I often dream of buying some junker car like the rednecks on YouTube and then treating it like a short course off-road truck at some top secret location. You know, donuts, anything sideways really, and jumping. Lots of jumping. So lets say you had $200 to blow this week and a place to do all this fun stuff on Saturday. Which one of these beaters would you choose?
In one corner we have the venerable Ford Ranger, a truck that honestly has a pretty good off-road racing heritage both in the desert AND on short courses. Of course most of them have tons done to the suspension, but they take off-road suspension upgrades like a champ so that’s why they have always been popular. Of course we’re not talking about building an off-road machine, we’re talking about beating a stock vehicle to within an inch of it’s life. Sure, some trimming of fenders for tire clearance and stuff that would help keep it running longer are allowed, but we aren’t talking about a fabrication project here.
In another corner we have the Chevrolet S10 Blazer. Not the same level of heritage as a Ford Ranger I would say, but still enough off-road prowess to make you feel like you are a real racer. Again, ever S10 that ever raced off-road had many modifications done to the suspension and drivetrain. They take about any swap you want and because they are a small but full frame truck you can weld almost anything to them your heart desires. Just like the Ranger. But again, we’re talking stock here. Or at least as purchased.
And then there is the wild card. It always seems like you can find cool video of some family sedan that just won’t die no matter what you do to it off-road. In truth, one of the finest machines I ever drove off-road was a stone stock Crown Vic of questionable origins. It LOVED desert roads and handled whoops and dips and jumps as if they were freeway imperfections. Truly amazing actually. So how do you think this Lexus would survive? It’s V8 powered, unlike the others on the list, and it is after all a Toyota underneath. And they have a really great off-road racing history so shouldn’t some of those genes be present in the Lexus? We would certainly hope so.
So which one would you choose? Ranger, S10 Blazer, or the Lexus?
There are medicines, prescribed by licensed doctors, that can control these thoughts. (??)
That Blazer looks like a good hoonmobile to me. Regular cab Rangers don’t have enough room to get the seat back far enough for my liking, so the Blazer gets the nod.
Lexus all day long
Why jump the Lexus? – you could either smarten it up, or put the motor in a small RWD Toyota such as the Celica
A big box of Tech screws, and some plate on the bottom of that Lexus to protect the oil pan & trans pans, and let the games begin!!
And if you don’t kill the rad & overheat it, you have a DOHC 32V V8 donor engine/trans/ECM for a project car after you grow weary of being sideways in the sand…..