"Extreme MV wheelin" in Las Cruces NM....

[M920]

I know, I know...... this is NOT an MV event, but I thought that you guys might like a few pic anyway....

So last Tuesday, Sarah and I loaded up the "RV" (M920A1) and traveled to Las Cruces New Mexico, for the annual Rock Crawl event called the "Chilli Challenge"
It was nice to get out of the snow and cold for a few days and southern New Mexico was rewarding us with awesome weather!
Some of the trails are pretty difficult and will certainly put a vehicle to the test, but luckily I had the advantage of a expert driver for the Scorpion, and she managed the navigate the tough obstacles with ease......she even found time to sun-bathe a little, while waiting for other vehicles to move ahead.

There where three Scorpions attending the event, the original Mk1 and my Cummins powered Mk2, both prototypes and built as Military demos and then one "civilian" Mk4.

We also had lots of opportunities to check out other rigs and designs.

This is really a neat annual event and offers trails rides anywhere from "mild" to "extreme", so it would be awesome to see more MVs attend in the future!

Soni

 

[gimpyrobb]

Nice. No sweat shirts?! You guys SUCK!

 

[FMJ]

Why wasn't I notified!!!!

Maybe next year. . .

 

[M920]

here are a few more.....

 

[Wolf.Dose]

This event does not look like siutable for standard MV, however, the modifications make very good impression to me from the technical point of view!
Wolf

 

[dozer1]

You guys must have an awful lot of fun climbing those mountains,,,,I mean rocks

 

[M920]

This event does not look like siutable for standard MV, however, the modifications make very good impression to me from the technical point of view!
Wolf

No worries....as I pointed out above, you can choose the type of trail that you want to subject your vehicle to.
There are plenty of "mild" to "moderate" trail rides available to the MV owner and would be lots of fun for the whole family

Just look up the pics on the Las Cruces Four Wheelers website.....

Soni

 

[FMJ]

No worries....as I pointed out above, you can choose the type of trail that you want to subject your vehicle to.
There are plenty of "mild" to "moderate" trail rides available to the MV owner and would be lots of fun for the whole family

Just look up the pics on the Las Cruces Four Wheelers website.....

Soni

Do you have a link?

I'm local and have never heard of this. . .

Nevermind, found it

 

[Bighurt]

Looks like fun...one of these days I build my own Scorpion although I don't plan to call it that for copyright reason...LOL

Thanks for the random female photo op...Nice!

I wish I had vacations...

 

[Wolf.Dose]

I think I newer will go there, it is too far away from Germany!
Wolf

 

[swampzr2]

That rig flexes Crazy!!! Nice wheelin pics, and I think you may have some good material for the MV calender!!!


What is that rig? Post up some details about it. Very cool!

 

[mcmullag]

No M920 photos in this set?

In pic 6 showing the rear articulation....where is the springs or shocks? Is it just a torsion bar back there are sumthin? Just curious. Thanks for posting the pics.

 

[Bighurt]

In pic 6 showing the rear articulation....where is the springs or shocks? Is it just a torsion bar back there are sumthin? Just curious. Thanks for posting the pics.

I'm not sure how Soni's Mk-I and Mk-II are setup but I believe the current production by Preferred Chassis uses a cantilever suspension of sorts.

Don't quote me on that I've never seen one in person...

Still deciding if I want to spend the 87k or just attempt to build one...

 

[Bighurt]

I found this pic, early version.

However you can see how the triangulated rear end is positioned between two airbags. This allows the amazing articulation while still keeping your backbone in one piece.

Think about the rear end as being a bikes swingarm...

 

[unclemikey]

That is some very fine looking iron you guys got there.

 

[M920]

I'm not sure how Soni's Mk-I and Mk-II are setup but I believe the current production by Preferred Chassis uses a cantilever suspension of sorts.

Don't quote me on that I've never seen one in person...

Still deciding if I want to spend the 87k or just attempt to build one...

Jeremy,

Yeah....the cantilever suspension has been basically the same on the Mk1 and Mk2, just as it is in the pic you found and as in todays current production Scorpions.
The unique suspension design not only lets it articulate over obsticles with ease but it also makes it corner like a sports car when on the highway, with practically no body roll.....

Soni

 

[Bighurt]

Jeremy,

Yeah....the cantilever suspension has been basically the same on the Mk1 and Mk2, just as it is in the pic you found and as in todays current production Scorpions.
The unique suspension design not only lets it articulate over obsticles with ease but it also makes it corner like a sports car when on the highway, with practically no body roll.....

Soni

Didn't mean to step on any toes but I've been a fan of the Scorpion since I saw it back in the late 90's. Weird that I began following your work here because I love you M920, should have seen my face when I figured out you designed the Scorpion.

I'm probably one of your biggest fans...

Yes the suspension would allow tight cornering, in fact forumla 1 cars use a version of cantilever suspension for that very same reason. Althought your design and formula 1 are two different animals they share the same concept. Which is a suspension system where wheel travel is a factor greater than that of the sprung or shock portion.

There are parts of the Scorpion, I didn't like conceptually in my head but these are all environmental concerns. My goal has always been to design a vehicle that can go everywhere. As I see it the Scorpion class truck meets all those requirements except extreme cold temperature.

I have a notebook full of questions I formed if I had ever meet the designer, hopefully one of these days I can sit down and pick your brain.

Thanks

 

[jesusgatos]

Yeah, the Scorpion! That thing started it all. Launched the whole tube-chassis rock crawler thing that one vehicle right there.

 

[jesusgatos]

Soni

****, I never made the connection. You are THE Soni. Wow, cool. The vehicles you built were some of my biggest design influences when I started building off-road vehicles. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[Bogibar]

Nice hardware and software!