Quicksand

CHASING, or should we say, leading the retro craze is the Quicksand JK. With intake jugs rising from the hood, a chop top and a wide stance, Quicksand could have easily landed a roll in American Graffiti (the off-road sequel). It hails from an era before smog laws and government-mandated airbags, and its sleek lines are reminiscent of a 1930s roadster – but with 1960s muscle. The fire-beating heart of this hot rod is a 392-cubic-inch crate Hemi-fitted with Borla injection and custom valve covers. A six-speed manual gearbox sends power to the front Dana 44 and rear Dana 60 axle, which are fitted with 4.56:1 and 5.13:1 gears and accommodate a two-inch diameter difference in the Bfgoodrich KM2S (32 and 37 inches, respectively). To manage the load and keep the wheels on terra firma, they added a set of King dual-rate coilovers. The wheelbase was stretched six inches overall, while the wheel wells moved for and aft in sand buggy fashion. The winch is concealed within an aluminium ‘fuel’ tank on the bumper, and recovery gear resides in the parachute pouch out back. Other goodies include custom chrome headers, rollcage, a blood-red leather interior, aluminium door panels, and racing fuel cell with dual fill ports. With more than 500 horses at the rear, Quicksand was a foot-full of fun and one of our favourites.