Updating (backdating?) the TJ grille

[jscherb]

Installing the grille overlay is a fairly simple procedure - use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade to remove the slots from the factory grille, use a hole saw to make clearance holes for the in-grille turn signals, bond the overlay on using automotive urethane adhesive, and paint. I painted this one completely with rattle cans - primer, Flame Red and 2k clear.

The harder part for many people might be to blank out the factory turn signals in the fenders assuming that lights in the grille and the fenders aren't wanted.

I made up a prototype of a "blanking plate" idea - this is a plate that bolts in place in the factory turn signal recess in the fender. I painted this one with rattle can black to match a black fender I have here.

Installed it is visible, but since there are other seams visible on the Jeep tub I don't think it's too much out of place. This may be good enough for many people who want to blank out their fender turn signals. Also these photos show what the new grille would look like with factory fenders...

 

[-T.]

I want one of these grilles, dang it! You're such a tease!

 

[jscherb]

I have a spare radiator and AC condenser in the basement so I installed them to see how the grille looks with them.

While I decide what to do with the grille, it's sitting in a spare room with some JK hardtop projects - Freedom panels with pop-open skylights, a swing-up cargo window to replace the side windows of the factory hardtop, etc...

 

[zebra12]

Looks great; I prefer the small lights in the grille.

I bought this last night (Craigslist find) mostly for wall art in my garage, but if one of your business associates picks up the inlay I'm ready.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Adding myself to the list of people that would pay good money to get that grill on the front of my Wrangler . . . this entire thread has been amazing!

-Grant

 

[Tob]

Not sure if your question is meant to be serious, but I'll answer it in a serious way.

Usually the people the people I meet in the forums that become friends are people who contribute in some way to my projects without expecting anything in return.

A good example is my friend Donny - he spends a lot of time camping in his Jeep and I met him over at the Expedition Portal when I was designing what became the Trail Kitchen. Donny commented and criticized my design and contributed his extensive experience to the project and the result was a much better kitchen than I probably would have designed by myself. Here's a Trail Kitchen in my LJ, it's now a commercial product - this photo was taken at Easter Jeep Safari last year when the company borrowed my LJ to show off the kitchen in their booth at the vendor expo:

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Donny also suggested an idea to accessorize tailgate tables - a "Cutlery Keeper" that fits in the space between the tailbgate and the folded-up table. I sewed one for him to test and it ended up being picked up by another company and it's also on the market, here's a prototype in Donny's JKU (this photo was posed with tools in it but usually Donny has cutlery in it):

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All during this time Donny loved the "barn door" I made as part of the custom hardtop I built for my JKU. Replacing the glass liftgate, the barn door is like a "hard upper half door" for the tailgate and converts the tailgate into a full door. So I made one for him. In this video he's demonstrating his barn door; my JKU with its barn door is in the background.

Donny and I get together every time I'm in Florida to talk Jeeps, since I'm in Florida now we're getting together tonight.

Donny is perhaps an extreme example, but the people I've made things for all have added value to my projects in some way.

Speaking of EJS, can I look forward to seeing any of your projects there this year?

 

[Squatch]

Looks great; I prefer the small lights in the grille.

I bought this last night (Craigslist find) mostly for wall art in my garage, but if one of your business associates picks up the inlay I'm ready.

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Been seeing that on Craigslist forever. If you don't mind my asking, were you able to talk him down on the price?

 

[jscherb]

Speaking of EJS, can I look forward to seeing any of your projects there this year?

My plan has been to not attend EJS this year because I have been planning to spend April in India (I spend about 3 months per year there). But the virus issue may force me to change my plans.

If I don't spend April in India I will probably attend EJS. If that happens I'd either drive my LJ or my JKU out and it would be featured in the MORryde booth at the vendor expo.

In any case, MORryde has a booth there and will be exhibiting things I've designed.

I haven't booked my India flights yet but should do within a week so decision time is fast approaching.

 

[jscherb]

Adding myself to the list of people that would pay good money to get that grill on the front of my Wrangler . . . this entire thread has been amazing!

-Grant

Because I'm not in business and I don't sell anything, I don't have any plans to produce grilles for sale, nor do I intend to contact companies trying to find one interested in marketing the grille - I'd much rather spend my time on my next project than trying to find a company to take on my last project.

But if any company or person is interested in putting the grille into production, I'll be happy to discuss it with them.

There is one other possibility... I'm trying something new with another fiberglass design of mine I call the Cool Cowl - it's a replacement for the factory cowl panel that provides for cold air intake. Here's one on my pickup:

It's a direct replacement for the factory panel but provides an attachment point for a cold air intake cap and on the underside provides a connection point for ductwork to the air box. Here it is compared to a factory cowl panel.

A lot of people have asked for these panels but since I don't sell anything I haven't been able to help them. Recently someone asked if they could borrow the mold to have a professional fiberglass shop make some for their own use. I agreed and that process is about to begin. If the experience is a good one and I get my mold back in undamaged condition I would consider doing the same thing for this grille.

BTW please don't ask to be included in this limited Cool Cowl run, that's closed. Assuming that turns out well, I'll consider doing it again for the Cool Cowl and for the new grille.

 

[zebra12]

Been seeing that on Craigslist forever. If you don't mind my asking, were you able to talk him down on the price?

$130. When he spoke and I heard his Russian accent, I knew I wasn’t getting a great deal.

 

[Squatch]

$130. When he spoke and I heard his Russian accent, I knew I wasn’t getting a great deal.

Hell, that wasn't bad at all. Couldn't see paying his $250 that he had it listed for, though.

 

[jscherb]

When I was doing the JL-Style Grille for the JK an LED company sent me a pair of dark lens LEDs to play with and try in the new grille. I posed them on the new TJ grille for this photo. I'm thinking of molding a second grille, this time with recesses to fit factory JK turn signals so I wanted to see how they looked for size.

What they look like when lit (in the JL-style grille for the JK):

 

[lowranger]

So the bigger amber light under your headlight is not factory? Because I have them too. I probably sound so dumb right now lol

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I like the factory larger CJ style turn signals in the grill better.

 

[lowranger]

I installed the grille on my pickup today - digitally . I'm in Florida visiting mom; I drove the pickup here from NY and I washed the northern road salt off it today so I took a photo for a digital installation. I edited one of the photos of the grille sitting on the workbench I posted the other day onto the photo of the Jeep I took this afternoon. On the left is the untouched photo, on the right the new grille is installed. Also blanked out the turn signals in the fenders:

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A comparison showing what it would look like if I didn't blank out the fender turn signals:

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Still haven't decided if I'm going to actually install the new grille on the Jeep. I'll look at the digital installation photos for a while before I decide.

Have you tried the larger original CJ clear lens in your grill? I really like that look.

 

[jscherb]

Have you tried the larger original CJ clear lens in your grill? I really like that look.

Here's a set of factory CJ lenses posed on the new grille. They seem a little too large to me. That's partly because the slots in the new grille are larger and leave less space for turn signals than on the factory grille, although I think they also look a little large on the factroy TJ grille.

The JK ones are a good fit, and are available with clear lenses although these are smoked lenses:

But I also like the smaller LEDs I initially installed:

The good news is with the current mold I can make grilles with recesses for any of the above or smooth without any recesses for turn signals and it costs less than $25 in materials to make one so I could make a few different ones and then decide .

 

[lowranger]

Here's a set of factory CJ lenses posed on the new grille. They seem a little too large to me. That's partly because the slots in the new grille are larger and leave less space for turn signals than on the factory grille, although I think they also look a little large on the factroy TJ grille.

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The JK ones are a good fit, and are available with clear lenses although these are smoked lenses:

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But I also like the smaller LEDs I initially installed:

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The good news is with the current mold I can make grilles with recesses for any of the above or smooth without any recesses for turn signals and it costs less than $25 in materials to make one so I could make a few different ones and then decide .

How do they look on the factory TJ grille? That's probably the way I would go.

 

[jjvw]

How do they look on the factory TJ grille? That's probably the way I would go.

Still too large.

 

[jscherb]

 

[jscherb]

 

[lowranger]

So the bigger amber light under your headlight is not factory? Because I have them too. I probably sound so dumb right now lol

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I still like the original CJ turn signals in the TJ grille.