Letters & Stuff
Send your questions, comments, etc. along with your name, address and phone number to:
- Off-Road Adventures,
- 801 W. Artesia Blvd.
- Compton, CA 90220
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Randall Loves His Beast
This was a stock 2001 diesel six speed when I bought it. Then I put a little on at a time. Started with wheels then paint bumpers and grill to give a sport look. Then I lifted it four inches put 2-inch wheel spacers on her. And put 5-inch stacks and about 180 extra horsepower in her. SHES A BEAST. Love your Mag.
Randall Anderson
Dear Sir Or Madam
I felt the need to write and comment on one of your staff. You guys were right on the mark when you hired Staci! I contacted you last week, simply to ask if I could submit a subscription for my son, as your site doesn’t allow you to enter APO addresses. He’s a soldier in Iraq, and I’ve been sending him my issues when I’m done, because we both love ORA — and it’s HARD TO BELIEVE it’s free!! Anyway, Staci emailed me and told me it was done, and asked if I’d like back issues to replace the ones I sent him. That blew me away, and was so unexpected! I mentioned that I had sent the entire Maya Hunter Tacoma build-up, since I have a Tacoma. We have talked about several of the mods.
Well, I could not believe what happened next. Within a couple days, I had all the back issues on my doorstep that I had sent to Iraq. You can certainly be proud of folks like this, representing your fine magazine. I actually (and my son to) like ORA better than the “other” mags we have paid subscriptions too. I think you guys should start charging — so you can give folks like Staci a raise!! What a great representative you have there!!!
So anyway, I’ve really enjoyed the “Got Baja” editorial. I am currently fabricating a way to mount my full size spare in the back of my 2002 Tacoma. The pictures of the ‘98/99 Tacoma in these articles are not very clear. I’d love to see exactly how that spare tire is mounted, and maybe see a write-up on the fabrication of that rack/cage type thing it has on it. That is a beautiful truck! Thanks again for a great magazine. Keep up the great work!
Sincerely, John Howard
Great Magazine And Dodge Power Wagon
Hi, i just wanted to let you know you have a great magazine. I share it with my buddies in my section here in 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood Texas. I have a dilemma — I am very infatuated with the new Power Wagon from Dodge. The problem is I am not allowed to buy one until I come back from Iraq (wife won’t let me until I come home) and I don’t leave for there until later this year and I’ll be there for a 12 month tour. The question is with the new styling coming out for the new Ram, are they going to continue to produce the Power Wagon, or when I get back will I be forced to purchase a used PW? Thanks for producing a great magazine that my buddies and I read over and over again,
PFC Gregg Kunkle, U.S. Army, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas
Gregg — We will continue to produce the Dodge Ram Power Wagon for the 2006 MY. It will include new front fascia and headlamps, as well as an all-new interior design — changes that are reflected in all Dodge Heavy-Duty Pickup trucks for the 2006 Model Year. Outside of these changes, Power Wagon retains all the same hardware and off-road capability as the ’05 model. When you return from your 12-month tour, you will be able to buy a new Dodge Ram Power Wagon
- Colin McBean, Manager
- Dodge Truck Communications
Note On Transformer Part 2
I love reading your magazine, especially because you feature real life rigs, not ones that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and have a nicer paint job than a classic Mustang. It is really exciting to read a magazine that focuses on us little guys, ie. Rangers. I’ve really been enjoying the ’96 Ranger build-up; I’ve got a ’99 Ranger that I hope to soon lift. Yeah, I’ve got the SLA D35 instead of the ’96s TTB D35, but I love Rangers in general. I have been a member of www.therangerstation.com for some time now, and I have to say that it is a wonderful place. As I read the article, Jim Oak’s name popped out, but I couldn’t figure out why. Then, I realized that on page 36, you can see bits of the trade mark TRS Ranger (a red, white, and blue Gen 1) in pics 16, 17, and 19. It’s a really sweet rig. Anyway, all of this nonsense was in hopes of getting you to give TRS some of its well deserved publicity. That’s all, just a long rant for the little guy. Thanks, and keep up the one of a kind work.
Tony Katsaros
Longs For His Wrangler
I couldn’t believe it when I read that some lucky person was going to win a new Unlimited Rubicon loaded with a lot of great aftermarket goodies.
I’m SPC Paul Burnside with the 3D Armored Calvary Regiment stationed near Mosul, Iraq. After I returned to Fort Carson, Colorado from my first deployment here, I purchased a ’97 Wrangler that my wife and I had taken on numerous weekend adventures in the Colorado Rockies. Then we got the news that I would only be home for 11 months before going back to Iraq for another year. Since we had our first baby that summer and I would be leaving again, I swallowed hard and traded our Wrangler for a Cherokee for my wife and baby daughter.
Now almost halfway through another deployment, I often find myself remembering those awesome getaways in the Wrangler. I hope that in the future we will be fortunate enough to get another and relive those great times.
I look forward to my wife sending me your magazine every month. Keep up the great work guys. From my buddies and me here in Iraq, we salute you.
SPC Paul Burnside, US Army.
Paul — You didn’t mention it in your letter, but I hope you did indeed enter the Unlimited Rubicon giveaway drawing. If not, be sure to get an entry to us by December 16, 2005. Sorry you had to give up your Wrangler for the new family member, but you can still get some decent off-roading done with a stock Cherokee. And who knows, maybe there will be a shiny red Unlimited Rubicon sitting in your driveway when you get home. BTW — it is all of us here, safe and sound, stateside that should, and do, SALUTE YOU and the rest of your brothers and sisters in uniform and in harm’s way. We pray all of you return home safe soon. — DS
NOTE to all ORA readers: Do more than just put a, “We Support Our Troops” decal on your vehicle. REALLY support them by sending CARE packages to those you know who are in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you don’t know anyone or don’t know what to send, go to www.anysoldier.com or any other soldier support group you know of and get involved!! Everyone is doing tough duty over there and they need to know we’re really there for them and not just being patriotic posers.
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Divorced
Wife took the jeep...
Damn her.
Kevin Colley, Aurora, CO
Response To Your Letters & Stuff Section
I never said that individuality was a bad thing or that you shouldn’t have a variety of vehicles in your magazine. What I was trying to point out was that you conveniently avoided putting my vehicle in your magazine after I re-submitted my pictures and article to you FOUR TIMES prior to me saying something about it in my letter that you published in the July issue. Please do not say that I never sent you pictures of my vehicle because I did four separate times over the course of four separate months in hopes that you would eventually put it in the magazine.
Ignoring my four separate submissions gave me the motivation to write that letter. From my perspective, it seemed that you didn’t want to publish a ‘rare’ import off road vehicle because you don’t sell many parts for it or its not what the majority of your readers drive. Whatever the reason, that was why I wrote the letter. I respect your position to publish a variety of vehicles of all kinds of sizes and types. I just think that if you are going to claim to include all types of vehicles, then you should do just that, not ignore my previous four submissions of pictures and articles simply because my vehicle is not as popular here in the United States as it is in many other countries around the world. As you requested in your response, here is my fifth attempt to send you a picture of my vehicle.
Scott Lesak
Jeeze Scott, lighten up a bit okay?!? I got it real clearly now that you are 4x’s more pissed-off at me than ever before. Don’t take it personally, but we get a ton of snail and email every day and I don’t always have the time to answer many of them personally or even put them in the magazine as editorial space doesn’t get priority over advertising (need to pay the bills you know). In this issue I did allocate some “extra” Letters & Stuff space to try and catch up (yeah right, like that will ever happen) with the backlog of correspondence from our readers. Anyway, here’s your letter and photo of your vehicles. Now go bully some other magazine to give you “your due.”
BTW — I received NICE responses from many Subaru guys responding to the August issue Letters & Stuff. — DS
Another Montero Pajero Pic
I understand from a forum I constantly read up on that you have been getting some slag on the lack of Montero coverage in your magazine and that people have been sending you pictures of Monteros in bundles since. So I decided to send you mine in hopes it would maybe make it onto your pages. It’s a 1996 Mitsubishi Pajero LWB with: a 2.5 Turbo diesel w/intercooler, 5 speed gearbox and 5.29:1 diff ratios with a stock air locker in the rear, 36x14,5x15 Dick Cepek radials, 2” bodylift, 2.5” exhaust with one free flow muffler, Thule roof bars, VHF radio, 450MHZ Cell phone, CB radio, Garmin GPS II with a laptop and mapping software. Future plans: Propane injection, 38x15,5x15 Monster Mudders (sitting in front of me), Bigger fenderflares (also in front of me). Running boards to match the flares, coil spacers (bought), torsion bar crank. Four KC’s, two Hella 3000s, two PIAA Pro 90s, and a pair of Hella Comets. I live in Iceland and my name is Stefán Stefánsson.
Stefan — Thanks for your pleasant letter and photo. I believe this is your first letter and photo you submitted. — DS
Pinzer Pride Person
Thanks for the article on Pinzgauers in the August issue. I own a 712 and love it. I’ve had many adventures in it and usually end up rescuing 4x4s. I want to take mine to Moab next Easter if I can get my modifications done by then. I’m also a member of the Southwest Pinzgauers Association (SWPA). I want to see more articles on these fabulous trucks, especially tech articles about modifications. Keep up the good work and keep sending me your great magazine.
Donn Parker
One Buff Bronco
Here is an action photo of me in my Bronco, (near Blanding, UT). It’s a 1986 Ford Bronco. It has a rebuilt 351W with an Edelbrock Intake, Holley Truck Avenger carb, Ford Racing Headers, HEI distributor, and custom 3” exhaust system. Detroit Locker in front, ARB air locker in the rear, 4.56 gears, Rancho 4” suspension with trimmed fenders, 35x12.50 BFG M/Ts on 15x8 Rock Crawler wheels, AGR power steering pump, electric cooling fans, Mile Marker 12,000lb winch, custom roll cage, and custom front bumper with receiver for easy removal of the winch.
Richard Sorensen
Culak’s Awesome Sound Machine
I bought this truck new with the nerf bars on it. Not long after, I added the Ranch Hand grille guard to beef it up. For a better stance I got 4 Wheel Parts in Houston to add the 6” Pro-Comp lift and P315/75R16 A/Ts. They did a great job. The toolbox was a donation from my 1998 Chevy. The look was then complete, but I wanted to make it sound like it looked. A set of Flowmasters were added to make the 6.0 liter sound more aggressive. It worked. Now it sounds and looks awesome.
Chris Culak
Queen Of The Road Grocery Getter
I built this ’04 F150 Supercrew for the wife. This “Grocery Getter” has: a 6” Fabtech lift, 35x12.5 Toyo M/T tires, Bushwacker flares, 4:88 gears, Airaid intake system, 3” Magnaflow catback muffler and dialed in with a Troyer perfomance tune. She gets a lot of looks from the soccer moms in their mini vans when she pulls in. She is the Queen of the road in her “Grocery Getter.”
G. Herge, Troutdale, OR
Chris’ Version Of A Grand Cherokee Rubicon
I have been reading ORA for over three years now and always enjoyed reading about other’s rigs. Now I hope other readers can enjoy my rig. This is my 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee “RUBICON.” I have added a Westin brush guard and tail light guards, Hella 500 lights, 4” Teraflex + a 2” Daystar lift, with 33x12.5x15 Goodyear MT/R’S mounted on 15x10 Rock Crawler wheels. I plan on upgrading the drivetrain and axles plus a few other little custom details in the future. I hope one day to see Jeep actually produce a Grand Cherokee Rubicon, but until then, this is my version.
Chris Briggs