This LS1 Equipped Jeep is Ready to Rock
Jeeps are great for getting around on various surfaces, but what happens when you want to overtake terrain with extreme aggression? See what happens when you throw an LS engine under the hood of an off-roader.
Semper fi
Way back when the owner of this vehicle was 15 he bought his very first Jeep. It was a 1979 CJ7. Since then, he's owned six more Jeeps extending this love affair for the off-road machine his father introduced him to as a child. For Adam Arsenault, an active duty Marine and longtime Jeep fan, this Detonator Yellow modified Wrangler is more than a vehicle. This Jeep, much like many of our own modes of transportation, is an extension of its owner's personality.
>>Join the conversation about this LS1 Powered Jeep right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!
That feeling when your Jeep is race ready
Arsenault built the Jeep in order to compete in the Ultra4 Racing Modified Class (4500). After having a great time back in 2011 it became clear to Adam that he needed to build a dedicated racing version to really make an impact. Before departing for a combat tour to Afghanistan the Jeep was turned over to Scott Watkins over Dirt-Fab Racing to take the vehicle to the next level.
>>Join the conversation about this LS1 Powered Jeep right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!
It dances over the rocks
Scott went to work and dug up a YJ frame from a junk yard for some needed body parts. The engine, transmission, transfer case, and a pair of Dana 60 axles came from Adam's stash of parts that he had put together for a rock buggy project. The YJ frame rails from the yard were left intact to satisfy the 4500 class rules for entrants. However, a custom 4-link rear suspension and 3-link wishbone front were added along with Eibach coils and FOX 2.5 Remote Reservoir coilover shocks for the front and rear.
>>Join the conversation about this LS1 Powered Jeep right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!
That's one sweet Corvette engine
The stock drivetrain in the YJ was tossed out in favor of something a bit spicier to get the Jeep up to speed. In the place of the ditched power plant went a fully built LS1 427 7.0-liter put together by Turn-Key Engine Supply. The LS was helped into the bay with Manley H-beam rods, a 4340 4-inch stroke crankshaft and topped with 5.3-L truck heads. Hooked up to that was an LS2 intake manifold with a Holley 90mm DBC throttle body. Fueling for the vehicle is provided by a GM- Delphi MEFI-4 system.
>>Join the conversation about this LS1 Powered Jeep right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!
The underpinnings
That fuel injected LS1 has a set of custom headers also made by Dirt-Fab Racing and there's a three-quarter Accusump oil accumulator to help with the off-road shenanigans. Getting that power down to the sand is a Turbo 400 built by Steve Culhane of Culhane Racing Transmissions. A reverse manual valve body with a shift kit is hooked up to a "rock gate" pattern Winters shifter. A JB Conversions LoMax NP205 Transfer case with 32 SPL outputs and twin-stick cable shifters splits the power to axles. A beefy 180-amp alternator was thrown in to keep power coursing through the Jeep while a Griffin aluminum radiator using dual SPAL fans keep the engine nice and chilly.
>>Join the conversation about this LS1 Powered Jeep right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!
Words to live by
That phrase that you see emblazoned on the side of the Jeep is a Latin verse that's attributed to Hannibal when his generals told him that it was simply impossible to cross the Alps to march on Rome. It reads "Aut Viam Inveniam," which translates to "I shall either find a way or make one." It happens to also be the motto used by the United States Marine Corps Combat Logistics Battalion 24.
>>Join the conversation about this LS1 Powered Jeep right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!
For help with service of your car, check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com