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Darrel and Phyllis Poulter's '71 FJ40 is like no other
Land Cruiser around. Built to stomp butt at the races, this 835 horse, big block
powered Toyota holds its own. Check out why this rig has earned the name
"Bad Dawg".
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The Dawg wasn't always a killer machine, it started
out like any other dead stock FJ40. Picked up in 1982 it wasn't long
before it started getting modded for the trail. The Dawg did trail
duty for years until the mud racing bug hit and then it was on from
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Can you believe the Dawg started out like this? |
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To come out on top at the races you need a great
engine. This rig has what it takes in the form of 540 Cubic inch
Merline Block with a set of Brodix Heads-2 Extra topping off the
cylinders. The entire valve train is roller and that is ran by a Erson
roller camshaft with a .720 lift and a 221 degree duration on the
intake side and a .751 lift and a 219 degree duration on the exhaust
side. Compression comes in at 14:1 and racing fuel is the only thing
that the Dawg will drink. To get that racing fuel in, a Divinci custom
built, 1275 cfm carburetor sits atop a Brodix high rise intake. |
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To ignite the gasses, a complete MSD system was set up.
The distributor is an MSD billet model with a crank trigger. An MSD coil
and 2 step Module controls the whole works. Hard timing is set at 32
degrees. Handling the exhaust duties are a set of Hedman Hustler Headers
that have been tuned for the engine. So how much can this engine crank
out? Try 835 horses at 7,000 RPM with 717 for the torque at 6,500 RPM
measured on the dyno at the flywheel. Darrel also pointed out that the
horsepower reading was still going up but they had limited the run to
7,000 RPM. This combo was able to lift the front end way off the ground at
one mud race. |
| Backing up that killer engine is a TH400 that was built
strong along with a transbrake for taking off at the line. Its connected
tot he engine through a 4,600 RPM Stall converter. The four wheel drive is
taken care of by a good old dead stock, yet bullet proof, NP205.
Drivelines were built by Jims Driveline in Boise, Idaho. The rear axle is
a Currie 9" with Currie Axles with 4:88 gears and a spool. The front axle
housing is the stock FJ40 unit with upgraded Warn axles, a limited slip
and 4:10 gears. Steering is handled by an AGR box with 4x4 Labs Draglink
and Tierod mounted up high. |
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Suspension is 4" Rancho leaves all the way around
along with a spring over conversion with a shackle reversal for better
handling. Putting the power to the ground is aided by a set of
adjustable ladder bars with a custom sliding shackle setup. Damping
duties are done by Ranbcho 9000 series shocks. for the sand drags, a
competition Engineering Wheelie bar is bolted on. |
| The interior has been stripped
down to the bare essentials. The roll cage was built by Qualifab in Boise,
Idaho and a set of racing seats bolt to it. A B&M Quicksilver reverse
ratchet shifter handles the fast shifts and in the back sits an aluminum
fuel cell and dual yellow top Optima batteries. The Dawg has been on its
lid a few times and the cage does its job with no problems. |
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The Dawg has been in Dozens of events from Sand Drags to
full out bogs. Check out some of these action shots!
 
 
 
| The Dawg holds its own at the track. This is just the
trophies and plaques that it received just for the 2006 race season.
You had better be quick to take a trophy from the Dawg. |
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Darrel was also quick to thank his sponsors for making
this happen, so special thanks to Bucks 4x4, Bratton Racing Engines
(Moffit Bratton), Jims Drive train, and most of all his wife Phyllis who
he said was a better driver then him and none of it would have happened
without her.
Planet 4x4 |
