John Dallaire's A Jay Excavating Class 8
byMichael Flores

John Dallaire's class 8 A Jay Excavating Ford F150 has been put through it's paces. Originally equipped with quarter elliptical springs and regular coil springs, it has been brought into the modern era by master fabricator Mike Normile. One of the most well thought out race vehicles in existence today, a quick glance at the truck nets the same reaction as just about any other race truck. A couple I beams here, chromoly trailing arms there, typical V8 sound. However, looking closer, one is able to realize the affinity Mike has for perfection and his attention to detail.

Normile meticulously crafted a set of race-worthy I beams and radius arms out of 4130 chromoly steel, having the foresight to ensure that every aspect of the alignment could be adjusted on the fly. Camber can be adjusted on the truck simply by adjusting a heim joint on the beam. Castor can be adjusted by re-positioning spacer shims on the beam end. His uniquely designed I beams also allow the truck to be "rear steered" (the steering tie rod actually runs through the radius arm and attaches to the rear of the spindle, reducing the force placed on the steering components under load). The handling characteristics of the vehicle can also be changed without major modification. The lower trailing arms have adjustable pivot points built off the frame, allowing the anti-squat to be changed based on course conditions. The rear anti-sway bar can be tightened by changing which hole the link is bolted through, eliminating the need for multiple torsion bars. Another seemingly odd component of the rear suspension is the A-arm attached hydraulic bumpstop. Rather than have the bump pad welded directly to the rear end's housing (which eventually caves in the pad and bends the rear end's axle tubes) the bumpstop is mounted off an A-arm, which allows for a more progressive final compression stage, and reduces the rate at which force is applied to the rear end housing through the upper stages of travel.

The details don't end there. The fuel cell is a custom built unit, another of Mike's creations on the truck. The rear differential has a fabricated shield to keep rocks and flying dirt from puncturing the seals on the third member. A lowrance GPS keeps Dallaire on course through the dust, while the co-driver relays vital information through the PCI intercom. Goodyear tires put the power to the ground, while King Shocks provide the dampening.

Rumor has it this truck is for sale, and John may be ready to enter the upper echelons of desert racing. This remains to be seen, but we'll wait patiently to see the next high tech beast John unleashes on the desert.