We ran into Matt Pike and his '83 Dodge Ramcharger at the 2009 Mint 400 Race in Las Vegas, Nevada. He decided it was time to bring this beast back from retirement and see if it would still hold its own among today's elite racers. Working closely with Mike McComas out of San Jacinto, California, the truck received a healthy dose of upgrades and brought back a suspension from the past. If you're wondering why there is a Bob's Big Boy slapped on the side of the truck, that's because Matt's family has been in the restaurant business as long as they have been racing-well over 30 years. This Class 3 truck has cool written all over it.inline_mediumwraptextright27177263/features/1005or_off_road_1983_dodge_ramcharger1005or_12_+1983_dodge_ramcharger+left_side_view.jpgTrue

The other morning we got a call from a girly voice inquiring about a photoshoot. "Uh, we really don't use models in OFF-ROAD. Sorry. We can give you Mini Truckin's number if you want...." After a good laugh, Heather Keller corrected us. It wasn't her that we needed to shoot (though we certainly wouldn't have objected) and instead her new red Chevy that had just gotten the first of a new dual coilover kit for Chevy 2500 4x4s. It sounded intriguing. An HD diesel 4x4 on 37s that retained the IFS and still played in the dirt? And owned by a chick, no less (no offense meant to the female persuasion, of course)?inline_mediumwraptextright28125808/features/1004or_2009_chevy_2500_hd_4x41004or_01_o+2009_chevy_2500_hd_4x4+burning_desert.jpgTrue

You are probably sitting there reading through this feature and wondering, what makes this truck one of a kind? Well, if you live in Tucson, Arizona, you will have a really hard time finding a truck built to this level-aside from Alex Paterson's. His truck is so well known in town that when we mentioned our photo shoot to a few locals they responded with, "Oh yeah that silver Ford that is always running around. We see him all the time. It sure is a nice truck".inline_mediumwraptextright32318583/features/1004or_2002_ford_f150_xlt_one_of_a_kind1004or_01_o+2002_ford_f-150_xlt+front_view.jpgTrue

On our way to Las Vegas last November for the SEMA Show, we spotted a pair of Toyota Tacomas tearing up the dirt just outside the city limits. Eager to see what these two were up to, we headed for the nearest exit to catch up with them. Jared Pugh and Ryan Landiak are the minds behind Rock and Roll Offroad located in North Richland Hills, Texas. Just as any one of us would do, they spotted a big open stretch of land that was calling their name. "These trucks may be featured in the SEMA Show, but we built them to work, haul the mail, and get us home," Jared told us.inline_mediumwraptextright28092211/features/1004or_2005_and_2008_toyota_tacoma_4x41004or_01_o+toyota_tacoma+tacomas.jpgTrue

In Star Wars, Storm Troopers were the goose-stepping Imperial soldiers dressed in all white. If there were real, they would probably choose to drive something like Jack Stanko's '09 Chevy Silverado 2500.inline_mediumwraptextright32093127/features/1003or_2009_chevy_silverado_25001003or_01_o+2009_chevy_silverado_2500+front_view.jpgTrue

Beware the words "just one more." James "Slim" Janssen can tell you why. Not so long ago, the blue F-250 on these pages was glimmering white. During a long weekend in the desert, yours truly was en route from another corner of the Mojave, planning to meet Slim and the rest of the Mojave Mafia for a few hours of photo shoot fun. James and crew had spent most of the afternoon playing in the whoops and turns near the Slash X Café in Stoddard Valley. It was time to give the truck a wipe-down. Before parking, the proud owner cranked the wheel and hit the throttle in the name of "just one more" powerslide. Mid-slide, the outside rear tire blew off its bead, hooking the wheel in terra firma, and sending the truck rubber-side up. Oops.inline_mediumwraptextright27855361/features/1003or_1973_ford_f250_original_slim1003or_01_o+1973_ford_f-250+side_view.jpgTrue

With the state our economy is in today, garage fabrication is becoming even more popular. The days of spending $100,000 on your off-road ride aren't over, but have been reserved for the truly wealthy. At the young age of 20, Ryan Danielson cut, bent, and welded nearly every piece of metal you see on his '05 Chevrolet Silverado. Where does a 20-year-old learn to do this? Like father, like son. He and his father hand-built a four-seat buggy in their garage preparing Ryan with the necessary skills he would need to tackle his Chevy project truck. With a loaded resume of experience and currently enrolled at ASU for electrical engineering, we can only imagine what will come rolling out of Ryan's garage next.inline_mediumwraptextright26653577/features/1003or_2005_chevy_silverado1003or_01_o+2005_chevrolet_silverado+burning_dirt.jpgTrue

"It's kind of like an onion," Jon Lee says of his 2004 Toyota Tundra. "It doesn't jump out at you, but as you look closer, more and more details come out." Indeed. Jon's Tundra is plain white and sans graphics. Its track width isn't overly wide, and the ride height isn't that much taller than stock. Just the same, the onion analogy is dead on.inline_mediumwraptextright27515290/features/1002or_2004_toyota_tundra_the_master_plan1002or_01_o+2004_toyota_tundra+burning_desert.jpgTrue

We admit it: we're suckers for old trucks-especially clean, old trucks that still get used. Garage queens are nice to look at, but nothing really impresses like some old truck still getting used in the dirt or sand. Well, Brandon Miller's old Dodge could go either way. Seeing it parked on the street, you'd think to yourself, "Garage queen. There is no way anything this clean spends time in the dirt." Well, we've seen firsthand that this truck gets run and used-just like it's supposed to. After all, what's the point of owning some bitchin' truck if you don't use it?inline_mediumwraptextright26304659/features/1002or_1989_dodge_power_ram_w1501002or_01_o+1989_dodge_power_ram_w150+burning_desert.jpgTrue

I'm guessing you can find all the technical specifications on the new HD Rams that you'd ever want after spending 30 seconds on an Internet search engine. Therefore, I'm giving you some frank opinions that I made after spending a day with the new HD Rams in Texas.inline_mediumwraptextright27512230/features/1002or_2010_ram_heavy_duty_first_drive1002or_01_o+dodge_heavy_duty_ram+side_view.jpgTrue

It's not every day we run into a Ford Ranger of this quality. As a Trophy Truck driver, Jesse Ashcraft needed a fast prerunner-really fast. The prerunner is an essential part of every desert racing team whether you drive a TT or a Class 10 car like Jesse's brother, Adam. Knowing what lurks around every corner come race day is invaluable. Sparing no expense, Jesse delivered his Ranger to the guys at H&M Motorsports in San Marcos, California. Eight months later, a TT-caliber '92 Ford Ranger came rolling out of the shop.inline_mediumwraptextright26291252/features/1002or_1992_ford_ranger_ascraft_racing_prerunner1002or_01_o+1992_ford_ranger+side_view.jpgTrue

In early 2008, we introduced to you a new direction for OFF-ROAD Magazine. Continuing to hit our goals for 2009, OFF-ROAD has become a great choice for the best coverage of the most fun you can have in a fullsize and/or high-speed, off-road vehicle. Following suit from last year, we asked our staff to staple photos of every truck that's been in the magazine to their office walls and choose the very best trucks that came out of 2009. It took some time but we finally nailed it down to the top four. You may or may not agree with our choices, but you must agree that each one of these trucks are worth a second look.

There are a lot of guys out there building homemade suspension systems in their garage. How many of them do you imagine are mechanical engineers who have worked on projects like the Comanche helicopter and F-35 fighter jets? On top of those accomplishments, Jeff Lassegard has built high-flying bicycle suspension systems, has a love for kinetics, and has now designed suspension for a very uncommon off-road vehicle. When he emailed us pictures of his '03 Dodge Durango for our Rides section we wanted to see more. Did Jeff really make the Durango a worthy off-road vehicle?inline_mediumwraptextright27451237/features/1001or_2003_dodge_durangodurango.jpgTrue

Anyone who's been through a wedding engagement can tell you it's not a relaxing process. There are decisions to make, appointments to keep, and most of all, expenses. Keith Sato of Brea, California, found himself in that very situation a few years ago. "I was getting stressed out about all the stuff we had to pay for," Keith related. "I was happy to be getting married, and I wanted Tricia to enjoy our engagement and our wedding. I decided I needed to do something that would make both of us happy." He came up with a quid-pro-quo deal and ran it by his fiancée. "I'll quit complaining about what this is costing," he offered. "But as soon as we're back from our honeymoon, I'm gonna build a truck." Tricia agreed, and the plans for the wedding and the truck moved forward.inline_mediumwraptextrightPulling the hood off of its Autofab pins reveals there's a lot going on underneath. The engine is encased in a maze of 1.75-inch DOM tubing that's triangulated and gusseted at key locations. The stock 351 Windsor received mild port work, a set of Mac Performance equal-length headers, and a Clay Smith camshaft to wring out some extra ponies. The fuel management system was converted to fire sequentially, which produces more power, wastes less fuel, and produces fewer emissions (win, win, win).26074301/features/1001or_1994_ford_f150_marriage_proposal1001or_04_o+1994_ford_f-150_supercab_2wd+engine.jpgTrue

Everyone likes choices, and when it comes to racing, there are choices aplenty. Which one is right for you? Before you fill out an entry form or part with hard-earned dollars for an entry fee, we'd advise asking yourself a few questions first.inline_mediumwraptextright27286921/features/1001or_finding_a_place_to_race_off_road_sanctioning_body1001or_01_o+place_to_race+racing.jpgTrue

Does the term "Oakley sunglasses" ring a bell? All of those incredibly designed shades, worn at competitions all over the world, have all been designed in this man's office. A week prior to this photo shoot, we spotted Hans Moritz's 1968 Ford Bronco in a parking lot and left a business card on the dash. We had no idea who the owner was but the trick design and solid list of parts kept us wanting to see more. When Hans gave us his work address to meet for the shoot, we were grinning ear-to-ear as we pulled into the Oakley parking lot.inline_mediumwraptextright25405439/features/0912or_1968_ford_bronco_resampled0912or_02_+1968_ford_bronco+tank.jpgTrue

Have you ever ordered sushi at the International House of Pancakes? What about asking for crème brulee at Mickey D's? You're likely to receive a blank stare or a furrowed brow in reply. Rick Curcio, on the other hand, would probably get his order filled. Why is this? Rick persuaded Total Chaos Fabrication, famous for long-travel A-arm suspension systems, to build his solid-axle leaf-sprung Chevy Blazer.inline_mediumwraptextright30941274/features/0912or_1983_chevy_k5_blazer_total_chaos_fabrication0912or_02+1983_chevy_k-5_blazer+ace.jpgTrue

If you have had custom work done to your truck, Jeep or racecar at Off-Road Evolution, then Nate Chisholm has probably worked on your rig. On top of building vehicles for guys like us, Nate also built himself a pretty badass '04 Chevy Silverado prerunner. For most of us, this truck is already done up enough to have plenty of fun. Nate tells us that he has a slew of future plans to make this Chevy faster, stronger and tougher than ever. Round one is already something most of us would love to have parked in our driveway; we can't wait to see where round two leads him.inline_mediumwraptextright26431894/features/0911or_2004_chevy_silverado_prerunner0911or_01_z+2004_chevrolet_silverado+burning_desert.jpgTrue

Scott McCracken grew up riding and racing dirt bikes. A few years back he decided he wanted to build up a go-fast truck for fun and to try his hand at some desert competition. He put the word out that he was looking for a base truck for the project and a friend soon pointed him to a source that had what he was seeking.inline_mediumwraptextright30623928/features/0911or_1977_chevy_c100911or_01_z+1977_chevy_c10+front_view.jpgTrue

What was your first vehicle? A busted-up Toyota Corolla? Dad's barely-running Oldsmobile? Well, for James Holquin, this high-flying Nissan Frontier is not only his first prerunner but also his first ride. Following Desert Racing before he could legally drive meant two things: his first ride was going to be a truck, and this truck must be able to eat whoops for breakfast. Now that his truck is complete, James and his friends have formed a 1450 class race team called Unite. His Frontier serves as a chase vehicle and prerunner and is definitely worth a look.inline_mediumwraptextright30632526/features/0911or_2002_nissan_frontier_unite_team_prerunner0911or_02_z+2002_nissan_frontier+in_mid_air.jpgTrue

Have you always dreamt of desert racing but couldn't afford it? The Jeepspeed Challenge may be the hot ticket into your dream seat. In three simple steps you can be out there racing in one of the biggest classes running. Step one: find an '84-to-'01 Jeep Cherokee XJ (much like this '92) online, anywhere from $500-$2,000. Step two: take your truck to the guys at T&J Performance in Orange, California, and drop about $10,000 in parts on their Jeepspeed Products Kit. Step three: sign up for a race and go for it!inline_mediumwraptextright27298876/features/1001or_1992_jeep_cherokee_xj1001or_05_o+1992_jeep_cherokee_xj+burning_desert.jpgTrue

It's the end of the year (editorially) for us already, and we've just been looking through some of the past issues that OFF-ROAD put out in 2009. Ya know what? We're pretty happy with the mag's progress, and we hope you are too!inline_mediumwraptextrightDuring our Heavy Metal Weekend in Pismo Dunes, Jerrod Jones caught up with two Eyeball Fabrication sand cars trying to outdo each other. We think this orange one might have won.25414301/features/0912or_best_off_road_shots_of_20090912or_01+2009_best_shots+orange_fabrication_sand_cars.jpgTrue

John Townsend likes to live dangerously. His passion for high-speed driving and the love of Mexico slammed together into this gorgeous '89 Ford Bronco. Creating a vehicle that could take him to all of the Baja races, prerun the courses, chase down his favorite teams, and make it home safe is not an easy feat. Not a cheap one either! He purchased this Bronco beaten up and bruised for $2,500 and delivered it to Solo Motorsports in Covina, California. Seven months later his dream came to life.

Working at a shop like All Industries Performance, Chris Jones is used to dealing with modified machines that take a little more skill to operate than the average passenger car. That's why it was no surprise to his family when he dropped off his 2002 Chevy 2500 HD at Off Road Unlimited in Burbank, California, and let them go to town on it right when he got it. To this day, Chris still uses the truck for work, play, and as a daily driver. He's never had any problems with the front end, and though his 38-inch Parnelli Jones Dirt Grips are getting low on tread, they show very little signs of drivetrain and suspension fatigue that would improperly wear tire tread, meaning that his 3/4-ton IFS front end is still holding strong.

Kevin McMurray of Peoria, Arizona, grew up riding dirt bikes in the desert and on motocross tracks, so he's always had the racing bug. In time, he swapped to racing UTVs until recently when he decided he wanted to get into the truck arena. He found a '97 Ranger that suited his needs and made the purchase. The Ford you see here was originally modified for the previous owner and built up as a serious daily-driver prerunner.