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Driveway Dreams · 03-13-2010, 02:17 AM

After doing the shorter tires and drop I had to change my exhaust. The hillbilly engineering shown through again, wires holding up true duals with cherry-bombs, about 4 different sized pipes and chrome tips that must have been 24" long, and I am pretty sure the bend up over the axle was irrigation pipe. Thanks to the rearend wanting to be a little more friendly with my exhaust and about 2 or 3 little drives I broke the right side off. I had ordered a set of sidepipes from Speedway Motors. But after they came in I learned that I do not have the clearance to run them. So I went to my local muffler shop and got a couple lengths of pipe cut and bent. I took those pipes, 2 new Raptor mufflers, and my new rectangular "stainless" tips to my buddies shop and welded up my new exhaust in a couple hours. Came out well, and sounded really good now too. I am very happy with the Raptors.

The next thing I did was my front clip swap. I found a Suburban on CL and went and bought all the things needed to swap over. Before I switched out the parts, I found out a friend of a friend had a Jimmy that he was parting out. I got the fenders, inners, hood, radiator support, new GMC grill, new lenses, and everything else needed to complete the swap. So, now I had 2 of everything. I decided to put the GMC grill on to be a little more different, because I liked it better, and because it was new. I sold off the fenders and hood and still have all the stuff needed to switch to a Chevy Suburban grill sitting in the garage. My daughter (3 1/2 at the time) helped me turn wrenches and pull the clip apart.

Here is my brief version of an 89-91 front clip swap how to (assuming you have the parts):
1) Remove your front bumper, filler panel, grill ends, and unplug everything.
2) Remove the radiator support from the inner fenders and the frame horns. I didn't need to remove the radiator for this.
3) Replace the radiator support with the one from the 89-91 and bolt into place.
4) Mount the grill, bezels, and lights to your newly updated front end.
5) Plug in and begin to route your "new" harness. By doing this you will find a good place to cut & splice the 2 harnesses together.
5.5) Splice all wires of matching colors to complete your new "hybrid" harness. Stagger the connections to help them to fit back in the split loom.

03-13-2010, 02:17 AM	#4
Driveway Dreams I have car A.D.D. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greeley, Northern Colorado Posts: 4,147	Re: The Toybox After doing the shorter tires and drop I had to change my exhaust. The hillbilly engineering shown through again, wires holding up true duals with cherry-bombs, about 4 different sized pipes and chrome tips that must have been 24" long, and I am pretty sure the bend up over the axle was irrigation pipe. Thanks to the rearend wanting to be a little more friendly with my exhaust and about 2 or 3 little drives I broke the right side off. I had ordered a set of sidepipes from Speedway Motors. But after they came in I learned that I do not have the clearance to run them. So I went to my local muffler shop and got a couple lengths of pipe cut and bent. I took those pipes, 2 new Raptor mufflers, and my new rectangular "stainless" tips to my buddies shop and welded up my new exhaust in a couple hours. Came out well, and sounded really good now too. I am very happy with the Raptors. The next thing I did was my front clip swap. I found a Suburban on CL and went and bought all the things needed to swap over. Before I switched out the parts, I found out a friend of a friend had a Jimmy that he was parting out. I got the fenders, inners, hood, radiator support, new GMC grill, new lenses, and everything else needed to complete the swap. So, now I had 2 of everything. I decided to put the GMC grill on to be a little more different, because I liked it better, and because it was new. I sold off the fenders and hood and still have all the stuff needed to switch to a Chevy Suburban grill sitting in the garage. My daughter (3 1/2 at the time) helped me turn wrenches and pull the clip apart. Here is my brief version of an 89-91 front clip swap how to (assuming you have the parts): 1) Remove your front bumper, filler panel, grill ends, and unplug everything. 2) Remove the radiator support from the inner fenders and the frame horns. I didn't need to remove the radiator for this. 3) Replace the radiator support with the one from the 89-91 and bolt into place. 4) Mount the grill, bezels, and lights to your newly updated front end. 5) Plug in and begin to route your "new" harness. By doing this you will find a good place to cut & splice the 2 harnesses together. 5.5) Splice all wires of matching colors to complete your new "hybrid" harness. Stagger the connections to help them to fit back in the split loom. Attached Images __________________ -Gerald Building vehicles in memory of the first "car guy" I ever knew, my Grandpa. Bob Dunham 1935-2009. Rest in peace. 61 GMC Suburban SOLD The 86 build thread SOLD Are you a Colorado member?Click here. Last edited by Driveway Dreams; 03-14-2010 at 12:34 AM.