Family Affair: In The Heat Of The Extreme Build

Last time we talked to Matt Christian he was just getting started on his new four-door family off-road vehicle. We recently had a chance to catch back up with him and see how the build was going, and see how close the vehicle is to being competition ready for the June 3-5 Mountain Havoc Off-Road Truck Competition in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Matt like us is building a Chevy Colorado named Money Pit 2.0, GMC Canyon in our case, truck to take the extreme off-road elements. Even though they are being built for two completely different types of off-roading it is hard to argue the end goal of going out and enjoying the trails.

We had the chance to talk to Matt and find out how close he really is to finishing the build. “Been a lot of long hours. Been working on the truck from one to four in the morning, and then going to work at eight, but it will be finished. I need to be pulling out of the driveway midnight of June 1st to make it to Idaho in time,” Matt told us.

Since we last spoke to Matt a lot has been done on the truck. “The frame was completed as well as the cage. Everything was sent over to paint, and has been reassembled expect for the cage. Now I am putting on the Steerco pump and all the plumbing and wiring,” Matt said.

“I hope to be installing the 18-inch ORI shocks by the end of the week, and be pulling the truck out of the shop on Sunday or Monday. Everything has gone together pretty nicely. There are a few things I would change or add if I was doing it again, but it has come down to the point where it has to stay where it is because I do not have the time to change anything,” Matt laughed.

Building an extreme vehicle like this everything has to be custom made which adds time, and time in a build with a deadline is never something you can have to much of. Matt has done this before and know what it takes to build a vehicle that can withstand the abuse.

“The motor is all fixed up now. We got it on the dyno in the donor truck and it put down 535 horsepower to the wheel. The motor will get one final tune by Josh West at 208 Motorsports once the truck gets to Idaho, but it fine tuned by the seat of the pants,” Matt explained.

We asked Matt about the color he chose for the truck to see if it represented or stood for anything. “The green was chosen since it was the color of the first Money Pit project I built. It did well so I figured I would do it again,” Matt said.

“The light at the end of the tunnel is there, but it is not very bright. I will make the deadline one way or another,” Matt said. There is still has plenty of work ahead: building a center console, mount shifters, and rear steer.

We cannot wait to see this truck on the ground and on all fours, this truck will be a beast on the trail. We will catch back up with Matt after Mountain Havoc to see how the truck performed at the event and hopefully speak to him with a first place trophy.