Supercharged LS V8 Jeep Wrangler TJ Stretched on 42-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers: Throwback Thursday Presented by the All-New Nitto Recon Grappler™ A/T
Craigslist find TJ is transformed from its humble beginnings into an over-the-top, off-road ruling, supercharged LS V8 Jeep Wrangler TJ.
We all love the Jeep Wrangler TJ. What can be better? Well, an LS-swapped Wrangler TJ could make things more fun. But where do you go from there? How about some forced induction? If a regular TJ is good and a V8 TJ is better, then a supercharged LS V8 Jeep Wrangler TJ has gotta be the best. Of course, Jeep modifications don’t stop at the engine. Not even close. If you want the ultimate build you have to look at wheels, tires, suspension, axles, and so on. Well, this TJ has all those things, and it can scramble over rocks and be used on the daily commute.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” Presented by Nitto is all about this TJ that was found on craigslist and has been gradually built up into the off-road beast it is today ever since. Owner Scott Robert walks us through all the details and the inspiration behind this Jeep. The overview is presented to us courtesy of the Driving Line YouTube channel.
Humble Beginning
Robert explains that his first Jeep was a 1997 TJ that he got when he was 17 years old. At that point the Jeep bug had a grip on him. Fifteen years later while perusing craigslist he found the TJ featured here. Although it looked nothing like it does today. It had some modifications such as a lift kit and 35-inch tires. But that was not nearly enough to satisfy Robert. A friend recommended Globex Performance for some Jeep upgrades. The slippery slope had begun. It started by upgrading to 40-inch tires and one-ton axles but that was just the tip of the iceberg.
LS Swap
This LS swap turned out to be an accident. A happy accident as it turns out. Robert sunk the Jeep and ruined the 4.0L that had only 36,000 miles on it at the time. The hunt was on for a new engine, and he found a totaled 2009 Cadillac Escalade. The Caddy had a 6.2L V8 and that along with the transmission were pulled and installed in the TJ. But like many enthusiasts Robert became bored with the power and was looking for something more. So, he supercharged it. The result is the TJ is now putting about 525 horsepower to the wheels.
Other Oily Bits
The front axle is a Dana 60, and the transfer case is an Atlas II with a 4.3:1 ratio. There is a PSC steering cylinder assist kit. Out back is a Chevy 14-bolt rear axle. The suspension Robert is running is a Fox 2.5 16-inch coilover setup. And the wheelbase on this TJ has been stretched thanks to a Motobilt stretch kit. This all combines to put a solid TJ foundation under Robert while he is out wheeling.
On The Outside
Right out in front of the Jeep is a Motobilt front bumper with a Warn winch attached. Staying up front you will find a pair of MetalCloak front fenders. These fenders are not just practical for this type of build, but they look fantastic. Lighting the way are J.W. Speaker headlights. They throw so much light that Robert says that he rarely needs to use the high beams. With a build like this or really any vehicle, one of the most important decisions you can make are tires. Even with all this hardware, the tires are still the only thing that touch the ground. Robert made a solid choice here and installed a set of 42-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers.
This is a terrific build with a lot of high-quality parts. Nothing here is inexpensive but Robert has the right attitude. “This is my hobby. I don’t really spend my money on anything else. All my overtime goes into here, so I’ll always have this as long as I’m making extra money.” Says Robert. Checkout the video below for all the details and to see this Jeep in action.
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