Old ZJ Grand Cherokee lives out its final days doing something crazy, dangerous, and fun to watch.
Traveling on two wheels goes against the nature of most vehicles – except motorcycles, of course. The more all four tires are on the ground, the better. That’s especially true for Jeeps, which have not just four wheels, but often have four-wheel drive. Vehicles such as the Grand Cherokee cover more terrain more quickly when all of their contact patches are against the dirt.
We’re pretty sure the people in the above video know that on some level. We’re absolutely convinced that they don’t care at all. They build their own wooden ramp, put a helmet on a buddy, strap him in, then turn an old green and gray ZJ Grand Cherokee into a two-wheeler…for a few seconds at a time. It’s not exactly an easy process keeping an SUV going down the road in a straight line on just its driver’s-side tires, especially after you come down so hard on the other tires that one of them blows out and shreds itself all over the pavement.
After putting on new rubber, the gang gets back to its hijinks. It switches sides and makes the ZJ ride on its passenger-side rubber. The more the driver attempts the stunt, the further he seems to be able to go. Then he tips the ill-fated Jeep onto its side. Luckily, his pals are there to get it back on four wheels…so the driver can try to get back on two of them. His next attempt goes well until the GC goes on its roof. The driver’s not hurt, but the windshield is smashed along with the roof.
The whole spectacle makes you wonder, Why? Clearly, the idea behind it made the people who participated in it think, Why not?
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
