Hi everyone.

New on the forums (new to jeeps for that matter).

I have a quick question I´d like to throw at you guys.

I want to start competing in an offroad race of sorts we have over here and thought a Cherokee would make a good car for it (light, powerfull etc.)

What I´m torn about is should I get the older XJ (without 4.0 HO) or the newer ones (with the 4.0 HO but also the C-clip dana 35)?

I can get a 3 door 88 model for next to nothing, but all the performance parts I see for sale are for the 4.0 HO...

this is the class I´d be competing in, "street legal"

Here´s the not so street legal class for those intressted :P

 

Where do you live? Not in the States I'm guessing. I didn't get a chance to watch the vid, so I'm not sure. If you are talking about racing with the I4 non diesel motor, then I would definitely hold out for a 4.0 I6. If its the diesel you are referring to then it would probably do really well, power wise. As far as the cherokee taking on the rigors of racing in street legal form, I couldn't give you any advice on that. What would you do the vehicle to prep it for racing?

 

Hi, thanks for the reply

I´m talking about the 177hp Vs. 190 hp 4.0 I6 .. are the performance parts all the same?

I want to keep costs as low as I can, I´d start by stripping the body (windows and everything) put in a cage and a bucket seat.

Wanted to try the stock axles first, if they don´t hold out I´d swap in some 44s.

I´d be running 35-36" tires.

in the future I´d beef up the suspension a bit (fox airshocks maybe) but I´d want to see how it does in stock-ish form.

I just want to compete, get my feat wet if you will, don´t think I´d win any races on a budget like mine

oh yea and I´m from Iceland (europe)

 

Well hell, you can do some upgrades to the old I6 4.0 too. They're all superb engines (and the performance parts should pretty much be the same, but I'm not 100% on that). They all make a lot of torque and should hang in there quite well for what your trying to do. You just gonna chop up the body to get the bigger tires on? I like the way off road vehicles look and perform lower to the ground with really big tires. If you aren't rock crawling then that will be fine. Just make sure the stock suspension is up to date with maintenance. You are almost certain to break something very quick on an older vehicle like that.

I've been to Iceland once or twice, I really enjoyed it there. I cannot watch that vid on this computer, could you explain real quick the type of terrain you'll be racing on?

EDIT

Also, your probably going to kill your axles pretty fast with those tires, haha.

 

here is mine

Also check out www.Jeepspeed.com

 

nice truck chris

here´s a youtube video of one pass in the street legal class:

the open class is much much more insane.
some of these monsters make 1000+Hp