“I wanted to have something different from all the run-of-the-mill machines commonly used. It started life as a boring, tipsy, ugly wagon – a Holden Jackaroo. “I did all the work myself, cut it down and made it into a ute.” Before you rush off and get yourself a cheap Jackaroo – and there are lots of them around – you must know that Guyon works in an engineering shop. What’s more, his boss Stan Hydes at Ashburton Forks Engineering let him build the project in the workshop – and also threw in his own quite extensive 4WD knowledge to help Guyon make the right decisions. Goyon bought the Jackaroo for $620. It was already fitted with a 3.8-litre Chevvy V6 engine, churning out around 120 kW. “It fits nicely into the engine bay,” he says. “It is stock standard apart from a 65 mm exhaust and snorkel. “The whole truck probably cost around $2,500-$3,000 including the $620. “I am fortunate to work in as an agricultural engineer and was able to source materials/parts at a very minimal cost, the dearest part being the tyres! I really must give thanks to my boss for letting me build my project in the workshop and his vast 4WD knowledge.” The front suspension is independent, but Guyon fitted Old Man Emu gas nitro shocks.  He fabricated new wider wishbones to create both more height and width which made the front track 200 mm wider overall, making it much more stable. This resulted in the drive shafts being too short so Guyon cut them in half and made some high tensile spacer tubes which were then pressed into each the end of the drive shafts and then welded them in. They were then machined to true them up and balanced. “It may not sound ideal and even I had my doubts, but it has worked amazingly well with no problems,” says Guyon. The rear suspension leaf springs were re-pressed/shaped and Guyon made up strong hangers which were twice as long as the originals. He also sourced longer air shocks and fabricated new mounts to allow for more travel. “The rear end is sprung light so it flexes well, and if something heavy is put into the deck I can pump them up to compensate,” he says. Guyon removed the centres out of the rear rims and dished the wheels so the rear tracked the same as the front. “The truck feels ultra stable now,” he says.  There was no power steering when Guyon bought the Jackaroo so he fitted a Chrysler power steering box and a Subaru Legacy power steer pump, with the steering arm geared to 2 ½ turns lock-to-lock. This system ran the power steering hot so Guyon fitted a 4 litre oil tank with large pressure/return lines, and this works a treat.  “The roof chop was a real learning curve for me, and a great deal was learned,” says Guyon. “I bent up a rear roll bar to reinforce the roof, and being on a tight budget the rear window is a sunroof which does have its advantages as it can be opened." The seats are out of a Mitsubishi Diamante, and Guyon made up the components to give the Jackaroo a short shift gear change.   The differentials are stock standard. The front and rear bars were made with maximum approach/departure angles in mind. “We have a wheel articulation ramp at a similar angle to NZ4WDs at the workshop,” he says. “The Jackaroo travels freely up to over 600 mm up the ramp which I reckon is pretty good for an IFS low budget truck,” says Guyon. Guyon removed the body for this build so he could check/repair everything as necessary. It was given a full re-spray and upon re-fitting the body got a a 50 mm lift to allow room for the 33 inch tyres. The wheel arches also had to be cut and altered. The tyres are 33 inch diameter 267 mm wide Kumho MTs on 16 inch wheels. “My thanks must go to Ross and Andy at Mount Somers Garage, who supplied them and the battery at a very cheap price,” says Guyon. “The truck’s up for sale now as I’m starting to build the next bigger and better project. “I learnt so much from this project I want to see what else I can do to improve/develop my ideas.”