In the back of the Willys truck sits a Ford 9-inch axle Scott lifted from a
’79 Bronco. The tubes hold 31-spline chromoly ’shafts, and the differ-
ential has 4.88:1 gears and a Detroit locker for traction. To support the
weight out back, Scott used a set of 63-inch,^3 ⁄ 4 -ton Chevy
leaf springs with two leaves removed. A pair of Rubicon
Express twin-tube shocks handle damping duties in
the rear with 10 inches of travel. The bed previously
held a camper shell, but Scott has returned
it to its stock form and uses it for gear-
hauling duties.28 OCTOBER 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com
Feature The Doughnut Truck
using a Mercedes five-cylinder diesel and opted
to source a 4BT from a Chevy P30 delivery van
instead. With some modifications to the frame,
a custom-built three-link front suspension, and
much more, the truck had already won the ap-
proval of Scott’s kids. Though his son is always
first to hop in for a ride, Scott’s 4-year-old daugh-
ter lent her interior-design expertise to the rear-
Scott needed something more highway-friendly
than the big-block 454. Considering the limited real
estate under the hood, he looked to a Chevy P30
delivery van and its Cummins 4BT. He treated the
oil-burner to new gaskets and a fresh coat of paint.
The truck’s previous owner had thoroughly modified
the front framerails to fit the 454, so Scott chopped
them off and rebuilt them with 0.250-inch-wall
rectangular tubing along with new motor mounts and
a crossmember under the engine for more frame rigid-
ity. The aluminum flask you see was custom-fitted as
a power steering fluid reservoir. Scott mounted his
Optima battery up underneath the truck’s bed with a
Trail-Gear bracket.
view mirror, hanging a doughnut keychain from
it and dubbing his ride “The Doughnut Truck.”
We caught up with Scott in the California
desert while he shoveled snow from the bed of
his truck, as he had recently descended from
his home in the higher elevations. His wish list
for the truck includes a high-pinion Dana 60
frontend, retubed for a passenger-side drop;an Offroad Design Magnum Box and NP205
transfer case; new turbo and intercooler;
double-triangulated four-link rear suspension;
and more. Even if his dreams of participating
in our sister magazine’s (4-Wheel & Off-Road)
Ultimate Adventure don’t come to fruition,
Scott plans on many road trips and more off-
roading with The Doughnut Truck. FW