1. What is your full name?

William Clifford Johnston… but you get a quicker response if you call me ‘Bill’.

2. Where were you born?

I was born an Army brat in Augusta, Georgia. But we moved long before I can remember anything from that area.

3. How old are you?

Just turned 40, but as the seasons turn – there are mornings when my joints feel every bit of 80.

4. Any brother’s or sister’s?

I have one sister, she lives on the east coast where they actually have changes in the weather…

5. Where do you currently live?

Deep in the desert southwest. El Paso is a place where Texas and New Mexico meet old Mexico. The trails in this area will spoil ya…

6. Where do you work?

I work for a large automotive component (OEM) manufacturing company that makes all the wiring and connectors you see under your dashboards.

7. What do you do there?

I work in the computer department, fixing, replacing and installing everything from mice to servers.

8. Do you have a nick name that you go by?

I have been known to on the ‘net’ for many years as ‘Billjohn’, but have been known to answer to ‘Hey You!’.

9. How long have you been into the sport of off-roading?

I started running the trails with my local club back in 1995. I had a bone stock Samurai, but they taught me how to ‘use’ what I had. It was like learning how to drive all over again. They showed me that finesse will get you farther than horsepower.

10. Who or what first got you interested in the sport?

I saw some interesting articles on the net about folks that had built some upgrades for their Zooks. Back then most of the upgrades had to be built on your own, there were very few aftermarket distributors for Suzuki vehicles back then.

11. Are you involved in any off-road club’s, and if so what is the name of your club?

I have been a member of the Sun Country Jeep Club here in El Paso for many years now. The main requirement to join the club is to own a 4x4 vehicle you can take out to the trails, not necessarily a Jeep. As a matter of fact, there was a time when there were more Samurai’s in the club than Jeep products… In our case, I think ‘Jeep’ is more of an action verb than a noun.

12. What is the year, make, and model of your current off-road 4x4?

I have two, actually. My daily driver has seen many of the light trails in our area. It is a blue 88.5 Suzuki Samurai that I am trying to keep as stock looking as possible. Just look past the 31’s and the lifted springs. I drove that one out to the ZookiMelt last year. You may have seen it parked at the registration area. My trail vehicle is a white 92 EFI Samurai. It is always in a state of constant change.

13. How long have you had your Trail Zook?

I bought it used, but in mint condition back in 1994.

14. Why did you choose this particular 4x4?

I used to run a hopped-up Dodge Charger all over town, but had to find something that guzzeled fuel at a slower speed. The Charger was fast, and I had the tickets to prove it. I also wanted something that wasn’t as much of a ‘law enforcement magnet’. I found the Samurai and it served both purposes. The fact that it had a transfer case was an added benefit. So that’s what? Dumb luck? I have been more than happy with it for the last 10 years.

15. Was this your first off-road 4x4?

Yup. I hadn’t planned to do anything extreme with it, after all – it ‘just’ was a Samurai. But that was before I really found out just how capable these machines really were.

16. What’s the scariest moment you’ve ever had off-roading?

My family went camping a lot in the Gila National Forest. I would take the Samurai so I could explore the Forest Service fire roads and such. There really isn’t any place up there to do any legal ‘off-roading’, but I was content. I found a two-track that led up to one of the mountain tops, but I didn’t notice how off camber the trail had become until the tires started to gently slide off the mountain. The passenger side rocker caught a stump next to the road and kept me from going over. I wasn’t as scared of the possibility of the roll as I was in the fact that I was away from camp alone and without any way of calling back to camp for help. Ever since that day I have been a firm believer in never wheeling alone and always having the proper equipment for the trail you are taking.

17. What was the funniest?

The funniest actually happens on a recurring basis. Picture this – Traveling a trail with a bunch of strangers in much larger rigs, each having put way more money into their rig than they want to admit. They have major problems with an obstacle but won’t listen to suggestions. And then you drive through with a Samurai and a smile. It doesn’t ALWAYS happen that way, but when it does the looks on their faces are well worth it.

18. What have you learned from the sport that you can apply to your everyday life?

Most people are good-hearted, and will lend a hand. Striving to be that kind of person sets a good precedent for others to follow. But while it is good to jump in and help out, be smart enough to know when you should step back and stay out of the way.

19. When did you first get the idea for iZook?

Actually, iZook is the brainchild of our publisher Larry Harris. His idea of an online magazine that would be consistently updated with new articles and component news was something that many people thought needed to be done. And he put together the people to do just that. I started just as a graphics editor and now I wear the Managing Editor t-shirt.

20. If you could sit down and talk to anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

I would really like to meet the person that was responsible for keeping the Samurai available here in the US for as long as it was. I now understand what Suzuki went through (and is still going through with the case going before the Supreme Court in October) after the travesty of a vehicle review by Consumers Union in the late 80’s. I know they hung on for as long as they could until they had to discontinue the model line after 1995. I would like to shake the hand of the person that still kept the model alive. Without that person, it would be even harder to find a decent Samurai to play with.

21. What was the name of the last book you read?

Harry Potter; The Order of the Phoenix. My family got me hooked on that series.

22. What was the last movie that you watched?

Second Hand Lions. It was a great movie and it showed that you can’t always make up your mind on first impressions. Kind of makes one want a biplane as a retirement project…

23. What is your favorite style of music?

Almost anything, really. I used to have a CD changer in the white Zook when I used it as a daily driver. I would have everything from Mozart to AC-DC to Garth Brooks to Tubular Bells loaded up in there. The reaction I got at traffic lights ranged from head bobbing to scowls, but you could just hear the necks snapping around when the CD changed and a completely different genre of music came out. Priceless.

24. When your not off-roading, or working, how do you like to spend your time?

Mostly, I just spend time my family. Both of my children are teenagers now, and I don’t want to miss anything as they grow up.

25. If I gave you a plane ticket to visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Australia. I would love to do a wheeling trip into the outback. I’ve had some offers from some of our readers ‘ down under’, but unless I hit the lottery sometime soon it will continue to be just a dream.

26. Name someplace that you have visited that you would love to visit again.

Moab. A word that sends chills up the spine of any OHV enthusiast that has ever read a magazine article or seen a video about the trails there. I went once a few years ago, and I plan to return when I get a trailer and tow vehicle… the drive up and back (in the trail rig) is not one I want to repeat too often.

27. If you could give one piece of advice to any future off-road enthusiasts, what would it be?

Speak softly and wheel with grace. You don’t have to have the biggest, loudest, meanest rig on the trail to get through the trails. If someone has a $50K rig and they have problems with an obstacle, don’t talk trash to them. Don’t say a word. When you make it through the obstacle just smile and get out to help the next driver through. That alone will speak volumes about the capabilities of the Suzuki and the driver.

Bill, thank you for your time, and you are now...off the hot seat!