Each year, This year Jeep and Mopar marked the occasion by returning to the annual event with six new customised vehicles. Jeep and Mopar had a large display in the centre of downtown Moab during the Safari with these and a number of other customised vehicles on exhibition, including the previously introduced Jeep Grand Cherokee Off-road Edition, Jeep Wrangler Mayhem, Jeep Wrangler Immortal, Mopar Camper Trailer, Jeep Wrangler Tan Man, Jeep Wrangler "The General" and a fully dressed military version of the Jeep Wrangler J-8 with turret and passenger mounted-machine guns. The primary focus in the development of Pork Chop was to increase Jeep Wrangler’s off-road fun and performance even more through extensive weight savings. The project started with a new 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sport. Weight savings began with removal of a long list of items, including: doors, top, tailgate, bumpers, carpet and sway bars. Body modifications began with removing the rear tailgate hinges and latches and creating a custom surround. The inner fender panels were reshaped and the taillamps relocated closer together. A custom roll cage was crafted and the windshield height was reduced two inches. Hanson Bumpers provided a set of unique aluminium bumpers and QMC contributed their prototype aluminium/carbon fibre bonnet, held in place with Drake aluminium latches. Mopar added an aluminium cold-air intake kit, lightweight fender-flares, slush mats and mirror re-location brackets. Further weight savings were courtesy of a Gen-Right-fabricated, prototype rear-mounted 20-gallon fuel tank and aluminium skid plate. The suspension includes Bilstein 2-inch shocks with reservoirs and TeraFlex air bumps at all four corners. Dynatrac Axles designed lightweight ProRock 44 front and rear axles fitted with 4.88 gears, ARB air lockers and prototype aluminium differential covers. The axles are located with unique aluminium control arms provided by Full Traction.The result is a weight saving of more than 385 kg. The mission for the Jeep Cherokee Overland was to create a small, light adventure platform alternative. The template is a 2011 Jeep Cherokee equipped with a 2.8-litre CRD 4-cylinder turbo diesel and Selec-Trac II 4x4 system. ARB offered its steel roof rack, awning, compact refrigerator and prototype rock rails to set the Overland’s mood. To increase off-road capability an ARB 3-inch suspension lift and Old Man Emu shocks clear the way for Mickey Thompson 265/75-R16 MTZ tyres mounted on steel wheels. Traction is increased with the addition of an ARB air locker in the rear differential and on-board air compressor. To blend in with the wildlife, an update of the classic zebra safari pattern paint scheme is added to the exterior. At the heart of the Jeep Wrangler Renegade is the all-new 354kW, 6.4-litre Hemi V8 from Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) engineering team. Harkening back to the 1972 Jeep Renegade, which was offered with a V8, Jeep and Mopar mated the Hemi to a 6-speed manual transmission feeding a Dynatrac prepped ProRock 44 front axle and ProRock 60 rear axle, both equipped with ARB air lockers and 4.10 gears. To clear the 35-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw radials mounted on AEV Pintler wheels, an AEV/Nth Degree 4-inch suspension lift was installed. Mopar added a heat dissipating bonnet and a new winch-mount front bumper. Other Mopar accessories include: fuel door, sill guards, bikini top, rock rails, slush mats and a half-door kit. Warn provided their all-new 9.5 CTi series winch and AEV finished off the Renegade with their rear bumper/spare tyre carrier combo. The interior was treated to a Katzkin seat trim kit sourced from the Mopar catalogue and the exterior was finished in a black and gold paint scheme that recalls the early 1970’s CJ5 Renegade model. Taking cues from the popular Jeep Scrambler CJ-8 from the 1980’s, Mopar has designed a kit for do-it-yourselfers that converts a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited into a pickup truck. The bed length is 127cm and the width between wheel wells is 112cm. The team created body panels to cover the second-row entrance and removed all of the interior parts behind the front seats—transforming the vehicle into a two-seater with just enough room for gear inside, and a pickup style bed to be used for outside cargo. The JK-8 drivetrain is fitted with a Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and stock Dana 44 rear axle, both spun with 4.88 gears. Linking the axles to the frame is a 4.5-inch long-arm suspension kit and 37-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tyres make the connection to the ground. A fresh coat of yellow paint and Mopar’s off-road bumpers for the front and rear were utilised along with a new fuel door and slush mats. The JK-8 kit includes bed floor, inner/outer body panels, half hard top (works with Freedom Top panels), and a new bulkhead. Inspired by the King of the Hammers race in the deserts of California, the Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush combines high-speed off-road racing and rock-crawling capability. At the core is a Mopar 7-litre Hemi with 403 kW. The all-aluminium V8 is paired with a 545RFE performance transmission and a gear-drive transfer case. To help the suspension keep up with the engine, Mopar added a high-speed, performance off-road suspension system with internal bypass shocks, front stabiliser bar and full hydro-steering. Gigantic 39-inch tyres are turned with the help of custom driveshafts. The Wrangler Blue Crush also features a baja-style full cage, race seats, fuel cell and short aluminium bumpers.
The interior was updated with bright red lightweight Sparco Chrono Road reclining bucket seats. Gale Banks added a unique set of long tube headers and dual-exhaust with an integrated H-pipe to replace the stock system.
A smaller evaporation canister for the emissions system was borrowed from a 2012 Fiat 500. The massive weight savings actually lifted the suspension, which was combined with a moderate Mopar lift to clear Mickey Thompson 35-inch Baja Claw radials mounted on lightweight 17x8 E-T Vintage V wheels.
Mopar provided a host of underbody protection including skid plates for the front suspension, transmission and transfer case. Additional items from the Mopar catalogue include front and rear tow hooks, slush mats, cargo tray liner, sill guards and sport pedal kit.
Moab Madness
Thursday, 19 May 2011
