OBJECTIVE - BASED FOUR -WHEELING

Is this the way you should be building your vehicle? It worked well for Matt Patterson and Samantha Wilson’s ’01 Jeep Cherokee

- Tori Tellem 

“The engine modifications we made were about longevity and smooth operation,” Matt explains. “As a result, we do not really have any major horsepower or torque gains to speak of. The mods we have done were reactionary to circumstance or issues as we went, as well.” For example, ingestion of water led to knowing they’d need to swap out the stock intake. “We settled on a cowl intake and still recommend them to people, especially in our area, where many trails have tight trees that tend to rip off snorkel setups.” They have a Spectre unit, Odessa heads, a DEI fuel-rail insulation kit, and a 160-amp Dodge Durango alternator to help power the upgraded headlights with upgraded wiring loom and winch. Assist also comes from an Optima deep-cycle battery and 5.9L Jeep Grand Cherokee hood vents for additional cooling.

Matt Patterson and Samantha Wilson are a case study on how to build a vehicle. That’s because they turned a stock ’01 Jeep Cherokee into a trail monster that can also overland with ease, and they did so without any idea how to go about doing it. On top of it all, they sliced and diced a donor Cherokee to be the trailer.