Updating (backdating?) the TJ grille
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
OP
Other projects have kept me from doing too much about this yet, but my plan is to offer a Cool Cowl first as a test of the process as soon as I figure out the best way to offer it up for bids. If that works out well and generates a decent amount for charity I'll then do a grille.Looking forward to bidding on a CJ grill.
For now the grille that I plan to install a CJ/JL overlay on and will sell for charity is hanging on theu wall outside the workshop to keep it out of the way of other projects. I cleaned up the best headlight parts that I removed from the grilles the other day and installed them. Above it is the first CJ/JL overlay I made earlier in this thread.
I have been working on a few details of the MB/GPW grille project, I'll post an update soon.
Another project I'm working on has a bit higher priority than the grille though, I'm working on portable "On-board Air In A Bag" involving a custom bag design that a compressor mounts in and carries related hoses and accessories so I can use the compressor on whichever Jeep I happen to be using at the time. I'll post about it when the project, but here's a peek at a patch that's part of the project...
Could you put the original style CJ turn signals in the grill so it looks more like the CJ (the larger clear lens)?
OP
The patch I pictured is a preproduction sample; they should be available within a few weeks.
The back story: When I started design for the "Air in a Bag" project I decided it would be cool to have a patch like that on the bag so I designed the patch and got a patch company to make a sample for me. Then I suggested to a Jeep accessories company that they order a short production run of the patches and sell them as a test. If there was no interest in them, it wouldn't be a big expense for that company and if there was interest, they could make it a regular product and I told them I'd to additional patch designs that Jeep people might be interested in. (And in either case I would get a few patches for the project
).The short production run was ordered yesterday and the lead time is supposed to be 10-12 days, so within a few weeks some should be for sale.
The patches have velcro backing so they can stick on any velco surface or they can be sewn on.
For the record: I will not receive any compensation when the company sells these patches. I will get a couple of them for my project but I will not get any money from the proceeds of any sales.
OP
That's something I've been thinking about - when/if I mold the grille for charity, I can mold it to accept a range of different types of turn signals - I could mold it for 2" LEDs as I did for the first one, I could mold it with no provision for lights (assuming the Jeep it'll be on will still have the fender-mounted turn signals), I could mold it to accept CJ turn signals or perhaps JK units. I did these mockup photos a while back, in these photos I posed different units on the grille.
Original CJ units:
JK units. The only ones I had handy at the time had smoked lenses but clear or amber lenses might look better. One benefit of the JK units is that they're plug-and-play - the plugs on the TJ are compatible with the JK housings so they'll plug in with no wiring changes.
I'm thinking I should mold the grille with provisions for JK signals because they're larger than what I used for the first grille, they're plug-and-play and there's a range of OEM and aftermarket units that could be used.
OP
The Cool Cowl project isn't posted on this forum. If there's something specific you'd like to know I can post photos here.
I actually enjoyed reading through your project development for the grille. But even just overview of advantages it offers and pics would be cool. Maybe as part of the listing when you get ready to auction it.
I'd be all over that first one. The Original CJ look. Then fill in the turn signals on the fenders. I use to have a 1974 CJ-5.
I wouldn't even care if it didn't have the grill slot around the headlights. The color is right! I know, you said the lucky winner has to paint it themselves.
My Unlimited is red too....I wouldn't even care if it didn't have the grill slot around the headlights. The color is right! I know, you said the lucky winner has to paint it themselves.
OP
The Cool Cowl is a replacement fiberglass cowl panel that provides ducting and mounting for a cowl intake, either a prefilter cap like shown below or a snorkel.
It's a direct bolt-on replacement for the factory cowl panel, both are shown in this photo:
Ducting happens in the same way almost all TJ cowl intake solutions do, a hole is made through the firewall into the cowl area. But unlike most cowl intake solutions that draw air directly from the area under the cowl panel (which can result in intake noise in the cockpit through the HVAC system), a flexible tube connects the fitting on the firewall to the ducting on the underside of the Cool Cowl panel.
It can be ducted either to the factory air box or some other solution, like the popular Windstar cowl intake. In the photo below it is ducted to the factory air box.
Ok now I’m really interested as I already have cowl intake. I assume this would prevent any risk of water backing up in cowl and into intake? I know is low risk and likely due to poor placement of firewall opening or plugged drain but have read horror stories. Does the external filter prevent laying the windshield down (not that really have reason to do that)?
OP
Yes it eliminates the water risk. The windshield cannot be laid down with this version. There is a side port version of the Cool Cowl that allows the windshield to be laid down but that's not the one I plan to offer to sell for charity.
Let me know "when and where", I want one too. I have a denim/canvas "shooting skirt" that I have a kazillion patches on, 95% firearms of course, but a Jeep related patch wouldn't hurt it...The patch I pictured is a preproduction sample; they should be available within a few weeks.
The back story: When I started design for the "Air in a Bag" project I decided it would be cool to have a patch like that on the bag so I designed the patch and got a patch company to make a sample for me. Then I suggested to a Jeep accessories company that they order a short production run of the patches and sell them as a test. If there was no interest in them, it wouldn't be a big expense for that company and if there was interest, they could make it a regular product and I told them I'd to additional patch designs that Jeep people might be interested in. (And in either case I would get a few patches for the project
The short production run was ordered yesterday and the lead time is supposed to be 10-12 days, so within a few weeks some should be for sale.
The patches have velcro backing so they can stick on any velco surface or they can be sewn on.
For the record: I will not receive any compensation when the company sells these patches. I will get a couple of them for my project but I will not get any money from the proceeds of any sales.
Mudflat
TJ Enthusiast
I’ve even thought about sticking on some amber reflectors where the turn signal lights should be just to give it that old school look.
OP
On the subject of turn signals...
While I'm waiting for the 5 3/4" headlight mounting brackets for the MB/GPW grille project to arrive I've been working on a few details, like reproducing the MB/GPW marker lights. MB/GPW marker lights mount behind the grille and look like this:
Rather than use original lights or something that doesn't look at all like the originals, I plan to use 2.5" dual function (marker + turn) LEDs for the turn signals. They'll be mounted behind the grille just like the originals, and I'll make covers for them so they look just like the originals.
I made master patterns to make molds from:
Then I made a quick mold.
I'm out of gelcoat so I'll have to order some before I can mold the light covers in this mold.