It was before it’s time. I bet if they paired a similar system to the direct injected and more efficient engines of today, it would easily make 20+mpg combined.

It was actually a pretty damn stout drivetrain, though. Allison based transmission, 6.0L engine, beefed up transfer case, bigger rear axle. And while it only…

I loled so hard at “Buh?”

CaptainSlooooooooooooooooow said he was doing cals on the pass... AKA calibrations. Most likely he works for a truck or engine company and they were running something extra hard to make sure that it saw the worst case scenario. So, yes... he was driving it incorrectly - intentionally.

OK so that’s not super crazy, I’m in Chicago so Insurance is pricey too. My vehicles are older than yours on average, so that’s likely the major source of the cost difference. I also have a clean driving record and my fiancee, not so much.

When you said saving hundreds initially, I envisioned you being in the $400+…

I live in Chicago and moved here from Central Illinois 4 years ago. I’m aware the cost of insurance in a big city is much larger than smaller towns.

But I now realize your cars are on average likely much newer than mine, and thus, worth a lot more. I have a 2001, 2007, and 2015.

How much is your premium???? If I shaved (two) hundred[s] off my monthly payment for 3 cars, I’d be paying around $25/mo. :P

Including the driver :P

I wish I could give you more than one star.  Bravo, sir!

The Lamborghini Diablo used headlights from a Nissan 300ZX.
(So did the Nissan R390, but that’s more obvious/believable).

Dang, I was probably leaving Moab on the days (Saturday) you were stuck in Alamosa. Had I known, I’d have lent a hand on my way back to Chicago.

Glad you finally made it!  Looks like you’re already on Fins ‘n’ Things in that picture!

It is a wagon though!

This is an interesting comment, which brings up the fact that GM DID offer a carbon composite fleetside bed in the past on the 99-06 trucks (probably not all years, but that bodystyle). It was expensive, and very few people bought it. It also had fiberglass bedsides like the stepside beds.

That sounds like a marketing quote, but not the ACTUAL test plan for the bed.  GM makes some silly decisions, but to risk recalling thousands of expensive to replace beds is not one of them I’m fairly certain.  There’s likely a thermal shock test, -40 degree drop test, among others - all done on multiple points of the…

The Gladiator wheelbase is 7-8" shorter than an extended cab regular box pickup truck.  But.. I mean yeah - whatever.

I cant wait for someone to stretch the wheelbase and move the wheel wells a bit further back in the bed. I think it’d be a pretty sharp truck if the rear overhang weren’t so long.

I know it’s a lot of work because I’ve done that type of work before, but someone is bound to do it at some point I’m guessing.

I lost it at “like a poor” 

I love it, but it wasn’t obvious until you mentioned it so I went back.

This would make an excellent candidate for a Mazdaspeed 6 drivetrain and front end swap.  Mazdaspeed 6 Wagon is the stuff from Jalopnik dreams!

Would you say hes... on the fence?

Good luck getting a loan on something this custom, too.