Rhino grill for '87 J20

[Highlander]

Just wondering if anyone has bastardized their J pickup using a rhino grill. I noticed that the sheetmetal beneath my "corporate '80's" grill appears to have all the vestigal openings for the rhino/gladiator style front end (dual light openings, etc.).

Please advise if you've undertaken this retro swap.

Thanks

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Highlander1732
'87 J20
MSD Ignition

'98 Grand Cherokee 5.2L QT

[Slippery]

<Sean Connery voice> Greetings, Highlander!

Several members have done this swap; yes, the core support is carryover. The difficulty lies in finding (or affording) the necessary parts. IIRC, you can use CJ headlight trim rings, and one fellow put Mercedes foglamps in the inner holes.

Most would not call this a "bastardization", but rather a return to the proper "attitude" of the original SJs.

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Jason K. http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/s/net4/icon16.gif
"No FSJ yet, but wait..."

[This message has been edited by Slippery (edited January 18, 2001).]

[Snakeyes_Tx]

Highlander, I've got one on my 86 J-20 and it went it without a hitch. There is only one noticeable difference with our core support that the original rhino-chaser equipped rigs didn't have. There are cut outs on the top of each side of the center section about an inch or so long that leaves these small annoyances visible... if you paint your rig a dark color I doubt it'd be noticable, but them holes are driving me nuts! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

I'll try to snap a photo of what I've got mine lookin' like.



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Snakeyes_Tx
86 J-20 "The Rusty Dinosaur"
360/727/208/44/60 <- 2nd of all of them.
"If you don't know what the numbers mean, you don't need to be here!"

[jeepbob]

what do you maen bastardized!? mine has that look factory installed, (70). It is an easy swap needing the grille. faux vent covers,headlight buckets and trim rings, and turn signals. if you do not have and inside hood release or downward mounted center hood release you will have to cut a hole in the core support (just follow the depressed lines with a jig saw) and bent the release tab to fit in the hole. there may be some mounting holes that you want to fill in. as for finding the parts, scour the country junkyards and back roads there are out there and I bought 4 mostly complete rhino front end trucks ranging in price from $25 to $500 and 3 of them I drove home. the forth was complete except for engine (after stealing the front end I sold that truck, stupid me)of the other three, 2 are bog/parts trucks and the the other (a $300 65 wag)I built into my daily driver/ wheeling truck.

[Highlander]

Good to know the swap is not considered sacriligious. Don't get me wrong, I like the way the truck looks, but am captivated by the earlier look.

A couple of concerns though:

1. I would need what parts? Rhino grill?, round lights (easy), trim rings (from CJ?), headlight buckets (from gladiator?-are these welded/fused to back of support, or are these a loose bolt/screw on item? The smaller, inner holes are for turn signals? Do I use an older lower front flange as well? (to get rid of existing molded front signal lamps).
2. What and where do the faux vent covers go (I'll have to pull up some pics)
3. My luxury truck has AC and it appears that the condenser (?) and a pressure line are visible through one of the round openings. Hate to do away with the AC just for a cosmetic change. Has anyone moved any of the AC fittings?

Thanks again, love the dispensible advice feature of this page, but I guess that's the idea.

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Highlander1732
'87 J20
MSD Ignition

'98 Grand Cherokee 5.2L QT

[gbarrett]

I did it to my 84 GW. It was a breeze. I put Mercedes lights in the empty holes. Here's the link to my site. Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Greg
http://home.earthlink.net/~getoverit/index.html

[Highlander]

Greg, you're right, it really does look very good. What did you do with the evaporator, and AC parts?

My condensr sits directly behind my existing grill and is actually bolted to the front of the support, so it actually sits proud of the support. I'll have to chack and see if I can mount it behind the radiator as opposed to the front...

Thanks, page and truck look great. I nkow you git a greatr deal on the body work, but how great a deal was it? I've got some to do as well.

[jeepbob]

here's some answers to some of your concerns.
#1.the head light buckets are a bolt in and doing a quick comparo the cj buckets are the same so they could be used.
#2.the vent covers go over the holes next to the headlights. for some reason I see a lot of these installed with the vent grille slots mounted horizontaly every thing I have shows them muonted vertically. (was this a later molel styling change?)
#3.this would have no effect on the a/c
#4. while I am not sure on the really later models, the 80 j30 I parted still had the holes for the turn signals in the lower flange.
#5. (you did not you had 5 concerns did you) there was a change in the hood where it goes over the grille opening. the corners have been rounded off (I think this was done because the dies wore out), but this change will not effect you and is barely noticable to a trained eye let alone anyone else.
#6 Is that the a\c condesor or an aux. trans cooler? on the 80 j30 it had both and the cooler was mounted on the outside of the rhino grille opening and I put it on my 65 wag in the same place with just a minor tweak of the brackets.

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65 wag. 360/edelbrock rb4/t400/20 t-case/4:10 d27/d44 tracloc/onboard air/onboard 110v power(no inverter)/1999 Lincoln t.c.leather buckets/taurus ctr console/winch/33x12.50/tunes/water proof door pads
soon to have new motor/d44frt/d60r(4:10)welded diff/custom bumpers
see ya in da mud

[This message has been edited by jeepbob (edited January 19, 2001).]

[archiele]

could you post the ingredients needed to do that cool 4 light system? I think it may look good on the '65...if wifey lets me keep it that is. http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/frown.gif

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Currently a 1965 Wagoneer
bone stock.
also have an '88 Zuki

[gbarrett]

Here's what I did on my Rhino conversion:
I used #8 bolts (1" long) thru the mounts on the Mercedes lights where the original mounting bolts went. Those threaded into barrel nuts. On the side where the A/C drier is, I drilled 3 holes thru the inner support in the 12, 6, and 9 o'clock postions (looking at it from the front). Then I threaded long (8") threaded rod into the other side of the barrel nuts. I slid on small fender washers and 5" compression springs. Stick the threaded rod thru the holes you drilled in the inner wall and secure each rod with a washer and wing-nut. As long as the springs are stiff enough, the light will stay in place very firmly and it's adjustable. I wired the lights to a relay and separate switch under the dash. My lights are aimed just lower and wider than my low beams for off-road surprises. From the looks of the Mercedes buckets, I think you could also use one of the smaller sealed beam headlights if you wanted a true 4 light setup.

Anyway, that's what I did. Email or post if you have questions.

Greg

[kyrel]

anyone kow were I can get the grill to do the to my wag. HELP!!!!!!

[Ralph]

Here's one for auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=553437233

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J ust
E mpty
E very
P ocket

[Ralph]

And another one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=554391931

[FSFrank]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ralph:
And another one:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Shhhhhhhh http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/wink.gif

Us dedicated eBay lurkers are waiting to pick up a Rhino cheap. (I know ... wishful thinking)

Frank