Jeep Cherokee Laredo Cracks Into the 11s

Classic Cherokee fans will likely get a kick out of this one. Then again, I imagine any Jeep fan loves hearing about a turbocharged 1983 Cherokee Laredo running in the 11s on a dragstrip.

The Jeep is owned by Greg Huizenga and was home-built from the guts of a Chevrolet C10 pickup and an LX-platform Dodge Challenger, according to Hot Rod. Under the hood lies a 6.1L Gen III Hemi with a Bullseye 366 turbocharger that cranks out more than 500 horsepower.

The suspension system is more of an old-school hybrid of sorts, with a mix of second-hand Pro Touring parts including 9-inch handlers in the rear, and the GM trailing arm suspension from the C10 pickup with a relocated panhard bar.

“If it’s not new, it’s not worth anything! So I buy everyone’s ‘out of date’ parts for nothing,” says Huizenga. And apparently, his approach is paying off. The old-school Cherokee recently ran an 11.547 at 119.02 mph at Middleville Michigan!

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Via [Hot Rod]