When you think of a shop that builds high-end off-road machines, your mind probably goes straight to race trucks blasting through Baja or rock crawlers clawing up Moab’s nastiest ledges. But at BC Customs, the customer base is anything but typical—they build purpose-built tactical vehicles for none other than the U.S. Special Forces.

Behind the Scenes with Cole and Sky Johnson

Cole and Sky Johnson, both key players at BC Customs, recently gave us a tour of their one-of-a-kind facility. This isn’t your average fab shop. It’s where some of the world’s most capable light tactical vehicles are born—vehicles that are just as comfortable in a warzone as they are in the middle of a desert race.

Sky laid it out straight: “Our background is in rock crawling and desert racing. The military side kind of is… the day job.” And what a job it is. Over the past decade, BC Customs has delivered more than 400 specialized rigs to the U.S. military. These aren’t your average Humvees. We’re talking lightweight, tubular-chassis vehicles engineered to be transported inside or even dropped from military aircraft.

Racing Roots, Battlefield Proof

Sky explained how their racing experience feeds directly into their military builds. “We use the racing as a test bed for the military side,” he said. These off-road torture tests include the brutal Baja 1000 and King of the Hammers—grueling proving grounds where only the strongest tech survives. If it holds up there, it’s tough enough for deployment.

During our walkthrough, the Johnsons showcased one of their builds designed specifically to fit in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. That’s no easy feat. And here’s where things get wild—their flagship vehicles boast a 1:1 payload-to-weight ratio. That means a 4,000-pound rig can carry 4,000 pounds of gear. That’s military-grade performance with race-proven DNA.

Top-Shelf Components, Built to Survive Special Forces Use

Every rig that rolls out of BC Customs is loaded with premium parts, many of which come from small, U.S.-based manufacturers. We’re talking SpiderTrax axles, RCV CV joints, and Fox shocks—all names familiar to hardcore wheelers.

One standout feature is the use of 74 Weld portal hubs. These portals are a true 1:1 setup, with no gear reduction, which means they bolt directly to the vehicle’s existing hubs without needing complex drivetrain mods. That kind of simplicity is gold when reliability in the field is non-negotiable.

Under the hood, things get even more interesting. Power comes from a militarized 2.8L Cummins diesel engine, the result of a 10-year co-development effort between BC Customs and Cummins. It’s mated to a built all-hydraulic Turbo 350 transmission, built tough to handle extreme abuse. According to Johnson, they’ve put this engine “through all sorts of beatings” to guarantee it won’t flinch under pressure.

Not Just Toys—These Are Tools For Special Forces Warfighters

Make no mistake—these aren’t garage-built play rigs. These are battle-ready machines purpose-built to be air-dropped into conflict zones, then drive straight into action. They’re a high-tech fusion of desert racing heritage and military-grade engineering.

BC Customs proves that the skills honed in the heat of off-road competition can create some of the toughest vehicles on the planet. It’s a masterclass in how hardcore enthusiast know-how is directly saving lives and changing the game for special forces operations teams around the world.