Stretched, three-row Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was Unlimited before it was cool

[JimC]

From our friends at Autoblog.com - https://www.autoblog.com/2021/06/04/jeep-wrangler-stretched-three-row-for-sale/

 

 

Jeep's go-anywhere Wrangler is available in two flavors: standard (two-door) and Unlimited (four-door). Before the second option joined the portfolio, a number of aftermarket companies ranging from the well-known and established to the completely obscure offered Unlimited-like conversions to off-roaders seeking more room. One of the wildest and longest examples of the Wrangler we've ever seen is currently up for grabson auction website Cars & Bids.

 

 

Located in Massachusetts, this yellow Rubicon looks just like a regular-production second-generation Wrangler (called TJ internally) from the tip of the front bumper to the rear edge of the front doors. Beyond that, it gains about 4½ feet of extra sheetmetal, a set of rear half-doors, and a custom-made black soft top that covers the full interior. Every version of the Wrangler uses body-on-frame construction, so it's presumably more straightforward to stretch than, say, a unibody Renegade, but the conversion must have required hundreds of hours of work.

 

 

Missouri-based Coach Builders LLC stretched this Wrangler when it was new, according to the listing. Giving it wiener-dog proportions allowed the shop to install an extra pair of individual seats directly behind the front row. The factory-fitted rear bench remains mounted over the rear wheels, bumping the SUV's seating capacity to six. That's on par with the recently-introduced Grand Cherokee L — when it's ordered with second-row buckets, at least.

 

 

Mechanical modifications are seemingly limited to stretch-related changes, like extending the driveshaft and the exhaust system. It's still powered by a 4.0-liter straight-six engine, which sends 190 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque to the rear or the four wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. There's no word on what effect the extra-long wheelbase has on the Wrangler's on-road performance, off-road capacity, or turning radius.

 

 

In the auction's comments section, the seller explained he purchased this Jeep new and commissioned the stretch because a four-door option was not offered by the factory at the time. He added that it has mostly been used as a leisure vehicle, and its odometer shows about 42,100 miles, which is low for a 15-year old TJ. If you want it, it's not too late: Bidding stands at $10,001 as of writing with three days left to go before the end of the auction.