When I first read that, I thought: how can they buy a trail Jeep if they went over the budget? Then the light bulb went on... you mean you looked over the budget.

I had a mud racer years ago. It was a '56 Willies high hood with a 'Vette LT1, irrigation circle pivot bar-tread tires, (i.e. "tractor" tires) Saginaw racing clutch, etc. etc. The only drag was having to trailer it everywhere because is was certainly NOT road legal. There were pretty much zero creature comforts either, but then again, a serious trail rig seldom have any luxuries.

They can be fun to build. Mine didn't have a windshield, the frame had wire mesh to break up the incoming dirt clods and mud balls. The radiator was behind the seats up on the roll cage. And, for that matter, it was about 85% roll cage, and 15% original Jeep. I had military sealed ignition and a snorkel. I would literally drown before it would because the snorkel intake was above my head. I need to scan the old 35mm photos and post them here someday soon.