Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Sweet!
That is great news.
That is great news.
Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
For a long time I've been working on a design I call the "Retro Rhino" - Rhino being a common term for the original Gladiator front clip... I've wanted to do a kit to turn a JK into a modern version of the Rhino FSJ. Originally I was thinking I'd do it in very much the same way as the various Jeep concepts like the Nukizer, J12 and Crew Chief 715; these concepts have a wider front fascia, a hood that was wider at the front, modified fenders that didn't taper in towards the front and new narrower fender flares - almost all of body parts forward of the cowl are custom.
A while back I did a concept image based on parts of Jeep concept images, a JKU photo and some drawing to put a Safari Cab on it...
I haven't had any time to begin work on the project, but this week I did have some time to consider another way of doing it. Instead of modifying all the body parts forward of the cowl, this new idea only requires a new hood and front fascia/grille. The fenders and flares would be stock (or any aftermarket flares that fit the stock fenders), and the new hood, fascia and related parts would bolt in place with no other modifications.
I'll take you through the options. This first illustration shows the original FSJ Rhino front panel and a JK to the same scale. The FSJ front panel is much too wide to go on the JK, it's wider than the JK tub. In the lower left I've scaled the FSJ front end to the same width as the JK, making the panel the same width as the tub at the cowl. In this crude scaling the headlights and "pie plates" are too small, but it shows roughly how much the panel would have to be scaled down.
This next illustration shows a "selectively scaled" front panel; the headlights and pie plates are full size originals from an FSJ, and the center grille is scaled down to fit. This would be a "full front clip" kit - new parts required would be a hood, front panel, grille, flares, and modifications to the factory fenders so they didn't taper in towards the front.
The next illustration shows the a front panel scaled to work with the factory grille width. The headlights and trim rings are original FSJ parts but the pie plates and center grille are new scaled-down parts. This would be a much simpler kit - the hood and front panel/grille would bolt on to a stock JK in place of the factory hood and grille. No other modifications would be required. As such, it would be a fairly practical kit that a home driveway DIY-er could install.
I made a full printout of the last design to see what the JK-factory-width front panel might look like.
The photo above only shows the fascia/grille, there would be a new hood that would have a raised section in the center like the original FSJ hood.
A while back I did a concept image based on parts of Jeep concept images, a JKU photo and some drawing to put a Safari Cab on it...
I haven't had any time to begin work on the project, but this week I did have some time to consider another way of doing it. Instead of modifying all the body parts forward of the cowl, this new idea only requires a new hood and front fascia/grille. The fenders and flares would be stock (or any aftermarket flares that fit the stock fenders), and the new hood, fascia and related parts would bolt in place with no other modifications.
I'll take you through the options. This first illustration shows the original FSJ Rhino front panel and a JK to the same scale. The FSJ front panel is much too wide to go on the JK, it's wider than the JK tub. In the lower left I've scaled the FSJ front end to the same width as the JK, making the panel the same width as the tub at the cowl. In this crude scaling the headlights and "pie plates" are too small, but it shows roughly how much the panel would have to be scaled down.
This next illustration shows a "selectively scaled" front panel; the headlights and pie plates are full size originals from an FSJ, and the center grille is scaled down to fit. This would be a "full front clip" kit - new parts required would be a hood, front panel, grille, flares, and modifications to the factory fenders so they didn't taper in towards the front.
The next illustration shows the a front panel scaled to work with the factory grille width. The headlights and trim rings are original FSJ parts but the pie plates and center grille are new scaled-down parts. This would be a much simpler kit - the hood and front panel/grille would bolt on to a stock JK in place of the factory hood and grille. No other modifications would be required. As such, it would be a fairly practical kit that a home driveway DIY-er could install.
I made a full printout of the last design to see what the JK-factory-width front panel might look like.
The photo above only shows the fascia/grille, there would be a new hood that would have a raised section in the center like the original FSJ hood.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
This looks great. I wonder what the air flow differences will be?
Would you open the slots in the "Pie Plates" as well?
The grill, while being narrow, is taller.
Seems like it will do a nice job of covering other stuff in the grill area too.
With a fully composite hood, it should even shave a bit of weight.
Would you open the slots in the "Pie Plates" as well?
The grill, while being narrow, is taller.
Seems like it will do a nice job of covering other stuff in the grill area too.
With a fully composite hood, it should even shave a bit of weight.
AgentOrange76
Adventurer
I think I personally prefer the larger, wider grille. I think it better tributes the old full sizes. I know I've been lusting over that pictures for months and I don't even have a jk! This is exciting, I know its gonna be awesome either route you go!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks! I like both and can build either one, and I'm hoping to begin construction within the next few weeks so I've got to decide soon. Today I'm leaning towards doing the narrower hood/grille kit, yesterday I was leaning towards the wider hood/grille/fenders kit
.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This looks great. I wonder what the air flow differences will be?
Would you open the slots in the "Pie Plates" as well?
The grill, while being narrow, is taller.
Seems like it will do a nice job of covering other stuff in the grill area too.
With a fully composite hood, it should even shave a bit of weight.
The airflow in my JK grille is already restricted - these grille inserts were in there when I bought the Jeep (I added the road salt, that wasn't on the Jeep when I bought it
). I've never had any problem with engine temperature, so while the Rhino grille will be smaller overall, I think it will flow as well as the current grille with these inserts. The pie plates will have open slots as well.
AgentOrange76
Adventurer
Thanks! I like both and can build either one, and I'm hoping to begin construction within the next few weeks so I've got to decide soon. Today I'm leaning towards doing the narrower hood/grille kit, yesterday I was leaning towards the wider hood/grille/fenders kit
I think if you were trying to stay as close to original as possible I would definitely go wide, especially since that front end was on Jeep's full size line. You already did an entire front end for the lj though, so if you were looking for something a little more different, more modern, or more easily put together as a kit if you eventually offered it to someone who could sell it as a kit the narrower route may be the way to go. That's just my 2 cents, but hey, I'm just a weird college kid who loves vintage junk. I know what I would build
Clawhammer
Adventurer
I agree with this. The big "bull nose" is what makes these old grills look so muscular and cool, IMO.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Between the two my favorite is the wide stance for the same reason you mention.
What about making the wide one with the fenders for your JK to enhance the uniqueness, and the narrow one as a kit that a company can produce for the masses of folks with good taste, but a slightly more limited budget?
If I remember right there is a kit out which includes fenders, hood and grill. Your design just requiring a hood and grill change I "think" would be unique.
That way everyone wins. :victory"
What about making the wide one with the fenders for your JK to enhance the uniqueness, and the narrow one as a kit that a company can produce for the masses of folks with good taste, but a slightly more limited budget?
If I remember right there is a kit out which includes fenders, hood and grill. Your design just requiring a hood and grill change I "think" would be unique.
That way everyone wins. :victory"
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm not clear on how "everyone" wins in that scenario. I would have build two complete different sets of molds/parts that at best share one component, everything else is different. And I only get to use one of the sets I build, because I only have one JK. How do I win again?
The kit you're remembering is this one: http://www.actioncamper.com/art00482.php. It was in a booth at the SEMA Show in November, here's a photo I took of it. The kit is $6500. The styling doesn't do anything for me.
BTW if I did the narrower hood/grille kit, in the hands of the right company it could retail for a small fraction of the cost of that kit.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
You maintain the "uniqueness" of your Jeep, get twice the unbridled excitement and adventure of garage & design time, and then sell the plans for the narrow simpler version for the rest of the world to share.
I can already see the ear to ear grin, as the epic-ness of this idea sinks in... :elkgrin:
I can already see the ear to ear grin, as the epic-ness of this idea sinks in... :elkgrin:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
How about this alternate plan: I build the narrow hood + grille version of the kit. If some company decides they want to turn it into a commercial product, I turn the mold masters over to them. If that happens and I then decide I want my Jeep to be "more unique" than the commercial version, I'll go ahead and build the wider version; if the narrow version doesn't get licensed then I'm already unique.
Why build both versions if I only know up front that one will get used?
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
Thats certainly one of the nicer ways to put it :sombrero:
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Yeah, but that would be the logical approach.
I don't understand how logic can overrule desire... on a Jeep. :elkgrin:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I think that'll be my plan - I'll build the hood + grille version and see where it goes from there. I'll probably start construction in the next week or two. Have to decide if I do a project thread on it, and if so, where? It really isn't an expedition-related mod so maybe I should do a thread somewhere else.