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BIG BALLS

You gotta have 'em to drive like this…

WORDS BY MARK ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBB COX

Smooth paintwork, detailed engine bay and an oh-so-clean underbody - Liam Quigley of BBM (Big Balls Motorsport) may well have one of the neatest-looking Suzuki Sierras on the block, but don’t for one second think it’s destined for the Summernats or the local show ‘n’ shine. No way, Liam’s Zook has been built with some of the strongest, most 4WD-usable gear on offer.

Although Liam does keep the chequerplated Zook immaculately presented, he’s not fazed by throwing it at impossible rock cliffs, mud holes or dusty 4WD tracks. Regular washing and hours of painstaking polishing are the go after every time he goes for a play.

You see, during the week Liam has the Zook parked at his shop front as a mobile display for all the hardcore gear he sells. So, if you’re hankering to build your own tough 4WD, of any breed, drop into BBM at Kings Park in Sydney, or give him a buzz on (02) 9679 9744.

This modified Zook delves far deeper than just big wheels and a high-horsepower engine, though. All up, it stands 14in higher, 20in wider and 11in longer than a stocker and is fully engineered to run on 35in rubber. It takes a long, detailed drool to fully realise the veiled work that has gone into the long-term build-up.

Liam was adamant that this was not going to be a ‘trailer job’. It had to remain street legal, but be capable of tackling the hairiest of tracks. I’d say that the only thing Liam has missed out on is the ability to take the wife and tin lids on holidays in his 4WD, but hey, who said anything about sharing your toys?

Liam has performed much of the work on the 4WD as you see it here, though being in the industry he does have access to a hell of a lot of other warped minds to lend a hand when needed. The combination of his intimate knowledge of 4WDs, understanding of what works out on the tracks and actual first-hand use of the gear he sells has enabled him to build what may well be our most highly modified Suzuki to date. This proves that perhaps bigger is better, but it’s still how you use it that counts!

DRIVELINE
Not content to let the ‘stocko’ powerplant spin the larger-diameter treads, Liam has opted for a 1600cc Suzuki Baleno 16-valve engine complete with a steel crank, custom cam, pocket port and modified sump. An airflow snorkel is responsible for feeding the air to the modified engine, while a set of custom extractors and a 2in mandrel-bent stainless exhaust system rid the fumes.

Liam has spent a billion and one (well, nearly) hours under the bonnet of his Zook on both the looks department and go-fast gear.

Fuel delivery to the engine is a mix-match of a few different pumps to help squeeze out that last ounce of performance. A Holley Blue pump sends fuel to a Holley regulator, which is then stored in a catch can, to a Commodore Turbo VL pump to a Malpassi rising-rate regulator and then (at long last) into the throttle body. Every line is braided, with Earl’s fittings, and a newton cap, dual filters and rollover valves have been fitted.Helping inject extra life - albeit in short bursts - is a nitrous-oxide fogger system just for good measure. A modified VL Commodore radiator has been squeezed between the chassis rails to keep the whole show cool.

Backing up the engine is a Sierra five-speed box (complete with Sidchrome 32mm spanner shifters) with a Centerforce clutch, which is held in place with a custom-fabricated wraparound cradle. A modified transfer case with Series 4 Rockhopper gears, which provides 6.49:1 ratios giving 185-percent reduction in low-range, makes easy work of turning the 35in Boggers that are wrapped around American Eagle alloy rims. Custom tailshafts utilising longer F350 slip joints, double cardan joints and heavy-duty unis ensure that the extra-long flex and increased driveline angles resulting from the worked suspension don’t cause havoc while out tackling the toughest terrain.

Diffs of choice are a combination of all things tough. Narrowed and strengthened Dana 44s, courtesy of an International Scout, have been packed with 30-spline heavy-duty axles, 5.89 diff gears, Chev K10 flat-top outer knuckles and rotated inners. ARB Air Lockers have also been fitted to ensure solid drive to all four treads and a front diff-guard fitted to help protect the whole package.

SUSPENSION
Many years of R&D have gone into this leaf-sprung Suzuki. The whole system has morphed several times to eventually (Yeah right, as if Liam won’t change it again) come up with a system that provides incredibly long flex off-road, while still maintaining a fair degree of driveability while on the blacktop. A spring-over conversion has been carried out utilising rear Tough Dog 50mm springs on the front. Front CJ Jeep springs - albeit longer with changed camber, centre pins repositioned and Johnny Joints slotted into the spring eyes on the rear - form the basis of the set-up.

Pin-able Missing Link shackles - again, modified for a different throw - help increase the suspension droop off-road. Controlling the leaf springs is a set of nine-stage adjustable Tough Dog shocks fitted to custom mounts, with an in-cab digital adjuster. All shocks have had grease nipples fitted. The front end of Liam’s Zook features wide-track specs, while the arse has narrow-track specs to allow greater articulation. A custom torque bar has been fabricated with 1in rod ends to control the massive drive the engine transmits through to the rubber.

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