XJ-5 Grille Build

[licorice noose]

bah. $85 each without bulbs. I really dig em though. Might have to go for it. I guess i actually have to start the grille tomorrow. Moving in a week and i dont think i can do this crap in an apartment parking lot :banghead:. Anyone in flagstaff wanna let me squat in your garage in my free time? :laugh:

 

[rockcrusher]

looking good

 

[licorice noose]

Started on the grille today. First thing i tried was the seven slot and it looked like uke:. It was just too short and kinda...blobby. I eventually settled on a medium between the two. I'll end up with 10, 2.5" x 8.25" slots (almost exactly what they are currently on the XJ). The ones shown are a bit shorter than what they will be. should come out alright. Keep posting. i need something to read at work :rof:

 

[jeeperjohn]

I don't know how soon its gonna get bolted on. I still have the old body style fenders and probably wont put it on until i get new ones to replace them.

I did a little photoshop of it with a round, mesh grille. I kinda dig it but i'm still torn. I cant decide! :doh:

I like that! Very much like what I want to do.

 

[jeeperjohn]

Started on the grille today. First thing i tried was the seven slot and it looked like uke:. It was just too short and kinda...blobby. I eventually settled on a medium between the two. I'll end up with 10, 2.5" x 8.25" slots (almost exactly what they are currently on the XJ). The ones shown are a bit shorter than what they will be. should come out alright. Keep posting. i need something to read at work :rof:

It's looking really nice! How about perforated steel behind the slots?

 

[licorice noose]

It's looking really nice! How about perforated steel behind the slots?

Yeah, that's probably what im gonna do. Dont want rocks flying through those slots and into the radiator.

 

[licorice noose]

Well, I got the slots cut out and ready to form into the grille.

Cut a bunch of 3.5" x 10.5" strips so that i could get them to follow the curvature of the header panel. Stacked em' all up and cut out some 2.5" holes:

I connected the holes with some straight cuts and cleaned them up a little which gave me the main chunks of the grille. (sorry for terrible quality. phone sucks at night)

I was looking at the JK wranglers and noticed that the slots have a little bevel at the bottom and i thought it was cool so im gonna adopt it. with a bit of shaping and some fiberglass they should look sweet.

 

[Xtreme XJ]

MAN ! this is getting better & better...

Curt

 

[John D]

You will orders to manufacture these as soon as you are willing to :loveu:

 

[KingCopa]

This is turning out to be the best round light conversion I've seen! Good job and keep it up!

 

[licorice noose]

You will orders to manufacture these as soon as you are willing to :loveu:

I'll trade you for a cage :laugh:

 

[John D]

I'll trade you for a cage :laugh:

I can only take credit for the design. JCR did the awesome work for me.

 

[licorice noose]

Cleaned up the slots a bit today.


Another look at the bevel type thingie..

The layout

First coat of glass. one piece now

off to work uke:

 

[Timmy2XJS]

holy jumping monkeys bat man! dude this is a sweet mod. keep it up cant wait to see the finished product!!

 

[96TNXJ]

holy jumping monkeys bat man! dude this is a sweet mod. keep it up cant wait to see the finished product!!

X2!! I cant wait to see this thing done!!

 

[1995TXJ]

The suspense is killing me! This looks to be the best round headlight conversion I've seen yet!

 

[licorice noose]

sorry guys! I've got the grille all shaped and ready to be glassed in but i have to move into an apartment tonight. The convenience store nazis have been working me like crazy so that didn't help either. Updates in a few days!

 

[fishjeep]

any updates on this?

 

[licorice noose]

Sorry guys!

I've been moving around and crap this last month and haven't had time to work on it until recently. heres a bit of progress:

Glassed in:

Bit of filler and guide coat:

Close up. shows the little tapered bits better:

 

[licorice noose]

Bit more work today. All thats left now is making it pretty. All the major fab is done. Put the lights in just to check it out real quick:

And after a bit more sanding and junk. I have a lot of that in the future:

sooooo cloooose! :wow: