Anthony Montoya's '88 Wrangler.
Almost lookin too good to be factory, the 300hp LT1 from a 94 Camaro not only ups the ante in the power department, because it uses a single 3-inch exhaust with a catalytic converter and all the sensors, its emissions legal.
An 8.8-inch Ford is spun by a CV driveshaft. Other deviations from stock include 11-inch Ford drums, 15x10 Ultra wheels, and a 23-gallon fuel tank.
The Currie 8.8-inch front- end holds 31-spline axles, Jeep outer spindles and disk brakes along with 4.56 gears and an ARB. Currie springs and shackles help provide clearance for 35-inch BFG mud terrains.
Alpine tunes, full instrumentation, and A/C bolster the largely stock interior. Uniden communications keep contact with the outside world while Anthony is transversing the back-country.
Rancho RS 9000s in the correct length dont hamper articulation when the pins in the JKS sway-bar disconnects are pulled. Leading the way, a custom front bumper houses a Warn 9000. Nerf bars make sure none of that purdy paint gets mussed up.
All too often magazines either feature really pretty rigs that hardly ever get dirty, or really thrashed rigs that work exceptionally well, but are just plain coyote-ugly. Anthony Montoyas 88 Wrangler blends the best from these two categories in a very trail-capable package that looks great inside and out.
The buildup involved stripping the Wrangler down to the frame and building from the ground up. After the frame was reinforced and gusseted, 4-inch Currie springs were slung under a pair of high-pinion Currie axles holding ARBs and 4.56s. An NP231 with a Currie output-shaft Conversion was tucked in behind the GM TH700R4 transmission, and a 94 LT1 engine was wedged in between the framerails.
The body was cherried out, fitted with Xenon flares, slathered in maroon paint, and mounted on a 2-inch body lift. Anthony made sure the interior wouldnt be the low point by custom-building an upholstered center console that doubles as a storage unit and a home for the ARB controls and an assortment of gauges. Full carpeting muffles the noises from down under so the Uniden CB and phone can be heard when the Alpine isnt thumping. A Bestop soft top not only keeps the upholstery dry and relatively dust-free but helps keep in the chill provided by the air conditioning.
Dont let all the goodies mislead you into thinking that this Jeep is more show than go. As the wheels-up action on the cover proves, Anthony isnt afraid to wheel this thing hard. More proof that ugly and capable dont always have to go hand in hand.