Finally, a show for all you dirt heads out there! Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road Technical Editor Fred Williams introduces the new Dirt Every Day show with a brief overview of what it's all about and where it's headed. Check back in every other Thursday as Fred continues his crusade against asphalt.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams up fits and outfits one of the coolest 4x4's on the market today, the Ford Raptor. Raptors are high performance desert machines, but we found one that earns it's owner a living each week banging around on an obscure desert compound. The owner is hard on his equipment and we took this poor bird of prey under our wing for a week to transform it into a more vicious desert predator.
It's King of the Hammers time on this episode of Dirt Every Day! Fred Williams and his friend Rocky travel to Johnson Valley, Ca for the annual event and compete in the Every Man Challenge. Driving Rocky's Little Blue Jeep through this unforgiving terrain is going to be a challenge. Are the guys up to it? Is the Jeep? Find out on this episode of Dirt Every Day!
Ford Racing is offering some awesome new beadlock wheels for the Ford Raptor. These wheels have an ingenious design that allows them to have a tire mounted for street use, and then be transformed with a special beadlock ring for off road use. This enables the driver to lower the tire pressure for additional traction off road.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams meets the Jeep that almost flunked him out of high school and sent him down the 4x4 road. Nicknamed "The Ugly Jeep," it's a beat up 1951 Jeep CJ3a built to be inconspicuous in an era when trucks were better known for chrome and wild graphics.
After World War 2, Toyota began developing an off road vehicle and it eventually earned the name Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser has a strong history as a capable 4x4 and today as a luxury SUV. This week on Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams introduces us to "Peter the Beater" his new beat up, high mileage '93 Land Cruiser that he'll be fixing up for this year's Cheap Truck Challenge.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams gets dirty in his driveway, preparing the Toyota Land Cruiser for the Cheap Truck Challenge. He rips apart the old Land Cruiser to install new axle shafts, a winch, a new front bumper and anything else he can manage to squeeze in with the tight budget for Cheap Truck Challenge. Fred also finds a way to fix what he broke in a previous episode. It's a race against time to see if he can get the car in a competitive form before the event.
When the crew from Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road buy low buck 4x4's and pit them against each other in the Arizona desert, it can only be one thing... Cheap Truck Challenge! On this episode of Dirt Every Day, watch as Rick Pewe and his 1989 Jeep Cherokee, Harry Wagner and his 1978 Ford F-150, and host Fred Williams and his 1993 Toyota Landcruiser battle the budget ($4000 total bought and built) and each other to see who's beater 4-wheeler can survive rock crawling, hill climbing and the mud bog obstacle course. Will their low dollar dream machines make it home, or are they a few cents short? Will their freakishly wild hair-do's help them get down the trail, or just make them look like some ridiculous '80's garage band? Will you tune in again, or have these knuckleheads pushed their luck for viewer delight?
We dirt-heads like 4-wheeling, but we also like modifying out 4x4's. On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams shows you how to add a 4-inch lift kit and 35-inch tires on a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in this beginner tech episode.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, it's mustaches and rock crawling! The Moab Easter Jeep Safari is a great week long 4x4 event in Moab, Utah leading up to Easter weekend every year, and every year Fred and the staff of 4-Wheel & Off-Road attend for some great rock crawling. This year Fred and some of his cronies grew out their upper lips and ran the first ever Moab Midnight Mustache Ride at Area BFE, a private off-road park south of Moab. They loaded up their jeeps and wheeled from midnight to dawn over some of the best rock crawling in the west.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams takes to the mountains of Mammoth in his 1965 Dodge M37 to try some snow wheeling away from the busy city. While in Mammoth, Fred meets up with his friend Shane and agrees to take him to the coast at Big Sur to go surfing. Along the way Fred decides to take Shane 4-wheeling in Hollister and even lets him drive "The Dumpster". Fred ends his journey on the towering sand dunes of Pismo Beach.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams heads to Fort Hunter Liggett to meet up with fireman Ken Hanna. Ken's ride is a 2011 Oshkosh Striker 3000 military fire truck, used primarily to put out aircraft fires. Fred rides along to see how the water cannon works and even does a 0-60 run before watching this giant rescue vehicle do what it was built for - driving off-road!
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred heads deep into the woods of Pennsylvania and the Line Mountain 4-wheelers off road race course where off-roaders have been racing for 40-years. Fred's reason for venturing into the sticks is to check out a Ford Model-A off road racer and compare it to a modern day off-road race buggy.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams dons his bib overalls and heads to the family farm in Pennsylvania to see if a new 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon can work the land as well as an old 1951 Willys CJ-3A jeep.
A few years back Fred Williams had an old Chevy Army truck that was stolen, so when he came across a deal on another '86 Chevy CUCV K30 truck, he jumped on it. On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred heads to the Off Road Connection in Alabama to start the process of building the Alabama Army Truck. First step, get it running and see what it will do in stock form.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred continues to work on the Alabama Army Truck with some big time upgrades! He continues at Off-Road Connection, in Alabama, to bolt on the new suspension, wheel and tire setup and some lockers all around. See how it turns out when Fred takes the truck off-road!
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred and the Off Road Connection crew decide it's time to seriously upgrade the power on the Alabama Army truck. The solution? Ditching the old diesel 6.2 liter V8 for a Chevrolet Performance eROD 6.2L straight out of a Cadillac CTS-V!
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred says goodbye to the Alabama Army Truck with a mud bath. A few years back Fred Williams had an old Chevy Army truck that was stolen, so when he came across a deal on another '86 Chevy CUCV K30 truck, he jumped on it. First step was to get it running and see what it will do in stock form. From there, Fred added bigger tires, a lift kit and a supercharged Chevrolet Performance eROD 6.2L straight out of a Cadillac CTS-V! Now, with the project complete, Fred rewards himself and the truck with a mud treatment.
This week Fred checks out the Sportsmobile 4x4 Ford Van. The Sportsmobile is great if back country exploring and camping are your favorite pastime. It is designed for off road use, and has everything and the kitchen sink. But how does a monster Pace Arrow motorhome compare for off roading? Fred finds out when they RV in the dirt.
Every year Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road goes on a weeklong off road adventure and builds a crazy 4x4 to lead the trip. This week on Dirt Every Day Fred takes you to Shaffer's Off Road to see the project truck they are calling the Ultimate Super Dirty get transformed from a run of the mill ¾-ton to a off road trail slayer. Check out the project and come back to the Motor Trend Channel on October 28 for a week of Ultimate Adventure videos.
This week on Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams and his team of stunt drivers compare a 1946 Willys Jeep to a John Deere Gator to determine the best little 4x4 of new and old. Will cool, old reliability beat out neat, new off road technology? Watch and find out!
If you've ever wanted to go Desert Racing and didn't know where to start we're here to help. On this episode of Dirt Every Day Fred visits the Tahoe-Reno Motorplex to drive a Wide Open Excursions car. These are off road race buggies that you can rent and learn to drive off road.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred takes you rock-crawling in his 1986 Toyota pickup that he calls Clampy. Clampy is a rusted, battered, and beat up old truck stuffed full of strong Toyota parts and big Dana axles all turning 40-inch tires. This iconic old beater still does great boulder crawling in the desert.
Ever wonder how to start your own off road club? On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred and his friend Dave start an off road club, buy Volkswagen Baja Bugs and head to the desert to have a drive like idiots and have fun.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, follow Fred Williams as he rescues an old ranch Jeep in Texas and gets it ready for some adventures. The first job is a complete rewire with help from the good people and parts at Painless Performance. Then stay tuned for a future episode when he takes it out exploring Texas and New Mexico.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred takes the Jeep CJ7 that was rescued from a Texas ranch in the last episode. After rewiring the jeep with the help of Painless Performance, he heads off on an adventure across Texas and New Mexico, just for a slice of pie. Will the Jeep stay together? Will they get lost in the wilds of these southern states? What flavor pie will he decide on? And will he get pie with or without ice cream? Find out now!
After reading an old book about a man and his dog traveling around America Fred decides to go on his own adventure with a truck load of canines. Piloting a 2014 GMC Sierra pickup truck from Rancho Suspension, Fred and three dogs head off on a road trip to see various off road shops, test a new truck, and find the joys of living in an off road camper. If you like dogs and trucks, you can't miss this episode of Dirt Every Day.
Have you ever dreamed of building a giant go-kart powered by a Chevy 454 big block? On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred enlists the help of the Poly Goats, a local university four wheel drive club, to help destroy a 1986 Pace Arrow motorhome and transform it into a giant go-kart. Watch the destruction as Fred and the Poly Goats take sawzalls, sledge hammers, and crowbars to this Pace Arrow RV, stripping it down to the bare frame and drivetrain in preparation for building the baddest V8 go-kart of all time!
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred picks up the pieces after the destruction in the last episode. Now, the real chaos begins as Fred Williams attempts to take the frame of a 1986 Pace Arrow motorhome and transform it into a giant go-kart. Fred calls on the engineering assistance of his friend Frank and the Poly Goats Off Road Club to finish this big-block powered monster go cart. To test whether it stands up against the regular sized go-kart, they head out to the dirt for a head to head battle of wits, agility, and power. Tune in to see who comes out on top!
Every year in Moab, Utah there is a week of off-roading awesomeness known as the Moab Easter Jeep Safari. On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams finally brings home a Jeep TJ he's had his eye on and takes on this last minute build. With only two weeks before his first trail ride in Moab, Fred has to figure out a way to modify his little white Jeep and make it into a tough little rock crawler. Luckily there are a number of easy-to-install parts available for Jeeps. With time ticking away and the red rocks of Utah beckoning, Fred must forgo sleep for coffee in the annual Mayhem to get ready for Moab.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams opts out of mailing the usual card and flowers for Mother's Day, and instead sends his mom a plane ticket to fly south for a weekend of wheeling in Alabama. The South is no slouch when it comes to great places to go off-roading. Equipped with a big Cummins diesel powered Jeep Wrangler and a James Baroud roof top tent, Fred is prepared for anything. Follow along with Fred and his Mom to see what adventures find them on their Southern tour.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams tracks down a ’93 Chevy S10 for this year’s Cheap Truck Challenge put on by Petersen’s 4Wheel and Offroad Magazine. For those who don’t know, Cheap Truck Challenge is a competition based on keeping a build under-budget with around $2000 for buying and $2000 for building a vehicle while surviving a series of challenges. With the S10 bought, Fred now has to figure out what to upgrade in order to keep competitive and within his budget. After seeing how capable his cheap truck is in the dirt, Fred then heads to the shop to see what inexpensive modifications he can make to his Chevy!
What happens when you take three low buck trucks driven by cheap truck drivers on an off road shoot out? You get Cheap Truck Challenge. Put on by Petersen’s 4Wheel and Offroad Magazine, Cheap Truck Challenge is the annual low buck truck competition where Fred and his pals must buy and build a 4x4 for under $4000. On this Dirt Every Day Fred finally takes his Chevy S-10 to Reno, Nevada for a battle of the budget beater rigs!
When Fred buys a 1950's Willys Jeep CJ-3A that doesn’t run he knows just who to call: Director of Four Wheeler Network, Rick Pewe and Hot Rod editor David Freiburger; the originators of the Dirt Every Day (DED) motto. Fred drags the Jeep CJ to Pewe's driveway to try and raise it from the dead (or DED) and get it back on the road with the help of these two old junk experts.
When the Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road team needed a truck to lead this year’s Ultimate Adventure they decided to start with an old Dodge. The truck started out as a retired airplane tug, but was transformed into a trail-slaying diesel adventure machine. On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred takes you behind the scenes of this amazing project truck for the final days of the build-up before heading out on Ultimate Adventure 2014.
In this episode, Fred Williams teams up with Recoil Magazine editor Iain Harrison to see what happens when they build a ballistic truck with a 1979 Ford Bronco. The build will be combining Fred’s offroading input and Iain's grasp of firepower. Starting in Southern California at 4Wheel Parts, the Bronco will begin to take a new form with installs of a Gibson Exhaust, Procomp wheels, and Smittybilt winch and armor. While the truck transforms, so do Fred and Iain when they get outfitted at 5.11 Tactical. The Bronco then makes its way to Arizona where Iain takes over the transformation of the Bronco by installing guns!
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, it’s the return of the Alabama Army Truck. The 1986 Chevy K30 military truck (also known as a CUCV) is back from the dead! This high horsepower truck is looking for upgrades starting with bigger tires, and from there it’s a stronger transmission and lower transfer case gears. Of course all these changes mean more speed is available so better brakes will also be included. But can Fred and the crew get the AAT back in better-than-original shape by the end of the week so they can hit the trail? Watch it now to find out.
Ever on the lookout for another project truck Fred is constantly searching for old treasures. On this episode of Dirt Every Day sponsored by EBC Brakes & MSD Performance, Fred hears about a barn-find ’61 Jeep Willy’s Wagon for sale cheap and jumps on the deal to drag it home. The Jeep hasn’t been running since 1978 because of a blown engine, but Fred has a week to get it back in the dirt after sitting under a coat of dust for 37 years! Can he find a new powerplant to motivate the old SUV without breaking more old school drivetrain components? Find out on this episode of Dirt Every Day....
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, it's Easter Jeep Safari time and Fred is prepping his orange Jeep for the event when he finds out about a new set of bolt in crate axles from Dana. The plan to swap in a set of big Dana 60’s and drive to Utah is going to require a lot of hard work, so Fred recruits his friend Tony from Detroit and the crew and Synergy manufacturing to get the job done. Tune in to find out how to modify your Jeep Wrangler JK for bigger tires with a set of Dana 60’s.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day Fred introduces you to Mark Smith, An Adventurer who helped develop the Jeep lifestyle and open the iconic Rubicon trail as well as starting the Jeep Jamboree off road events. Plus Fred shows you a portion of Mark's trip from the tip of South America to the top of north America via the Darian gap from the original documentary. Fred also showcases Marks bright orange 1979 Jeep CJ7, one of six that made the trip, and visits the Omix-ADA / Rugged Ridge collection in Georgia to see all their cool and rare Jeeps, some of which used to belong to Mark Smith
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by 4 Wheel Parts, Fred shows how you too can get behind the wheel of a military truck by buying one on an online auction. Fred has had many big tough 4x4’s that were military surplus vehicles, but none as massive as the Stewart and Stevenson LMTV he gets from Gov-Planet, an IronPlanet marketplace, online auction site that sells surplus vehicles such as Hum-vees and deuce and a half trucks. Fred then takes the big truck on a wild adventure as he tries to prove that a giant military veteran can be a great daily driver and off road explorer.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by 4 Wheel Parts, Fred cuts a diagonal line across the lower 48 in an epic road-trip in Toyota’s new Tundra TRD Pro. From the Gulf of Mexico to the north western Pacific/Canada line Fred and his team explore a variety of off road destinations on an exciting 18-day adventure.
When Dirthead Fred and Dirthead Dave revive their off road club, they run into a small glitch because they both have sold their baja bugs. They decide to build mini-trucks this time and eventually both end up with 70’s Ford Couriers. But one truck is a lowered mini while the other is a lifted truck, causing confusion to the guys. Not to be deterred… they head to the desert for a shoot out and general mischief as they try to see who’s mini-truck is better.
Every year we build a project vehicle to lead our week long off road trip called Ultimate Adventure and for this episode Dirt Every Day Fred takes us behind the scenes at Synergy Manufacturing where he's building the Ultimate Summer Camp Jeep. This aluminum Willys flatfender has a supercharged V8 LSA engine, gobs of gearing and flexy suspension. Once built, watch Fred and this Awesome Jeep sling mud, cross rivers and climb slippery hillsides throughout the Ultimate Adventure!
Every year we build a project vehicle to lead our week long off road trip called Ultimate Adventure and for this episode Dirt Every Day Fred takes us behind the scenes at Synergy Manufacturing where he's building the Ultimate Summer Camp Jeep. This aluminum Willys flatfender has a supercharged V8 LSA engine, gobs of gearing and flexy suspension. Once built, watch Fred and this Awesome Jeep sling mud, cross rivers and climb slippery hillsides throughout the Ultimate Adventure!
When you take cheap 4x4’s on an overland adventure disaster is about to happen. On this episode of Dirt Every Day Presented by 4 Wheel Parts, Fred brings along his buddies on a high desert wheeling trip in their low buck trucks. Along the way they’ll encounter rain, mud, and a plethora of delays because their junk won’t run. But in the end they’ll show you that low dollar camping is just as much fun as high dollar overlanding, maybe even more.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by 4-Wheel Parts, Fred teaches his buddy Joe to be a better Jeeper from behind the wheel of the new Jeep Renegade TrailHawk. They attempt every type of terrain from urban off roading and black sand up through rocky mountain passes and high altitude snow. Along the way Fred explains the Jeep Wave, Jeep Easter-eggs and how to find and identify other Jeep models. Eventually their trip through Colorado takes them over the famous 12,840 foot Black Bear Pass, an iconic Jeep trail that will test the abilities of this new Jeep.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred and Dave finally get the Mad Maxxis OFF Road Runner out to the desert to find out just how capable this one of a kind 4x4 is… and for some flat out fun. This car started out as a tired and rust ravaged 1973 Plymouth Road Runner and has been transformed into a 5.0 V8 Cummins Diesel powered four wheel drive off road monster! Dave Chappelle at Chappelle’s Kustoms, designed and built the chassis and suspension parts on the OFF Road Runner in just over a month.
Ever wanted to go on a tropical vacation and bring your jeep? Well this time on Dirt Every Day presented by 4 Wheel Parts, Fred shows you how when he finds himself in the middle of a tropical jungle with his good old Jeep Wrangler TubeSock. Fred must hang with the locals to learn the ways of the rainforests and try to survive the slippery, muddy, bug infested trails on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. Will he have a wonderful vacation or die of malaria in a muddy swamp? Tune in to find out!
Dirt Every Day is back! Season 5 kicks off with an old-fashioned shootout, as Fred challenges his buddy Frank to an off-road race that results in standard Dirt Every Day mayhem. With a little bit of help, Frank gets his Ford F-100 Prerunner in running condition and fitted with hand controls so he can drive it again. For his part of the race, Fred must track down a vehicle to compete with and finds the perfect candidate in Frank’s least favorite vehicle ever, a Volkswagen Vanagon. Chaos ensues when they take both contenders to the secret Dirt Ranch for some pasture battling. Watch now to see who wins!
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred gets his hands on another barn find Jeep, and this time it’s a 1972 Wagoneer that’s been parked for 13 years. Fred invites some friends along for a wild winter road trip starting with a garage tune up of the old Jeep, and ending with winching rescue in a snowy winter land.
When Fred and Dave attempt to build one vehicle that can run all types of terrain, the results are ridiculous. Watch on this episode of Dirt Every Day as they combine an old Range Rover with a Ford Ranger to build an overlanding prerunner that can also play in the mud and rockcrawl with the help of Maxxis’ Bighorn MT-762s. (www.maxxis.com).
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle transform a 1993 Ford F-350 into a monster truck on massive Mickey Thompson 54-inch tires and take it to the toughest rockcrawling trails in America - Johnson Valley, California.
Fred Williams and his friend Brian rescue a ’60s VW-based dune buggy in Oregon and attempt to drive it from Bend to the beach navigating using the Magellan eXplorist TRX7. The old dune buggy only had 38 hp when new, and there is a fair bit of mountains between Bend and the beach, so it will be an uphill battle as Fred and Brian push, pull, and fight their way to a fun, relaxing day at the water’s edge.
Fred’s 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ affectionately known as Tubesock was in need of a new engine, and Fred wanted to recreate a crazy stunt from the 50’s by driving his jeep underwater. To achieve this Fred swaps in a new Cummins ISF2.8 diesel engine, bolts on big Maxxis tires (www.maxxis.com), and sets about waterproofing the whole Jeep to survive under 12 feet of water. Will the little Jeep be a submarine or just an anchor? Watch and find out!
Fred Williams and friends compete in buying, building, and abusing a pair of low-dollar 4x4s in the annual Cheap Truck Challenge on this episode of Dirt Every Day. This year, the trucks have teams of builders but the goal is the same: build something fun for wheeling on a budget. Fred and Dave form team Dirt Heads and find a cheap Jeep Liberty that has seen better days, but can they build it to conquer the off-road obstacles without blowing the bank? The competing Dust Dawgs team of Rob and Joe show up with an ’80s K5 Blazer, and they immediately install bigger tires and more power under the hood. Who will win this year’s battle of budget beaters?
Dirt Heads Fred Williams and Dave are headed to Palm Springs, California, for rest and relaxation after all of their adventures, but to get there in style they’ll need a vehicle that epitomizes success, a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado. Since a Cadillac is great on the road but not the best in the dirt, they’ll first need to modify it, because Dirt Heads don’t do asphalt. After a few days in the shop, they’ll transform the car into a 1,000ci, dual-engine, all-wheel-drive luxury land yacht and hit the dirt roads to the desert vacation spot in the ElDIRTrado.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams calls in all his friends to help put his 1986 Chevy Army truck back together for a big adventure to a big state. They add a big-block engine, big portal axles, and a big new suspension to clear really big 42-inch Maxxis tires. Then Fred and Mark from Daystar Products head to Alaska where they take their two army trucks on a four-wheeling adventure and see the highlights of Alaska, the biggest state in the nation. Fred puts his freshly revamped truck to the test and renames it the Alaskan Army Truck, while Mark shows off his 720hp Dodge Power Wagon—all while attempting to get their trucks onto a frozen glacier.
How does the Cummins Diesel Jeep Wrangler “Tubesock” compare to a gas-powered Jeep? On this episode of Dirt Every Day Fred Williams and guest host Cummins Steve transform Tubesock from a diesel-powered submarine Jeep to a trail and street Jeep, and then take it head-to-head against gas inline-six and V-8-powered Jeeps on both highway and dirt. How does the little four-cylinder diesel stack up against the tried-and-true gas-powered trail machines? And can Cummins Steve convince Fred and the viewers that they want a Cummins under the hood of their next off-road project truck? Watch now!
When the guys from Surfer magazine want to go surfing, there isn’t much that can dissuade them—and when those waves were in Baja, they joined forces with Fred Williams for a Dirt Every Day Baja adventure. The crew threw their recovery gear, surfboards, and sunglasses in a new Toyota Tacoma and headed south of the border for some Mexican backroad exploring, great surfing, and excellent tacos.
When Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to go four-wheeling at the site of the 75-year-old Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, they bundle up and head east. With just three days to construct a concrete crawler, they decide to build a new JK Wrangler Unlimited to dominate urban obstacles on this episode of Dirt Every Day.
Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle drag a tired, old ’03 Chevy Avalanche out of the cobwebs and spruce it up for a north Idaho snow race—because nothing is faster in the snow than an Avalanche! The big truck has an 8.1L big-block and solid 1-ton axles front and rear, but the tires are only 37 inches tall. Will it be enough to win the race, or will the big truck get snowbank stuck? Watch this episode of Dirt Every Day to find out.
Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle enter a junkyard with a battery, some gas, big tires, and a pile of parts with the goal of driving a Jeep home. The guys roll around in the dirt of the desert junkyard fixing up a 1994 Jeep YJ and then challenge themselves to find as many dirt miles as possible on their drive to Pismo Beach. Is it possible to drive a Jeep home from a junkyard?
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle embark on an overlanding trip of epic proportions on motorcycles of minor proportions. Dave, a diehard motorcycle fan, finally convinces Fred to do a moto episode of DED, but bike-rookie Fred picks what he assumes will be the easiest bike to ride: a Coleman minibike from the local Tractor Supply. The 6hp bikes are then loaded down with gear strapped on like a pack mule. What’s left is a 20-mile adventure on tiny machines with zero suspension over rocky desert hills and through rushing mountain streams of northwest Arizona. Fred will learn that even small bikes can battle their way to the top, but some guys are really not meant to ride on two wheels.
The Toyota Tacoma has a huge following, and the latest version is making a splash amongst off-road enthusiasts, so when Fred Williams gets the chance to join a desert race team for a race in a Tacoma on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, he dives in to see how the truck is built. Williams heads to Camburg Engineering to learn how a stock TRD truck is transformed into a safe desert race machine.
The Mint 400 is the Great American Off-Road Race, and in this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams gets to enjoy all the sights and sounds of this iconic desert race that was first run in 1967. The race starts with a week of experiences in Las Vegas and ends with a rocky, dusty battle across the Nevada desert. Tune in to see how the Tacoma race truck built last episode fares in this historic adventure.
Fred Williams’ garage-find 1961 Willys Wagon has been sitting with bad brakes and a tired drivetrain ever since a prior engine swap (Episode 37), so it was time to set that straight on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack. Believe it or not, the Dirt Heads pulled out the Chevy LS V-8 to swap the entire Willys wagon onto a wrecked Wrangler YJ frame and drivetrain for a more reliable retro wheeler. The guys spend most of the show in the shop wrenching and fabricating in order to bring a cool-looking old Jeep back from the dead and prep it for summer wheeling fun.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle are going to figure out if, with a few modifications, a military surplus Humvee is a great desert machine, or an awful off-roader. After getting a ratty veteran of a 4x4 from GovPlanet, the guys take it home to build it up into a more capable rockcrawler and then head to Johnson Valley, California, to see if their mods worked.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle find a 1979 4x4 Ford van and take it four-wheeling in the wacky off-road rally known as the Gambler 500. The van is complete with shag carpet, a mural, and big, 37-inch General Grabber tires, but can it survive this off-roading circus? The guys head to the hills of Oregon to find some great four-wheeling while trying to hit all the checkpoints of this low-budget traveling party full of wacky machines.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle take on the challenge of converting a front-wheel-drive, two-wheel-drive Toyota RAV4 to a four-wheel-drive rockcrawler by putting the complete front engine and transaxle in the passenger compartment and swapping in Toyota Land Cruiser axles underneath. But will the mini off-roader work as a capable rockcrawler when it’s all done?
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle start with a 94 Ford F-250 from IronPlanet and transform it into a more capable off-road machine in just 48 hours to fit 37-inch General tires. Then they head to the Rocky Mountains to test their truck with some high-altitude rockcrawling.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle pick up a military Unimog in Indiana with just a few days to get it to Memphis, Tennessee, for a big truck show. They think “No problem,” but are they in for a shock when they realize that the Unimog isn’t the dream on-road machine they hoped it would be. However, on roads is not the Dirt Every Day way, so they shift the big Mercedes military machine into low range and see what it can do on the muddy, wooded trails to determine if this is truly one of the greatest 4x4s ever made.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle decide it’s time to take a break from building crazy 4x4s and just do what normal people do, so they hitch a small boat to the back of a Yamaha Wolverine UTV and head to the hills of New Mexico. The plan is simple: explore the Southern Rockies, find a nice mountain lake, and maybe catch some trout. But is it really possible for Williams and Chappelle to be normal?
Big-horsepower, full-throttle rock bouncing is taking over the South faster than kudzu. On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle want in on the action! But with limited time and money, they decide to build a budget bouncer from a Dodge Truck with a V-10 engine. With an engine like a supercar, they name it the Rock Viper. The guys tear into this truck-based tube chassis at home but decide that to really build a bouncer they need to head south and finish it in Alabama, the home of rock bouncing. Does their big buggy have what it takes to be a legit rock bouncer? Or are the guys outgunned in the Alabama bounce house? Find out on this episode of Dirt Every Day! Read Less
If you’re looking for mud, then Florida is the place to be, so on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle head south to attack the mud holes at Okeechobee. But first the guys need a truck to drive, and they scour the state looking for just the right mud machine. The Dirt-Heads finally choose a big Dodge diesel mud truck on 65-inch tractor tires but they need to fix it up and swap in a new transmission before they go experience the mud life. Then it’s a race to the mud pit to see how it works.
The Dirt Heads return as Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle decide to build a four-wheel-drive motorhome on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack. Starting with a 1975 Winnebago Brave RV, the guys attempt to build a monster house on wheels with 42-inch-tall tires. But will this wacky wheeling motor coach actually work off-road? Or should the guys stick to fishing?
The new Jeep JL Wrangler is the talk of the town, and when Fred Williams and the crew from Dynatrac get their hands on one, they decide to build it extreme. But the Jeep can’t just be any Wrangler—it has to stand out—so on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, not only does it get big tires but it also gets a complete makeover in record time to be the first JL out on the trails rockin’ 42s and a fresh makeover.
In an epic 4x4 rescue, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle head to Oregon to find a junkyard truck to take out on the dunes, but on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, they quickly learn that most junkyard 4x4s are in the junkyard for a reason. The guys spend lots of time just trying to find a good candidate that isn’t too far gone. After a few days of wrenching in the rain, the guys hope to launch their new low-buck sand trucks without getting stuck in the dunes.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle attempt to turn a 2007 Chevy 2500 HD work truck with more than 200,000 miles logged into a snow machine. After much prodding from hosts of other Motor Trend shows, the Dirt Heads decide it’s time to build something with a boosted engine, and they opt to apply that supercharged power to a truck made for the snow. So they modify a high-mileage regular cab Chevy into a supercharged truck on skis with big horsepower to see if they can tame the snowdrifts of northern Idaho. Will it work or will they be shoveling the white stuff? Tune in to find out.
When Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle find their old van derelict on a friend’s ranch, they decide to bring it to the shop and rebuild it into a scratch-built ranch truck. The 1979 Ford Van had seen better days, but on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, the guys attempt to build it into something more useful for farm and ranch life as well as being a great four-wheeler.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, the Dirt-Heads learn that Yellowstone Off Road Racing is holding a 200-mile race on a Montana ranch, and they decide they need to attend. But first they’ll need a race truck. They head to Colorado and find a Toyota 4Runner they can modify and road-trip up to Montana where they’ll attempt to win the stock class. Will the guys come home with the trophy? Or will they break their road-trip racer somewhere in a Montana pasture?
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle rescue a farm truck that’s been sitting for 20 years in a field and plan an outrageous adventure across the hills of Montana. But this is no ordinary 1945 Chevy truck; it was modified for farm use and made to drive backward, so the guys must reverse their way through the wilds of Big Sky Country.
Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle head back to Alabama on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack to redeem themselves against the rock-bouncing hills that destroyed their V-10– powered Rock Viper. But first they give the tube truck a serious revamp with better suspension, a new transfer case, and a modified rollcage.
The Rubicon Trail is the most famous 22-mile off-road trail in the world, and over the years the 4x4s that have attempted it have only gotten better. But it wasn’t started with 4x4s on 40-inch tires and big engines. Rather, it was started with little Jeeps on tiny tires and no lockers. So on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle see just how far they can get on the ’Con with almost stock 4x4s. Equipped with just a winch and a sense of adventure, the guys hit the trail in 45- year-old 4x4s to see if they could make it across the world-renowned Rubicon Trail.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, the Dirt Heads find themselves in Pennsylvania with $3,000 to spend and just three days to go from vehicle purchase to off-roading, so it’s a mad scramble to find and build something fun. Plus they have to fit 35-inch tires on whatever they buy. The guys end up with something pretty unusual when they drag home an Isuzu VehiCROSS, but is it all just good looks, or does this wacky wheeler also have the guts to hit the trail?
The 1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ that was rescued from a junkyard returns for bigger 1-ton axles and giant 40-inch tires. On this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack watch as Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle transform their Junkyard Jeep into a trail monster, and then head to the desert with some other Jeepers to see how well it rockcrawls.
Fred Williams’ 1986 Toyota rockcrawler Clampy has been sitting for about five years and it’s time for an adventure. So, on this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, Williams and Dave Chappelle blow off the cobwebs and head out from California to find every type of off-road terrain. But this beat-up old Toy isn’t exactly street-legal, nor was it built for anything besides rocks, so the stakes are against them to drive it down the highway, find every type of dirt, and not get stuck.
Most of the time Dirt Head Dave Chappelle has to go along with Fred Williams’ crazy ideas, but on this episode of Dirt Every Day, Chappelle gets to choose the next project. Williams arrives at Mawdco, an off-road junkyard in Idaho, where Chappelle has picked a surprise project. Will it be something normal and easy? Or something outrageous? You better believe it won’t be normal.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle challenge the guys from Roadkill Garage (David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich) to a no-holds-barred Jeep build-off. Both teams have a week to build a Jeep and get them ready for an off-road battle royal. Be sure to watch Roadkill Garage Episode 40 for their side of the story.
The Dirt Heads want to go ice racing in Colorado, but they need a vehicle to race with first, and they find an all-wheel-drive Chevy Astro van. But can a boring old work van become a race van in just a few days? Tune in to this episode of Dirt Every Day to watch Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle transform this boring box into a fire-breathing ice machine.
On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle bring back Cheap Truck Challenge, but this time it’s all Jeep XJ Cherokees. The guys build three different XJs with various first-time upgrades—lift, lockers, and a winch—to see which one is the best bang for your beginner buck. Then they head out to the desert of Arizona for some rockcrawling to see which XJs lives and which ones die. Tune in to see if your favorite budget-beater Jeep can survive.
Not everyone has a driver’s license, but that shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the dirt, so on this episode of Dirt Every Day the Dirt Heads show you how to build a budget overlander based on a riding lawn mower, or as they call it, MOWVERLANDER! Then Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle head to Oregon and meet up with the guys from the Gambler 500 and go find adventure on a posse of wacky lawn tractor creations. Can the guys take these lawn mowers where no one has gone before? Tune in to find out!
The Off-Roaderhome is a 1975 Winnebago Brave RV. When Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle first built the Off-Roaderhome, it looked really cool but it didn’t run very well. On this episode of Dirt Every Day, the Dirt-Heads swap in a big horsepower engine to see if this massive motorhome can do a burnout like normal car guys do.
Sometimes you inherit a cool car to drive from your parents and sometimes you inherit mom’s station wagon. On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams and David Chappelle show you what to do when you hoped for a prerunner truck but got a four-door wagon instead. By the end of the show, they’ll have mom’s wagon transformed into a dune machine.
Driving your 4x4 into a pond, river, or lake isn’t a good idea. But we’re full of bad ideas, and on this episode of Dirt Every Day, we’ll show you what to do when good fun turns into a bad idea. Watch as Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle drag a Dodge truck out of a pond and take you through all the steps of getting it back up and running again.
When Fred Williams buys a wacky International Scout with a camper on top, it’s time for the Dirt Heads to go on an adventure. But first Dave Chappelle and Williams head to Anything Scout to fix up the rad old overlander into a legit trail machine with a house on the back. See how on this episode of Dirt Every Day!
You’ve probably seen Tube Sock, our 1997 Jeep Wrangler, drive underwater, but can Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle make it float on top of water? This time on Dirt Every Day, the little Jeep gets 24 new tires to try and give it the buoyancy to float on the Susquehanna River and drag race a paddleboat.
Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle wanted to show you how to build a rockcrawling truck in the driveway, so Chappelle found a low-buck Mazda 4x4 truck for this project. Then in classic Dirt Head style, the build gets out of hand fast and they are soon swapping 1-ton axles under the little truck to spin big 40-inch tires. Tune in to this episode of Dirt Every Day to see how their latest build does on the Oregon rocks.
Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle get their hands on a new Jeep Gladiator, the truck built for those looking for outdoor adventure like biking, hiking, boating, and camping. But the Dirt Heads like four-wheeling and dragging home cool, old 4x4s, so they modify the Gladiator into the Gladia-Tow, an off-road adventure tow truck built for rescuing new project trucks. Then the guys head out into the wilderness to bring back an old Jeep truck that is buried in the woods. Is this new truck up for a Dirt Every Day-style adventure? Watch this episode to find out.
When Dave Chappelle brings home a crusty old Bronco, it’s time for a backyard-to-trail adventure. Fred Williams and Dave decide they’ll get this early Bronco up and running after sitting for years and go attempt the toughest trail near town. But the Bronco isn’t going to move without a fight. Can the Dirt-Heads prevail? Watch this episode of Dirt Every Day, presented by Tire Rack, and find out.
Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle built a Humvee a few years ago, and it was a lot of fun, but since then the guys have been daydreaming of an even better version. So this time on Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, it’s back to the shop to build a more nimble wheeling machine and then out to the desert to see if their surplus truck can keep up with a top of the line UTV.
The Mad Maxxis and Dirt Pacer are back! If you’ve been wondering where these two Trar’s (truck-cars) have been, well, this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack should answer your question. Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle blow the cobwebs off their two favorite muscle cars and head to the Motor City of Detroit to do some urban off-roading.
It’s time once again for Dave Chappelle to surprise Fred William with a project build. This time Dave brings Fred to Louisiana, where they find a trusty old Toyota. But they have to transform it into a Baja-influenced racing style Ford?! If that sounds wacky, then you’ll have to watch this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack to see just how wacky it really is.
It’s our 103rd episode! (We forgot to do something cool for our 100th, so we’re going international for this one.) To celebrate, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle headed around the world to Indonesia, a small island country between Australia and Asia. Their goal is to build some truck that isn’t available in the U.S., and they recruit the team at ProRock Engineering to help build a Daihatsu Taft. Never heard of a Taft? Its nickname is the Bull, and in this episode of Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, you’ll find out why.
The guys have always wondered if they could build a 4x4 on the trail. They figured it would give them more wheeling time, so they head off to the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area in Pennsylvania to try. This time on Dirt Every Day presented by Tire Rack, the guys bring their Dunkin Dodge back after its swim in the pond, and the camera crew sets up a game where Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle need to find their parts and install them as they climb up a rocky trail in order to reach the Holy Grille. Can they pull it off? Watch it now to find out.
Whether Cro-Magnon Man or four-wheeling fiend, humans have, since the dawn of time searched out adventure to test their fortitude and endurance. Our near constant search for extreme 4x4 based adventure is what inspired Petersen’s 4 Wheel & Off-Road’s yearly summer gathering known as the Ultimate Adventure. This trip of epic proportions has led readers, aftermarket advertisers, a support crew of cronies and the magazine staff to off-road venues around the country for the past 16 years and is the pinnacle of off-road road-trips. This expedition combines long-distance road driving, hard-core wheeling, camping, exploring, comradery, vehicular failure and trailside repair, plus new for 2015, canoeing!?. This year’s UA had a summer camp (for adults) vibe and all campers were happy despite a few late nights and daily heavy rain.(it rained A LOT!) In the past we’ve waited months to show you a limited number of photos of the fun and action we have had on the UA in our monthly publication. Today will start in the beginning with shots of the check in and safety inspection and then our first off-road day of UA 2015 where we tore up the trails at Powerline Park in St. Clairsville, Ohio.
While we joke that Ultimate Adventure 2015 is like summer camp for adults, the trip is not for the faint of heart. This is not the Mediocre Adventure or the Half Baked Adventure. This is a trip for a few hard core off-roaders from within the industry and a few select readers who expect tough trails and long days. The truth is participants know to expect anything from our whistle blowing leader, head camp counselor, Rick Péwé. While road days are all about getting to our next destination a side trip or two to a wheeling destination or ferry crossing are common occurrences. In the end, day two of UA 2015 will go down in history as one of the longest road days, not in overall mileage (although we did cover some ground) but rather a day that would last nearly 21 hours. After a 6:00 drivers meeting followed by a short drive to the muddy and tight trails at Clay Valley Dirt Park near Roseville, Ohio UA 2015’s to play summer campers drove a total of nearly 600 road miles and included a ferry crossing. The days trip meant driving late that night and into the early hours of day three before arriving at our next camp site in Harlan Kentucky. While this road day was long, the wheeling was awesome. We took plenty of photos from the road and trail including 4x4s making tight squeezes between trees, and maybe even a flop or two, followed by a trip on a ferry.
Hit the road Jack (and Jarred)! Day 4 of Ultimate Adventure 2015 was our second road day. We packed up camp in the misty hills of Harlan Kentucky, unlocked hubs (if your rig had them) and started pounding pavement. A few miles down the road we found out what the canoes that (were a requirement for UA 2015) were there for as the group pulled into a parking lot along the edge of Martins Fork Lake just south of Harlan. With that Campers unloaded their vessels and headed for the water. Canoe races were the main point (aside from the cool factor of 24 rigs with canoes on their roof), but things devolved into friendly sea (or is it lake) battles. Several of the watercrafts were capsized in the name of good old soaking wet fun. Once the canoes or other boats were dry and stowed the group headed for the Helms Ferry that crosses the Powell River that leads into Norris Dam Lake in Northern Tennessee. Once across we grabbed some ice cream from a floating store and headed down the road dodging rain storms eventually finding ourselves in Murphy, North Carolina home to the Durthamtown Tellico off-road park. Once we arrived in camp at Durhamtown at about 12:30 we got set up to catch some much needed sleep. Our dreams that night were of canoe based warfare and what tomorrow’s trails would bring. Waking to the sound of a downpour outside our tent cot meant that we may be wet, but at least we were still alive. Despite the huge amounts of rain that fell on our makeshift camp in western North Carolina it turns out we did not drown or wash away, but would live to wheel another day. After a brief and soggy driver’s meeting our rag tag bunch of Canoeligans loaded up in our 4x4s for more trails and adventure. We followed Chuck Davis into the hallowed hills of Durhamtown Tellico. DUrhamtown Tellico is not named for our friend and UA Crony Chris Durham, but it might as well be. The park is named Durhamtown Tellico because the private owners come from the Durhamtown Off-road area in Ge
Waking to the sound of a downpour outside our tent cot meant that we may be wet, but at least we were still alive. Despite the huge amounts of rain that fell on our makeshift camp in western North Carolina it turns out we did not drown or wash away, but would live to wheel another day. After a brief and soggy driver’s meeting our rag tag bunch of Canoeligans loaded up in our 4x4s for more trails and adventure. We followed Chuck Davis into the hallowed hills of Durhamtown Tellico. DUrhamtown Tellico is not named for our friend and UA Crony Chris Durham, but it might as well be. The park is named Durhamtown Tellico because the private owners come from the Durhamtown Off-road area in Georgia, and the name Tellico comes from the now closed public trail system that used to exist in western North Carolina. Those trails will be mourned, but at least we can still play on private land in the area. The trails and area have a definite Tellico feel and are open (for a fee) to anyone with a 4x4. Have fun and enjoy these trails as we did.
Ahh, the last day of Ultimate Adventure 2015! After a successful day on the trails of Durhamtown Tellico in the mountains of Western North Carolina it was time to hit the road to more adventure. Our end point would be South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, but there was no chance that we would get there via the most direct route. Now, if you’ve been paying attention you might expect us to visit an off-road park along the way, or at the very least find some ferry that crosses a lake or river. You would be wrong. Instead somehow the fearless Péwé found a place where a few of us could drive a tank…yep you read that right a tank. Well, maybe it’s not a tank exactly, but hey an armored personnel carrier is pretty close. Did we mention it can be driven in deep water and over junked cars. The adventure is about to come to an end for the group as a whole (although many of us have hundreds if not thousands of miles to travel to get home and more adventures await). This means that all the participants of yet another Ultimate Adventure made it to the end with only a few component fatalities. Course the action is not all over until the sun sets and Adventure Off Road Park near South Pittsburgh Tennessee would provide many a challenge for the experienced and soggy UA ’15 group. Our itinerary for the day would include slick orange clay, limestone rocks that seem to be able to bite, a BBQ lunch for all UAers, and more rocks and mud in an afternoon of dessert. While all rigs made it to the trail head of the last day not all would walk…or drive away unscathed.
