4 Headlight Conversion

[jamchico]

Congrats on the grill Ralph! I got mine off of Ebay also. It cost me $50 + s/h, but it still had the orig parts tag on it. A little elbow grease and it shines so pretty! If anybodys interested I have those inside plates for the smaller holes.
Allen
69 wag

[Ralph]

From reading posts on this forum over the past year, I've learned that on Europe-bound vehicles the two smaller, inside openings may have contained headlamps. Does anyone know more about this?

[BobBarry]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ClarkGriswald:
Seems to me you could just run a wire from the hot terminal on the headlight switch(the one that energizes when the headlights are turned on. and use that power to trigger a relay that will handle the full power of the additional lights.. simple circuit.. I have
[snip]
box with a single feed.. anyone ever do this? or does everyone just hack stuff togethor as they go? like add it when i need it?? of course the biggest consideration is the waterproof factor\roadworthieness.whatever I end up doin on mine.. it will be somehow made to be weatherproof.. . but back to the headlight thing. it should be real easy to add them to the existing headlight circuit.. the big powerwire from the battery (thru a relay) right to the new lights will give them the unrestricted voltage that they want.. and the small voltage needed to energize the relay should be easily provided by the stock headlight switch. (I wanted to have my headlight switch turn on the power to the stock lights the second set like you folks are adding, and the foglight\driving lights, and have three subcircuits with switches to turn each of the three on or off as I need them..<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I did this very conversion on my '78 Cherokee; I feed an aftermarket add-on fusebox (a $6 Motormite one) from the charging stud on my alternator, and from there run a 10-ga wire to a pair of relays I have hidden under the overflow tank. These relays are switched by the original wires running from the dimmer switch, and the current is sent to the headlights through the rest of the original wiring.

I have also added an additional charging wire from that alternator stud to the (+) feed on the starter relay, so the dash only sees a small fraction of the amps it normally would see. Now I can add as bright a set of lights as I want without worrying about melting my headlamp switch!

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Bob Barry<UL TYPE=SQUARE>* '78 Cherokee 4-door
* '88 Grand Wagoneer[/list]http://studentweb.providence.edu/~rbarry/wheels/

[Brenton]

AAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

SO YOU'RE THE BAST&$%S THAT KEEP DENYING ME MY REPLACEMENT GLADIATOR GRILLE!!!!!! YES YOU STOLE THAT GRILLE BECAUSE I'M TAPPED OUT. NEXT DECENT ONE ON EBAY GOES FOR A MILLION BUCKS IF IT HAS TO BUT IT'S MINE.... DO YA HEAR..... MMMIIIINNNNNEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

The front Grille mount is the exact same as the Wagoneers with only a few exceptions. The One on the Wagoneer still has the tabs that the Rhino Grille mounts to, but it has some mounts welded on the front where the longer grille bolts up to. I almost used the one off my Wago parts truck, but decided that with the rusted hole in the bottom of it, it wasn't worth salvaging, plus having to grind those grille mounts off, and then bondo it back to smothness and beauty. Another important thing to note on the Wagoneers is that the hood release is different with a "Rhino" Grille as opposed to the stock grille. On the Wagoneer that release is right up under the hood. Picture sticking your hand over the top of the Grille between the hood. That's where your release is at with the long grille. With the 12 Slat Gladiator Grille (yes, it was stock on the Gladiators from 62 to 69 - not sure of EXACT years) you actually reach between the slats farther down from the hood to release it. You would need to extend the arm down to be reachable with a Gladiator Grille since that grille is taller, and you have to remove that little brace on your hood to accomodate the different height.
In addition, that extra length has to be accomodated by cutting a hole into your Radiator mount. If you look at it closely, yull see kind of a dimple in the metal between the hood catches. That dimple is a hole on the Gladiator's and allows passage of the hood release arm. If you closed your hood after mounting a Rhino grille on the front, I don't think there'd be any way to ever get it open again. You wouldn't be able to reach it.

The guys who have already done the conversions could probably verify this. I'm going off'n memory and the quick glance I took when noting the differences. However, it is a little more work than the initial glance would indicate (So stop buying my replacement parts for your stinkin' silly pathetic little conversions!!!)

Also, those little dealies you see in the center (where you intend to mount the additional headlights) are indeed aluminum inserts (mebbe pot metal). They mount up using 4 screws.

I followed the link, and that is indeed a beautiful Gladiator. And for you Neanderthals who think that "Rhino" Grilles are cool without knowing any better - that is a Thriftside. A gorgeous example of an American Classic. The last of a dying breed, and a most noble beast. I can only hope miine looks as good when she's done being restored.

BTW: Guys, I'm just yankin' yer chains. Didn't want to offend anyone when I'm just teasin' around. Those grilles are very unique, and Kick A@@. I wanna get a replacement (Something hooked on my emblem in a past life and bent the two slats that it mounts too. Unfortunately it split the metal while it was at it. Wanna get a good replacement, and then consider repairing the other one for a spare.) It's the fastest way to identify a Gladiator. After they changed the Grille, it just became a J-Series Pickup - No offense to my lesser cousins

Later,

Brenton

[Brenton]

Additional Note:

Yes Ralph - you got an excellent deal on that grille. That's the cheapest I've seen one go for on eBay in that condition. Most of them have been dented, and from the looks of it most need replating anyways.

Jamchico, you got the best one I've ever seen sold on eBay. Swiped it out from under me in the last hour of the auction. That'll teach me to assume that an auction on eBay is a done deal.... And hey, what'd I buy from you recently? It's driving me nuts!

As far as reproductions on those Grilles.... Haven't seen it. If you find it YOU MUST POST IT!!! IN BOLD LETTERS!!! Reproductions on the Gladiator specific parts are virtually nil. My only saving grace is that a lot of the parts are identical on the Wag's and the J-Series trucks for years - so somebody makes the more generalized parts pretty readily....

Yes, the round dealies in the center were stock. Far as I know there wasn't even an option for headlights there. They're just dress up. I guess to make the front end a little busier, or something - but it still looks sharp.

Brenton

[Ralph]

Brenton, I humbly apologize for taking a part that is useful to you. But I did wait until the auction was nearly over to bid, because I wanted to see if anyone actually wanted it.

Next time I find one, anywhere, I'll be sure to let you know right away. I check all AMC, Jeep, and Wagoneer listings on eBay at least twice a day. Along with the Dallas Cowboys, eBay and this forum make up my basic surf routine.

I would really like to live where you live, by the way. I have a Newfoundland dog that I bought a couple years ago instead of moving to Missoula, and I named her "Montana Waits for You." So, I guess I got your grill for now, but I'd gladly give it up to be able to live where you do.

[jamchico]

Since you're following this thread Brent, it was me who bought those bumperetts from you. I have them on and with that grill they look *****in'!! There is a yard near me that has a couple rhino's in it. I don't know how "rough" you're willing to go for, but if you let me know I will check them close and E you on it.
Allen
69 wag

[Brenton]

Thank You Guys,

I'm just givin' ya a hard time. I was gonna go for that Grille, but the cash just disappeared. At least it went to a Jeep lover, and to be truthful, that's the name of the game. There've been things I *Rassled* over on eBay, And I'm sure somebody would wanna find me in a dark alley because they have never been offered since. 'Course I *paid* for it too.
Montana is beautiful, but it's been nasty hot this last week or so, and NOTHING is equipped with A/C so It's been HOT. Not like Phoenix where you retreated to the A/C in the house.
Thank you Jamchico..... Bumperettes.... now I recall... Glad they worked out for ya, and glad they look so nice. Imagine the bumper they came off of. It's gonna go on the Gladiator - which I am proud to report, is nearing completion. My target is October, and I just might make it. Please do check on those grilles for me. My only criteria is perfect straightness. No dents, and no *major* rust. Other'n that it doesn't matter to me (well it does need to have all of the mounting tabs). I took a second look at mine, and I just don't wanna tackle fixing it. It's bent at the emblem mount to the point where the slats very nearly touch the next adjacent one (which is not bent). The metal is split from the mounting hole out to the edge. I'd probably have to pay a body shop as much as I would spend on a replacement grille, and mine still needs re-coating anyway, and I wanna save the body shop money for replacement rocker panels.

Let me know what you find out.

Thanks again,

Brenton