Mechanic Gregg McNair says his bionic ’87 Jeep Cherokee is the result of a quest for a weekend activity. With its custom-made front suspension and numerous other McNair originals, the retailored Cherokee aptly illustrates the notion of do-it-yourself assembly. The Cherokee retains some stock parts, but any troglodyte will quickly realize that the brutish nature of McNair’s McNasty wasn’t created entirely by Chrysler.
The menu of McNair-made parts includes chrome-moly fully adjustable control arms and an adjustable track bar for the front suspension and front fiberglass fenders. The suspension was helped by the addition of 5-inch coil springs. For those considering a similar project, Gregg suggests looking for Cherokees with Dana 44 rears and to expect the process to take a substantial chunk of time. The year-long gestation period included broken motor and transmission mounts but also showcased Gregg’s welder-by-trade ability to fabricate his own parts.
As for the broken engine mount, Gregg made his own urethane version and, with the help of an adapter, used a Chevy urethane transmission mount. Front fiberglass fenders gave instant tire clearance for added dexterity over the rough stuff.