The YJ-series Jeep Wrangler is quickly becoming a modern classic, with handsome styling that has aged incredibly well and one of the most celebrated Jeep powerplants under the hood. If you combine good looks with reliable running gear, you have an instant classic in the making. The Wrangler of this generation is enjoying a nice rise in collectability as GenXers seek out the best versions of the cars and trucks they had in high school, and this Wrangler does look to be at the top of its class. Find the Wrangler here on eBay where it’s listed with a fixed price of $14,950 or best offer.
The Jeep has under 100,000 original miles and sports a color scheme we don’t often see. It appears to be “Mocha Brown Metallic”, which had to have had a low take rate given how few of these YJs pop up in brown. In 1987, colors like red, black, and white were seemingly what most Wrangler owners wanted when they placed their order, but the original caretaker of this Jeep clearly marched to the beat of a different drummer. The listing notes that this 4×4 has been in one family ownership since new, and that the paint remains “…100 percent original.” Being a Georgia truck, rust hopefully isn’t an issue, and the underside photos reveal a fairly spotless chassis aside from some baked-on clay.
While much has been said about the lack of comfort and NVH control in older Jeeps, you can’t deny that the cockpits weren’t handsome. The bucket seats still look current today, but the steering wheel is a familiar site from the Cherokees of yesteryear, as it was shared with the full-size SUV. Now, 97,000 miles is certainly low for the year, but it isn’t exactly a time warp specimen, which makes the clean condition – the upholstery, the carpets, the steering wheel, the dash, and so on – even more impressive. While an automatic transmission wasn’t out of the question, this rig has the preferred manual gearbox.
While most of us are familiar with the un-killable qualities of the 4.0L Jeep I6, the earliest models of the YJ had the larger 4.2L engine. I suppose this bit of trivia is useful in a game of Jeep Jeopardy and not anywhere else, but it does give the early production YJ a little bit of additional cache. This Wrangler appears to have been looked after to a high degree, but some evidence of service records would be a welcome bonus to an already strong presentation. Have you ever seen a Wrangler in this color scheme before?
Testing,,
That’s my new thing before a windy message, testing. Oh, I feel so much better, seeing what some folks think this/my vehicle is worth. Theoretically, I can’t lose. Oh, it’s clean topside, but you know, I look at this Jeep, especially under the hood, and see all the future repairs that will be needed. So be ready for that. I read, the automatic wasn’t available until ’91 for the 6, ’94 for the 4 cylinder, also an option which the author doesn’t mention. The 4 cylinder is okay, but I don’t recommend it to anyone. I’ve been over and over the improvements the YJ had over the CJ, and I had to look up” NVH” control, and it stands for “Noise, Vibration, Harshness”, and never heard that before, but all those are addressed with the YJ. Mine drives like a car, a CJ, not so much.
I read, a base 1978 Wrangler cost $8995 new. It had an option list a mile long, and ironically, with the options this has, was about $13,000. Being the 1st year for the YJ, always risky buying a new run model, but it was worth the gamble. It was without a doubt, the most refined Jeep to come along.
Being a relatively vocal speaker on Jeeps, one could ask me if this is worth it. Only 2 viewers( me being one, the seller the other?) it’s a nice Jeep, but a bit out of line. Remember, I paid $3500 for basically the same Jeep WITH a hardtop and full doors, so, up to you. For one this nice, $7500 should be tops.
Base, 1987 Wrangler, that is.
Nicer than a CJ, at least for being on a real road. Off road, the CJ might be king. Styling is really nice.
My dad always had a muscle car, and a 4bie (4wd) he had a CJ5 v8 at one stage, I loved it.
I had an XJ with the 4L, it was a POS, but never ever failed me. It always got me there, and then got me home.
Hi AD, well, there’s a conundrum of sorts, a POS will usually strand you, not get you there and back. My ’78 full size Cherokee was the absolute WORST, as far as repairs, but I never let that sour me on Jeeps. It’s so unfair to categorize a vehicle as a POS, because we don’t know the history . In all my years, I simply can’t remember ANY vehicle that wasn’t without problems. Thing with a Jeep, it’s always going to be a Jeep. Not many other vehicles share that honor.
Good looking YJ. I really like the color scheme, and those vinyl seats would be much preferred over cloth ones in a Jeep, in my opinion. I’d prefer a slightly newer model with the 4.0 just for the mere fact that it had fuel injection. I don’t think the 258 / 4.2 ever had EFI, but I’m not 100% certain about that. It’s nice to see one as it left the factory. My only gripe with the YJ (I owned one and I’ve owned 2 CJ’s) is the fact that you can’t fit 31″ tall tires on them without them rubbing, if I recall correctly.
Based on that open-rectangular air filter, it looks like it had a Weber carburetor conversion done to it. They made kits to do that back then. I wanted to put one on my ’85 CJ-7 that I had back in my college days, but the $$ just wasn’t there to do it. Bummer.
If memory serves right, this would have been the first year Jeep was part of Chrysler.
You are correct. 😋
Jim and RoadDog you are correct that Chrysler bought AMC in 1987. It was the first week in August 1987 and model year switchover was well underway. I don’t believe there were any 1987 Wranglers built under Chrysler’s watch. Wrangler sales numbers were much smaller than today. They were built in a small plant outside Toronto back then.
Not doubting that this is original paint, but I’m wondering what happened to the “Laredo” decal that would have been on the sides of the hood. Looks like a nice, mostly unmodified, ‘87 Wrangler.
Also, the three-speed automatic was available with the 4.2-liter/258 cid I-6 right from the start in model year ‘87. (The automatic had also been available in six-cylinder versions of the preceding CJ-7s.) The 4.2 was not fuel injected, making do with a two-barrel carb instead. And, ‘87 Wranglers did not have a cloth seat option—only two versions of vinyl.
The 1987 Wrangler launched in May 1986, and Chrysler bought AMC/Jeep in March 1987. So, the Wrangler began the model year as an AMC product and ended it as a Chrysler brand.
You may be thinking of the CJ because the Laredo decal on the hood was not part of the factory Laredo package for the Wrangler. My ‘87 Laredo didn’t come with the hood decal either.
I do recall the big “WRANGLER” hood decals that were available on ‘87s (if I remember correctly, part of something called the “Sport Decor Group”). You’re right, I was probably thinking of the Laredo decals on the CJ-7s.
The 1993 YJ I owned had light gray cloth seats. I always thought light gray cloth was about the worst thing you could make seats out of for a vehicle that you intended to occasionally drive off road and drive 6 months out of the year with no top. They didn’t burn your legs like the vinyl seats, I’ll give them that.
Chrysler agreed to buy AMC in March of 1987 but the sale did not occur until the first week of August 1987.
NHDave, I was in the conference room with Gerry Greenwald, vice chairman of Chrysler on a warm sunny early August 1987 afternoon when the sale of AMC occurred. We were at the now demolished Northfield Hilton in Troy, MI along with about 40 other people. It was pretty exciting.
The YJ jeep first year 1986 I know I bought one after all my options I paid 19000 fot it. It rusted out in four years.in dry conditions. so this one must have been stored in garage for quite some time
Actually, the first model year was 1987. It was launched in calendar year 1986.
I had a ’95 YJ, the last year made, that I bought in 1998 from my son’s girlfriend, who had joined the AF and couldn’t pay for it anymore. I paid it off and drove it for years, including towing it behind my motor home for three years. One night I was driving it at highway speeds and 5th gear came apart. I had been having shift problems between first and second gear that double clutching solved, but this was the 5 speed’s death knell. I took it to a transmission exchange in Jacksonville FL (this would have been in 2002) and swapped the transmission for a rebuilt 5 speed and a new clutch for around $900. I sold it the next year and immediately regretted it. In 2009, I found a 1997 Wrangler TJ. It had a less harsh ride than the YJ, and it had AC. Like the YJ, I only had to change the oil and filter and replace the top during the time I had it, although the TJ had the fan clutch lock up, which blew up the radiator. I drove that for 11 years and sold it to a kid, who surprised me by knowing how to drive a manual transmission. This YJ is more than I would pay, but it looks great.
I bought a 1987 Wrangler, 6 months old with 2,000 miles in spring of 1988. I had some good times in my yellowish/dune colored Wrangler. I had it lifted and put some 31 inch tires on it. It couldn’t accept very big tires I remember, even with the 4 inch lift. The early Wranglers, mine included, came with the 4.2, and they had Peugeot transmissions. Yes! Peugeot! Mine lasted 94,000 miles before 2nd gear got lost. Shortly after, my transfer case ate it too. The carbs were plagued with vacuum line issues, so I put an older Carter AFB 2 barrel on it early on. I will say this about the early Wranglers though, not many of them were on the road back then, and I got a LOT of attention. The top stayed off from March thru October, with only a bikini top. I got rid of it after all the repairs were done to the trans and trans case. Truth is, I wish I still had it. I literally beat the thing to death, and it held up much better than I would have expected. I rarely see one as clean as this that is original. I paid $12,258 for mine in 1988 with a/c and nothing else. $14,000 may be a bit cheeky for this one knowing the thing front to back mechanically, but the fact that it has survived this long is definitely a testament to the YJ.
Sure looks nice from here. Content resembles a Laredo without the graphics. Funny how a 258 is the greatest engine up until the 4-liter enters the conversation. I seem to recall that the 4.0 was carburetored until the ’91HO came out with f.i. Buy, drive and enjoy.
4.2 until 91 in YJ
It’s nice to see the YJ finally getting some love; square headlights be dammed. I’ve had my 1993 for six or so years now and with 187,000 miles it still works great. Granted it’s a weekend cruiser but it’s totally reliable. I did put some capital; both parts and labor into it when I first got it: Corbeau seats, new top, wheels and tires and other stuff. It has minimal rust (for a Jeep); the paint is shot and the floors are bare metal with rubber mats so it’s no looker like this one. Not that I would sell right now; but you’d have to offer me at least half of what this seller is asking before I would even be interested. I wouldn’t be surprised if the seller gets the asking price or near it. It’s all original with low mileage and looks great. And No Rust!! I guarantee you that you will look long and hard for another one this nice 😊. GLWTS.
Back in the day I was into Jeeps in a big way and I had a 88 YJ with the Laredo paint scheme . It was a Silver/Grey color with the black and grey Laredo pinstripng. I didnt leave it stock looking as I raised it 3 inches and put 31 inch tires and chrome rims on. I also loaded it up with other chrome accessories , quality suspension and off-roading shocks, light bar with KC lighting and KC lighting on the front bumper etc ,etc. It had the 4.2 in it with a 2 barrel carb (no efi then) and 5 sp trans. It ran extremely well and went pretty much everywhere I wanted to with no problem. Hard top came off in the warmer weather as I had a Bestop soft top and a Bikini top as well. These jeeps are just fun and there are haters but I have given a few a ride and by the big ass smile on their face ….i dont think they hate them as much as they thought. This Jeep in the 90s was show cased in JP Magazine in Readers Rides section which got alot of attention in my area at the time . I ended up selling her not too long after that which i fully regretted for along time. It had just turned 319,000 when I sold it and amazing enough it was still running pretty good .Couldnt beat those 4.2 s . This owner knows what he has !