Custom Jeep Cherokee with a Turbo HEMI V8
This Jeep Cherokee is owned and built by Greg Huizenga. He started the project in 2010 when he decided to take a 1983 Jeep Cherokee WT body and install it over a 1971 Chevrolet C-10 chassis. The frame was shortened 17″ to give it a 110″ wheelbase. The body had to be notched in a few locations to clear the chassis.
One of the first planned engines was going to be an AMC 401 V8 with an Indy 401-3 intake, Ford Motorsports 80 lb injectors all controlled by a Megasquirt ECU. Backing that up would be a built TH400 and Ford 8.8 rear end with 4.10 gears.
At the end of 2012 Greg switched from building it for drag racing to building it for road racing and autocross.
The next engine choice was a 454 V8 built by Herman Lewis. The motor came with a 4″ Moldex crank, Hemi Adkins heads, solid roller, Mondello flexplate, HLR intake, and C&S Dominator carb. This combo produced 712 horsepower on a dyno.
Greg settled on using a 5.7 L Gen 3 HEMI V8 sourced from a 2010 Dodge Challenger RT. This was connected to the factory TR6060 six-speed transmission taken from the same Challenger.
The 5.7 L HEMI produces 375 horsepower from the factory but Greg wanted more. So he installed a Bullseye S366 turbocharger which should help the engine produce around 500 horsepower to the wheels on a modest 5 psi of boost.
Making sure the power gets to the ground will be a custom driveshaft from The Driveshaft Shop and a Moser 9″ full floater rear end.
The steering rack was taken from a 2004 Dodge Ram V8 4×4 truck. This allowed for a quicker ratio and works with the HEMI’s high pressure steering pump. The steering shaft was made from a 1973 Jeep column and a 1979 Jeep shaft.
After six years of hard work Greg is finally able to enjoy driving it. I am sure the Cherokee keeps a permanent smile on his face and turns heads everywhere it goes.
