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Rat-Rod-ish Wrangler YJ Isn't Your Typical Barbie Jeep, Hides an LS Secret Under the Hood

It’s not the prettiest Jeep Wrangler ever made, but nobody can argue with the YJ’s off-roading credentials, especially if you fit it with new chunky rubber, and maybe tweak that suspension a bit.
Jeep Wrangler 8 photos
Photo: Mecum
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And if traveling off the beaten path on a constant basis is what gets your heart racing, then the pictured example is definitely worth a look. As we already mentioned, it’s a YJ, and it was made in 1995.

The rat rod-ish look suits it perfectly, if you ask us, especially with the rest of the modifications. Here, the vendor mentions quite a few of them, from the massive 44-inch tires wrapped around the wheels, Dana 60 Kingpin front axle, Process 205 transfer case, new cam shaft, valve springs, and even a fuel system that came from a Corvette, to the 5.3-liter V8 LS engine, hooked up to an automatic transmission.

Besides these, the patina-style red finish, and jacked-up suspension, this custom Jeep Wrangler sports a roll cage to keep the occupants safe in case it decides to go belly up all of a sudden. Front bucket seats, with racing harnesses, keep them secure, and a front windscreen provides little comfort against the wind.

Rock guards are included, and so is a must-have front winch, with a New York license plate attached to it, because, hey, it’s not like the owner had many choices when it came to this mandatory feature.

As you have likely figured it out, this unique old-timer four-by-four is looking for a new home. Mecum has advertised it for their Orlando 2022 auction, scheduled to run between July 6 and 9. It is one of the ‘feature’ vehicles at the event, and unfortunately, they haven’t provided an estimated selling price. Still, we’d expect it to change hands for a five-digit sum, which will probably vary between $10K and maybe $30K, or a bit more. How much do you think it will fetch?
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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
Cristian Gnaticov profile photo

After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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