Do you ever get the feeling that all modern 4x4s sort of all look the same? No, seriously, you probably couldn't tell the difference between a Defender, Wrangler, or G-Wagon until one was right up in your rear-view mirror, its driver buzzing on G-Fuel and testosterone supplements. But in the early 60s, there was a lot more variation in how automobiles looked, all thanks to a lack of federal regulations dictating what cars and trucks should look like.
With a modern drivetrain in tow, vehicles of this nature, like this 1962 Willys-Jeep FC-170 Forward Control truck, manage to not only look like nothing else on the road but it's also to throw it down on the trails just as well, if not better, than anything fresh from the factory in 2024. A brainchild of the eccentric engineer Brooks Stevens, who also designed vehicles for Jeep, Studebaker, and a few American passenger rail lines in his day, the Jeep Forward Control was a radical take on the future of American trucks based on the iconic CJ-5's architecture.
The FC-170 line, released in 1957, had the luxury of a standard 226-cubic inch (3.7 L) Super Hurricane straight-six engine or an optional 272-cubic inch (4.5 L) Ford Y-block V8 with a three-speed automatic transmission-based on Ford's Cruise-O-Matic gearbox. Indeed, this was some pretty nice hardware for the period, but it's looking pretty old-fashioned in 2024. That's where the certified adrenaline junky and desert off-road racer Roy Wallace comes into the picture.
You see, what Wallace wanted most of all is a tall, high-visibility support truck with a comfortable driving position combined with enough horsepower and suspension capability to keep up with Wallace's racing trucks. With the previous engine and all the accompanying riff-raff removed, Wallace was free to mount a 5.3-liter GM LSx V8. The engine is controlled via a Holley Terminator Max ECU and also runs Holley headers. The engine is paired with a GM-based 6L80E six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for extra control out on the dunes.
With an NP208 all-aluminum transfer case with a Yukon Dana 60 front axle with a Yukon Corporate 14-bold rear axle, there's likely very little on the average four-wheeling trail that this cab over Jeep can't tolerate. That's owed in large part to the positively chunky A/T tires. Moving to the back, we find a totally custom rear truck bed from Summit Expedition Trucks of Canada. With a 60-inch side gate, a 48-inch pullout door, and a 108-72-inch rear bed, there's enough space back here to accommodate all the tolls a support truck could possibly need. There's even a pop-up tent camper on the top in case the crew has to spend the night inside. Now, that's forward-thinking.
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