« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 4   Go Down

Author Topic: CJ front end swap on a YJ  (Read 11572 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Jesse-James

  • Guest
CJ front end swap on a YJ
« on: June 10, 2009, 07:46:03 PM »
Well, this started out of need for tire coverage. My cut up front fenders were getting looks from the cops and to be honest the rooster tails in the rain were getting old. After hunting for rust free YJ fenders for a few months I gave up when I found a deal on a complete front end from a CJ7 for a nice price.



First step was disassembly.




Next was trimming the CJ fenders to fit around the shock towers. Cut a little, check the fit, repeat.




Once I was able to line them up after trimming, I couldn't believe how well they fit. The bolts/holes from the fenders to the tub and even the supports lined right up. The hood was a direct bolt on as well.






The resiviors for coolant and washer fluid bolted up like they were meant to be there.


Logged

Jesse-James

  • Guest
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2009, 07:46:41 PM »
Got the fenders in place with a couple bolts in.





Time to start on the grill. Biggest issue was the steering box. Had to notch it to clear the lines. I'm going through cutting wheels like candy.





Now it's fitting a bit better.



From what I've read the radiator was going to be the biggest hassle so I decided from the beginning to use a CJ radiator for a better finished look and so it would be a bolt in...or so I thought.

The CJ rad is in front.



I ended up having to notch the mounting bracket to clear the steering box as well.



Since the YJ is an auto I have the trans lines through the radiator, figured it was a good time to eliminate that (especially since the CJ rad. was from a manual) so I got a trans cooler for a motorhome, 26,000 GVW



Installing the rad. and the mounting holes did not line up so I ended up using two of the drop brackets from my body lift to remedy it.



Another issue I found is that on the YJ the upper hose is smaller on the radiator side (1") so took a trip to Buy Right Auto, they were awesome at finding me a hose with two 1 1/4" ends. Not many stores can do anything without the computer these days, but they could.



Next was the fan shroud, this had to be notched as well.



Logged

Jesse-James

  • Guest
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2009, 07:47:03 PM »

All that was really left was lights, the headlights were straight forward , but the park/turn lights have two wires and the YJ has a three wire socket. Just don't reuse the ground from the YJ wiring and all is good.





And the before and after




Logged

Offline smashcoast

  • Member
  • Posts: 305
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2009, 08:14:22 PM »
looks nice with those round headlight's!

That would be the only way I would by a YJ, to fit a CJ grill.
Logged
Building this Jeep on the Cheap! Just like Chrysler!

Offline Bounty Hunter

  • Member
  • Posts: 1658
    • http://www.sija.org
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2009, 09:35:58 PM »
Nice job, great writeup.

Instead of modifying the inner fenders to clear the shock towers, consider installing a set of shock towers from an '88 F250, only $15 each from the Ford dealership.  I put them on my YJ and run some insanely long Bilstein shocks with them.  I welded mine on, but they can be bolted as in the pic.
Logged

Offline chrisfranklin

  • 4BangerJP.com® Donator
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1276
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2009, 10:41:38 PM »
Wait a minute, which is the "before" again?  And does the swap involve going from poser-to-square or square-to-poser?  I always get that confused. :wall: :lol: 
Logged
'94 YJ S 5spd, Borla Exhaust, CarSound Cat., PS Ceramic-coated Headers, Airraid intake, 62mm TB, Intake Manifold bored/ceramic-coated, 19lb injectors, Sharp's Adj. FPR, MeanGreen Starter, D30 Aussie locker, 31" Destination MTs, Warn XD9000, Cibie headlights, armor

Offline neale_rs

  • Member
  • Posts: 3564
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2009, 07:28:00 AM »
It looks good. 

Logged
'95 YJ, 33 x 12.5 BFG MTs, RE 4.5 ED lift, Atlas 4 speed, rear D44, ARBs front and rear, 4.56 gears, 8000# winch

Offline chardrc

  • Member
  • Posts: 3535
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2009, 07:16:44 PM »
and this helped tire coverage :puzzled:.. lol looks good.. but i still don't get the hole nonflatfender cj thing...  :wall:
Logged
1990 YJ 4cly, ax5, 2.5 inch BDS lift, 31 MTr\'s,  Powertrax-lockers all around, track-bars removed, boomerang shackles, warn m8000 winch, electric fan. [sold but not forgotten]

2007 jk Rubicon 2dr

jcsanders79

  • Guest
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2009, 07:19:18 PM »
Can this be done with only the grill or is the hood & quarter pannels needed?
Logged

Offline FourbangerYJ

  • Servicing Squirrels Since 1995®
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3372
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2009, 07:57:23 PM »
 :thumbsup: Well done Sir! I like the look of CJ's.
Logged
Scott~

Using tools you have not used in a while is like shaking hands with old friends. :nod:

Offline Jeffy

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 14921
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #10 on: June 11, 2009, 09:35:58 PM »
Quote from: jcsanders79 on June 11, 2009, 07:19:18 PM
Can this be done with only the grill or is the hood & quarter pannels needed?
You need the hood but you don't need the fenders.  Although, you'll have to do some extra drilling and squeezing as the CJ grill is narrower then the YJ's.
Logged
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZNlr60GXH5OlKIFrT7P6mg
My Jeep: http://4bangerjp.com/forums/index.php?topic=2783.0
"If the motor car were invented today, there is absolutely no way that any government in the world would let normal members of the public drive one."

Jesse-James

  • Guest
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #11 on: June 11, 2009, 10:13:37 PM »
Quote from: chardrc on June 11, 2009, 07:16:44 PM
and this helped tire coverage :puzzled:.. lol looks good.. but i still don't get the hole nonflatfender cj thing...  :wall:

Kinda hard to mount flares to this...



I have a set of 7" flares to put on, got the first one done.

Logged

Offline aw12345

  • Member
  • Posts: 3065
    • my jeep picture page
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2009, 05:06:38 AM »
once you hit it with some paint it will look very nice, next project a tire carrier for the back before the tailgate comes undone, might as well since you have a fair amount of spare time for the time being
Logged
2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ SE
2004 Jeep Wrangler TJ SE

Offline oldjeep

  • Member
  • Posts: 1800
    • www.Oldjeep.com
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2009, 06:30:04 AM »
Looks good, but I don't understand the "couldn't find rust free YJ fenders" part.  They cost $106 brand new at certifit, why bother looking for used junk?
Logged
Chuck P
The clowns'? Oh, yeah, the clowns. We fight them too — entire armies, spilling out of Volkswagons. We do our best to fight them off, but they keep sending 'em in!
94 YJ - gone
98 ZJ - sons truck
97 TJ - daughters project

www.oldjeep.com

Jesse-James

  • Guest
Re: CJ front end swap on a YJ
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2009, 07:02:31 AM »
Quote from: oldjeep on June 12, 2009, 06:30:04 AM
Looks good, but I don't understand the "couldn't find rust free YJ fenders" part.  They cost $106 brand new at certifit, why bother looking for used junk?

Never heard of them, all I could find at the time was cheap Chinese crap for $150ea. I posted several wanted ads and got no leads.

Ah well, I'm glad I did things the hard way. :lol:

Quote from: aw12345 on June 12, 2009, 05:06:38 AM
next project a tire carrier for the back before the tailgate comes undone, might as well since you have a fair amount of spare time for the time being

Did that last year.



« Last Edit: June 12, 2009, 07:03:23 AM by Jesse-James »
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 4   Go Up
« previous next »