1976 Jeep CJ Develops 1,300 HP With an Interesting Twist

Turbo Ford power turns Jeep CJ into monster 7-second grudge racer.

Places that Jeep has conquered: Rubicon, Moab, Orlando…

Wait, Orlando? You read that right: Bob Stuller’s ‘76 CJ Jeep has conquered the quarter-mile at Orlando Speed World with a 7-second pass. Maybe “conquer” isn’t quite the right word, though, since he didn’t come out on top of eliminations. But still, any Jeep running that quick has certainly got the drag strip figured out. 

If you noticed that Stuller’s Jeep in these videos doesn’t look like a CJ, you’re right. Unable to find a CJ tub in decent shape, he instead put a new YJ Wrangler body onto the ’76 frame. He still races on four-corner leaf springs on the unmodified CJ frame. Under the hood is a Ford Small Block-based V8 that displaces 401 cubic inches. A massive 88-millimeter turbocharger feeds a healthy diet of boost to the Ford 401. Working backward through times and weights, Stuller figures the Jeep makes an incredible 1,345 horsepower, give or take a few ponies

CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About This Monster CJ

The turbo Ford power combination does a great job of picking off more traditional drag cars. In the video below, Stuller and the Jeep knock out a Pontiac Firebird at Lights Out 8, an eighth-mile event at South Georgia Motorsports Park. He also won his class at the FL2K Backlash at Bradenton Motorsports Park. However, things didn’t work out quite as well at Street Car Takeover. But you can bet that you’ll find Stuller and his Jeep running hard this year in the Southeast, where competition is fierce. We’ll be watching!

Via [BigKleib34]