To be picky, I think if the slats and voids were opened up proportional to each other the grill might look a bit more like stock would. Again, splitting gnats hairs.
Updating (backdating?) the TJ grille
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
OP
Here's why I didn't do that: widening the slats and slots proportionally would mean that the slots would be narrower than the ones on my grille and the slats would be wider. If the outer two slots were narrower, they wouldn't be proportioned properly where they intersect the headlights. On my grille, the headlight protrudes about half way across the outer slots; if the slots were narrower the headlight would take up a lot more of the width of the slot. I did drawings of several variations of slot/slat width before deciding on the widths I ended up implementing and rejected narrower slots/wider slats because the outer slots didn't look right with the headlights taking up more room in them.
OP
I went to the local U-pull today to try to get a TJ grille for another custom grille project. Their web site said they had two TJ's and from the photos (larger photos than the ones below) the grilles looked ok.
Unfortunately on both Jeeps the bolts holding the fenders to the grille were totally rusted, there's no way those bolts were coming out. The trip wasn't a total waste though, I picked up a complete Spice soft top for $10. It's not in bad shape except for some of the seams, but the fabric and zippers are good and will find their way into a sewing project soon.
When I find a grille to work with I plan to do an MB-style face for it. It'll be as close to the original MB as possible, with smaller headlights recessed behind the grille face and supporting MB turn signals. I posted this concept image earlier in this thread, that's what I plan to build next.
When I start the project I'll post about it.
Unfortunately on both Jeeps the bolts holding the fenders to the grille were totally rusted, there's no way those bolts were coming out. The trip wasn't a total waste though, I picked up a complete Spice soft top for $10. It's not in bad shape except for some of the seams, but the fabric and zippers are good and will find their way into a sewing project soon.
When I find a grille to work with I plan to do an MB-style face for it. It'll be as close to the original MB as possible, with smaller headlights recessed behind the grille face and supporting MB turn signals. I posted this concept image earlier in this thread, that's what I plan to build next.
When I start the project I'll post about it.
Will the headlites flip around to illuminate the engine bay? I always thought that was the coolest idea!
OP
I'm going to look at that when I get into the project, but that would require significant mods to the back of the grille and to the engine bay, like relocating the coolant overflow tank and the windshield washer reservoir - no point in rotating the lights just to have the light blocked by those things. My guess at this point is that it won't be worthwhile allowing the lights to swivel, but I do plan to look at it.
They come up pretty regularly on Craigslist around here for $100 or so, so I'll just wait for one that someone else has removed,
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
You crack me up!
I know was a separate thread trying to put something together. Any chance some type of production run for the grille might happen and if yes how can I get on the list? Every time I see a TJ grille on CL want to buy it to have available just in case.
OP
I'm open to the idea of a production run of the grille, but the response in that thread seemed to indicate there wouldn't be enough interest in it to make a production run worth the effort. I'm open to the idea if anyone wants to run with it though.
Earlier this year I lent the molds for my Cool Cowl to someone who wanted to have a few made for himself and friends and a few weeks ago I got the molds back unharmed. The person who borrowed the molds had one made for me as a "thank you", here's a photo of it on my test tub. That experience worked out ok, so I'd be open to someone doing the same thing with the grille mold.
I have no clue about having this type of thing done but if the person who worked with you on the Cool Cowl, or someone else with necessary knowledge skills, wants to borrow grille mold and make a few I’m certainly willing to purchase one to help support making it happen.
OP
I picked up a grille today for the MB/GPW-style grille project.
I need a few more parts before I can finalize the design - the original MB/GPW had 5 3/4" headlights (the TJ has 7" headlights) so I've ordered mounting hardware for 5 3/4 lights and I'll pick up a pair of 5 3/4 hi/low sealed beams locally. I also want to have MB-style marker/signal lights in the grille but rather than use original housings I plan to make up custom bezels that will look the same as the MB/GPW lights but cover off-the shelf dual function LEDs. The look I'm going for:
I'll start a thread on the project soon.
I said I picked up a grille for the project but I actually picked up two - I got the two of them for a very good price (less than one typically sells for around here), and I have a plan for the second one...
I do these design and construction projects for my own enjoyment and I don't sell anything. Sometimes a company will pick up something I've designed and bring it to market and once in a while a group buy for something will get arranged, but I never sell anything myself. But since some people have asked to buy one of the grilles that's the subject of this thread, I'll mold another one and assemble it onto one of the grilles I got today and offer it for sale - and I'll donate all of the proceeds from the sale to charity. Every month I make a trip to the grocery store to load up the Jeep with food to donate to the local Food Bank - they do very good work here and it's worth supporting them, so they'll get the proceeds from the grille sale. The buyer can decide what type of turn signals the grille is molded to support (I've posted a few options earlier in the thread) and the grille would be bolt-in ready except for paint.
Before I go to the trouble of molding and assembling the charity grille, I think I'll offer a Cool Cowl under the same terms to see how the idea of selling for charity works out. A few months ago when I lent my Cool Cowl molds to someone so they could get a few made for themselves and friends, they made one for me too. I don't need it (and of course can make more in the mold if I ever do need one), so I think I'll offer the cowl for sale and all proceeds will go to the Food Bank. The Cool Cowl in question is pictured a few posts up.
I just have to figure out a fair way to sell them, I'm open to suggestions on that.
What do people think of the charity idea?
I need a few more parts before I can finalize the design - the original MB/GPW had 5 3/4" headlights (the TJ has 7" headlights) so I've ordered mounting hardware for 5 3/4 lights and I'll pick up a pair of 5 3/4 hi/low sealed beams locally. I also want to have MB-style marker/signal lights in the grille but rather than use original housings I plan to make up custom bezels that will look the same as the MB/GPW lights but cover off-the shelf dual function LEDs. The look I'm going for:
I'll start a thread on the project soon.
I said I picked up a grille for the project but I actually picked up two - I got the two of them for a very good price (less than one typically sells for around here), and I have a plan for the second one...
I do these design and construction projects for my own enjoyment and I don't sell anything. Sometimes a company will pick up something I've designed and bring it to market and once in a while a group buy for something will get arranged, but I never sell anything myself. But since some people have asked to buy one of the grilles that's the subject of this thread, I'll mold another one and assemble it onto one of the grilles I got today and offer it for sale - and I'll donate all of the proceeds from the sale to charity. Every month I make a trip to the grocery store to load up the Jeep with food to donate to the local Food Bank - they do very good work here and it's worth supporting them, so they'll get the proceeds from the grille sale. The buyer can decide what type of turn signals the grille is molded to support (I've posted a few options earlier in the thread) and the grille would be bolt-in ready except for paint.
Before I go to the trouble of molding and assembling the charity grille, I think I'll offer a Cool Cowl under the same terms to see how the idea of selling for charity works out. A few months ago when I lent my Cool Cowl molds to someone so they could get a few made for themselves and friends, they made one for me too. I don't need it (and of course can make more in the mold if I ever do need one), so I think I'll offer the cowl for sale and all proceeds will go to the Food Bank. The Cool Cowl in question is pictured a few posts up.
I just have to figure out a fair way to sell them, I'm open to suggestions on that.
What do people think of the charity idea?
Don’t ebay it. The fees that eBay charges PayPal etc are stupid. There’s plenty of people here that will pay and no fees etc.
OP
Before I could do anything with the grilles they needed to be disassembled and any broken bolts removed - broken bolts are very common in parts removed from Wranglers that have been given up for dead. Both grilles are in very nice shape now, I removed the few broken bolts that were rusted in place and chased all of the threaded holes with taps so everything is good and these can be installed in Jeeps with no problems.
I probably won't do much on the MB/GPW grille project until the 5 3/4" headlight mounts I ordered come in, when they do I'll start posting progress photos of the project.
And as soon as I decide the best way to offer the charity Cool Cowl and grille for sale I'll let people know.
I probably won't do much on the MB/GPW grille project until the 5 3/4" headlight mounts I ordered come in, when they do I'll start posting progress photos of the project.
And as soon as I decide the best way to offer the charity Cool Cowl and grille for sale I'll let people know.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with on the MB/GPW project. You and I posted back and forth about this years ago on another forum, and at one point I had both grilles sourced and was going to start cutting to join the two together in metal. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on the details you come up with to make everything work together.
OP
Before beginning construction, I do a complete design on the computer and usually do full-size prints so I can see what the design will look like and as I finalize the MB/GPW grille design I'm doing that. This isn't final yet, but I think the proportions are pretty close. It's raining today so I couldn't back the Jeep all the way out of the garage for a wider view...
Unlike the stock grille, which has a gentle curve forward, the MB/GPW grille is flat, and has headlights and turn signals psitioned behind the grille surface, so that's how I'll make this grille. The printout isn't perfectly flat in this next photo, but it gives some idea of what a flat grille wil look like.
What the above design looks like in olive drab and some details cut and pasted from an illustration of an MB/GPW:
I don't expect the mounts for the 5 3/4" headlights to arrive for a while, so I have some time to study this design and refine it further.
Unlike the stock grille, which has a gentle curve forward, the MB/GPW grille is flat, and has headlights and turn signals psitioned behind the grille surface, so that's how I'll make this grille. The printout isn't perfectly flat in this next photo, but it gives some idea of what a flat grille wil look like.
What the above design looks like in olive drab and some details cut and pasted from an illustration of an MB/GPW:
I don't expect the mounts for the 5 3/4" headlights to arrive for a while, so I have some time to study this design and refine it further.