‘DJ’ Gets the Crowd Going with a V8-powered Beat at Hoonigan
Former postal Jeep DJ-5 shreds its tires and fills the Hoonigan’s Burnyard with major smoke using a ‘poor man’s LS.’
This humble 1968 Jeep DJ-5 spent most of its life mundanely delivering mail for the U.S. Postal Service. When the DJ-5 service life was over, most were simply crushed and disposed of. However, some of them were saved and have been preserved by collectors. Others were saved only to have a small block V8 stuffed into them so they could do ridiculous burnouts. This 1968 model is one of those examples.
Life at Hoonigan’s Burnyard is always a bit smoky and putting a V8 into a former mail carrying Jeep has been done before, but this is a unique build. On the Hoonigan Daily Transmission YouTube channel we are introduced to a man named Jared Micallef and his modified Jeep. He gave it the front end out of a mid-1990s Jeep Grand Cherokee, as well as that models 318 cu in small block V8, which Micallef calls “the poor man’s LS.” He dropped the engine in himself over the course of just one week. “I drove it into my garage on a Saturday. The following Saturday, I drove it out with the V8.” Says Micallef.
Time to put it to the test at the The Hoonigan Burnyard. When the engine is fired up you almost have to do a double take. It sounds more like you are in the pits of the Daytona 500, not standing next to a former mail truck that was built over 50 years ago. Time to shred some tires. Micallef is able to easily light up the rear tires on his modified Jeep. It starts off innocent enough with a simple burnout, but soon the doughnuts and drifts follow. The little rear tires are roasted and produce enough smoke to repel any mosquitoes within a city block.
It looks cool and comical at the same time. The little DJ rides on a short, 81-inch wheelbase. In addition, Micallef says, “The newer Jeep front end had all the control arms and all that crap on it, so I cut them off and converted it to leaf.” In so doing, the Jeep now has a wider stance in the front than it does in the back. The unusual proportions and extreme smoke show make for quite a scene.
The way this Jeep is being treated, it sure doesn’t seem to be too long for this world. However, it certainly is a far better exit than simply being crushed like many of its brethren. Perhaps the U.S. government can look to this in the future when it is seeking to dispose of retired official vehicles (Lord willing). It may not be as efficient or cost effective, but it surely puts on a hell of a show. The postal service is already struggling, so maybe this would be a fun way to garner a bit of publicity. And why stop there? Ambulances, Fire Trucks, and Police cars, they can use, and heck they deserve, a proper send off. If we are lucky, we will be blessed with a similar treatment for them in the future. We say send them all riding off into the sunset in a cloud of smoke.
Join the LS1Tech forums now!
