Why This Vintage-Inspired 650HP Off-Roader Is Turning Heads Everywhere

Tim Odell from Vice Unlimited isn’t just building another off-road rig - he’s crafting something that bridges the gap between hot rod artistry and serious wheeling capability. The Trophy T represents everything cool about the grassroots side of our sport, where creativity trumps checkbook builds and ingenuity beats buying your way to the top.

Walking around this machine, you immediately notice the 1946 Diamond T 404 sheetmetal that gives the build its name. While most of those 73 year-old panels have been massaged and modified, Odell preserved enough of the original character to make this thing unmistakably vintage. The cab got stretched forward eight inches because, as any tall wheeler knows, being cramped behind the wheel kills the fun factor fast.

But don’t let the classic looks fool you - this thing packs serious heat. Nestled behind the cab sits a turbocharged 364ci LQ4 that’s pushing 650 horses through an ON3 Performance turbo setup. The motor features forged internals, a Sloppy Mechanics Stage 2 cam, and runs a dry sump system pulled from NASCAR parts bins. That Chinese air-to-water intercooler might not be Odell’s favorite component, but it gets the job done while keeping the package compact.

The real engineering magic happens underneath. Up front, Odell fabricated a custom 9" differential housing that tucks neatly into his independent front suspension design. Those HMMWV portal boxes weren’t exactly plug-and-play with the long-travel A-arms, requiring serious fab work to make everything play nice together. The ground clearance they provide makes the effort worthwhile, even if brake clearance becomes an issue with 17" wheels.

Out back, things get even more interesting. The Corporate 14 bolt rear axle got flipped upside-down to correct the rotation direction for the mid-engine layout. This creates a high-pinion setup that’s great for clearance but potentially problematic for lubrication. Odell’s solution? A belt-driven gear pump that keeps oil flowing to the pinion bearings - a trick borrowed from NASCAR that most wheelers never see.

The suspension setup delivers serious travel through clever geometry. Both front and rear shocks mount midway along their respective control arms, effectively doubling the wheel travel compared to the shock stroke. Fox 2.5 coilovers paired with bypass shocks should handle everything from technical rock sections to high-speed desert runs.

What really sets this build apart is the attention to detail throughout. Every weld is TIG’d to perfection, the chassis uses 1 3/4" DOM tubing, and the cab can be completely removed from the frame if needed. The interior features a Holley 12.3" ProDash and iPad-controlled Ride Controller system that handles most of the vehicle’s functions digitally.

Odell’s approach to the build process offers valuable lessons for anyone tackling a major project. Instead of getting overwhelmed by the scope, he broke everything down into manageable chunks. First came the cardboard template to map out suspension geometry and component placement. Then individual subsystems got built one at a time - frame rails, differential housing, suspension mounting points, and so on.

The 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers on Hutchinson Rock Monster double-beadlocks complete the package. Odell specifically chose the Trail Grapplers for their dual-purpose capability since this rig sees plenty of street time between trail adventures.

This isn’t just another Ultra4 car or weekend trail toy. The Trophy T represents the kind of thinking that made our sport great - taking available parts, applying creative engineering, and building something that performs beyond what the budget suggests. Odell’s willingness to scrap the front end and start over when the first attempt didn’t work shows the kind of commitment required for builds like this.

For more details on the Trophy T and other Vice Unlimited projects, check out their work at Vice Unlimited or their Insta at @viceunlimited. This build proves that with enough creativity and determination, you can create something that stands out in a world full of cookie-cutter rigs.