2006 International 7300 4x4
Nick Schutzius; Tell City, Indiana
Nick sent us this shot of his work truck, which includes a pivoting, telescoping aerial basket. Great for parties and spying on friends, he says. Winches, inverters, heavy-duty bumpers, and a set of 42-inch Goodyears round out the modifications. Much of what this truck does has to do with high-voltage and high-tension wires, general roof repair, and storm outage restoration. Astute readers will note this truck is similar in size and stature to the International CXT, but Nick says his has a DT 466, and it's never stopped pulling this 23,000-pound monster to the job site, going where the 2WD units won't.
2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Brenda Yates; Raleigh, North Carolina
Where would you go with a completely stock 4x4? If that four-wheeler is like Brenda's Jeep Rubicon, pretty much anywhere you want. Brenda says she drives her stock four-by back and forth to work, but when she gets the itch for adventure, she heads to the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area to give her Jeep a workout. There's just something about a woman in a Jeep.
1999 Ford F-150 4x4
David O. Kinder; Lakeland, Florida
If ever there were a vehicle ready to circumnavigate the globe, this would be the one. Bought new, David's first big trip was to Alaska where he put 15,000 miles on it over one summer. Then it was off to Nova Scotia pulling a 25-foot trailer. Now, with over 100,000 miles on the odometer, he's headed to Missouri as you read this. Would you send us a picture when you get to the Pacific Ocean?
2003 Dodge Ram 4x4
Thomas Wagner; San Bernardino, California
Looking to make his Dodge Ram the envy of the Inland Empire, Thomas installed a pair of load-leveling torsion bars on the front end of his Ram 4x4 so he could fit a set of 35-inch shoes on his stock Ram rims. As you can tell, Thomas' Ram loves to get airborne.
1970 Chevrolet 1500 CST
Chester P. Gorski; Warren, Michigan
Running a stock 350 small-block, Chester's pride and joy has been completely restored and repainted to factory specs. The only mod he's made is to run 12-inch-wide rims in back and 10-inchers in front. Beyond that, it purrs like a kitten, and it's a fine ride he and his wife enjoy.
1994 Ford F-250 XLT 4x4
Larry O'Connell; Valencia, California
For those who think the only way to get torque is with a diesel, consider O'Connell's F-250. His 460-cubic-inch-powered Ford uses a Banks intake, headers, and exhaust, and puts out 490 pound-feet of torque. The E40D was built by Trans Magic and uses a new billet torque converter, plus a Gear Vendors overdrive. O'Connell uses his truck, which rides on 33-inch BFGs, to tow a 32-foot fifth-wheel over the Sierra Nevadas, carve a path in the dunes at Pismo Beach, take his kids and grandkids on trips, and drive cross-country. On one cross-country trip, he even entered his truck in a drag race.
2003 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71 4x4
Ron Seidel; N. Tonawanda, New York
When asked how he uses his vehicle, Ron responds "as little as possible," but that doesn't mean this is just a show truck. This newer Avalanche is lowered three inches and sports wind visors at every porthole as well as a functioning bug deflector. Keeping low and staying clean is what this truck's life is all about.
2003 Toyota Highlander AWD
Earnest L. Stapleton; Pearl, Mississippi
Earnest is a big-rig trucker by trade but loves his midsize SUV. He's let us know he keeps it spotless inside and out, even though he lives out in the woods. A few of his special add-ons include a K&N filter, a few Westin Stainless bars and light guards, some Hella driving lights, and a complete interior woodgrain kit.
2005 GMC Sierra
Larry Peters; Alden, New York
Larry likes stainless steel. Note the stainless J&J grille and bed bars, TFP door handles, and Truck Tec tube steps. Other accoutrements include a Line-X bedliner, a Pro-Tech tool box and cab guard, and Truxedo bed cover. Larry's tells us his truck is a local celebrity; he has been a volunteer fireman for 38 years, and everyone's seen his GMC when he goes to work and answers the call of duty.
2003 Ford F-150 4x4
Eric Prince; Lee's Summit, Missouri
Eric got the surprise of his life for Christmas 2003 when his wife convinced the local dealer to tell him his truck wasn't coming in until January. Imagine his surprise when he found this fully loaded Flame Red FX4 with all the Lariat trimmings waiting for him with a huge bow on top. Since then, Eric made dozens of modifications, including the installation of an Evenflo baby car seat so he and his 18-month-old son can enjoy the ride. This truck is going to last, Eric tells us, because he does all his own maintenance, changing out the synthetic oil every 2000 miles. And since the Crown Vic is driven for work, we're guessing that's going to be a long time.