Four Wheeler December 2014

I love my garage. No, I love any garage. That’s because, until I bought my first house at age 26, I never had one. And unless you’ve been a garageless gearhead, you will never fully appreciate having four solid walls, a roof, and a roll-up door inside which you can keep your precious projects. As a teenager, I worked on my back in a gravel driveway. Straight dirt would’ve been less pokey on the back, but with all the rain and snow we got, it would’ve turned into a mud bog. Stuff that takes more than one day to wrap up? Better bring that project inside the house, or it’ll get all dirty and rusty. My brother built a small-block Chevy with iron heads for his Camaro in our mom’s…

GOING SOMEWHERE? So, I was just reading your latest Firing Order in the Sept. ‘14 issue while dropping a pre-fight deuce after I got fnished packing for a trip, and I was happily surprised by the relevance. You see, I just spent the whole day hitching up the Wagon Queen Family Truckster for a road trip with the wife and kids from your home state of Massachusetts to Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. This will be my kids’ frst road trip (9 and 12), and I hope it will be memorable. I’m also excited, because my return trip will fnally bring me across North Dakota after 20-plus years of crisscrossing the country and always missing it. I’m thinking I should stop in Rugby, the geographical center of North America—that seems wildly obscure…

EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM THAT’S INTERESTING • Ford has raised the price on the F-150. The ‘15 XL will start at $26,615, while the XLT will open at $31,890. The base models are up over last year’s models by about $395. • More Ford: The new 2.7L EcoBoost performance numbers are in. For the ‘15 F-150, you’re looking at towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, 325 horses, and 375 lb-ft of torque. • No more base-model Porsche Cayenne. The SUV will now have the diesel model as its base, which starts at $62,695. If you’re wondering how expensive the Cayenne can get, consider the Turbo model: $114,595. • Let’s look at fatality rates courtesy of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute: Individual fatality rates per distance driven and per population were what were on the table for all…

• NHTSA is discussing standardizing sidewall tire ID codes, making them a consistent, across-the-board 13 numbers. Retreads would get seven numbers. It would be for easy recognition in recalls. How Much a Toyota TRD Pro Will Cost You The new Pro Series from Toyota is upon us, and we’ve got pricing info. Looking for a Tacoma TRD Pro? It’ll start at $35,525 for the Access Cab with a 4.0L and six-speed manual and go up to $37,415 for a Double Cab with a fve-speed auto. The 4Runner Pro will set you back $41,110. Tundra TRD Pro pricing is still a secret. The Pro Series points to an off-road emphasis, including TRD Bilstein shocks, TRD-tuned front springs, and other unique features. GM’s New Transmission Chevy and GMC are going to have a new eightspeed automatic…

• Pull-A-Part has bought McAllen Texas Used Auto Parts and Hildago U-Pull-It Used Auto Parts. • The Zippo-owned W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery has hit a massive milestone: 125 years old. • Miller Electric Manufacturing has given its Build with Blue promo a redo. You’ll be eligible for a mail-in rebate and an extra $100, $250, or $500 more in Miller or Hobart products when you buy qualifying Miller equipment through January 31, 2015. Learn more at millerwelds.com/landing/build-with-blue. • TN-Red Kap has a brand ambassador. It’s Mike Ness of Social Distortion. TN-Reed Kap makes automotive apparel. • Bosch has launched a website called choosetherightinjector. com for… choosing the right injector. • Are you on Twitter and Instagram? So is ACDelco. • Rancho is sponsoring Tread Lightly!, the org that protects trails and recreational use. Ford vs. Ram Ford…

EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM WRANGLER FLOP TOP The ‘13-’14 JK Wrangler offers spring-assisted top opening and closing from the factory. Rugged Ridge’s new retroft kit brings the same convenience to owners of older Jeep JKs. Designed to work with Jeep’s factory soft top, the new JK Soft Top Spring Assist kit is relatively easily installed and seamlessly integrates into the soft top, as well as other aftermarket factory replacement tops on the market. Engineered to allow just one person to raise and lower the top, each Rugged Ridge kit features dual spring arms and a quick-release locking mechanism that keeps the soft top safely locked in the lowered position for open-air driving. INFO: Rugged Ridge, 770/614-6101, ruggedridge.com. CLUTCH IN ONE Probably the most common clutch application in 4x4 history is the GM 11-inch pressure plate with a…