Coffee, 911s and One Tiny Honda: The Vigilante 77 Send-Off
The Jackalope Drivers Club gathered at Roly-Poly Coffee Co. in Bozeman for the Vigilante 77 Rally send-off, where an eclectic mix of Porsches, rally builds, and muscle cars were unexpectedly upstaged by one tiny, bright-yellow Honda Beat.
THE UNDER-DASH CRUSADE: WE HAVE LIGHTS (FOR NOW)
The ultimate JDM maintenance cheat code. No brake lights, no cabin power, no horn—the Beat arrived looking like an absolute electrical ghost town. Here is how a quick-release steering wheel and a smartphone camera saved the day, and why I’m officially crossing my fingers that the fixes hold.
THE LOOK OF LOUD: CHOOSING THE PERFECT LIVERY FOR THE HONDA BEAT
The wrap designs are officially on the table. A 1,600-pound JDM go-kart painted in Carnival Yellow demands a loud personality. From iconic blue-and-yellow Spoon Sports splits to aggressive Mugen geometry, here are the three racing liveries battling it out for the Beat—and I need your help picking the winner.
SIZING UP THE MENACE: HOW SMALL IS THE HONDA BEAT? (SPOILER: IT DWARFS THE FIATA)
Think a Miata is small? Think again. When you park a 1991 Honda Beat next to a modern Fiat 124 Spider, the laws of automotive perspective completely break down. Here is a look at the hilarious reality of JDM kei car dimensions, and why scaling down means dialing the fun all the way up.
PINT-SIZED PANDEMONIUM: WHY THE HONDA BEAT IS THE ULTIMATE ANTI-MODERN ANTIDOTE
The ultimate anti-modern antidote has arrived. Forget heavy hybrid SUVs and numb touchscreens—this 1991 Honda Beat is a mid-engine, naturally aspirated, 8,500 rpm screaming JDM go-kart. Here is why Soichiro Honda’s final masterpiece is the most fun you can have on four wheels.
THE MIATA FROM HELL: BOOGER COOKIE TAKES BOZEMAN
Forget the "hairdresser" stereotypes—this 1990s roadster has been resurrected for the apocalypse. Between the massive 32-inch mud terrains, the rugged external exoskeleton, and a custom flatbed that proudly bears the name "Booger Cookie," this NB Miata from Hell is built for pure chaos. It’s a Mad Max-inspired masterpiece that proves one thing: I bet this guy parties.
THE PLASTIC REVOLUTION: TOYOTA’S LATEST FASHION SHOW
An old man’s take on why a 14-inch tablet and "stealthy" gray paint can’t replace the soul of a real truck. From Everest green to Underground gray, see why I’m sticking with my 80 Series while the rest of the world buys glorified calculators.
VIEW FROM THE TOP: CARSPOTTING AT HELL’S GATE
Experience the high-stakes theater of Hell’s Gate at Cruise Moab 2026. From the legendary "built not bought" 60 Series Land Cruiser of the Sons of Smokey crew to the absolute madman piloting a JDM Kei truck up the V-notch, the carspotting at the overlook proved that tire placement—and a little bit of guts—is everything.
The Red Rock Doppelgänger: A Solid-Axle Legend Found in the Wild
Spotted in Moab: A factory-supercharged 1st Gen Xterra that’s a dead ringer for my brother’s rig, but with a "JOOP" twist. From grocery store chases to the mystery of its rotating ownership, this solid-axle-swapped unicorn was too clean to ignore in the desert sun
NOT YOUR AVERAGE GARDENER’S TRUCK: THE JDM HILUX SLEEPER
Don't let the modest white paint fool you. This genuine JDM Hilux is a "technical" sleeper, featuring a full solid axle swap, reinforced frame, and blue-ringed beadlocks. It’s an indestructible fourth-gen build that’s only missing one thing: a place to mount the machine gun.
THE ZIP-TIE ZIPPER: HOW WE SAVED A 60-SERIES WITH RATCHET STRAPS
When you're miles into the trail and your steering fails, you don't call a tow truck—you reach for the gear bag. After Kristian’s 1989 Land Cruiser snapped its drag link, we had to rely on "trail engineering" involving heavy-duty zip ties and ratchet straps. Here is how we managed to limp a 60-Series back to Whitehall with a turning radius that was more of a suggestion than a command.
THE TOP-DOWN CLUB: DOWNTOWN DRIFTING AND THE GERMAN LS
Spotted: A classic Mercedes R107 SL-Class in downtown Bozeman that breaks every rule in the book. From studded snow tires in the spring to a straight-piped V8 that sounds suspiciously like an American swap, this convertible is pure Montana chaos. When you're in the club, you park next to the other tops-down—IYKYK.
THE HANDBRAKE HUSTLE: FJ45s AND THE PARKING BRAKE PARADOX
Old steel, seasoned hands, and the ultimate Land Cruiser equalizer: the parking brake. While watching a group of masters wrench on a pair of weathered FJ45s in the Moab dust, I realized that whether you’re driving a vintage workhorse or a modern 80 Series, some mechanical gremlins never change.
The Six-Figure Dirt Habit
My eyes say "Portal Axles," but my bank account says "OEM floor mats." I’m walking the floor at Cruise Moab 2026 and trying to decide which of these six-figure builds is worth the financial ruin. From LX700s on portals to 200 Series on 40s, here’s why I’m officially living in "Delulu-Land."
Cruise Moab 2026: The High-Angle Highlights
From massive wheel stands on the 3D Trail to the white-knuckle fins of Hell’s Revenge, these are the 'money shots' from Cruise Moab 2026. Featuring the best of the slickrock rollercoaster and a massive shoutout to the crews at Overland Cruisers and Cruisers and Company.
THE SHAKEDOWN RUN: SHOCKS, SPRINGS, AND A DASH OF REVENUE FLATS CHAOS
New shocks, old friends, and questionable speeds. We took the Land Cruiser out to the Tobacco Roots to shake down the new Dobinsons setup. Between dodging Angas’s Land Rover "photo bombs," keeping the dogs warm in the Montana chill, and discovering that 80 MPH on gravel feels a lot like a rally stage, it was a hell of a weekend. From the dive-bar charm of the Pony Bar to the precision rock-stacking at Potosi Hot Springs, here’s how the rig handled the dirt.
The Ghost of 1989: Why Joe’s Mazda is Giving Me Major Hardbody FOMO
Looking at Joe’s Mazda mini truck parked there, I didn't just see a clean build; I saw a literal time machine. It’s got that stance—that specific, "I can haul a couch or a dirt bike, but I’d rather just cruise" energy—that hit me right in the nostalgia. Specifically, it took me straight back to my old Nissan Hardbody D21.
If you weren't around for the late 80s and early 90s, it’s hard to explain how much the mini truck scene defined "cool." Seeing Joe’s rig, I could almost hear the faint hiss of a cassette tape and smell the high-octane scent of a Montana morning. It was "Genuine for '89," and a reminder that when it comes to style, you should always bet on black
Payload of a Backpack: Why This Lifted Smart Car is Pure Chaos
It’s a lift kit, chunky tires, and a winch that wouldn’t pull a tooth—all on a car that looks like a tactical blueberry. This lifted Smart Car has the payload capacity of a backpack and enough audacity to stare down a Land Cruiser. Is it capable? No. Is it legendary? Absolutely.
The Budweiser Special: A 2.3L Lima Powered '32 Ford
A raw 1932 Ford Model A build that proves you don’t need a V8 or a massive budget to have soul—just a 2.3L Mustang engine, some boat seats, and a Budweiser can.
High-Dollar Hype vs. Junkyard Jewels: A Week of Boost and Custom Builds
From high-dollar custom buggies with front-and-rear steer to a "Mighty Max" Frankenstein build featuring a Chevy V8 and Dodge axles, this week was a masterclass in off-road creativity. Plus, we take the Mitsubishi Mini Pajero out for a spin to hear its "asthma inhaler" turbo noises and check in on the Blue Rover—which is still better at draining bank accounts than climbing rocks.