Feature > Featured Vehicles
A Fourteen-Year-Old’s Toy
story and photos by Sven Schlogl
The front bumper integrates nicely into the tube frame. The rear-wheel steering makes this big Jeep still very manageable.
Logan Cochran from Alma, Arkansas has a pretty grown-up hobby. He has been building many extreme off-road machines with his dad and knows more about engines, other components and fabrication than a lot of people in the four-wheel sport. In his early teens he hasn’t been able to make all the money for his dream project but his dad, Greg, gladly helps out for such big ideas.
There was an old 1982 CJ8 sitting around the house not doing much, so Logan’s imagination started to work. Influenced partially by his dad’s towing and recovery business he designed and fabricated a really remarkable rockcrawler with Greg and a friend in only two-and-a-half months.
A 2.5 ton Rockwell axle is held by a custom-built 3-link suspension. The airbags are from a semi truck.
The rear Rockwell axle is supported by a home-built wishbone, also with air bags. Note the tube frame with skid plates designed by Logan.
It was clear for Logan that the CJ’s body had to be cut up and modified significantly. The extensive bodywork was combined nicely with the custom-built tube frame setup to provide the needed strength. The home-built suspension in the rear consists of a heavy duty wishbone, while the front features a custom three-link. All four corners are equipped with dual Rancho 5000 shocks and full air ride suspension from a semi truck that can be regulated from the driver’s seat. The front and rear air bags can be controlled independantly — the two front bags are connected and so are the rear. This allows air flow from one side to the other during axle articulation. A pair of steerable two-and-a-half-ton Rockwell axles reside under the rig and are stuffed with 6.72 gears and Detroit Lockers. This setup is strong enough for the 44 inch tires — Super Swampers in the front and Boggers in the rear. To make sure these big rubbers keep rolling a Vortech 350 engine was set in the custom engine bay mated to a Turbo 400 transmission, and an Atlas III transfer case distributes the power to the axles.
A front tube bumper is included in the tube frame and carries a Warn 8000 winch to help in those rare cases when the Jeep gets stuck. The rear bumper also protects the tail lights and sports the motto of this rig “OVER KILL.”
The air bags on each axle are connected so air can flow freely between the two during wheel travel. Note the tail lights behind the bumper.
The fuel cell sits in the bed out of harm’s way and so does the air manifold with the solinoids. A boat seat serves as license plate holder.
Logan also put some thought in the interior of his vehicle:
A stainless steel dashboard features Autometer gauges and the switches for the air suspension. Driver and passenger sit comfortably in Corbeau seats and the easily reachable shifters received a nice touch. A bikini top spans over the roll cage to keep occupants out of the sun (and rain) and half doors match the exterior paint. In the bed of the rig a fuel cell provides food for the engine and an air manifold guides the air where needed. A huge air tank hangs off the buttom of the truck between the tube frame rails. Also bed mounted in the very back is a boat seat which serves as a license plate holder.
The rig in action — this is hardly an obstacle for this truck.
The dash board is spartan and clean.
To make an appearance everywhere he goes, Logan had the vehicle painted in Montecarlo Chrome Yellow.
This truck proves extremely capable on different kinds of terrain and is very manuverable for its size due to the four-wheel steering. A creation noticed by many not only for its color but its attention for detail and the built-up concept not seen every day.
Not bad for a fourteen-year-old.
Logan not only builds extreme 4x4s but also knows how to maneuver them over difficult terrain.
Attention to detail pays off. The tube frame and body blend harmoniously. The vehicle rides on 44” tires.