Eric Loye of Bragg City, Missouri, is the proud owner of this '00 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4The vitals:360 Magnum engine
K&N air filter
3-inch Trailmaster suspension lift
3-inch body lift
315/75R16 Maxxis Buckshot Mudders
American Racing 16x8-inch alloy wheels
Passenger-side mirror custom-trimmed, courtesy of an aggressive pole
Calvin-peeing sticker (This time, everybody's favorite cartoon 6-year-old is relieving himself on a John Deere emblem.)
The plans:Play in the mud
Eric farms for a living, so his Ram gets used quite heavily while navigating muddy roads, fields, and ditches. Rice paddies, sand blows, and seepwater holes around the Mississippi River also serve as prime boggin' spots.
Editor's note:Eric's three-quarter rear shot of the passenger side shows good photo composition, as the photo clearly illustrates the truck's backlit tailgate and side panels. The shot also captures some of his favorite muddy terrain. It's clear that this truck gets real-world use. To improve the driver-side shot, a quick 180-degree turnaround into the sun would've made a world of difference, as the sun has blown out the cab and hood and the side panel is in the shadow. Thanks for sharing your real-world truck with us, Eric. We've got nothing but respect for someone who 'wheels late-model American iron and isn't afraid to get it dirty.
Lance Ortemond of Youngsville, Louisiana, owns this bad-in-black '02 Ford F-150 FX4 SupercrewThe vitals:5.4L Triton V-8 with Hypertech programmer
Shift kit added to stock automatic tranny
4.56 ring-and-pinion
37x13.50R16 Dick Cepeck Fun Country IIs on 16x8-inch Mickey Thompson Classic bead-lock wheels with black ring
5-inch RCD suspension lift with 2-inch indexed torsion-bar keys
2-inch add-a leaf in rear leaf pack
Warn Transformer grille guard holding a MileMarker 9,000-pound winch featuring dashboard winch controls
Six PIAA lights
Black-powdercoated bumpers, taillight guards, and a ProComp skidplate
Line-X spray-in bedliner
35-inch Super Swamper spare tire
Audio system featuring satellite radio
Dee Zee toolbox
Editor's note:We dig this tasteful combo of clean looks and mechanical function. While we're generally not too concerned with audio systems, since they don't add trail performance, we really like the way satellite radio lets us tune in to our personal tastes, no matter which corner of the country we happen to be in. As far as photography goes, overcast days work well to reduce glare and allow shots to be taken successfully from several angles. Have fun, Lance.