You can say a lot about the Jeep Wrangler TJ, but calling it a powerhouse would get you a room full of funny looks. It’s not that the original four-cylinders or 4.0-liter inline-six were bad, but golly, they were never quick. Fortunately, I haven’t heard anyone talk about a stock TJ like it was some hot rod, and people have been swapping bigger engines into them for years. I’ve seen Hemi V8s and LS motors under the hood of several, though this one for sale on Bring a Trailer takes it a step further with a frickin’ Viper V10.
It’s a comprehensive build that’s traveled just 2,200 miles since the engine swap was completed. Behind the 8.3-liter torque monster, you’ll find a four-speed automatic that powers either the rear wheels or all four via a dual-range transfer case. The axles are Dana 60s, the driveshafts are made of chromoly, and the brakes are discs all the way around. What I’m getting at is, they didn’t shoehorn the engine into the bay and call it a day.
The suspension is more than a lift kit, too. It’s a long-arm setup with Dirt Logic coilovers up front, plus adjustable sway bars and Pro Comp shocks at the rear. It probably handles better than a stock TJ but don’t mistake it for a canyon carver; it’s still on 35-inch BFGoodrich rubber.
There’s a lot of typical hot rod flair going on here, from the aftermarket window cranks you’d expect to find on a customized ’60s muscle car to the red roll cage inside and four-point harnesses. The gauges in the center console remind me of the quarter-mile cars I grew up seeing at Mo-Kan Dragway. Apparently, because the dash has been replaced, there are no passenger airbags. Just keep that in mind if you’re taking a buddy for a hoon—it’s still a high-riding Wrangler and it’ll tip a lot more violently than a regular one.
In the comments, the seller notes that the build was completed a few years back. The choice in mods backs that up as it seems like something you’d see 10 years ago. Clarion touchscreen head unit? Check. Boston Acoustics subs and amp in the trunk? You bet. And that’s not a dig at the Jeep, either. As long as it has a Viper engine under the hood and big enough brakes to bring it to a stop, I couldn’t care less if it was painted pink with Plastidipped wheels.
You have until the beginning of next week to make a bid… and also update your life insurance policy.
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