done in the past by using inexpensive salvage yardfresh parts from similar-year Ford F-150s and other Ford products. Which is what we did to our 5.0L-powered Explorer. The end result is a more capable Explorer, which is something we’d like to continue to play with.

Installation Overview

First, remove the factory all-wheel-drive (AWD) transfer case. The first step in this process is to remove the front and rear driveshafts. Then disconnect any wires and the vent line going to the T-case. There may be a speed sensor on a ’95-’98 Explorer that needs to be disconnected from the AWD T-case and attached to the ’97-’98 F-150 case.

To make access to the bolts and installation easier, we recommend pulling the T-case crossmember and allowing the engine and drivetrain to drop down. The top bolts that hold the T-case to the transmission are hard to get at. You will also need to bend back or trim down the metal bracket that supports the front inside corner of the gas tank to clear the larger T-case. We also removed a fair amount of the exhaust for clearance. Most of the parts we removed from the exhaust can be put back after the installation of the 4406 T-case, but you’ll want the space while installing it. Then, install the shifter bracket to the side of the transmission (here’s hoping you grabbed the bolts from the F-150 to hold the bracket to the transmission) and make a hole in the cab for the shifter. We then used a floor jack and some ratchet straps to help get the 4406 into place so we could slide it onto the back of the transmission. We highly recommend having the vehicle on a lift and using a transmission jack or invite friends over to help lift the 4406 into place. It’s big and heavy and just barely fits. Make sure to add a fresh paper gasket (Dorman PN 917-522) and gasket maker to the mating surface of the T-case and transmission. The tailshaft of the transmission can fill with transmission fluid and leak out between the two units. Then, swap the conversion U-joint onto the new front driveshaft and install the driveshafts.

We were pleasantly surprised when we only had to visit one salvage yard to gather all the parts we needed for the swap. We even found the BW4406 transfer case from a ’97 F-150 already removed from the vehicle. And it had the shifter with bracket.

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FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 41

Tech TRANSFER OF POWER

This is the Navigator/Expedition rear driveshaft that we needed for the swap. It was still installed in an SUV a few rows down from the F-150.

On the right is the BW4406 T-case. It’s big and has a rear slip yoke rather

than a fixed yoke rear output. The Navigator/Expedition rear driveshaft slips right in and is the correct length for the swap. The AWD case on the left is the one we pulled out of our Explorer. It’s smaller and does less. It also has a BorgWarner designation number, but that’s less important than getting the correct F-150 two-speed T-case.

Luckily, the ’97 F-150 that we got our T-case from also had the front driveshaft on the ground still attached to the BW4406 transfer case, and the truck was a 4.6L (the trucks with a 5.4L will have a longer driveshaft). Also note the conversion U-joint we got from the parts store.

Here is the shift lever, shift lever bracket, and connecting rod that

WE’RE NOT THE FIRST Q Many others have worked out the formula necessary for this swap to be successful. We are merely copying what others have done gathering info from a few sources, both online (several forums lay out the details) and via our friends in the Explorer community. We don’t claim to be the originators of these ideas, they are just something that’s always intrigued us and seem to follow a pretty simple formula.

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came off the same F-150 that had the transfer case in it. You’ll also want to grab the large bolts that fasten the bracket to the transmission, and the shift knob, which is discontinued. Sadly, our shift knob was missing. You can also remove the bolt holding the shift lever to the bracketry and install just the bracket to the transmission before you make your hole in the floor for the shifter. More on that in a minute.

Once we got the old transfer case out of the way, we rolled the BW4406 under our Explorer on a floor jack. With the transmission hanging down as low as possible, the jack got things close, but we also used a few strategically placed ratchet straps to hold the big T-case in place while we got the splines lined up. The clocking of the transfer case is also important and dictated by a dowel pin in the face of the transfer case.

PARTS LIST • A ’97-’03 BorgWarner 4406 manual shift T-case from an F-150 (’97-’98 if you have a ’96-’97 Explorer) • Shift linkage, shifter, knob, and boot from the 4406 in the F-150 • Front driveshaft from a 4.6L-powered ’97-’03 F-150 • Rear driveshaft and slip from a Ford Expedition or Lincoln Navigator • A 1310-1330 conversion U-joint for the front driveshaft (Spicer PN 5-134X; Moog PNs 253, 353, 275; Neapco PN 1-0134) • Silicone gasket maker and a paper gasket for either an Explorer or F-150 T-case (Dorman PN 917-522) • General hand tools, including some way of making a hole for the shifter

Next, we jacked the 4406 transfer case into position so we could reinstall the transmission/transfer case crossmember.

FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 43

Tech TRANSFER OF POWER Here is a 1310-1330 conversion U-joint,

but it’s not quite right. This one has the internal snap rings (that look like a “C”) and slightly larger caps than the one we need (which would use the external snap rings that look more like a lowercase “e”). This conversion joint allows us to install a ’97-’98 F-150 front driveshaft, which uses 1330 U-joints. The yoke on the front differential is a 1310.

We opened up

While we were underneath the Explorer bolting the transfer case shift lever bracket (with the lever removed) to the transmission, we drilled a hole in the transmission tunnel approximately where the shifter would go. We then cut out part of the carpet to access the inside of the transmission tunnel. Here you can just barely see the hole we drilled.

the hole we drilled with a hole saw to get an idea of what would need to be trimmed for the shifter to do what it does.

GETTING THE PARTS Q For whatever reason, perhaps because Explorer folks are a thrifty bunch, almost everything we needed to complete this swap was gathered at our local salvage yard. The driveshafts, T-case, and the shifter came from one local yard and were gathered in one day. Someone else even removed the transfer case for us—we guess they wanted the transmission ahead of it, a part we already had. One day’s trip to the local salvage yard yielded basically everything we needed minus the few new bits we got at the local parts store.

POINT YOUR PHONE CAMERA AT THIS CODE TO SEE VIDEO OF THIS T-CASE SWAP 44 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

After a little more work with a body saw, we were able to install the shift lever back on the bracket and run the T-case through its functions. There isn’t much space for a shift knob (the shifter is almost up against our right leg), but if we had to, we could shorten the lever, add threads for a knob, or heat the lever up and bend it to fit a bit better. FW

W A T C H L I V E E X C L U S I V E LY O N

SCAN HERE

S TA R T YO U R F R E E T R I A L MOTORTREND.COM/MECUM2022

SPONSORED BY

POINT YOUR PHONE CAMERA AT THIS CODE TO SEE OVER 100 PHOTOS FROM DAY 3 OF THE 2021 OVERLAND ADVENTURE PRESENTED BY JEEP

Feature MOTIVATED

After exploring up and down the East Coast and

sleeping in a ground tent, Aneta decided it was time for a change. Her Smittybilt Overlander tent solved that problem and has kept her happy ever since. One of the first modifications Aneta made on her new Gladiator was to the running boards. The factory units were quickly replaced by rocksliders from Rugged Ridge to keep gnarly obstacles out of the bodywork.

GenRight Off Road aluminum fenders follow

the Gladiator’s curves and help clear the 35-inch MotoRaceTire X-ROX DDs and Black Rhino wheels.

hat motivates Aneta Zarzycka? It’s that fear of missing out (she calls it FOMO) on all those exciting places that require a bit more than your average 4x4 to access. For her, it took a mixture of tragedy and warming up to a new vehicle platform before she was ready to explore the United States in a coast-to-coast fashion. The Gladiator here wasn’t Aneta’s first Jeep, but a Jeep was her first vehicle. When she was in her early 20s, she got her license and the vehicle she had always wanted—a Shale Green ’03 Wrangler. Aneta and her boyfriend, Steven Walla, built identical TJs with modifications, including 35-inch tires, longarm suspension kits, and attention-grabbing stinger bumpers. The couple enjoyed many of the off-road venues local to New York and dreamed of someday exploring the harder-to-reach destinations and 4x4 trails across the United States. Steven fell ill with leukemia in 2018 but cancer couldn’t stop the enthusiasm for Jeeps that he and Aneta shared. Between hospital visits and chemotherapy treatments, the couple continued to work on their Jeeps. Even when bedridden, Steven found joy in meticulously planning out the next upgrades to his TJ. When Steven lost his battle with leukemia in December 2019, Aneta and Steven’s family used his detailed plans to rebuild his TJ how he imagined it and even started a memorial ride at an off-road park in Pennsylvania in his honor. 66 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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AT A GLANCE GENERAL

Mopar’s 2-inch lift kit, which includes monotube Fox shocks, coils, and longer links, helps the Gladiator ride smoother in the rough stuff while the GenRight Off Road inner fenders keep debris out of the engine bay.

Up front, the GenRight Off Road aluminum front bumper holds a 9,500-pound-capacity Ramsey winch.

Vehicle: ’20 Jeep Gladiator Sport S Owner: Aneta Zarzycka Stomping grounds: Staten Island, New York Build time: 6 months

DRIVETRAIN Engine: 3.6L Pentastar V-6 Transmission: 850RE 8-spd auto Transfer case: NV241 2-spd Low range ratio: 2.72:1 Crawl ratio: 62.5:1 Front axle/differential: Dana 44, 4.88 gears/Yukon Gear & Axle electric locker Rear axle/differential: Dana 44, 4.88 gears/ARB Air Locker

SUSPENSION

Aneta’s bed rack is from Addictive Desert Designs

and has been color-matched to the Gladiator’s paint.

You’ll find traction aids inside both stock Dana 44 axles. Up front, there’s an electric locker from Yukon Gear & Axle and in the rear, the ARB Air Locker keeps both tires gripping the dirt.

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Front: Mopar 2-in lift kit, Fox 2.0 shocks Rear: Mopar 2-in lift kit, Fox 2.0 shocks

TIRES/WHEELS Tires: 35x12.50R17LT MotoRaceTire X-ROX DD Wheels: 17-in Black Rhino

MISCELLANEOUS Lighting: Baja Designs Squadron-R LED lights, Quake LED Halo headlights, rack-mounted LED pods, Quadratec stealth lightbar, cowl-mounted LED pods Armor: Rugged Ridge rocksliders, GenRight Off Road aluminum front bumper and fender flares, Addictive Desert Designs ADD-Lander rack Cool stuff: Ramsey Patriot 9500 winch, Smittybilt Overlander tent, Baofeng UV-5R transceiver, RAM phone and GoPro mounts

FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 67

Feature MOTIVATED

While grieving the loss of her fiancée, Aneta found solace in living out the cross-country adventures they had planned before he fell ill. But first, she needed a vehicle bigger than her TJ. When Aneta’s brother purchased a Jeep Gladiator, she didn’t like it. However, she began to recognize the utility of having two rows of seats plus a bed, and four-wheel drive—and she eventually brought home her own Gladiator. Upgrades and adventures quickly followed and before long the Gladiator was armored, lifted, and outfitted with meaty tires and a tent. Aneta’s travels in the Gladiator have taken her west to the California coast, from Alabama to Maine in the east, and the truck even aided her volunteer efforts during the 2021 King of the Hammers race, shuttling production equipment to remote locations in the desert. Aneta, and her brother Patrick participated in the 2021 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure Presented by Jeep where the Gladiator helped make sure they didn’t miss out on any part of the unforgettable Utah backcountry.

Baja Designs Squadron-R amber LED pods

throw out light down low on the bumper while the stealthy Quadratec interior-mounted lightbar shines from behind the windshield. LED cubes on the cowls and under the bed rack are on hand for visibility in all directions, and headlamps from Quake LED are in place of the factory lights.

Raising the tent above the Gladiator’s bed leaves plenty of space for storage. Aneta’s cooler, recovery gear, spare fuel and water, and camping supplies fit perfectly between the bedsides.

Two generations of Jeep trucks made camp nearby

the Colorado River on the third night of Overland Adventure 2021. If you hear the grill sizzling behind Aneta’s Gladiator, you’ll likely find kielbasa and eggs, and coffee for breakfast and a chicken- or steak-based dish in the evening with taters and a salad.

Aneta’s phone and GoPro are always secure

and accessible with their RAM dashboard mounts. Communication on the trail is made easier with a Baofeng UV-5R transceiver and a cowl-mounted antenna. FW

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Tech SOURCES AMSOIL amsoil.com PPE Power ppepower.com

STRENGTH FOR THE LONG HAUL 70 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

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What About the Valvebody?

Along with better clutches and steels than factory, and more of them, PPE’s Stage 6 Allison rebuild also includes a valvebody recalibration kit. This doesn’t change shift points but is instead intended to increase clutch holding power. You’ll also notice that we don’t address the valvebody as part of the rebuild. Instead, we opted to install a six-speed conversion kit from Duramax Tuner. This conversion replaces the factory valvebody and is already fitted with the proper hardware needed for the performance rebuild. Click the QR code to read the full story on the Duramax conversion kit at fourwheeler.com.

1 1 The task of pulling the Allison transmission starts by draining the fluid. Because our transmission already had a PPE deep pan, we needed to drain 18 quarts from the system, plus or minus what was in the torque converter. The driveshafts also need to be removed before the transmission can come out. 2 The transmission can be removed from the truck with the transfer case still installed. However, it’s a lot easier with it removed. Because of its weight and size, it’s best to have two sets of hands when it comes time to remove the transfer case. Also, be aware that tipping the case will cause its fluid to spill.

GM utilized the robust Allison 1000 automatic transmission behind Duramax-powered Silverado and Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD pickups from 2001 until 2019. Early units, 2001 to 2004, featured five forward gears, while 2005 and up went to six. Rated for between 620 and 765 lb-ft of crank torque, these are incredibly robust. That is, until you begin adding more power. At that point a rebuild will be in order to prevent catastrophic failure.

PPE’s Stage 6 Allison 1000 Transmission Build By Jason Gonderman editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jason Gonderman

hen we started our ’02 Chevy Silverado 2500 Duramax project, we set out with a few goals in mind. We wanted the truck to be reliable, first and foremost. We also wanted to put 700 hp to the rear wheels and we required the truck to ride on 37-inch tires. A full engine build brought us to the power goal and a BDS coilover conversion lift kit got us rolling on 37-inch Nitto Ridge Grapplers. However, the combination proved to be a lethal one for the truck’s 200,000-mile-old factory Allison transmission. Knowing this was going to be an issue, we quickly made plans to upgrade the truck’s tired transmission. To keep us moving forward, no matter the situation, we turned to the Duramax specialists at Pacific fourwheeler.com

3 An exceptionally clean working surface is needed for rebuilding a transmission. There are lots of parts that need to be kept track of, and you don’t want any foreign objects entering the new transmission. Once the transmission is moved to a bench the teardown can begin. We started by removing the torque converter, the oil pan, and the spin-on filter. Pro tip: Ensure that the small magnet on the filter isn’t accidentally discarded.

Tech 4

7 Here we see the Allison transmission’s mainshaft, also known as the intermediate shaft, along with the P2 sun gear. The factory mainshaft is prone to breakage at horsepower levels above 800 (measured at the rear wheels), however it’s usually the input or output shafts that give first.

7 8

8 The transmission’s set of three planetary gearsets are what create the five or six output gear ratios, depending on vehicle year. This is done by activating different combinations of the gears through the use of the clutch packs. Seen here is the P2 planetary gearset with the P3 ring gear.

4 The valvebody is held in place with almost a dozen small bolts of varying lengths. It’s important to keep the bolts organized and remember which one goes where, as using the wrong bolt when reinstalling the valvebody can cause damage.

5 After removing the transmission’s tailhousing, disassembly of the internals can begin. Inside the tailhousing resides the C5 clutch piston. While building an Allison transmission generally involves replacing just the clutch assemblies, everything needs to be removed to be cleaned and inspected.

6 Seen here is the P3 planetary gearset. The large ring attached to this gear is what the parking pawl engages with to hold the vehicle in place when shifted into the Park position.

5 6

9 There are five different sets of clutches found inside the Allison 1000 transmission. These are the C5 clutches and steels. The C5 clutch pack is engaged when the transmission is in First gear and Reverse. Because of their physical size and infrequent use, the C5 clutch pack parts are rarely damaged and often reused in most transmission builds. 10 Flipping the case over, there is a spacer plate that resides between the transmission case and the bellhousing. The real pros can get the two gaskets off without tearing them, but we promised not to give away the secret. The gaskets still need to be replaced, however, no matter how nicely they are removed.

11 12 12 There are a bunch of different size snap-rings inside the Allison transmission. You’re certain to be a pro at removing them by the end of your first build. Just be careful not to shoot them across the shop.

11 The C1 and C2 clutch packs are housed inside the C1/C2 drum. The transmission’s input shaft runs into this assembly, and it’s connected to the rest of the planetary gears by the mainshaft. It’s easiest to work on the drum by inverting it and inserting the input shaft into the torque converter. For those who might be wondering, the teeth on the edge of the drum are for the transmission’s power take off (PTO).

13 The C3 clutches are very similar to the C4 clutches in size and quantity. The C3 clutch pack is active when the transmission is in Third gear, Fifth gear, and Reverse. Looking at the friction plates you can see a small amount of dark material that shows there had been a small amount of slip.

15 15 The smallest of the clutch packs is the C1 pack. Housed inside the C1/C2 drum, this set of gears is active most often. The C1 clutches engage when the transmission is in First, Second, Third, and Fourth gears.

14 The C2 clutch pack is active when the transmission is in Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth gear. While some of the friction material is dark, it’s not abnormally worn for the theoretical number of miles on the transmission.

16 The final piece to disassemble, and the first part to be modified and put back together, is the pump housing. Nothing changes inside the actual pump itself, however this is a great time to give it a full inspection. 17 Working with the stator, the regulator spring is removed, and a shim added. For early transmissions like ours (’01 to ’04), the converter flow valve needs to be replaced. The original is on the right and the new is on the left.

Performance Engineering (PPE). PPE has been in the business of hopping up Duramax trucks for decades and their in-house knowledge of Allison transmissions is among the best in the business. With our power goals being sub-800 (we intended the big Chevy to be a backcountry explorer, not a racer), but still desiring the utmost in reliability, we skipped on the billet shafts but did ultimately go with PPE’s top-of-the-line Stage 6 build. fourwheeler.com

18 The final modification in this area is the enlarging of one of the fluid holes that is found on the stator adapter plate. Don’t worry, the proper drill bit is provided as part of PPE’s kit, and the instructions show exactly which hole to enlarge.

At first, we figured that a Stage 4 or Stage 5 build from PPE would be enough for our needs. PPE claims that its Stage 4 Allison rebuild kit is good for holding about 850 hp while the Stage 5 kit can handle about 1,200 hp, measured at the crank. While either would have done the trick, the team at PPE sold us on the company’s topof-the-line Stage 6, which can hold about 1,500 crank horsepower, or about 1,200 at the wheels.

Aside from regular fluid changes, we should never have to worry about the transmission again. The biggest difference between a PPE Stage 5 and Stage 6 Allison transmission lies in the clutch friction material. While Stage 5 and below use Alto’s Red Eagle clutches, the Stage 6 swaps them out for Alto’s more aggressive G3 clutches. Along with better clutches and steels than factory, and more of them, the Stage 6 build also includes FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 73

Tech

19 19 Using the input shaft as a guide, the oil pump, adapter plate, and stator can be reassembled. The stator-to-pump bolts get torqued to 20 ft-lb in a crisscross pattern. 20 The first of the new clutch packs to be installed were the C1 clutches and steels. Placed next to the factory clutches, you can see the difference in friction material between factory and the new Alto G3 clutches. The new C1 pack uses 16 single-sided clutches, eight with external splines and eight with internal splines.

21 After installing the bottom apply plate against the apply piston, the friction plates are installed beginning with an externally splined friction with the material facing down. The remainder of the clutch plates are installed, with the material down (friction material against steel), alternating internal and external splines. 24 After installing the P1 ring gear and planetary gear, the new apply plate can be installed on top of the piston. Note that the springs will be facing up.

22 Once the C2 clutch hub has been installed in the drum, the C2 clutches can go in. Unlike the C1 clutches, these use a double-sided friction material with Koleen steel plates in between. In fact, the C1 clutches are the only single-side friction plates.

25 Prior to installing any of the new clutch plates they should be coated in a copious amount of good, clean transmission fluid. Some builders like to simply dunk the new plates, while others choose to soak them for an amount of time. There appears to be no wrong answer other than putting them in dry.

22 23 24

26 If you’re starting to see a theme here, it’s that the clutches are placed into position alternating between friction and steel plates. The C4 pack is no different. After the C4 clutches are in several steps occur before the next clutch set is installed. These include installing the pressure plates along with the P2 and P3 gearsets.

23 Moving back to the transmission case, assembly work begins from the backside (bellhousing facing down). After applying assembly lube to both the case and the C3 piston, the piston can be gently slid into place, noting the bleed hole that needs to be oriented at the 12 o’clock position.

a valvebody recalibration kit (this doesn’t change shift points; instead, it increases clutch holding power), an upgraded converter flow valve, and all of the necessary gaskets and hard parts needed to complete the job. The talented crew at PPE had the transmission out of the truck and on the bench in about an hour. The initial teardown only took about an hour more and we had the rebuilt transmission in the truck and ready to go by the end of the business day. Read on to see more fascinating highlights of the build. 74 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

27 27 Once the C5 clutches are in, the final pressure plate and set of return springs are installed. At this time the intermediate (or main) shaft is also installed. The intermediate shaft can be installed earlier in the build, but it isn’t necessary.

28 29 28 With the P3 planetary gear and the output shaft splined together, the assembly can be lowered into place. After installing the output shaft assembly into the case, the shaft spacer and shim can be installed, along with smaller items such as the parking pawl.

30 30 With the extension housing bolted into place, the transmission gets flipped over to complete the assembly process. The last set of clutches to be installed are the C3s. The C3 clutch pack is comprised of six friction plates and five steel plates. The C3 clutch pack gets lowered into the housing, alternating between steel and friction plates.

31 32 31 Note the difference in size between the factory (left) C3 pressure plate and the new one provided by PPE (right). This size difference helps to account for the additional friction and steel clutch plates that are added.

32 After the C3 clutch assembly is completed, the C1/C2 drum can be lowered into place. Next, the pump assembly can be installed by first placing a new gasket on the transmission case, followed by the pump, and then another gasket. Then, gently lower the bellhousing into place.

34 34 This is what the PTO gear looks like with the external cover removed. If someone wanted to add a PTO-driven accessory, such as a hydraulic pump for a snowplow or winch, it would attach here. All Allison 1000 transmissions are equipped to accept PTO accessories.

29 After installing the C5 piston in the extension housing, and after applying a new gasket, the extension housing can be bolted to the rear of the transmission housing. The extension housing only installs one way, and the bolts get torqued to spec in a crisscross pattern.

35 36 35 An often-overlooked part of an Allison transmission build is the PTO cover. While it may seem like an insignificant part, installing a heavy-duty, cast-aluminum cover adds strength where it’s needed in the center of the transmission case. It also helps prevent seepage from the gasket when the factory stamped steel unit contorts. The PTO cover bolts get torqued to 32 ft-lb.

38 39

37 Before installing the torque converter it’s best to fill it with a quart of transmission fluid. Starting the engine with the converter dry can cause damage in the time it takes for the transmission’s pump to start loading it with fluid.

33 Care needs to be taken in replacing the bellhousing bolts, as there are several different kinds that need to be returned to their specific holes. Some bolts have gaskets, some have washers, and there are a few different lengths.

37 38 With a deep pan, an Allison transmission will hold between 18 and 24 quarts of fluid, typically. Don’t start the engine until the transmission has at minimum 18 quarts (4.5 gallons) of fluid in it and be sure to check the level frequently for the first few weeks as air bubbles get worked out of the system.

36 We reinstalled our PPE deep transmission pan and torqued the bolts to 20 ft-lb. The PPE deep transmission pan adds an extra four quarts of fluid capacity. Also of note, Allison transmissions have a reusable pan gasket. 39 Before driving the truck with the fresh transmission it’s necessary to perform a transmission relearn. This process is initiated with a GM Tech II scanner (or equivalent scan tool). The process is needed so that the transmission controller can properly adapt to the new clutch pack thicknesses. As the Allison transmission wears, the controller compensates and if left alone one errant shift can destroy a new build. In addition, it’ll take several hundred miles of stop-andgo driving for the controller to fully adapt, so odd or rough shifts during this time are not unexpected. FW

FEATURE GRANVILLE SALUTE Due to many requests, we’re republishing some of Granville King’s “From The Backcountry” columns as space permits. These columns ran in Four Wheeler from 1984 until Granville’s passing in 1989 at age 70. Granville was a retired aerospace engineer and television screenwriter who lived off-grid in a trailer in Baja, Mexico. His off-road experiences were many, and his storytelling was amusing, riveting, timeless, and unparalleled.

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FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 77

TECHLINE

COMPILED BY VERNE SIMONS EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM

MYSTERIOUS SENDING UNIT

I have a ’97 Wrangler TJ with a 4.0L that developed an antifreeze leak on the driver side of the block. Upon further investigation, we found the leak was coming from a sending unit (it looks like a pressure sensor) attached to the block with a 90-degree elbow. I believe the 90-degree elbow was added to keep the sensor from hitting the exhaust pipe. We took the pressure sender out and plugged the 1⁄8-NPT hole in the elbow, which solved the leak problem. The pressure sender was attached to a seemingly factory wiring plug that went into the wiring harness above it. The question is: What is the switch/sender for? I have looked at various wiring diagrams and can’t find a coolant pressure sender on it. I even contacted a national call-in show who replied that they had replaced over 500 Jeep 4.0Ls and never seen a coolant pressure sender. Even the local auto parts store doesn’t have a listing for a coolant pressure sender. The sender that came off looks to be a PS284 sender but is denoted as an oil pressure sender in the literature. I have read about dealer installed A/C systems and think this sender was used to turn off the compressor in the event of an overheating condition. The only time I have seen a water pressure sender is on my jet boat. I have looked at various Jeep blogs and can’t seem to find any reference to a water pressure sender. The engine didn’t throw any codes when the sender was removed and seems to be running fine. A real head scratcher! Your knowledge would be appreciated. DAN VIA EMAIL

I agree with your assertion that what you showed us looks like an oil pressure sending unit or switch, and how it got into the 1⁄8 -NPT port on the side of the block with an elbow is a mystery … and the wiring that you say goes into the harness is a real and true mystery. I had an initial gut reaction, and right or wrong, I am sticking with it. I’ve been wrong before, and by golly, I will be again!

But first, know that I did ask a few other well experienced Jeeple who might have some insight into this odd situation. One such person is Trent McGee, who is my pal and knows wiring (he runs Wicked Wiring in Glendale, Arizona) and he knows ’97 Jeep Wranglers well. He has a ’97 TJ buggy with a 4.0L and has spent time with it and a factory service manual (FSM) paring down the factory

WHERE TO WRITE ave a 4x4 tech question you want answered in Techline? Drop an email to editor@fourwheeler.com or message us through our Facebook page at facebook.com/fourwheelermag. All letters become the property of Four Wheeler, and we reserve the right to edit them for length, accuracy, and clarity. Due to the volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every reader, but we do read everything.

78 JUNE 2022 FOUR WHEELER

wiring, removing stuff not necessary on a buggy. He confirmed my suspicion that there is no indication of any kind of water pressure wiring in the FSM. His conclusion is the same as mine (below). Chris Durham of Chris Durham Motorsports in Pickens, South Carolina (cdmracing.com), has seen several East Coast ’97 TJs and found this as strange as the rest of us, but came up with another plausible explanation: That sending unit that sure looks like an oil pressure sender could be a temp sender or temp switch to control an aftermarket electric fan. That’s similar to your idea that it could be related to an aftermarket or dealer installed A/C system, but for the life of me I can’t find a temp sensor or switch that looks like the one you describe. Lastly, we chatted briefly with Jim Repp who worked for Chrysler to confirm our assumptions. He agreed with us that whatever this is, it is not from the factory and certainly added after the Jeep left Toledo. At the end of the day, I could imagine a situation where for some reason the 1⁄8 -NPT port in the driver side of the block started leaking and the oil pressure sender and elbow were the only items handy to plug the hole, but that doesn’t explain the wiring, and these threaded ports rarely leak to begin with unless messed with. Still, I’m gonna run with this as the most plausible explanation for what you’ve seen, a jury-rigged repair, though I could be wrong. The only other sound explanation is that the sender is a temp sender or switch related to an electric fan or some early aftermarket A/C system. Maybe a Four Wheeler reader has an idea about this and can tell us what the heck is going on here, but we can’t believe an oil pressure switch or sender would do much other than eventually leak when plugged into the water jacket. fourwheeler.com

SHORTER AND LIGHTER FOR PERFORMANCE

I wanted to pick your brain on the Shrink Ray TJ if you don’t mind answering a few questions. I’m thinking out my next build and want to do something similar. In one of your articles you mentioned if you could do it again you might use a TJ with a 2.4-liter. What are your thoughts on the 2.4L with the 42RLE and a Rubi-Crawler? I have no experience with four-cylinder Jeeps so I’m not sure if the auto will suck too much power from the engine. Are there any other changes you would make if you built it again? After wheeling a stock-ish CJ-3B all over Texas and Moab, I’m convinced the idea behind Shrink Ray is a winner. It’s not as sexy as tons and 40s, but it works. Now the problem is finding a builder that will do this work. CHRIS VIA INSTAGRAM

The Shrink Ray TJ was a fun rig to build, and a formula that really seemed to work well. Keeping things smaller is easier on parts and it’s easier to shed weight than to make more horsepower (in most circumstances). To review, the Shrink Ray TJ was a build-up I did while at our sister “Jeep only” publication, Jp Magazine, back when it was still in print. The build idea was to take a beater TJ and instead of making it larger, make it shorter, shrink everything down, and focus on decreasing weight. The Jeep originally ran 33-inch tires, but we settled on 35s later on, and that was a pretty good balance of tire size, weight, and strength. We did this by swapping the steering box to a forward-sweep JK box and shortening the front until the Jeep had a

negative approach angle. We also chopped the back to keep the departure angle down, kept the Dana 30 front axle, but added an 8.4-inch 2WD V-6 Tacoma (non-PreRunner) rear axle, and put the Jeep on a diet. In the end, Shrink Ray was (and still is) anvil-simple, and took years of beatings, including participating in the 2017 Ultimate Adventure, without many issues. Still, there were a few things we would do differently with the build if we had it to do over again. For one, it could work to start the build with a later TJ, one with the more modern 2.4L fourcylinder. It’s the same dual overhead cam engine with four valves per cylinder that came turbocharged in the Dodge Neon and Chrysler PT Cruiser. That means that the engine can also be turbocharged. Chris Durham from Chris Durham Motorsports (CDM) did this a few times, though he started with a turbo Neon engine rather than modifying the Jeep 2.4L and was able to build a lightweight Jeep that made way more power than our old AMC 2.5L four-cylinder. This was something that we thought about while enjoying Shrink Ray. The 2.4L is a bit more modern and offers more power, though it may not be quite as durable as the old AMC 2.5L four-cylinder. Also, as you mention, and as we have discussed in the past, swapping the factory AX-5 transmission for an SM420 gave the little Jeep awesome gearing off-road, but the on-road performance suffered because we lost the overdrive gearing and the gap between Second to Third gear was huge, meaning that we had to rev the little AMC four-banger pretty high to accelerate down the road. Also, it would probably have been better to swap the transfer case from the stock (albeit built) NP231 to something like a four-speed Atlas 2 transfer

case from Advance Adapters (advanceadapters. com). That would have given all the gearing we could have used. Another alternative would be to have a 2.4L-powered TJ with the 42RLE with an Advance Adapters Rubi-Crawler, as you mentioned. That would give gobs of gearing and an overdrive, but we are guessing those Jeeps (2.4L with an automatic transmission) are rare. Also, the 42RLE, like all automatics, will suck some power, but the combination would be awesome with the Rubi-Crawler. Other things that we could have and maybe should have done with Shrink Ray would be to have gutted the HVAC system to save weight. Also, we could have dropped the steel hood and front fenders for a fiberglass hood with mini-fenders molded in, like the hoods from Chris Durham Motorsports. A person could also probably shave more weight from the Jeep with air shocks, more sheetmetal trimming—basically building a buggy out of a TJ. Still, the Jeep did its job admirably and as far as we know is still out there putting around. It was pretty amazing what that Jeep could do even with the stock-ish short arm suspension and a few smart modifications. Lastly, if you wanted to take the idea further, you could build a Shrink Ray-inspired CJ-5 or flatfender with an AMC 2.5L four-cylinder or DOHC 2.4L, a more modern transmission, and one of the gearing combinations mentioned above. You could build it with a tube chassis to decrease weight but maximize strength and keep the suspension simple and lightweight. I’ve also contemplated building another Shrink Ray out of a two-door JK. There is a ton of room for weight savings on that platform, as well. If you need a builder, are patient, and have some money to spend on the idea, I’d build that for you. FW

AFTER WHEELING A STOCK-ISH CJ-3B ALL OVER TEXAS AND MOAB, I’M CONVINCED THE IDEA BEHIND SHRINK RAY IS A WINNER. fourwheeler.com

FOUR WHEELER JUNE 2022 79

CALENDAR

COMPILED BY JERED KORFHAGE JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM

•June 1-5 What: 54th SCORE Baja 500 Where: Ensenada, Baja, Mexico Hosted by: SCORE International Off-Road Racing Info: score-international.com

•June 2-5 What: Roam4Lo Trail Ride Where: Oliver Springs, Tennessee Hosted by: Windrock Park Info: windrockpark.com

•June 3-5 What: Carlisle Ford Nationals Where: Carlisle, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Carlisle Events Info: carlisleevents.com

•June 4 What: Krawlin For Cops Where: Pine Grove, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Rausch Creek Off-Road Park Info: rc4x4.org

•June 9-11 What: Tillamook Jeep Jamboree Where: Tillamook, Oregon Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•June 9-11 What: Top of the Ozarks Jeep Jamboree Where: Seymour, Missouri Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•June 9-12 What: Summer Slam At Brick’s Where: Poplar Bluff, Missouri Hosted by: Trucks Gone Wild Info: trucksgonewild.com

•June 10-12 What: Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival Where: Butler, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau Info: bantamjeepfestival.com

•June 12 What: The Great Willys Picnic, Show, and Swap Meet Where: Kempton, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Wanamaker, Kempton Southern Railroad Info: cj3a.info/picnic

•June 14-19 What: Great Smoky Mountain Trail Ride @ Windrock Park Where: Oliver Springs, Tennessee Hosted by: Southeast Toyota Land Cruiser Association Info: stlca.org

•June 16-18 What: Drummond Island Jeep Jamboree Where: Drummond Island, Michigan Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•June 16-19 What: Northwest Overland Rally Where: Plain, Washington Hosted by: Northwest Overland Rally Info: nwoverlandrally.com

•June 18-19 What: Fun in the Summer Sun Where: Gilbert, Minnesota Hosted by: Iron Range Offroad Info: ironrangeoffroad.com

•June 23-25 What: Penn’s Woods Jeep Jamboree Where: Bradford, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•June 24-25 What: Carlisle GM Nationals Where: Carlisle, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Carlisle Events Info: carlisleevents.com

•June 24-26 What: Big Dogs Spring Fling Where: Gore, Virginia Hosted by: Big Dogs Offroad Info: bigdogsoffroad.com

•June 24-28 What: Rubithon Where: Rubicon Springs, California Hosted by: Toyota Land Cruiser Association Info: rubithon.com

•June 26 What: Monster Jam Where: Salinas, California Hosted by: Salinas Sports Complex Info: monsterjam.com FW

WHERE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS ddress your correspondence to: Calendar, Four Wheeler, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, or email jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com. All submissions become the property of Four Wheeler, and we reserve the right to edit them for length, accuracy, and clarity. The editorial department can also be reached through the website at fourwheeler.com. Due to the volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every reader, but we do read everything.

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Flexy

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★★★★★

Milestar Patagonia X/T 10,000-Mile Test

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TRAIL’S END

BY JERED KORFHAGE JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: FOUR WHEELER ARCHIVES

Looking back to Earl Watkins’ custom 4x4 van

oing down the 4x4 van trail one night in the Four Wheeler office, this citrus-colored Ford leapt out at us from the pages of the March 1988 issue. Intrigued, we sought to find out more about this van and its builders, a story that involves various paintjobs, multiple custom van shows, and a rendezvous with a legendary monster truck. This ’77 Ford E-350’s original owner installed a Pathfinder 4x4 kit lifting the van about five inches over its stock ride height. All the suspension components were chromed, a set of Gumbo Monster Mudders and American Vector wheels filled the wheelwells, and the custom orange paintjob bore pinstriping and the name Moonshine Rider. In reference to its name, the interior was fit with cedar paneling, seats carved from whiskey barrels, and a beverage tap, among other things.

Custom van enthusiasts in the Danville, Illinois, area knew that when a vehicle entered House of Custom, something slick would emerge—and this E-350 was no exception. Earl and Paul Watkins were in charge of the custom shop and began working their magic on the van. Modifications to the Ford 460ci V-8 included a Holley carburetor and Hooker headers, all contributing to the van’s 340 hp figure at the flywheel. The van’s suspension was modified significantly and folks at Burke’s Spring Shop, in Danville, still remember the citrus-orange custom leaf springs that made room for the 15x42-16.5 Super Swampers. There was further evidence of Earl’s custom work in the steering setup, the re-angled differentials, and the van’s full-coverage, single-piece aluminum bellypan that kept dirt from packing the undercarriage when mudding. House of Custom reworked the interior, taking it from beverage-dispensing to luxurious with

button-tufted purple velvet throughout and a premium sound system, before turning their attention to the paintjob. Orange remained as the primary color choice but with new striping, the addition of a mural at the rear, and a new name to Orange Crush. After its appearance in Four Wheeler, the van was said to have grown even larger tires and perhaps a more potent powerplant, as Earl Watkins’ thirst for customizing vehicles was hard to quench. We even heard a story that Earl had the van parked beside Bigfoot outside a Ford dealership. We can’t confirm, but rumor is that Orange Crush stood a few inches taller than the monster truck. Though it wasn’t a car crusher, the van was trail- and roadworthy. We’d love to hear your stories from the custom 4x4 van scene and better yet, have a look at any high-resolution images you have. Feel free to send us a note at editor@fourwheeler.com and include those images if you have them. FW

FOUR WHEELER (ISSN 0015-9123) June 2022; Vol. 59, No. 6. Copyright © 2022 by Motor Trend Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Motor Trend Group, LLC, 831 South Douglas Street, El Segundo, CA 90245. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, CA, and at additional mailing offices. Single copy price is $6.99. SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions $19.97 for 12 isssues. Canada orders add $12.00 per year and international orders add $24.00 per year (for surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to FOUR WHEELER, P.O. Box 37198, Boone, IA 50037.

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WAY AHEAD.

TAME THE TERRAIN.

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