When we met Steve Bucaro, we didn't realize he had been injured in a motorcycle accident years ago and lost the use of his legs; he was just another guy in a Jeep. Then he showed us how he drives this manual transmission-equipped Jeep off-road and we were impressed by his driving skills and the modifications done to his Jeep that make him just another Jeep guy. To see a video of Steve operating the pedals and tearing it up in the Moab dunes, go to jpmagazine.com.
Model: Wrangler Unlimited
Year: 2007
Owner: Steve "Wheels" Bucaro
Hometown: Palmdale, California
Estimated Value: Who knows?
Build Time: 11/2 years
Years Wheeling Experience: 1
Favorite Wheeling Spots: Glamis, California; Moab, Utah
Why Choose This Vehicle To Build: Tired of building Dodge trucks and always wanted a Jeep
Favorite Terrain: Dunes
Engine: 3.8L V-6
Aspiration: EFI
Transmission: NSG370
Transfer Case: NVG241OR
Front Axle/Differential: Dana 44
Rear Axle/Differential: Dana 44
Ring and Pinion Ratio: 4.10
Front Suspension: Superlift 3-inch lift
Rear Suspension: Superlift 3-inch lift
Wheels: 17x9 KMC CORR bead lock
Tires: LT285/70R17 BFG Mud Terrain T/A KM
Other Cool Stuff: Kicker sound system, Redi Auto Sport hand controls, stock seats reupholstered in leather, House of Kolor Kopper paint with BFG tread pattern
Favorite Mod(s): The hand controls
Least Favorite Mod(s): NA
If I Had To Build It Again: More lift and bigger tires
When an orange flatfender cruises by with a V-8 rumble coming out of the tailpipe, there is no way we'll sit idly by and not try to find out more about it. Once we caught up to Mike Forney and got a look at his Jeep, we had tons of questions. The combination of vintage parts and new parts is something that you only get by hanging onto your high school Jeep for almost 30 years.
Model: CJ-2A
Year: 1951
Owner: Mike Forney
Hometown: Ogden, Utah
Estimated Value: $10,000
Build Time: 28 years
Years Wheeling Experience: 28
Favorite Wheeling Spot: Moab, Utah
Why Choose This Vehicle To Build: It was my first Jeep
Favorite Terrain: Anything off-road
Engine: 350ci Chevy V-8
Aspiration: Edlebrock carburetor with spring-loaded off-road seats
Transmission: 1966 Ford Mustang top-loader
Transfer Case: Dana 20
Front Axle/Differential: Dana 30
Rear Axle/Differential: Dana 44
Ring and Pinion Ratio: 4.27
Front Suspension: 4-inch Rancho lift
Rear Suspension: 4-inch Rancho lift
Wheels: 15x8 American Eagle
Tires: 33x12.50R15 Super Swamper TSL
Other Cool Stuff: Vintage tires, vintage aftermarket fender flares for a flatfender Jeep, spare parts on board, rear seat functional, police spotlight, fully boxed frame, comfy Ford Probe bucket seats, orange enamel paint
Favorite Mod(s): The V-8 engine
Least Favorite Mod(s): The wiring
If I Had To Build It Again: Use a Painless Performance wiring harness from the beginning