The Incredible 426 Hemi-Powered Jeep Wrangler JK

If your name is Mopar and you’re going to trot out a JK-based mega-rig and give it the aggressive name of “Blue Crush,” it had better be good. Well, they are, they did, and it is.

This incredible 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited was unveiled at the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. The official press release included this about the rig: “Inspired by the King of the Hammers race in California, the Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush combines high-speed off-road racing and rockcrawling capability.”

The JK’s stance, and overall appearance, is nothing short of sexy. The wheelbase has been stretched by 12 inches (seven inches in the rear, five inches in front), and it wears a GenRight aluminum front bumper (with Warn 9.5ti winch), GenRight aluminum fender flares, Truck-Lite headlamps, and Baja Designs Stealth LED light bar like a fine suit. One of the cool things about this rig is that even with the numerous body modifications, it still clearly resembles a JK Unlimited. This is no accident, and is due in part to neat features like the factory JK door skins that are attached to custom door frames. The truck is painted Mopar Blue.

The JK’s stance, and overall appearance, is nothing short of sexy. The wheelbase has been

To create a multifaceted rig like this, the mad scientists at Mopar stuffed it with a ground-pounding Mopar 426ci Hemi Gen III powerplant, they lightened it up with a variety of aluminum components, and they fitted it with a top-drawer suspension system. But that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

We had a chance to see the rig in high-speed action at a press event in the sand dunes south of Moab and then we had the opportunity to see it in action on one of the many prime rock areas at Area BFE recreational park outside of Moab. We can say this rig seems to live up to the hype. And it’s an example of what can be done with some ingenuity, some readily available aftermarket parts, and the Mopar Performance Catalog.

Yep, that’s a lightweight all-aluminum 426ci Mopar Hemi Gen III crate engine, and this beast spits out a whopping 540 horsepower and 540 lb-ft of torque. If you were to unzip it, you’d find a variety of forged components, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons; 8620 HR billet steel main caps with six-bolt and four-bolt caps (to beef up the bottom end for severe performance applications); a Mopar camshaft; and Mopar valves, springs and roller rockers in the aluminum heads. It also features Mopar EFI as well as an ECU and wiring harness. For this application, the engine was fitted with a rear-sump oil pan from a 5.7L Hemi engine; an oil pump from a 6.1L Hemi engine; Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 exhaust manifolds; and a custom 2¾-inch-diameter exhaust with Flowmaster muffler. Whether the JK is asked to crawl rocks or run at full throttle through the desert, the ’plant is kept cool by a Griffin radiator with the stock JK electric fan. All that horsepower and torque is routed through a Mopar Performance 545RFE transmission that's up to the task, thanks to reinforced internals with increased clutch material and a custom billet torque converter. Last but not least there's a well protected Atlas II 4.3:1 transfer case routing the power to the axles.

Blue Crush Front Dynatrac Prorock 60 Axle

The front axle is a Dynatrac ProRock 60, and it’s festooned with goodies like an ARB Air Locker, 5.13:1 gears, Mopar diff cover, Dynatrac Pro 60 Competition Series Alloy Axleshaft Package, CTM U-joints, Dynatrac Pro 60 eight-lug hubs, Dynatrac drive flanges, and a PSC hydraulic steering system with double-ended ram. The disc brakes utilize 14½-inch rotors with dual-piston calipers from a Ram 2500 truck. The ProRock is spun by a custom Tom Wood’s driveshaft with 1350 U-joints. The flexy suspension consists of a three-link setup with track bar and Fox Racing remote-reservoir coilovers and external bypass shocks. All of the link bars are made from 2-inch-diameter material. The upper link is made from 0.120-inch-wall material, and the lower links are made from 0.250-inch-wall material. All of the links are fitted with Ballistic Fabrication forged spherical rod ends.

The Details
General
Owner/Hometown: Mopar Division of Chrysler /Auburn Hills, Michigan
Vehicle/Model: 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Estimated value: N/A
Engine
Type: Mopar 426ci Gen III Hemi
Aspiration: Mopar fuel injection, custom 2¾-inch-diameter exhaust, Flowmaster muffler
Output, hp/torque (estimated): 540/540 Drivetrain
Transmission: Mopar Performance 545RFE, CBR Performance coolers w/12-in electric fans
Transfer Case(s): Atlas II 4.3:1
Suspension
Front: Three-link, track bar, Fox Racing 2.5 remote-reservoir coilovers and external bypass shocks
Rear: Double triangulated four-link, Currie AntiRock sway bar, Fox Racing 2.5 remote-reservoir coilovers and external bypass shocks
Axles/Differentials
Front: Dynatrac ProRock 60, Dynatrac Competition Series axleshafts, Dynatrac drive flanges, CTM U-joints, PSC hydraulic steering with double-ended ram/ARB Air Locker
Rear: Dynatrac Pro 80, Dynatrac Competition Series axleshafts/ARB Air Locker
Ring and pinion: 5.13:1
Wheels/Tires
Wheels: 17x9 Hutchinson Rock Monster
Tires: 39x13.50-17 BFGoodrich Krawler

Here’s a closer look at the driver-side remote-reservoir coilover and external bypass shock arrangement. Both are 16-inch-travel Fox Racing 2.5 units. The coil spring rate is a 150-pound secondary and a 300-pound main.
Here’s a closer look at the driver-side remote-reservoir coilover and external bypass shoc
Gazing into the rear of the rig, one can see how the Fox external bypass shocks travel through the floor of the body tub and mount to the rollcage. Also visible is the Fuel Safe Racing Cells 22-gallon fuel cell, rear axle vent line, and the easy-to-access spare tire and wheel.
Gazing into the rear of the rig, one can see how the Fox external bypass shocks travel thr
Blue Crush rolls on 39x13.50-17 BFGoodrich Krawler tires mounted on a set of 9-inch-wide Hutchinson Rock Monster wheels.
Blue Crush rolls on 39x13.50-17 BFGoodrich Krawler tires mounted on a set of 9-inch-wide H

A full-float Dynatrac Pro Series 80 is tethered out back, and like the front it’s outfitted with some of the best gear, including an ARB Air Locker, Dynatrac Competition Axleshafts, 5.13:1 gears, and Ram 2500 disc brakes with 13½-inch rotors and dual-piston calipers. The axle is fed by a Tom Wood’s custom driveshaft that has a 1350 U-joint at the transfer case and a 1410 ’joint at the axle. The rear suspension is a custom double triangulated four-link system with Currie AntiRock sway bar and 16-inch-travel Fox Racing 2.5 external bypass shocks and remote-reservoir coilovers, which have a 200-pound main spring and a 100-pound secondary. Like the front, all of the links are made from 2-inch-diameter material with 0.120-inch-wall uppers and 0.250-inch-wall lowers. Also like the front, all of the links are fitted with Ballistic Fabrication forged spherical rod ends. Look close and you can see how the JK’s frame was notched 1½ inches to create space for the coilovers. After notching, the area was gusseted for str
A full-float Dynatrac Pro Series 80 is tethered out back, and like the front it’s outfitte
The interior is a study in design and function. It has all ya need and nothin’ ya don’t. The centerpiece is a custom-designed aluminum dash that holds an array of well-placed Mopar gauges including tachometer, speedometer, voltmeter, transmission temperature, coolant temperature, and fuel level. There’s also a trick 12VoltGuy switch panel mounted front-and-center that houses all of the rig’s switchgear. Other interior mods include MasterCraft Baja seats with MasterCraft restraints, a Grant GT steering wheel with Mopar paddle shifters, and a Winters transmission shifter. A comprehensive five-point rollcage protects passengers, and it’s made from 15⁄8-inch-diameter, 0.120-inch-wall tubing. Also, note the incab engine air intake, visible under the dash. fw
The interior is a study in design and function. It has all ya need and nothin’ ya don’t. T
A pair of CBR Performance transmission coolers with 12-inch electric fans is mounted to the rollcage behind the passenger area. Also visible in this photo is the 16-gauge steel roof skin attached to the rollcage.
A pair of CBR Performance transmission coolers with 12-inch electric fans is mounted to th