'95 xj with eight slot grill

My '95 XJ has an eight "slot" grill. I understand the present Jeep trade mark is a seven "slot". Is there an after-market grill available in the seven "slot" design that will fit or are there any other year models that will fit? I've done some searching and have had no luck.

thanks

you have two options.

swap the front clip of a 97+ XJ on there.

or...

learn to love your eight slot grille...

personally, I prefer more slots.



I've got 21

Joe,

I would save your money. Your XJ came with a 8 slot grill so that is what it is to have.

A while back I found an aftermarket site that sold billet metal grills. He was taken to court by DC and posted the history of the WW2 Jeep grill.

Go ahead and spend your money on a FORD designed grill. To me what DC has done with trying ot make the seven slot grill a trademark is a low point in JEEP brand's history.

Very interesting reading every XJ owner should know this.

Here is the link to his site for the write up: http://www.wee1.com/history.htm

Here some of his story you can read it all on the site.

"The facts of this particular case began as far back as 1940 (while World War II war was breaking out in various parts of the world). The U.S. Government requested that automobile manufacturers bid on the development of a powerful but small and lightweight vehicle for reconnaissance and transportation purposes (The beginning of the jeep). The three companies that ultimately succeeded in getting contracts for this vehicle were BANTAM, WILLYS-OVERLAND, AND FORD MOTOR CO.

WILLY'S-OVERLAND was the predecessor to the Jeep Corporation, who was the predecessor to DaimlerChrysler Corporation at least with regards to the current Jeep vehicles (American Motors and Kaiser fit in there somewhere). The important point to this story is that Willy's and Jeep are all predecessors in interest to DaimlerChrysler Corp. which is now running the show.

BANTAM (the smallest and hungriest of the three) received the first contract (for a prototype vehicle) and produced the very first jeep vehicle - This vehicle met the basic expectations of the Army, and after testing, the Army decided to make some changes and issue production contracts. In the mean time Willy's and Ford decided to provide prototypes of their own (at their own expense) so that they could keep their foot in the door.

WILLYS-OVERLAND ( DaimlerChryslers predecessor) received the first production model contract based on its more powerful engine and lower overall cost - and proceeded to produce the jeep vehicle while incorporating changes that were directed by the Quartermaster Corps. One of these directed changes was to incorporate a grill design similar to the one FORD had patented and used on their earlier prototype. This early grill design was a fabricated grill of welded iron bars - similar in construction to a heavy duty Bar-B-Que grill. This is ironic that the company that later claims to have been all-knowing all-seeing with regards to the jeep was directed to use the Ford style grill and to dump their own design.

FORD MOTOR CO. was then offered a contract for a similar number of jeeps (comparable to the Willy's-Overland contract) providing that Ford would agree to build them in such a way that all parts were interchangeable with the Willy's-Overland model.- FORD agreed and immediately began tooling up for production. This contract was issued because the Army didn't have the confidence that Willy's could keep up with the demand.

One of the first things that FORD did after they received the contract (in October 1941 shortly before Pearl Harbor) was to re-design the front grill so that it could be "Stamped or Pressed" out in large quantities and still be interchangeable with the heavier grill that Willy's was using on the MB. The advantages of this grill over the Bar-B-Que style grill that Willys was using was that it was interchangeable with, easier to produce, cost less ($8.00 vs $26.00), weighed less and provided the same degree of protection to the front of the vehicle - It was commonly referred to as a "Radiator Guard" since that was its primary function. Again, Ford takes the lead in the design of one of the jeeps most recognizable features, and Willy's just sits there and brings up the rear.

Willys-Overland continued to produce the welded bar grill design until approximately April 1942 - at which time they changed over to exactly the same pressed steel grill design that FORD had originated. This must have been hard to swallow for them at first - but then considered the bottom line. There is no indication that Willys was forced to change to this new design; therefor they must have felt that it was far more suited for its intended use than the Bar-B-Que style that they were building.

The relevancy of these facts will become more clear when we discuss the underhanded methods that would later be used to obtain a trademark on the front grill of the jeep by the Jeep Corporation (Willy's successor - and DaimlerChrysler's predecessor).

...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stepped in, in 1943, and filed suit against WILLYS-OVERLAND with the result being that in 1948, WILLYS-OVERLAND was issued a Court Order To Cease and Desist from: Representing, directly or by implication, that respondent Willys-Overland Motors, Inc., either acting alone or in cooperation or collaboration with the United States Army or with any other agency or party, created or designed th automotive vehicle known as the Jeep; provided, however, that this order shall not prohibit respondents from representing that said respondent participated in and contributed to the development and perfecting of said vehicle. "

Yeah, I was bored so I just read that whole web article. I must say that it was pretty interesting. I always like to read about the little guy winning.

DaimlerChrysler keeps trying, though.

AM General, the company that made post office Jeeps and which developed the military HumVee, was a division of AMC. When Chrysler bought out AMC's interest in the Jeep/Eagle Division, they didn't buy AM General. Needless to say, since they had all been under the same umbrella, AM General had rights to use the "Jeep" grill on the HumVee and the civilian Hummer. When Generous Motors bought Hummer from AM General some years later, DC sued GM to try to stop them from using the "trademark" Jeep grille on the Hummer 2.

Typically, GM contested that, yet when another company came out with a vehicle that resembled the Hummer 2, GM sued. They are all the same -- they want what they want regardless of the facts.

Chrysler's case is further weakened by all the Jeep models that have been sold over the years that did not have a 7-slot grille: the original (large) Cherokee, the original (large) Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the XJ (which had 10 slots from 84 thru 87, then 8 slots from 88 thru 96), the XJ Wagoneer, the J trucks, and many more. Dunno how you can claim a grille is your "trademark" when you don't even use it on your own vehicles.

Well, there we have it. According to DC, the only thing that makes a Jeep a Jeep is the look its grill, not the mechanical design or the capability of the vehicle.

DaveWV said:

Well, there we have it. According to DC, the only thing that makes a Jeep a Jeep is the look its grill, not the mechanical design or the capability of the vehicle.

Click to expand...

No, no, no.

You weren't paying attention. When DC released the Liberty, they made a big deal out of the fact that it has trapezoidal wheel arches. So in order to be a true Jeep, a vehicle must now have both a 7-slot grille AND trapezoidal wheel arches.

(Again, ignore all the vehicles Jeep has produced over the years that had round wheel arches. Just read the surrent sales propaganda.)