Ian’s used to turning junkyard gold into pure off-road glory! A sunbaked Jeep JK tub is about to be reborn as a no-holds-barred, Southern-style throwdown buggy. Ian kicks things off by crafting a custom chassis to cradle massive axles, long-tube suspension, and towering 40-inch tires — all backed by big horsepower and an even bigger attitude.
This multi-part build is just getting started. First, he’s stripping down an old Rubicon frame, cutting and stretching it to size, fabbing custom brackets, and shoehorning in a beastly 6.4L HEMI. With the steering and suspension mocked up, this buggy’s destiny is clear: to chew up terrain and spit out dirt.
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Build for Off Road concentrates on aggressive off-road builds that are not just for looks; they are purpose-built machines made with the extreme off-roader in mind. At the end of each build, host Ian Johnson tests its capabilities in the ultimate off-road environment. This series captures the off-road lifestyle, with projects ranging from slow-moving rock crawlers to high-horsepower hill-climbers and everything in between.
Products Featured in this Episode
Because Build for Off Road focuses on custom fabrication, purpose-built vehicles, and the off-roading lifestyle, each episode showcases parts and products specifically for off-road and overlanding trucks, Jeeps, rock bouncers, and more. As a trusted influencer in the offroad community, Ian shares in each episode what kinds of tools, parts, accessories, and upgrades he uses around the shop.
You can click on the logos below to learn more about the products, parts, and tools Ian used in this episode to build this southern style JK buggy.
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