As the PM requested...new guy from Phoenix AZ area. Been wheeling since I got my first 4x4 20 some years ago...back then it was a '79 International Scout II that was a rusty POS, but I didn't know any better. Bonus points were scored from Dad HATING that thing parked in front of the house...while we weren't exactly rich, or living in a way upper class area, it wasn't exactly the ghetto either...my crap still stuck out like a sore thumb, lol. It was swiss cheese from all the rust, ran like crap and got about 5mpg because the PO thought the 345 needed a 850 double pumper (again..I was a kid, didn't know any better back then either)
Wasn't much for wheeling around Detroit then, but the bug still bit. In the years since, I've been through a number of Internationals, Jeeps, Chevy S10s, Chevy full size, and have now settled into Zuks. Moved to Phoenix back in 2005, partly because I got tired of dealing with winter, largely because the employment market for tech guys was absolutely dismal in Michigan at the time, and the wheeling was a heck of a lot better than anywhere in Michigan.
Primary crawler now is a '87 Samurai, with about the only things left stock is most of the frame, tub, dash, and steering column. I set it up on full width Chevy 14b/10b, 37s, front double triangulated 4 link, full hydro steering, Vitara 2.0L, Vitara 4 speed electronic auto set up as full manual, 6.5 t-case gears, 1310 driveshafts F&R, and a bunch of other stuff. First rig I've ever done with full hydro, still working out the bugs and poor design choices on that one, lol. Definitely looks like a budget build, still terrified every day that I'm gonna find it on a ghetto fab thread somewhere one day, but I don't really care. I'd rather wheel a ghetto rig than only dream about a high class rig.
Also have a '86 Chevy K5 that I built a 489ci BBC for a couple years ago, running a 4L80E also set up as a full manual..this thing has been a pain in my backside from the day I bought the truck, but I'm not giving up on it yet.
Wasn't much for wheeling around Detroit then, but the bug still bit. In the years since, I've been through a number of Internationals, Jeeps, Chevy S10s, Chevy full size, and have now settled into Zuks. Moved to Phoenix back in 2005, partly because I got tired of dealing with winter, largely because the employment market for tech guys was absolutely dismal in Michigan at the time, and the wheeling was a heck of a lot better than anywhere in Michigan.
Primary crawler now is a '87 Samurai, with about the only things left stock is most of the frame, tub, dash, and steering column. I set it up on full width Chevy 14b/10b, 37s, front double triangulated 4 link, full hydro steering, Vitara 2.0L, Vitara 4 speed electronic auto set up as full manual, 6.5 t-case gears, 1310 driveshafts F&R, and a bunch of other stuff. First rig I've ever done with full hydro, still working out the bugs and poor design choices on that one, lol. Definitely looks like a budget build, still terrified every day that I'm gonna find it on a ghetto fab thread somewhere one day, but I don't really care. I'd rather wheel a ghetto rig than only dream about a high class rig.
Also have a '86 Chevy K5 that I built a 489ci BBC for a couple years ago, running a 4L80E also set up as a full manual..this thing has been a pain in my backside from the day I bought the truck, but I'm not giving up on it yet.
