DIRTHAMMER SAYS

Maryville, TN

Our first Jeep auction is a really, really good one. This is CEO Zach Bowman's personal 1999 Jeep Wrangler Sport. If you need a refresher on the Wrangler, we're not sure how you got here, but here goes: The Wrangler replaced the Jeep CJ lineup back in 1986. It modernized the brand that was made famous by its WWII service and then its civilian reputation as a tough, capable billy goat that could handle light utility work and recreational off-roading. The second-generation Wrangler debuted in 1996, but it was still very familiar to those who knew and loved the Jeep brand.

The shape, style, and use case for the Wranglers still matched the old-school CJ ethos, but made the brand ever so slightly more palatable to everyday folks. Make no mistake, though, the Jeep Wrangler was and remains the most capable stock 4x4 in America, and the TJ's reputation is ironclad and well-earned.

This Wrangler is in good, honest condition and is a perfect as a blank slate for an off-road build, or a weekend cruiser that can handle light trail duty just as well as the cruise to dinner. It's also got one of our all-time favorite drivetrains: Jeep's bulletproof 4.0-liter inline six bolted to Chrysler's solid AX-15 five-speed manual transmission. The combo has 171,800 miles on it, but the engine is tight and sound, and the transmission and transfer case are both quiet and smooth.

The Jeep has the bumps and bruises you'd expect from a 27-year-old off-roader, but it is in very solid shape overall. At some point the frame was professionally plated, but it does not show much rust anywhere. There is a small spot of rust by one of the body mounts, and there is rust-through on the gas tank skid plate.

We love honest, willing rigs like this little Wrangler, and it's going to make a fantastic budget trail rig or weekend cruiser for its next owner.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW