If you’ve been following the channel for more than five minutes, you know the drill: we plan a massive, bucket-list adventure, and then we spend the weeks leading up to it in a state of absolute, wrench-throwing chaos. This time, the target is the legendary Rubicon Trail in July. The “Victory” part of the equation is going to be epic—three days on the rocks, camping with the families, and conquering Cadillac Hill.
The “Pain” part? Well, that’s my current reality.
As I write this, my Jeep—the rig that is supposed to carry my wife Allison and our two girls safely through one of the toughest trails in the world—currently has no engine and no transmission. It is a large, stationary paperweight.
Where in the World is Alex?
You might notice in our latest podcast episode that the other half of DPV is missing. I’m currently down in Mexico (which is awesome, by the way) recording with our good buddy Jared, and Alex… well, Alex is doing Alex things somewhere else. Probably buying another non-running vehicle he doesn’t need. It’s actually kind of peaceful without him interrupting me every five seconds to suggest we cut the roof off something.
The “Function Over Fancy” Build
While Alex is usually the “hold my beer and watch this” guy, I’m the one who loses sleep over logistics. For the Rubicon, reliability is the name of the game. That’s why I’m finally—finally—building the doubler transfer case (203/205) I’ve been talking about since day one of this channel. I need that 4:1 low range if I want to crawl this thing with any control.
I’m also swapping out the old AMC 360 for a Small Block Chevy. I know, I know, purists will hate it. But I need parts availability. If I blow a water pump in the middle of nowhere, I can find a Chevy pump at a gas station. Trying to find AMC parts is like trying to find a humble moment in Alex’s life—rare and expensive.
Jared’s “Reliable” Rubicon (Must be Nice)
Jared joined me on the mic to talk about his prep, which is infuriatingly simple compared to mine. He’s driving a 2019 Rubicon on 37s. His “prep” is basically checking fluids and packing a cooler. Must be nice, right?
Although, he did have a scary moment at Sand Hollow recently where his transfer case popped out of 4-Low with a sound like a gunshot. We’re still diagnosing that one. If you guys have any ideas—linkage adjustment? Cable shifter fix?—drop a comment on the video. We need that rig 100% before we hit the trail.
Camping: Embracing the “Ground Dweller” Life
We had a big debate about sleeping arrangements for this trip. The trend these days is the Rooftop Tent (RTT). They look cool on Instagram, but practically? I don’t know.
I want to hit the hard lines. I want to squeeze through the Soup Bowl. I don’t want to worry about smashing a $2,000 tent against a rock or ripping it off on a tree. So, we made the call: we’re ground tenting it.
Allison and I are bringing an air mattress because, let’s be real, I’m pushing 40 and my back isn’t what it used to be after years of wrestling transmissions on concrete floors. We’re packing light, using backpacking meals to save space, and bringing the essentials: tools, recovery gear, and a GlueTread kit (seriously, if you don’t have one for sidewall repairs, get one).
The Fantasy Build: $10k Rubicon Crawler
We couldn’t skip the Fantasy Build segment. The challenge: Build a Rubicon-capable rig for under $10,000.
Jared found a killer 1953 Willys Truck for $2,500. His plan? Junkyard LS swap (classic), one-ton axles from a Super Duty, and a custom flatbed. Honestly, talking about it made me want to abandon my current nightmare and start a new project. (Don’t tell Allison I said that).
Get Out There
Look, the point of all this stress isn’t just to torture myself. It’s to prove that you don’t need a six-figure buggy to have an adventure. You just need a socket set, some patience, and the willingness to look like an idiot occasionally.
If you’re sitting on the sidelines waiting for the “perfect time” to start your build, stop. Go buy the junker. Break the bolt. Learn the hard way. The victory is worth the pain.
Catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/LqG3bxyG-Tw?si=OXW_0ATTA-eCoLdF
Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it repeat!
– Josh
Days of Pain and Victory 
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