Did a Detroit Scrapyard Just Sell Someone a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Hood?

The Jeep Wrangler rumor mill has run with a wide-open throttle ever since Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ sweater-clad chairman started work on the next-generation model.

Details are still scarce, but we know that the 2018 Wrangler sports plenty of aluminum parts and an oh-so-careful redesign. However, one Minnesota Jeep enthusiast believes he got his hands on a piece of the real thing, and from an unlikely source.

According to a poster on the American Expedition Vehicles forum, the unique hood he bought for his Jeep Wrangler Unlimited might be from a 2018 Wrangler.

The poster, redrockjk, claims he purchased the hood from a reputable recycler in the Detroit area, thinking it was a 2014 Hard Rock part. The hood features air vents and Rubicon graphics. After installation, the hood revealed itself to be two inches longer than stock, overhanging the grille like a furrowed brow.

In his words:

The guy there was very helpful with sending pics before the sale so I could see what I was getting and getting it freight shipped to me in 3 days. Got the hood unpacked and went to install today only to find out the hood I bought is almost 2 inches longer than my stock hood. There are no vin stickers or mopar stamped part numbers on this hood (which is not the norm for jeep/mopar) The place I purchased from is near Chelsea proving grounds and the guy there thinks there “might have been a mix up”.

One forum member suggested it could be a cheap Chinese aftermarket part, while others coaxed more information out of the confused owner. Another suggested selling it back to FCA, assuming it is from a prototype.

One of the things we do know about the 2018 Wrangler is its heavy use of aluminum to cut down on weight and improve fuel economy. Alcoa has been tapped to provide aluminum for the Wrangler’s doors and hood. The dimensions of that hood is unknown, and the forum poster doesn’t comment on the mystery hood’s weight.

After a slew of questions, the poster reiterated that the hood “came as you see it, painted, stickered and outfitted, out of Detroit from a recycler and that recycler told me there location is close to the Chelsea proving grounds and they receive vehicles to part out from FCA.”

Four days ago, the poster provided another update, and a telling one at that. The recycling yard asked to take it back.

“I wanted to save it but unfortunately I’m not made of money and have an expensive wall art that would only serve as a conversation piece,” said the poster. “I was told it’s going back to FCA.”

If the hood is indeed from a 2018 Wrangler, expect a longer nose when the redesigned off-roader debuts. The Wrangler’s grille, as well as its windshield, is expected to take on a more severe slant to improve aerodynamics. Other fuel-saving measures include an eight-speed automatic transmission and the likely addition of a turbocharged 2.0-liter “Hurricane” four-cylinder making about 300 horsepower.

[Images: forum.aev-conversions.com]