V8 Project YJ | 4Wheel Drive Magazine
Phil Howell, editor-in-chief over at 4Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine is nearing completion on one of his latest project rigs, an ’89 Jeep Wrangler YJ dubbed “Real Steel YJ”. Though no Jeep project is ever truly finished, the rig is prepped and Phil is ready to hit the trail. Roughly a year in the making, this YJ sports a healthy list of mods with a subtle exterior appearance. This resto-build began as a far cry from the original Jeep that rolled off the showroom floor with drivetrain missing, paint faded, rusty panels and a worn out interior. Today the rig sports a beefed up appearance and reliable drivetrain ready for trail use at a moments notice. Under the hood a MoTech aluminum block Chevy 5.3-liter V8 offers up increased horsepower while weighing in similar to the original 4.2L Inline-6. The transmission was swapped for a 6L80 6-speed automatic, while…