Mecum Offers Off-Road Fun With This LS-Swapped Jeep

It takes a certain kind of person to drop 40-grand or more and then instantly go out to see if they can get stuck somewhere. Thankfully, there are options for those who choose to keep their cash close at hand but can still appreciate a good time in the mud.

Mecum is currently offering such an opportunity with this LS-swapped 1995 Jeep Wrangler YJ variant of the original GOAT vehicle. While not the war-going workhorse that started it all, no one can deny this upgraded YJ has some serious off-road abilities. Yes, there is a 5.3-liter V8 LS-based engine with a Sloppy Stage 2 camshaft plopped in for good measure. There’s also a Turbo 400 trans so you don’t have to fight with a floor shifter.

Beyond that, the Jeep is built with going over or through rough terrain as its main objective. Those 44-inch Super Swamper tires keep you well above any mushy or gooey surfaces and the accompanying Dana 60 front and GM Core Force 14-bolt rear axle make sure you make it all the way through, or over. If all else fails, you still have that beefy winch on the front to get you the rest of the way through. The welded 4.10 differential may make a long haul on the highway a bit of a nightmare, but when those tires get a little bit of spin, the fun factor can build quite exponentially.

Inside the jacked-up Jeep, there’s no doubting you’re still in a Jeep. Spartan is the best way to describe the little four-wheeler’s cabin area. A set of bucket seats up front try to keep you comfy and a roll bar will keep you safe. Other than that, there’s little more to mention so far as creature comforts go. But that’s okay because, unlike those four-wheel-driven, road-only rides that cost much more than this fun-wagon-eer, this “patina-painted Jeepster enables its inhabitants to enjoy the world that resides on the other side of the windshield.

The Jeep will be offered at the upcoming Mecum Orlando Auction on July 6-9, 2022. It will be interesting to see what this Jeep will bring, but we can be sure that whoever gets this LS-driven Wrangler will have good times in deep mud holes in the near future! And, we doubt they’ll have to spend an arm and a leg to do it, but we’ll find out in just a few days!

About the author

Andy Bolig

Andy has been intrigued by mechanical things all of his life and enjoys tinkering with cars of all makes and ages. Finding value in style points, he can appreciate cars of all power and performance levels. Andy is an avid railfan and gets his “high” by flying radio-controlled model airplanes when time permits. He keeps his feet firmly grounded by working on his two street rods and his supercharged C4 Corvette. Whether planes, trains, motorcycles, or automobiles, Andy has immersed himself in a world driven by internal combustion.
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