When I was a teenager we use to go camping and off-roading in whatever POS vehicle we had at our disposal. None were 4wd.

I imagine I could have quite a bit of fun with a 2wd Jeep with a rear locker, excellent tires, and decent ground clearance (features that none of my first cars had).

 

A thought occurred to me. I understand the itch to fiddle with a car. As a teenager I couldn't leave my Camaro alone, always doing something to it. Trying to make it better.

You have received some excellent advice so far about wheeling a 2WD, but let me suggest another route. There are some excellent examples of a 2WD setup to autocross on the forum. I say lower it and put some 17s with sticky street tires on it. Done right, they look good. From my reading (no experience) they perform well.

 

Yeah, the same here.....those old teenage days! lol
This taught me a lesson back in the day wheeling in mud with my '57 Plymouth flat head 6 with open rear diff. of course.

Out in no man's land one day with one of my buddies.
We went down this dirt road ok until i came across a large mud puddle engulfing the road side to side.
As i recall the puddle was maybe a 100 foot long. Gunned that 'ol 6 banger and went for it.
Ended up hopelessly stuck in mud up to both axles.

It was like being stranded in a river.
Finally had to walk all the way back to my buddies home...(no cells in those days) to get his dad to pull us out.
What'n the @#$&^*$(&%^% hell did you dumb $&^ kids do now? Not a fun day.

Lesson learned fortunately or unfortunately.
Til this day i'm always overly cautious about any kind of water crosssings even with my 4x4's.