We stare out the window during our daily routines and dream of adventure. Not meant to be trapped by complacency, we yearn to explore and challenge ourselves. If we’re lucky, for a few days a month or a few weeks a year, we break that cycle of obligation and commitment to live outside of our comfort zones. That desire to peer over the horizon is at the heart of wanderlust. An overland-style vehicle is the physical manifestation of that feeling; it’s the daily reminder to keep exploring.

As with any other custom vehicle build, my overlanding ’15 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro is a personal expression rooted in aspiration. An overland vehicle — and the act of overlanding — speaks to that core longing of wanting to explore our surroundings and going where our heart takes us. This feeling of wanderlust is in all of us, to a certain degree, but it’s more an obsession to some. Each overland build is incredibly personal, down to the smallest detail. Every adventure out provides feedback on what worked and what didn’t, and you return home with the urge to continue improving and evolving your build to make it that much better for the next adventure.

The “build” is constantly evolving. It all started with a spark that inspires the build in the first place. The spark that started my build of the TRD was a combining of the personal with the professional: build a vehicle that can haul camera gear into remote and spectacular places. That initially included a roof rack, additional lighting and sliders. Everything worked great until I looked at the vehicle and realized it had to be recoverable on the trail, so a winch was added. Then the truck looked low, so bigger tires and a lift were next. From there, it kept spiraling: The interior was removed to add a cargo system, fridge, armor, bumpers, and systems on top of systems.

Drive it, camp it, break it, fix it, improve it and do it all again. During this process, I’ve learned some crucial lessons that could be useful if an overland-capable vehicle is in your future.

1. Choose the Right Tires

So much of overlanding is cross-country road trips with some off-roading mixed in. Tires are your connection to the road and trail. They get you off the shale mountain while rocks do their best to stop you and keep you firmly planted during the worst weather conditions. How you choose tires requires knowing your vehicle and the balance of situations you will find yourself in with it. In our hearts, we like to think of overlanding as an off-road adventure, but the reality is it may take many thousands of miles of paved driving before we finally hit dirt. Initially, I used 33-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers and moved up in size to 35s when I switched to the newer Ridge Grapplers.

While the Trail Grapplers were excellent, they were more specifically for heavy off-road use, and my 4Runner is my daily driver. The Ridge Grapplers have shown to be extremely capable off-road while being quieter, smoother, lighter and balanced to handle different weather conditions.

The Ridge Grapplers are paired with Hutchinson Rock Monsters beadlock rims, adding security and protection when airing down tires to extremely low pressures. The results I’ve gotten so far have been wonderful, with slightly better gas mileage and a level of comfort that is remarkable in a vehicle of this sort.

2. Be Smart on Suspension Setup

I wanted to balance comfort with capability in the suspension. Suspension setups on regular trucks are one thing, but it’s totally different for a vehicle that’s carrying almost an extra ton of equipment. To get the most comfort and capability with all that weight, it meant stepping up to a +2 Long Travel kit, King Shocks and Total Chaos Fabrication suspension components.

Because anything worth doing is worth overdoing, the truck sits on King 2.5 coilovers with reservoirs and King triple bypasses. In the rear are King extended travel shocks with adjustable reservoirs in conjunction with a Currie Antirock setup, allowing for a copious amount of rear travel while still maintaining tame on-road performance. This system keeps the vehicle smooth on rough terrain and planted firmly when the vehicle could get tippy.

When it became clear that the weight I’d added meant transitioning to a different class of suspension components, I reached out to Walt Wagner of Tactical Application Vehicles; Walt is particularly adept at building what he refers to as “expedition long travel.” The core concept is building vehicles that are heavy by necessity — armored up, roof top tents, cargo systems, and so on — and as a result, require a special touch to know how to build systems to a vehicle in spite of that weight handicap.

3. Getting to Where You Wander

You don’t need to bring everything for every situation, but you need to consider self-recovery and armoring up the tender bits. With that in mind, the 4Runner is completely armored up, front to back, with a Pelfreybilt aluminum front bumper. Inside of that is a WARN Zeon 10-S Platinum winch mounted with a Factor 55 fairlead and link system. In the back is a CBI Offroad dual-swing arm rear bumper. I chose this one carefully, as the rear bumper is not only the piece that typically gets beat up on trails the most but serves as a platform for working on camera gear and vehicle repairs; it’s also being the mounting point for the fullsize spare tire, fuel cans, high-lift jack and radio masts.

The undercarriage is a combination of ARB and RCI Off-road skidplates. As extensively tough as 4Runners are by design, one poorly placed rock or misplaced bit of bravado can turn a weekend adventure into a costly repair. Of course, you’ve also got to see where you’re going, so a full complement of bright LEDs was added and light bars from Baja Designs have been mounted in the front and rear bumpers as well as on the Gobi roof rack. These serve as a safety system to provide illumination down dirt roads, mountain trails or even under the vehicle to spot against rocky threats.

4. Packing for the Journey

Organization is one of the most overlooked elements of a build; overlanders carry everything they need to live, meaning a lot of small and heavy things. Load management and organization play into safety as well as comfort. Being able to access that one tool to make a fast repair can be the difference between an inconvenience and a big problem. 

A custom Goose Gear cargo system provides organization for the 4Runner, keeping recovery gear, tools and general vehicle supplies easily accessible while remaining securely tucked away when the vehicle is off-camber or barreling down washboard trails. On top of the cargo platform sits an ARB 50-quart fridge on a drop slider from Tembo Tusk. The vehicle has a complement of HAM and CB radios, satellite communication, medical gear, fire extinguishers and other general gear for staying in touch and safe out on the trail.

5. Going Further

Along with overlanding comes a vast and varied community of enthusiasts. This community inspires you to travel and modify, and you make trips and modifications that inspire others in turn. It’s a great feedback loop of inspiration, and people make notes on other builds to spot something that might solve a problem they haven’t been able to put into words yet.

Overlanding has taught me to not let fear of the unknown keep me from taking steps forward. It’s given me the fortitude to leave on a trip without a specific plan, itinerary or even knowing where I’ll stop to sleep for the night. Previous travels build a reservoir of solved problems and skill sets gained, giving me an ever-increasing pool of confidence to journey into the unfamiliar.

You never lose respect for the challenge, but each trip — whether it’s a 2,000-mile weekender on a whim, trekking up a lonely 13,000-foot mountain pass or coming down a precarious mount-cliff trail — becomes another notch in your belt and adds character to what could have been a dull weekend.

This build, and so many others like it, aren’t about speed or handling — they’re physical manifestations of wanderlust. They weren’t made to do mundane things or go down well-trodden paths — they inspire us to find new places for ourselves or unearth forgotten ones.

Keep up with Isaac's overlanding adventures on Instagram @lawndartdesign, and see more shots of the build in the gallery below.

Last year, we featured the first ever Miller Motorsports' Pro Series production chassis. The chassis landed in the hands of Josh Blyler of Big B Motorsports. Byler spent much of 2016 competing in the Eastern Ultra4 Racing Series and started his 2017 season off with a bang by landing a sixth-place finish at King of The Hammers. We recently got a chance to talk to the recreational enthusiast turned racer and found out what he had to say about the car, racing and what the future holds.

Driving Line: So, how was your first Hammers Race?

Josh Blyler: It was an amazing experience, and I am very grateful to everyone who helped us get to where we are today. We attended our first KOH in 2015 as spectators, and I immediately knew this was something we wanted to be part of. Our main goal in the 2017 KOH was to finish as this is a huge accomplishment in itself. To do this, we knew we had to run a steady, comfortable pace and just keep moving. We stuck to the plan, and to say we are happy with the results is a huge understatement.

DL: What was the biggest surprise?

JB: The size of this event and the amount of following it gets still amazes me. Sixty-thousand people show up in the middle of nowhere and create the greatest off-road race in the country. When I get on top of a mountain and look down across Hammertown, it leaves me speechless.

DL: Did the car perform the way you wanted?

JB: The car was great all week. I attribute that to working with the best people and the best parts in this industry. We are very fortunate to have teamed up with the Miller Motorsports crew, and the amount of knowledge they have shared with us is invaluable. I joke all the time that this car is a little tank ready to go to battle. To see firsthand what these things go through is amazing. To be able to finish a race like KOH with no real damage is a true testament to the quality of the components we are using.

DL: Any major problems throughout the race?

JB: We lost front brakes in the first few miles of lap 2. The car has isolation valves to separate the front and rear brakes, so we continued on and stopped at remote pit 2A to check it out. The crew found a blown braided line, and the only replacement line was back at main pit. We decided to continue on racing, and the crew got the parts we needed to remote pit 2B, and the repairs were made there.

DL: You’re running 40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers. How are they working for you?

JB: Awesome! We couldn’t ask for anything more. We did not have a flat all day, and they performed flawlessly. I am still blown away that you can put a tire through this kind of abuse, and they just keep on keeping on!

See why more Ultra4 drivers choose to race on Nittos.

DL: What are your racing goals for the 2017 Ultra4 season?

JB: We are going to race the east coast Ultra4 series, and our goal is to have a top-five finish in each race.

DL: Shifting gears so to speak, before Ultra4, did you have any off-road racing experience? If so, how do you think that helped you?

JB: I have always been into things with motors and wheels since I was a kid. If it made noise and threw mud, I liked it. My first real racing didn’t come about until I was 15 and built a racing buggy with a buddy at home. We built a 4x4 Toyota and raced it at the Line Mountain 4 Wheelers in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. I had to lie about my age and forge my parent’s signature to enter, but luckily it all worked out. As things progressed we kept building better and faster vehicles. We learned what worked and what did not.

We still race at Line Mountain, and it’s pretty awesome to see what that grassroots racing event has evolved into. The experience I gained there both in driving and wrenching is something that can only be learned through years of trials and errors. It’s been a great experience, and I want to thank my Line Mountain family for all the memories made there.

DL: What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give to someone looking to get into Ultra4 Racing? 

JB: Be prepared to spend countless hours of shop time to be successful. I am a true believer that most races are won in the shop. For every hour spent behind the wheel, be prepared for 20 hours or more holding a wrench. It takes a crew of dedicated help and a very understanding family to deal with the amount of time invested into this. I can’t thank my wife, family and friends for the amount of support they have given me through this adventure. We are just average guys having above average fun and can’t wait for the next adventure!

Check out more recaps from the 2017 King of the Hammers.

Growing up around hot rods and muscle cars, Justin Mazerolle knew his way around cars pretty well from helping out at his dad’s shop in Nova Scotia, Canada. It wasn’t until he earned his driver’s license, however, that his interest in cars grew into a real passion. In 2013, Justin’s passion materialized when he purchased his first project car: a ’74 Datsun 260Z. You don’t see many Datsuns on the road in Canada, he says, explaining his reason for choosing that particular make — with uniqueness playing a big factor.

Built Not Bought

From the very beginning, Justin wanted to ensure every decision he made with the build was purposeful, personal and well-informed.

“When I first bought it,” Justin says, “I waited for a few months before I decided what I wanted to do with it.”

Although time spent in his dad’s shop during his childhood had equipped him with basic automotive knowledge, Justin hadn’t built anything of this magnitude before. Once he got started on the Datsun, inexperience did nothing to discourage the rookie. He bought his own welder and got to work, beginning by stripping the entire chassis.

“With an older car, you’re going to encounter some challenges around every corner,” Justin says. For example: “You can’t just buy body panels off the shelf, so I pretty much had to make those from scratch with sheetmetal.”

Considering the phrase “built not bought” gets thrown around a lot these days, it can be questionable whether or not a build actually deserves the title, but Justin’s 260Z clearly qualifies. Aside from the Arsenault Cylinder Heads–built LS2 engine dyno-tuned by JD Racing and help from JP Boudreau to install the roll bars, Justin really did all the work himself — mostly in his dad’s humble garage — from bodywork and spraying the Grigio Steel Metallic–colored paint to installing the Arizona Z“Track Pack” suspension and getting the stance just right.

Some of its other modifications include new floors, a new paint job, a T56 transmission with a twin-disc clutch, an Arizona Z Car suspension Track Pack, Wilwood brakes, aluminum control arms and coilovers, Nitto NT05s and more.

Purpose Built

While he considered other engines, Justin opted for an LS swap for a number of reasons.

“I chose the LS engine because it was the perfect platform for what I wanted to do with the car,” Justin explains. “It’s lightweight and small, helping with weight distribution, and there’s plenty of aftermarket support for it. Why go with something else when you can have more than 400 lb-ft of torque at the wheel at 3,000 rpm and have a redline of 7,000 rpm naturally aspirated?”

As far as tires go, Justin consulted forums to find a quality drag radial. His search led him to Nitto NT05s, known for their precision and responsive handling.

“No use in getting a car if you don’t have the tires to back it up,” he says, pleased with the way they have performed on his daily driver.

That’s right, the vintage Datsun is his daily driver, because why not enjoy the fruits of his labor? One of the best pieces of advice Justin has received during this journey is to “keep the car driveable for as long as possible.” When considering all the work put into any project car — 3,000 hours and counting, in Justin’s case — it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Sometimes, the ability to simply drive the car can put things into perspective.

“I like the fact that it’s so small,” Justin says. “I like the feel of driving it, the steering wheel, no electronics — I can really feel the road and all the power.” In short, he loves his car.

Universal Appeal

Turns out, many other people seem to love Justin’s car, too — ranging from younger stance crowds to older muscle crowds. Justin credits his Datsun’s overall positive response to its clean build. There are aspects that will always appeal to someone, whether it’s the wide flares and stance to the V8’s rumble.

Justin recently started entering car shows within the past year, including Speed Sport East and Atlantic Nationals; however, success does not seem as distant as one might suspect. At Maritime Modified, his very first car show (albeit a small one), his Datsun was awarded Car of the Year. Imagine being a first-time builder and winning that!

The Next Leg of the Journey

What’s next for Justin?

“The project is nearing its end pretty soon — just a few tweaks here and there,” he says. “I’m in the process of redoing the entire wiring from light to light. During this process, I’ve found things I can redo to be better the second time around.”

While a second build is in the near future, Justin hasn’t decided yet on the particular car; for now, he’s content building and driving his Datsun. Current plan? Enjoy the ride.

Details and Specs

1974 Datsun 260Z

(Photos: David Currie)

Follow Justin's car-building journey on Instagram @justinmuzzy08.

While it might not have quite the same influence as the annual auto shows in Detroit or Geneva, the New York International Auto Show is not to be overlooked when it comes to big automotive news. This year's show has seen a number of important debuts representing all corners of the industry and price points from top to bottom. Now that the dust has cleared we figured it was time to pick five of the debuts that excited us most.

1.  2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

While the most hyped-up debut at the 2017 NYAIS had to be the new Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, it wasn't the only new modern muscle machine that FCA brought out. Also joining the party was the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk — the ultra high performance variant of Jeep's popular SUV that had been rumored for some time.

Powered by the same 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the Challenger and Charger Hellcat, the Trackhawk makes the same 707 horsepower and 645 lb-feet of torque. That makes the Trackhawk capable of a 0-60 sprint in 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile ET of 11.6 seconds. In contrast to the rear-drive Challenger and Charger, the Trackhawk sends its supercharged power to all four wheels, and it naturally comes equipped with other high performance goodies like the six-piston Brembo front brakes and Bilstein adaptive suspension. 

Along with a launch control system, the Trackhawk also includes five different driving modes for varying conditions — including one specifically for towing. And with a tow rating of 7,200 lbs, it just might be the perfect hauler for your weekend track toy. Is a 707-horsepower, 11-second SUV overkill? Perhaps. But it's overkill in the absolute best way.

2.  2018 Volkswagen Golf Lineup

Volkswagen chose New York to debut the new and improved US-market Golf line for 2018. While there aren't any massive changes from the Mk.7 cars that came to America for the 2015 model year, there are some notable improvements for the enthusiast-favorite GTI and Golf R models.

For 2018, all GTI models get a 10-horsepower bump for a total of 220, a number previously only available on cars equipped with the optional Performance Package. It also comes standard with start-stop technology to further improve fuel economy. Elsewhere, the GTI also gets redesigned bumpers, new headlights, new wheels and a larger eight-inch infotainment screen on certain models.

The AWD Golf R also gets some solid upgrades for the 2018 model year, the most notable being a new seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission to replace the old six-speed unit. And, like the GTI, it also gets an updated exterior with LED headlights and taillights, a new wheel design and more. 

Last but not least, the Golf R also gets an all new fully customizable LCD instrument cluster known as the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit. Both the Mk.7 GTI and Golf R were already considered some of the best all around performance cars in their price range, and these upgrades should only improve on that.

3.  2018 Lexus LS 500 F SPORT

Lexus took the wraps off its impressive new LS 500 sedan in Detroit back in January, and last week in New York they unveiled the 2018 LS 500 F SPORT. Like other F SPORT models, it's designed to take the highly luxurious standard LS and inject it with a bit more sporting DNA.

The F SPORT is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 as the normal LS 500, making a stout 415 horsepower and 442 lb-feet of torque. The mechanical changes come in the chassis and suspension department, with larger, stickier tires, upsized brakes and an optional F SPORT handling package to ramp things up even further.

Inside, the F SPORT model brings some unique items to the highly luxurious cabin. There are new seats designed for aggressive driving, a unique F SPORT steering wheel and an instrument cluster inspired by the Lexus LFA.

The LS 500 F SPORT also gets a more aggressive exterior treatment with a redesigned front grille, unique rocker panels, trunk mouldings and a set of new 20-inch alloy wheels. Only time will tell whether Lexus releases a full-on high performance LS F model to pair with their smaller GS F, but for now the twin-turbo F SPORT should do just fine.

4.  2018 Buick Regal Sportback & Regal TourX

Buick's inclusion might be a little unexpected on this list, but it's hard not to be impressed with their showing at the NYAIS this year. Making their debuts in New York were the 2018 Buick Regal Sportback and Regal TourX.

While the hatchback body style in general has never been a huge seller on American shores, Buick is looking to stand out from the crowd with their five-door Regal Sportback, combining the utility of a hatchback with the look of a four-door coupe. Designed to compete with European rivals of similar body shapes, the Regal Sportback is powered by GM's 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder and can be had in both FWD and AWD with 250 horsepower and up to 295 lb-ft of torque.

Joining the Sportback is the Regal TourX, a thinly disguised station wagon designed to compete with cars like the Subaru Outback and Audi A4 Allroad. It's powered by the same 2.0-liter turbo engine and comes with AWD as standard equipment.

While neither of these Regals are hot-blooded performance cars, GM should be commended for stepping outside of the sedan and SUV box. Now we should just hope Buick decides to release high performance GS versions of these two at some point.

5.  Toyota FT-4X Concept

Last but not least is an interesting concept vehicle from Toyota known as the FT-4X. Toyota says the concept is aimed toward young city dwellers with an adventurous side; it's hard not to see it as a smaller version of the beloved FJ Cruiser.

Penned by designers at Toyota's Calty Studio, the FT-4X Concept rides on the TNGA C-Platform. And despite the youthful catchwords Toyota uses to describe it, the styling has a lot of old school charm, including styling inspiration from the first-generation 4Runner.

Because it's strictly a concept at this point, there are no firm specs as for a drivetrain, but Toyota suggests it would be powered by a small displacement four-cylinder with mechanical four-wheel drive and selectable low-range. Hopefully this means its all terrain credentials would be more than just skin deep.

Time will tell whether a production version of the FT-4X ever sees the light of the day, but given the popularity of the now-departed FJ Cruiser, there seems to be plenty of demand for a new retro-styled Toyota 4x4.

Want to see more new car previews? Check out our photo gallery from this year's North American International Auto Show.

The 51st annual Easter Jeep Safari was nothing short of incredible. As thousands converged in Moab, Utah, for the week-long ‘wheeling fest, we were there to capture the action. One of the trails we typically hit first when we reach the red rock is Hell’s Revenge. This year, we tagged along as Nitto Tire held its company trail ride. To give you a taste of how the excursion went down, we put together the video above.

This gave us a chance to see such incredible builds as Spicy Chicken and Loren Healy’s Family Dragon in action. While the JK platforms were the most popular rigs in attendance, they were by no means the only four-door SUVs working it out on the trail.

A crowded trail didn’t give us the opportunity to hit the trails famous hot tubs, but we did get to challenge the rigs on Hell’s Gate and Escalator.

Be sure to check back soon as we’ll have more trail rides as well as a ride-and-drive feature on the new Jeep Concept vehicles.

Unless you spend your days in some corporate brig that frowns on recreational Internet use, and aren’t aware of Donut Media, let us make an introduction: They’re the gearhead production team behind most popular videos starring Ryan Tuerck and Chris Forsberg, and have crafted other web-based cinematic masterpieces such as “Two Grannies, One Lamborghini” and of course, teaming up with Driving Line, Nitto Tire and the Hübinettes for the highly successful "Huracán Drift." Their stars are the racers, drifters and automotive celebs whose names are household among most of us, and their office is the world at large.

So, when they decided to rent out California supreme automotive testing grounds Willow Springs one recent workday, and invited yours truly to hang out with the team, Formula Drift Champion Chris Forsberg and a couple of the cars we’ve lusted over in their past productions (with the promise of seat time!), I decided to work from their place for the day.

By now you should know Donut Media works with the best in the business — any business. Automotive enthusiasts are not strictly four-wheel aficionados. Which is why pro BMX rider Coco Zurita was also there to work remotely with the crew. Take Coco: You might have seen him on the X-Games putting on a show with his bike, but today he brought out a bigger monster, his Nitto Tire-sponsored Rocket Bunny Nissan R35 GT-R. With a fresh set of Nitto Tire NT01s, he's ready to put on a different kind of show, but more on that later.

The Co-Workers

When someone in the small world of automotive enthusiasm does something like rent a racetrack, the tendency is to call some of their friends and collaborators, and make the most of it. Joining Donut Media in their popup office was Clarion USA, on behalf of their Clarion Builds initiative, which might best be thought of as the performance division of one of the world’s foremost audio equipment experts. Putting their money squarely in the place of this claim was their Autowave-built Acura NSX, now flexing over 400 whp thanks to a Comptech supercharger and AEM Infinity ECU added to the 3.2L V6 and six-speed manual transmission.

If your love for cars parallels another unconventional sport, namely BMX, you might already be familiar with Coco Zurita. When Coco’s not earning BMX medals, he’s honing his mettle behind the wheel learning to drift his 700 whp beast. Or hanging out with his dog. Or both.

Morning Presentation

Track days are always fun — doubly so when you get to drive cars that are infinitely cooler than yours around the track. Our day started with some casual chatting with the Clarion crew about the build and characteristics of their NSX, and with Chris and the Donut crew about his 500 whp Nissan S30 280Z and Infiniti M35 sedan. After trying our best to pay attention to all of that, it was time to strap helmets on and go for a ride.

And after that, it was time to hop in the driver’s seat!

Despite sending over 400 horses to rear wheels clad in relatively conservative rubber, the Clarion NSX feels absolutely planted. Power deliver is smooth and linear, with a nice, fat torque curve.

And even though it’s a '91 model with over 230,000 miles (wow!) in its chassis, the car seemed completely solid and responded to every input, impressively so. The Infinity ECU started right up in OEM fashion and delivered hiccup-free power as reliably as if it came straight from the Honda factory.

Mid-engined cars are notoriously unforgiving when rear traction is broken, so we held back driving the car too aggressively. But the amount of grip it gave us in return hinted that we weren’t pushing it anywhere near as far as it would go.

Representing the complete opposite end of the tuning spectrum, in many ways, was Chris Forsberg’s GT Award-winning ‘75 Nissan 280Z. With its front-engine/RWD layout, 500 hp turbo-upgraded Skyline RB25DET powerplant and also relatively conservative rear rubber, it was the rough, snarling, tail-happy yin to the NSX’s refined yang.

“It’s OK,” Chris said at the end of our first trip around the track. “You can say it. It’s a little nuts.” It is a little nuts, but in a very, very fun way. If you can drive it like Chris Forsberg, that is!

Claiming status as the only dedicated drift car in attendance was Chris’ M35. Over 500 hp from a 5.6L VK56DE Nissan Titan engine, a gutted/caged interior and four seats make for an awesome time, and Chris linked nearly every turn of the Streets of Willow course with us lucky passengers in tow, slaying a set of tires with each lap.

And finally, there was Coco’s GT-R: Not a race car, not a drift car, but combining a lot of both in an awesome street car made it too cool to just touch upon here. Stay tuned for more details; we will have a full feature on it soon!

Cake in the Breakroom

The day of our tracktime festivities also happened to be Chris Forsberg’s birthday, and to show some appreciation to him for working on his birthday (since eight hours of working is still working, even if it involves driving fast cars), the Donut crew surprised him with some fake champagne, vegan cake and tone-deaf singing during our lunch break (but oddly enough, no donuts).

Nonetheless, he seemed to appreciate the gesture.

Afternoon Immersion

After the instruction had been given and track time thoroughly enjoyed, it was time to get to the business at hand: filming for an upcoming Donut Media production involving Chris and his cars, as well as a second production starring Chris, Coco and his GT-R — which we suspect will be called something along the lines of “Teach Coco to Drift,” since it, well...involved teaching Coco how to drift.

Now, Coco already knows how to drift. He’s got the skills of maintaining donuts and initiating long, smoky drifts down pat — which is impressive, since his car is still an automatic and equipped with the OEM handbrake.

But for him to progress to transitioning from turn to turn around a race course as opposed to a parking lot, everyone thought it best to enlist the help of one of the absolute best drifters of our time. And a little friendly heckling to go along with it all.

Chris began by explaining the finer points of linking turns from behind the wheel of his M35, with Coco in the passenger seat.

Then, hopping into the passenger seat of Coco’s GT-R, Chris coached him on what to do along a few smaller turns of the Streets of Willow course. After a few entertaining spinouts, our dude linked his two turns, and if that wasn’t enough, transitioned directly into a long, smoky sweeper for our cameras.

Whoops!

I think he's got it!

Time to Clock Out

Keep an eye out for Donut Media productions coming out of our recent track day. And again, we have an exclusive look at Coco’s Nitto Tire GT-R sliding here real soon. I'm sure the collaboration between Donut and Coco will be simply...Coco-Nuts! (Get it!?)

For now, check out the gallery below for more from this "boring" work day.

Moab, Utah, is known for its challenging red rock trails and beautiful backdrop. One trail that does a fine job of serving you a good helping of both is Top of the World. It gets its name for the amazing overlook atop Waring Mesa. For those brave enough, you can even park your rigs on the ledge viewpoint.

For our 2017 Easter Jeep Safari adventure, we tucked in line with a group of experienced ‘wheelers on the KMC Wheels and EVO Manufacturing trail ride. While Top of the World might not be the most extreme trail in Moab, the views are worth the drive. Check out our video recap above to get a glimpse of the trail experience.

Stay tuned for more coverage coming soon from the 51st Annual Easter Jeep Safari. If you haven't yet, check out our trail ride on Hell's Revenge with Nitto Tire.

When a teenage version of myself first saw the original "The Fast and The Furious" back in 2001, I never could have imagined the street racing film featuring lots of neon lights, nitrous oxide and a bunch of unknown actors would eventually become one of the most successful movie franchises in Hollywood history. 

But as the years have gone on, the series has only gotten bigger, more over the top and, most of all, more profitable. In fact, last weekend's opening of "The Fate of the Furious" made history with the highest global opening box office ever. With an astonishing $532 million gross over its first three days, that's more than the hugely anticipated "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "Jurassic World" or any other film from Hollywood's most established franchises.

While the recent box office success is not surprising to anyone who's followed the trajectory of the series, I'm not sure if anyone could have predicted just how big the eighth film's historic opening weekend would be. Coming as a shock to no one, Vin Diesel has already confirmed at least two more "Furious" movies set to release in 2019 and 2021, and based on box office returns I'd expect plenty more to come after that.

While some auto enthusiasts I've spoken to have lost interest in the series as its moved further away from its street racing and car culture roots, those who dig the films should be able to enjoy the thrills for a long time to come.

At this rate our grandchildren will probably be waiting in line to see "Fast & Furious 37," and we'll be able to tell them how we remember back when the whole thing was about a bunch of street racers hijacking semi trucks to steal DVD players.

Will the next entry in the series take things even further? We'll find out in two years.

Take a trip down memory lane and remember the cars that introduced us to the "Fast & Furious" family.

I've got a confession to make. Although I'm a life long automotive enthusiast, a driving freak and a woman who binge watches Bond movies for the car chases alone, I've never seen a "Fast & Furious" movie. EVER. Until now.

The main reason for my avoidance is because I'm a terrible car snob and art house cinephile. I don't do sequels, and I'm sure as hell not digging Blockbuster franchises. But "F8" just converted yours truly to the most reluctant fan girl ever. It wasn't just the cars — although the Lambos, vintage Vettes and a matte black GTX didn't hurt my eyes. It wasn't even my favorite BMW driver, Jason Statham, or the glistening glow off Dwayne Johnson's endless muscles. It was the script. While predictable, sensational and formulaic, that doesn't mean it wasn't completely awesome.

Here are eight "The Fate of the Furious" quotes to prove it's the movie you need to see this weekend:

1. “The only thing that matters is who is behind the wheel.”

What happens after this line is said is what makes it so memorable. Said to a rival driver by Vin Diesel's character Dominic Toretto on the sun-soaked streets of Havana, Dom completes the final stretch of a drag race driving backwards. With a cherry Impala on the line, you'd probably do the same.

2. “I choose to make my own fate.”

Considering the movie title is "Fate Of The Furious" this line's kinda got to be in there. Plus, Dom says this to Cipher, played by Charlize Theron — the perfect female villain: evil, edgy, beautiful and, of course, a complete psychopath.

3. “What boy band bus did you fall off of?” 

Dwayne Johnson's character Luke Hobbs reacts to another new cast member — Scott Eastwood as Eric Reisner — with this line, and it's perfect. Not only is it the exact description of how irritatingly handsome this Hollywood brat looks, but it's also exactly what the rest of us were thinking. Nailed it!

4. “I’m gonna knock your teeth so far down your throat, you'll have to shove a toothbrush up your ass to brush 'em."

In a fight, a good threat can go a long way to intimidate your opponent. If it's The Rock yelling this at you in prison, you're probably going to get extra nervous. In this case, he says the line to Deckard Shaw played by Jason Statham, who, of course, isn't scared.

5. “Make it rain.”

You probably associate this expression your favorite GIF, but after watching "F8," that will change. You'll remember it as the time Cipher ordered her underling to make cars fall onto the streets of NYC from the sky. And, of course, it's magical and ridiculous all at once.

6. “что это такой?”

Who says the "Fast & Furious" franchise isn't educational? This line, which translates into "What is that?" is the line the Russian diplomats yell out when they discover that Dom is on their stretch limo ready to steal their briefcase. 

7. “Take any vehicle you want.”

Sounds great, right? These words are even better when the vehicles in question are in "The Toy Store" after being seized by Feds during drug raids, so they're the pimpest on the planet. 

8. “#11 my ass!”

Tyrese Gibson's character Roman Pearce throws a fit when he learns that, unlike his co-stars, he didn't make Interpol’s Top 10 Most Wanted List. What he then does to make up for his perceived weakness is fantastic, fabulous and... furious.

So I suggest you go see it. Go even if your daily driver is a Prius and you have no interest in street racing, muscle cars or hot babes in short skirts. Go even if it's your first time. Because by the time this movie is finished with you, you'll be a fan too.

"Fate of the Furious" may not win an Oscar, but it did just break a global box office record.

For years, the National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA) has kicked off its racing season in Arizona. The mild winter climate of the greater Phoenix area yields temperatures in the mid 70's by the time the NHRDA rolls through in late March, and dozens of drag racers — hungry to get back on the track — show up to compete.

This year would be no different, as the event attracted racers from the West Coast, diesel-rich Utah and (not surprisingly) Texas, among other western states. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, would be the host venue, with its quarter-mile drag racing facility being opened up to some of the nation’s fastest diesel-powered vehicles, and a portion of its off-road course serving as a sled pull track.

The two-day event treated spectators to a top-notch, dirt-shredding truck and tractor pull, lightning-quick quarter miles, and even saw history being made on the dragstrip as a new Pro Street record was established. Drag racing classes ranged from 19-second street-driven semis to eight-second full-size pickups, and everything in between, while the sled pull boiled down to a game of inches. Last, but not least, one truck slated to compete in the upcoming Ultimate Callout Challenge — a ragged-edge drag race, chassis dyno and sled pull competition — graced us with its presence.

Below, we’ll take you down victory lane and also spotlight some of the wilder rides we came across.

Triple Crown Weekend

It was a busy, yet successful, weekend for Amalee Mueller. The night before the races, she would pilot this second-gen Dodge to two first-place finishes in the sled pull. After taking top honors in both the Limited Pro Stock and Pro Stock classes, Amalee would show up to do battle in an ’04 Ram the following morning. On the asphalt, she ended up stealing the show in the Super Diesel category (11.90 Index), promptly collecting her third trophy (and payout) of the weekend.

Dirt Slingin’

Tom Hansen and the Hybrid pulling crew from Utah were on hand for the sled pull and took second place in the Pro Stock Class with a 289.21-foot effort. The Edge-sponsored ’05 Ram sports a 6.7L-based Cummins built by Industrial Injection, serves as a test-mule of sorts for Industrial’s turbo program and is tuned by Starlite Diesel.

Pro Street Winner

After an 8.40-second pass got him booted off the track at the last NHRDA event he attended (due to running faster than his chassis certification), Dustin Jackson was at it once again with his Cummins-powered ’94 Lightning. This time, the SVT F-150 was legal to go 7.99, and it was evident he’d been emboldened by it.

A New Record

Showing everyone that the truck could run consistently in the 8.40’s, Dustin’s Lightning clicked off an 8.42 at 159 mph right out of the gate and then backed it up with an 8.49 at 157 mph. In the process of awing the crowd, he also set a new NHRDA Pro Street record. We don’t think Dustin is done yet, though. By summer’s end, we expect him to be much deeper in the 8’s.

Super Street Winner

Two-time NHRDA champion Chris Buhidar trekked out to Arizona from Texas to defend his Super Street title. After earning the top qualifier position with a 9.53-second pass at a blazing 149 mph, Chris would cruise to the Super Street class win in the finals with a 9.90 at 130 mph. We look forward to seeing more of his triple-turbo’d 5.9L Cummins-powered ’00 Super Duty as the season progresses. With a 9.02-second pass under his belt in 2016, we may just see the truck dip into the 8’s this year.

Super Street Runner-Up

After pushing an 8,500-pound Super Duty with a 6.0L Power Stroke to the brink, Ron Reiswig got into the Cummins game several years ago and hasn’t looked back. His silver standard cab is good for mid 10’s in the 1320, and Ron put it through its paces in the Super Street class. Even though he would eventually lose to Chris Buhidar’s aforementioned ’00 F-350 in the finals (a shot from their heads-up race is shown below), Ron’s Dodge would put up an impressive 10.44 at 135 mph.

’31 Fodge

This head-turning rat rod belongs to Larry Stawn of Redding, California. His unique creation consists of a 1931 Model A Ford sitting atop a narrowed chassis sourced from a 1997 Dodge Ram. The drivetrain that was robbed from the Dodge included a 12-valve 5.9L Cummins, 47RE automatic and four-wheel drive. And thanks to the goodies Larry’s added to it, boy, does this thing run strong. Cutting 1.5-second 60-foots, it literally leaps off the line. Down track, the pair of turbos onboard combine for 85 psi of boost, and the “Fodge” runs consistent high 10’s in the 124 mph range. Fittingly, Larry spent the day running 10.90 Index and would eventually take home Second in the class due to breaking out with a 10.70 in the finals.

Semi in the 12’s

Wayne Talkington’s ’63 Kenworth made the call for the NHRDA’s Hot Rod Semi class and didn’t disappoint. The Detroit-powered (A892) KW’s 12.26 at 110 mph was good enough for the No. 1 qualifier position, and Wayne would go on to take the win later in the day (courtesy of a 12.77 at 110 mph to the other lane’s 13.51 at 108). Weighing in at 5 tons, Wayne’s truck makes use of a twin-turbo arrangement, nitrous oxide and approximately 1,000-rwhp in order get it down the track that quickly.

4 Tons of Fun

Using the event as a test and tune of sorts for his upcoming participation in the Ultimate Callout Challenge, Randy Reyes trailered his 7,800-pound Dodge dually 700 miles for a few test hits. Believe it or not, his ’06 Ram has run 9’s in the past! Unfortunately, an all-out effort broke the intermediate shaft (which was made of high-strength, maraging steel, no less) in the transmission — but that didn’t stop Randy from pulling the 48RE, rebuilding it and reinstalling it in the parking lot. Once it was back together, Randy was able to make one more pass before the test and tune portion of the day’s events concluded, which ended up being a very respectable 10.9-second run on a conservative tune.

Street Semis

In addition to Wayne Talkington’s 12-second monster tearing up the Hot Rod Semi class, a Big Rig Bracket category was available for lower horsepower, everyday working rigs. Local trucker Brandon Hight and his ’05 Peterbilt (far lane) would finish at the top of the class after beating out fellow competitor Brandon Hogenes in the finals.

11-Second Street Truck

Mike Dillehay has been an avid diesel drag racer for more than a decade, and the SoCal native rarely misses a chance to attend the Desert Diesel Nationals. After signing up to run the Super Diesel category, his 6.4L Power Stroke propelled him and his ’08 F-250 through the traps in 11.92 seconds during qualifying, making him the No. 1 qualifier in a class where a perfect pass is an 11.90.

Dyno-Melter

One of Industrial Injection’s dyno-melters showed up at the Desert Diesel Nationals. This one is company owner Brett Williams’ ride: an ’01 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD packing a Duramax fitted with huge compound turbos, big fuel, and capable of laying down more than 2,000 hp at the wheels. We believe its best pass to date has been a 9.63-second quarter-mile, but at a warp speed of 158 mph.

(Photos courtesy of the National Hot Rod Diesel Association)

Check out Dustin Jackson's Lightning and four other blazing fast diesels.

When it comes to virtually any type of motorsport, much of the success can be accredited to a talented driver and finely tuned vehicle. It’s with that notion that the Miller Motorsports compound has released its own Pro Series chassis. What makes this solid-axle chassis particularly special is that it’s a clone of Erik Miller’s ’16 King of the Hammers–winning car. The big difference between his proven and well-used race car is the new Pro Series chassis was fully designed in Solid Works using CAD, so each tube, notch and tab has a home.

Offered in various levels of completion, the Miller Motorsports Pro Series chassis is an excellent option for anyone looking to get into off-road racing or hardcore ’wheeling. The first production chassis landed in the hands of Josh Blyler of Big B Motorsports.

Byler launched his Ultra4 Racing career with a second-place finish at last year’s Badlands event. He went on to place well at two other events before starting his 2017 season off with a bang by landing a sixth-place finish in his first-ever King of The Hammers. While clearly Blyler has some driving skills up his sleeve, the Miller Motorsports Pro Series chassis can’t hurt either.

We got a chance to dissect his new car. Read on to see what we found.

The main ’cage and impact areas of the chassis are comprised of 2-inch, 0.120-wall 4130 chromoly tubing, while the front and rear sections are built with 1-¾-inch, 0.120-wall 4130 chromoly. High-impact areas around and under the chassis receive aluminum inserts to provide additional strength, without significantly increasing the weight of the chassis.

Powering the Big B machine is a 6.2L LS3 V8. The General Motors crate engine has custom headers, which feed a 3-inch exhaust and DynoMax Race Bullet mufflers. A Mechman high-performance alternator works with two Total Power batteries, while a custom wiring harness from Pacific Fabrication ensures everything communicates correctly.

A custom-built TH400 transmission is used to translate the all-aluminum V8’s 495 hp and 473 lb-ft of torque. In the world of Ultra4 and desert racing, the TH400 is king.

Dividing up the power is a gear-driven Atlas II transfer case from Advance Adapters. The two-speed T-case was optioned with a 3.0:1 low range. In a racing environment where seconds count, the 3:1 low range offers enough gear reduction to get through technical sections without putting you into a full crawl mode. These are rock racers, not rockcrawlers after all.

The rear 3/16-inch-wall JE Reel driveshaft is turning a GearWorks LP10 drop-out third member, which is stuffed with a GearWorks spool and 5.43:1 gears. This massive third member is attached to a Spidertrax Spider 9 Pro Series housing. Note the Accusump oil accumulator tucked neatly between the tubing to safeguard against engine oil starvation.

The trailing arm configuration allows for 20 inches of total wheel travel out of the Fox 2.0 coilovers and 3.0 five-tube bypass shocks. Additional suspension tuning can be found via the PAC Racing Springs 35-spline rear sway bar and 2.5 Fox bumpstops. The sway-bar mounted limit strap serves not only as a much-need axle limiter to protect the shocks but also prevents any chance of the sway bar from inverting due to the large amount of suspension travel.

The chassis is set up to handle a fully hydraulic steering system, which is the mainstay in Ultra4 Racing at the highest level. Big B Motorsports set up its car with a complete steering system from Howe. The double-ended cylinder mounts cleanly to the Spidertrax Spider 9 Pro Series axlehousing.

Up front, Fox 2.0 coilovers are paired with a Pac Racing Spring 14-inch, 150-pound primary coil and 16-inch, 200-pound secondary. This setup is additionally damped by Fox 2.5, four-tube bypass shocks that effectively cycle a balanced 8 inches of up and downward travel. The 16 inches of total wheel travel is further dialed by Fox 2.0 bumpstops and a PAC 28-spline front sway bar. Since the four-link suspension is built with triangulated upper control arms, no track bar is needed.

Twin electric puller fans help channel air through the Ron Davis radiator, while a custom 40-gallon Fuel Safe tank makes sure the car has plenty of gas to stay moving. Dual in-tank fuel pumps and AllTech Motorsports fuel baffles make for worry-free delivery, while Aeromotive fuel filters ensure what’s getting to the LS3 V8 is clean.

The Miller Motorsports Pro Series chassis was designed as a two-seater, which is extremely helpful in races like King of The Hammers. An assortment of Auto Meter Elite series gauges keeps the driver in the know, while a Lowrance GPS allows the co-pilot to assist in critical navigation.

Big B Motorsports set up its chassis to run a 40-inch tire. Here, the racer is fixed with 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers. The durable mud-terrain radials were mounted on a set of 17-inch, forged-aluminum beadlocks from Method wheels. This has been a winning tire and wheel combo for Miller Motorsports and a setup we’re seeing many racers opting for in and out of the Ultra4 Racing circuit.

Learn more about Josh Blyer and his Ultra4 career in our exclusive interview.

Four years ago in the Windy City, a group of friends started a movement toward — or maybe better stated as — a return to the ideals of what drifting should be. To understand why it is more of a return, we have to go back five years to when the seeds of Final Bout were planted.

If you are a fan of drifting, then you have know about Final Bout but may not know that the organizers also organize Club FR events. Club FR events are held in the Midwestand provideopportunities for drivers to practice and occasionally compete. 

Final Bout Mission

As two of the organizing members, Simba Nyemba and Ilia Smolovexplain, the direction of Club FRevents had reached a crossroads. They began to feel that the events and competitions were becoming just a stepping stone for those that had aspirations of becoming pro. The spirit of drifting was being lost. 

Ilia explained that the cars started to become more about motorsports and less about style. Simba added that what people were bringing were not their best cars, of course some were, but many would be classified as "missiles." It had also become less about teams and more about individuals. 

This individual mentality led to a couple years where events that were normally sold out in one day were beingcancelled. Instead of calling it quits, some of the Club FR staff decided to create a new event, an event that would truly capture the spirit of drifting. Final Bout was then planted, and now it just needed some time to grow.

Planting the Seeds

The first event drew participants and spectators from around North America and became the event to showcase drift teams. Besides the fact that the drivers had to be skilled drifters, their cars must also be show quality — that meant no unpainted parts, no damaged fenders, nice wheels and of course as low as possible. 

The event became an annual event held at Club FR's home circuit at U.S.A. International Raceway located in the heart of cheesehead country. It drawsparticipants from across North America, and spectators travel from different corners of the planet to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle. 

After the second year, it was time for Final Bout to sprout some branches, and so the Special Stages West, Central and East were created. Ilia explains that this was not to make Final Bout bigger; it was to provide support to the regional teams by reducing overall participation costs. 

Special Stage International

With the success of the Regional Special Stages in the books, a big leap was about to made in the form of an International Special Stage. You don't need to be a psychic to know what country it would be held in. As the announcement rolled through the flags of several countries, it of course stopped at the Land of the Rising Sun. Final Bout was heading to Japan. 

Seemingly cut into the mountains of Aichi Prefecture, Motorland Mikawa would host the first Final Bout Special Stage International. The previous day saw a lot of rain and very strong wind but it seemed as if the drifting spirits were watching out as the day could not have had better weather. 

Freee's and Lowbrain Racing helped organize the event from the Japan side, and I had the privilege of spending some time with them the night before. As we pulled up the gate of Motorland Mikawa, we were greeted by members of THe☆BReaST, Magician and Sexy Knights. 

Roll-Call

As the morning proceeded, members from Team49 Make F.D.R 1 (Rowdy), LevelΣ, Realize, Motor Fix, Props, Ketsuketsu Dohmei and Aspiration took up their spots in the paddock and prepared their cars. Thirteen teams altogether with a total of 63 drivers would be participating, but one team had yet to show up. 

As the event start time approached, something gotthe attention of everyone in attendance. Rolling into the event was A-BO-MOON with their team flags proudly waving as they and their signature R32 Skyline sedans made their entrance. With a mix of legendary teams and new style prodigies, it was shaping up to be a spectacular day. 

The day was broken into six sessions with two to three teams on the track per session. The last session would be the only judged session to determine the best drift team. The fact they would be judged didn't weigh on anyone as this was more an event to simply get all of these teams together. There was no stress, only smiles — smiles on the drivers, smiles on the staff and smiles on the spectators. 

Motorland Mikawa

The track had a surprising amount of elevation change. The main straight went uphill into a large sweeper serving as a staging area to get all members together before they started heading back downhill. Outside the sweeper was a slight left to right and then a left turn through the woods, which then transitioned to the final smaller sweeper exiting to the straight. 

For many, it was the first driving Motorland Mikawa, but after just a few runs, everyone appeared as if they could drift the track in their sleep. The spectators were able to get an up close and personal view of the action that only these smaller events can provide.

Leaning over the guard rails,replicating rally spectators, everyone was waving and cheering on all of the drivers urging them to get as close to the barriers as they dare. Pool noodles and blow up dolls were a few of the more interesting props used to cheer on the drivers. 

Highlights

Showing off the Kansai passing drift style was THe☆BReaST, who also happened to change the transmission on Takashi Mine's S13. With his team, Mine was able to get it swapped between their groups runs and not miss a moment on the track. 

Sexy Knights and Magician were amazing to watch in person as a team. I have often seem them compete individually, so it was a treat to see these legends in person.

The younger teams definitely held their own showing why they were drifting alongside legends. In short time, the reputations of Freee's, Lowbrain Racing and Ketsuketsu Dohmei will become legendary on their own. 

At the end of the day, everyone had given it their all, but more importantly, everyone had fun. Of course there was a best team award, and backing up their superstar entrance, A-BO-MOON was the recipient of that award.

More to Come

Final Bout Special Stage Japan was the first international event for Final Bout but probably won't be the last. I was let in on a little secret; if you recall the announcement for Final Bout Japan and the rolling country flags, those will provide a hint at a future Final Bout Special Stage. 

To summarize the feeling that accompanied Final Bout, I have to say it is rare to attend an event and just see smiles everywhere. Usually, you can sense stress somewhere along the way, but not on this day — not at Final Bout Japan. I hope to see more events return to a similar team format and a return to the true spirit of drifting. 

To see more action and antics from Final Bout Special Stage Japan, check out the gallery below.

Despite all the performance potential and well-documented durability the B series Cummins is known for, a lot of folks tend to overlook its shortcomings. This is especially true for diesel newbies hungry to get their hands on one of these legendary inline-six mills. While its flaws are few, these engines do have a handful of potentially catastrophic failure points. For example, did you know a 10-cent dowel pin can destroy an ’89 to ’02 engine in a matter of seconds? Or the irreparable cracked block scenarios that run rampant with ’99-’01 versions? And what about all the blown head gasket issues plaguing the 6.7L?

Read on to find out what your Cummins’ biggest pitfall is and how to correct it.

1. Killer Dowel Pin (KDP)

The Problem

Due to its ability to completely trash an engine, the killer dowel pin tops our list of Cummins shortcomings. On the assembly line, a tiny steel dowel pin was pressed into the block of ’89 to ’02 mills in order to locate the engine’s timing gear housing. Over time and thanks to a combination of vibration, heat cycles and age, it can work its way out of the block. Once it falls out, the tiny dowel pin usually makes contact with the cam gear first and can then be drawn into both the injection pump and crank gears, effectively making it a 10-cent wrecking ball. Remember, if it takes out the cam gear, the pistons will contact the valves, potentially leading to a trashed head and block.

See why it’s called the “killer dowel pin?” Of course, if you’re lucky the dowel pin avoids the cam, crank and injection pump gears altogether and makes it safely down into the oil pan. But that’s rare. A third possible outcome pits the dowel pin against the cam gear directly beneath it. The cam gear will force the (steel) dowel pin into the timing gear housing, which is made of aluminum, thereby cracking or blowing a chunk out of the housing and spewing oil all over the ground. The worst part about the killer dowel pin is that you never know when it will strike. And if you bought your ’89 to ’02 Dodge Ram used, there is no concrete way to know if the dowel pin has been addressed.

The Fix

To eliminate the possibility of a KDP scenario playing out, it’s best to tackle the issue head on. Accessing the KDP means pulling the timing gear housing, which dictates everything be removed from the front of the engine (bumper, radiator, intercooler, fan and shroud, etc.). Along the way, you’ll need a timing gear housing gasket (for reinstallation) and a metal tab to hold the dowel pin in place. Some folks make their own retaining tab, while others opt for all-inclusive kits like the one from BD Diesel shown below. The BD kit also comes with a new crank seal and retails for $120 to $145, depending on which model year engine you have.

2. “53 Block” (’99-’01 24-Valve)

The Problem

During a portion of the 24-valve engine’s production run, Brazilian company TUPY cast roughly 100,000 blocks with thinner water jacket walls than what was found on earlier (and later) models. Due to the lack of material in this area, the 53 blocks are susceptible to cracking — thereby leaking coolant — when the engine is exposed to heavy towing, high torque levels, elevated coolant pressure and instances of overheating.

Cracking commonly occurs on the passenger side, just below the freeze plugs. A “53” cast into the driver side front on the block (under the injection pump and near the power steering pump) will let you know if you’ve got one of the doomed candidates, with ’99 to ’01 model year Dodge Rams harboring most of them. Keep in mind, these engines were also used in RVs, school and mass transit buses, along with other applications, so the problem isn’t exclusive to Dodge trucks.

The Fix

Unfortunately, the only real fix for a cracked block is to start over, either with a brand new or quality core crankcase. As you can imagine, going this route isn’t cheap ($5,000 to $10,000 to have the work performed at most shops), so many 53 block owners dabble in temporary fixes. The process of stitching the block together has proven to be the preferred method of attempting to repair the crack(s) or rather, stop the bleeding. Block stitching is performed by a machine shop and entails a hole being drilled at each end of the crack (to keep it from spreading further) and steel inserts being installed to tie everything together.

While the verdict is still out as to whether or not this methodology has proven successful in the long term, it is the best option aside from replacing the block altogether. An innumerable amount of 53 block owners have simply lived with the problem until they were either able to swap engines or get rid of the truck. Operating a truck with a slightly cracked 53 block is by no means a death sentence, but it does warrant keeping a close eye on the water temp gauge, the engine’s coolant level, and periodically checking to see if the crack has worsened.

3. Stroke of Death (For Head Gaskets)

The Problem

With a longer stroke and a quick-spooling variable geometry turbocharger, the 6.7L Cummins produces more low-rpm cylinder pressure (i.e., torque) than its 5.9L predecessor. While this is ideal for what most Ram owners use their trucks for (towing or hauling), it can take its toll on the 6.7L’s head gasket. The 6.7L head gasket also makes use of less sealing area between the cylinders and water jackets thanks to incorporating a larger bore as compared to the 5.9L. Now, add all of the above together and then throw a programmer into the mix (most truck owners can’t resist having an extra 80 to 150 hp on tap), and you start to see why head gasket failure is so common on ’07.5-present Ram trucks.

The Fix

An age old solution exists for the 6.7L Cummins’ head gasket issues: run a better head-to-block fastener. ARP head studs are the go-to fastener for this application and provide much more clamping force than the factory head bolts can. During any head gasket job, the cylinder head should be resurfaced, the block’s deck surface inspected for trueness and ARP studs should be used.

Taking things one step further, truck owners have the option of what is called “fire-ringing” the head. This process consists of machining grooves roughly 0.040-inches deep into the head and utilizing mild or stainless steel rings when reinstalling the head on top of the new head gasket. Fire-ringing provides the best combustion seal possible, and is usually reserved for highly modified Cummins mills with larger injectors, stroked or multiple CP3’s and compound turbocharger arrangements.

4. A Starved VP44 Is a Dead VP44

The Problem

Perhaps the most notorious Cummins failure on the books is when a VP44 bites the dust. This electronically controlled, rotary-style Bosch injection pump was used on all ’98.5-’02 Cummins 24-valve engines and relied solely on diesel fuel as its means of cooling and lubricating (vs. the P-pump found on ’94-’98 5.9L’s, which had its own oil supply). Once a VP44 has been denied adequate fuel supply pressure for any prolonged period of time, it always meets an early demise.

The problem? A weak or failing lift pump that stops supplying the VP44 its vital nutrient ends up taking both pumps out as a result. A VP44 alone will run you north of $1,000.

The Fix

With a subpar quality lift pump feeding the VP44 from the factory, it should be scrapped in favor of an aftermarket electric fuel supply system. Companies like FASS, Fuelab and AirDog offer fuel systems that ensure 10-to-15 psi of pressure is always on tap for the VP44. These aftermarket systems also offer better filtration and air removal than the factory hardware, so it’s a win-win. In addition to installing a better fuel supply system, we would highly recommend installing a fuel pressure gauge in the cab. This way you can detect a fuel supply issue before it has a chance to take out the pricey VP44 pump.

5. Common-Rail Injector Failure

The Problem

While this isn’t necessarily a fatal flaw, it is disappointing for Cummins owners that transitioned from older, mechanical engines into newer common-rail models (’03-present). Instead of having to worry about an injector rebuild every once in a blue moon (and on the cheap), many owners are shelling out $2,000 to $3,000 every 140,000 miles for new injectors.

Although it’s a marvel of modern engineering, today’s common-rail injectors lead a busy service life. Not only are there more moving parts (i.e., wear points), but multiple injection events take place per combustion event (in the form of pilot, main, and post events) and the injectors see higher pressures than ever before (26,000+ psi). Most importantly, common-rail injectors utilize very tight internal clearances (as small as 1 to 3 microns), which makes them highly intolerant of contaminated fuel. Fuel system debris has been known to lead to injectors sticking in the “on” position, in which case the piston below it can eventually melt.

The Fix

Two of the most common wear points within a common-rail injector include its ball seat and nozzle needle seat. Unfortunately, nothing can really be done to extend their life span — although we have a hunch that aftermarket tuning which turns off the aforementioned pilot and/or post injection events can lessen the amount of work cycles the injectors see.

As far as curbing fuel contamination goes, there is much more room for improvement in this area. First, always fill up with quality fuel from a reputable source (i.e., high-traffic filling stations where diesel isn’t allowed to sit for weeks at a time), add an aftermarket fuel supply system with a filter rated for 10 microns or less and always change the fuel filter and water separator at the recommended intervals.

After all is said and done, the B Series Cummins is still one of the most powerful diesel engines around. Learn how to get 3,000 hp from 391 cubic inches.

Just who is “Coco,” anyway? Born Francisco Zurita in his hometown of Santiago, Chile, Coco is not only giving Ms. Chanel a run for her money with the popularity of their shared nickname, but is also BMX’s best park riders with their shots at championship standings and world recognition. He has competed in 11 X Games, earned Rider of the Year honors in the 2010 Dew Tour series, won the BMX World Championships in 2013, become the first rider ever to land a triple tailwhip, and shocked crowds wherever he goes with a fast, smooth style that regularly has him airing 12 feet above a vert ramp.

He’s also into cars, as evidenced by this 700 hp, Road Race Engineering-built, Pandem-flared, RWD-converted, Nitto Tire-equipped, Nissan R35 GT-R.

Why a GT-R?

Ignoring the fierce online debates that this claim will spawn: If there was one group of attainable, production cars that have proven themselves superior for racing endeavors like time attack and drifting, it would be those of Japanese manufacture. And sitting atop the list is the Nissan GT-R. But that’s not to insinuate that Coco’s first foray into the four-wheeled world started here. He’s been a gearhead a long time, and his garage in Santiago is home to a modded Toyota 4Runner and his “bae,” a 1973 Dodge Charger SE.

Upon moving to the States and working his way up to California action sports hero from salesman in Dallas, Coco’s first car was a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, followed by an EVO X which he modified and raced to podium finishes in various time-attack campaigns. But after a few years behind those wheels, and after finding a hell of a deal on a 15K-mile-used GT-R in Chicago in 2014, Coco flew out, drove it back to California and began the next chapter of his story on four wheels.

First Impressions

Mildly modified and with around 530 whp on tap soon after he bought it, the GT-R was the fastest car Coco had owned at the time, and proved itself to be a whole different animal from his EVOs. He drove it regularly and raced it in some time-attack events early on, but after experiencing his first Gumball Rally later that year (and the joys of friendly highway pulls against six-figure exotics, we suspect), along with noting the still-rising popularity of drifting, his interests changed and he decided to take things in a slightly different direction.

Coco’s EVO years introduced him to Road Race Engineering (RRE) in Santa Fe Springs, California, builders and tuners of more than a few very fast and winning Japanese performance projects over the years. Once he decided on a direction for his GT-R, he turned the go-fast gurus loose on it and enjoyed the fruits of their labor. #CZGTR77 was born.

Brass Tacks

GT-Rs are big, even compared to their full-size Japanese predecessors. But something magical happens when a tuner adds even more girth to a GT-R’s fenders; instead of looking bulky or bloated, its widened stance comes across strikingly more athletic and aggressive than stock. Such is the case with Coco’s GT-R, which looks like it would fit right in among a stable of GT-class race machines with its full Pandem body kit (consisting of fender flares, front bumper and lip splitter, rear diffuser, side skirts and optional GT wing).

Filling those widened arches are a set of 20x11” and 20x12” front and rear (respectively) Volk Racing TE37 forged monoblocks in the Tra-Kyoto — recommended offsets, shod in ultra-sticky Nitto Tire NT01 and NT555 rubber. Stopping duties are thanks to stock-sized (can you believe it? Huge!) Project Mu discs and pads, while the whole thing stays perfectly planted by way of KW Variant III coilovers and Whiteline sway bars.

Nissan GT-Rs were introduced in 2009 with “only” an official 480 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, but these days it’s relatively easy to extract a reliable 700 hp from them through the employment of quality bolt-ons and fuel upgrades, a capable tuner and EcuTek programming. Coco’s GT-R breathes through a GReddy Intake Suction Kit, front-mount intercooler kit, intake manifold and 94 mm titanium Supreme exhaust, with some help from Circuit Sports along the way (see spec sheet). It’s not the most power ever made by a GT-R, but it’s pretty damned fast for street/track duty.

But Wait! There’s More

One of the coolest features of the Nissan GT-R is its rock-solid AWD drivetrain. But since it takes a hell of a lot of power to make an AWD GT-R on NT01s go sideways — and since Coco really wanted to hop on the drifting train — he had the RRE crew disable the feature and engage RWD full-time. The car still retains its dual-clutch automatic transmission and OEM handbrake, but that so far hasn’t kept Coco from drifting, as shown in more detail in our coverage of a recent track day with Donut Media and friends.

In the few short years since Coco bought his GT-R, he’s racked up over 15,000 miles on its odometer, showing just how hard it’s been for him to stay out of those Sparco EVO 2 seats and from behind its custom Vertex wheel. His plans for the future include more drifting, road rallies and daily driving, with an even bigger round of top-secret mods and more power planned for the near future. And as soon as we know more, we’ll be sure to spill the beans to all of you.

Tuning Menu

2012 Nissan R35 GT-R #CZGTR77

If you're in love with Coco and his GT-R as much as we are, then you definitely want to check out more photos from the track day with Donut Media in the gallery below.

Honda has made no secret of its attempt to rewrite the performance car books with the new 2017 Civic Type R. And to prove its capabilities they've taken the production version of the new Type R to the Nürburgring in attempt to set a new lap record for a front-wheel drive production car.

In terms of ultra fast front-drive cars, the Type R's primary rival would be Volkswagen's Golf GTI Clubsport S, which turned in a 7:47.19 lap last year. Could Honda's latest specialty machine beat this impressive time?

At the end of the day, the new Type R lapped the 'Ring in 7:43.80 seconds, making it over three seconds quicker than the Volkswagen as well as nearly seven seconds faster than the previous European-market Civic Type R.

Naturally, Honda has also released in-car video footage showing the record breaking hot lap in all of its glory. While Nürburgring lap times might not carry a ton of weight when it comes to real world everyday driving, the numbers are downright impressive either way.

More than anything we are just excited the Civic Type R is finally making its way to North American shores, and this news only makes us more eager to finally get behind the wheel.

The Easter Jeep Safari is easily one of the biggest Jeep gatherings in the world. Thousands of Jeeps flock to the mecca of Jeeping every single year to immerse themselves deeper into the Jeep culture and enjoy the beautiful landscape of eastern Utah. The event always lands on the week before Easter, and 2017 marks its 51st year.

Jeeps of all sorts come to the adventurous town of Moab, Utah, from brand-spanking-new Wranglers to old-school Jeepsters, flat fenders and everything between. During the week, Red Rock 4-Wheelers (RR4W) hosts a series of organized trail runs for registrants to join. The rigs go out and hit some of the world’s most famous off-road trails like Poison Spider, Behind The Rocks, Hell’s Revenge and so many more.

A big part of the annual event is the ever-growing Vendor Days on Thursday and Friday. Manufacturers and retailers come from all over to display their products, and Nitto Tire had a prime spot to show off its goodies.

"Easter Jeep Safari is about connecting with our customer base and our brand partners," explained Nitto Marketing Director Chris Corbett. "Listening to the customer and what they are after is important to us. We started coming to Moab for the Easter Jeep Safari 15 years ago with the Mud Grappler, and fast forward to today, we are now showing off the new Ridge Grappler. It is a hybrid between a traditional all-terrain and mud-terrain. The market has changed over the years, and we've changed with it. We do a lot of trail rides with customers to hear their feedback. It used to be that driving a 40-inch tire on the street was unheard of, and now it is done all the time."

Inside the booth, Nitto lined up multiple off-road rigs sporting various Nitto Tires. Behind a counter underneath the shade of the awning were several brand specialists available to answer any questions as well as hand out some freebies.

Nitto also laid out tire displays, showing off their line of dirt pounding and rock taming tires, including the all-new Ridge Grappler.

Check out the video at the top for in-depth insight on the new Ridge Grappler.

Bestop, the company well-known for its Jeep tops, truck covers, and Element Doors, has teamed up with the American Cancer Society to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness. The company is raffling off a Trektop Pro for a two-door Jeep Wrangler JK as well a Trektop NX Twill for a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JK.

“Everyone knows a mother, sister, daughter or friend who’s faced the battle against breast cancer,” said Bestop CEO John Larson. “Breast cancer is a fight many people, even men, have had to endure. Our goal is to help make sure they don’t have to face that fight alone.”

Both tops are customized with pink threading along the seams as well as an embroidered Project Pink logo. Each top is one-of-a-kind.

How to Enter

You can purchase tickets for $3 to win either of the models, or purchase a ticket to support the cause. You can purchase as many tickets as you would like throughout the period of promotion — the deadline is July 28, 2017. Bestop is covering all costs, including the credit card processing fee, so every penny of your $3 will go to ACS. Bestop is also matching all donations up to $10,000!

To raise awareness for the promotion, Bestop wrapped one of its Jeeps in a special Project Pink wrap. On the day of the drawing, winning tickets will be selected and the process videoed using a random number selection code. Winners will be notified in early August 2017 and shared via social media.

To find out more about the project, visit www.BestopProjectPink.com.

If you are an automobile enthusiast in 2017, there's a good chance that when you aren't wrenching on your own vehicle or heading out to an automotive event, you'll find yourself playing racing games on a PC or console. And with driving simulations are becoming more realistic and immersive than ever before, to call them "games" is bit of a stretch.

Whether you call them games, simulations or anything else, 2017 is shaping up to be a huge year for virtual driving, with numerous titles set to release between now and the holiday season. We've picked out three games in particular in which we can't wait to start turning some virtual laps.

1. Gran Turismo Sport

First up is Polyphony Digital's "Gran Turismo Sport," the long anticipated next installment of the legendary "Gran Turismo" franchise, which launched 20 years ago on the original Sony PlayStation. While there are few car enthusiasts who aren't familiar with the "Gran Turismo" series, it's been a while since we've had a proper "GT" game. The last release was "Gran Turismo 6" on the PlayStation 3 back in 2013, and "GT Sport" will mark the series' debut on the PlayStation 4 hardware.

"GT Sport" is not a full numbered "Gran Turismo" release, but it's also a lot more than a "Prologue" edition, which we've seen in the past. The game promises to be a gateway to the next generation of "Gran Turismo" and features a heavy emphasis on online competitive play as well as the photo realistic graphics the series is known for.

While it might not quite be "Gran Turismo 7," "GT Sport" should have no shortage of content. The car list will include 140 different vehicles both of the street and race variety, along with 19 different locations and 27 different layouts to race them on. Additional content has also been planned for after the launch.

"GT Sport" was originally scheduled to launch last year, but its release was pushed back to an unspecified date in 2017. Last month Polyphony Digital released a limited access beta trial of the game that is ongoing, and initial impressions seem very positive. I probably don't need to say this, but if you are a fan of driving games who owns a PlayStation 4, this one's a must-try.

2. Forza Motorsport 7

On the other hand if you are an Xbox gamer, then you should already be very familiar with the "Forza Motorsport" franchise, which itself has been around for well over a decade now. And while it's history might not go back quite as far as it's Sony rival, Turn 10 Studios has more than made up for that with steady releases of great games.

While the next installment of the "Forza" franchise has not yet been officially announced, after 2015's "Forza Motorsport 6" and 2016's "Forza Horizon 3," the cycle is expected to continue this fall with "Forza Motorsport 7" and return to closed-course simulation-style racing.

Even bigger news is that "Forza 7" will be optimized for Microsoft's new Project Scorpio, an upgraded 4K and VR-ready version of the Xbox One console, which promises even better graphics. Microsoft has already confirmed they will have more information about Project Scorpio at this year's E3, and that's when we expect to hear more about the next "Forza" release as well.

Whatever the case, "Forza 7" is expected to build on the already impressive amount of content in "Forza 6" which included post release expansion packs featuring the Porsche brand and NASCAR racing, along with the usual schedule of monthly car pack DLC.

One of the big additions to "Forza 6" was the introduction of wet weather conditions to many of the game's tracks, and we expect "Forza 7" to take things even further. Perhaps we'll see off-road/rally racing as featured in the recent Horizon games. We'll learn more at E3 in a couple months.

3. Project CARS 2

Last but not least is the second installment in Slightly Mad Studios' "Project CARS" series. Set to release later this year, "Project CARS 2" is the follow-up to 2015's highly successful "Project CARS." While it doesn't have the first party support of the "Gran Turismo" or "Forza," "Project CARS" quickly claimed its place among the all-time greats, and we expect more of the same from the second installment.

Not keen to rest on their laurels, Slightly Mad Studios is taking things even further for "Project CARS 2" with the introduction of snow, dirt and Rallycross to the game — all of which will be funneled through one of the most realistic physics engines in the business.

The first game featured a massive number of race tracks, and the second one looks to improve on that with the largest number of racing circuits ever featured in a console game. Better yet, all of the courses will feature variable times of day and weather conditions.

If I had one complaint about the original, it was that the car list was a bit European-heavy, but SMS is trying to remedy that with some cool new additions — including a number of historic Nissan race cars along with new domestic iron like Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s "Ultimate Fun Haver" Ford F-150. It's hard to think of a better vehicle with which to try out the new unpaved areas of the game.

The release date for "Project CARS 2" has not been confirmed yet, but the game will reportedly be arriving in late 2017 on both the PS4 and XBox One as well as the PC. While it may not be able to match other games in terms of raw car numbers, it easily makes up for that with its incredible attention to detail and highly realistic physics.

These are just three of the big racing games due to release before the year is through. Each series will certainly have its loyal fans, but I'm one who is looking forward to trying out all of them in the coming months. Stay tuned for more coverage and impressions on all of these games as their release dates draw closer.

Do you suck at racing games? You should try out SEGA's "Motorsport Manager."

Last month we wrote about Gearhead Girls, Fast Girls and Legendary Girls and it left us so stoked about women in automotive that when Hoonigans released a call for their next female rally driver we couldn’t help but want to get involved.

It just so happens that our chief Editor, Kristin Cline, seems like the perfect candidate. She always jumps at driving anything on wheels – whether on asphalt, dirt or snow – plus she became a bonafide, licensed land speed racer last summer on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Watch and share her video (above) if you agree and head over to YouTube to find the many other #HoonigansWanted Fiat Female Driver Search applicant videos.

We challenge you to upload your own if you think it should be you! Feed your adrenaline and get the latest Driving Line stories delivered direct – sign up for our newsletter.

The Easter Jeep Safari brings in enthusiasts from all around the world, and many of them bring their own vehicles. With such a high concentration of people and rigs in a small town, it can be overwhelming, but it's the perfect opportunity for people watching and rig spotting.

Just about every type of off-road vehicle can be found, with multiple variants of builds. Choosing your rig, suspension, tires and the type of 'wheeling you want to do are just some of the reasons this amazing culture is so fun, challenging and exciting. You get to choose what you want — all the more reason to sign up for a life filled with off-road adventures.

We took some time to do a little rig spotting of our own at EJS 2017. While rig spotting is a great way to gain inspiration for your next build (and see what not to do), it's also just plain entertaining.

Check out the gallery above to see some of our favorite rigs spotted during our time in Moab for the 51st Annual Easter Jeep Safari.