Rhino FSJ grill for MJ ?

[AMC-MJ]

Could the FSJ grill be scaled down and retro fitted into the XJ/MJ front ends ?

Kind of like a Mini Gladiator ? or Junior Wagoneer ?

 

Mike

[jpnjim]

There was a thread on this a while back,

the grill itself is ginormous compared to the MJ ft end:

 

 

You could probably scale it down a bit, but I'm not sure I'd want to wreck a Rhino Chaser Grille like that.

 

Other pics taken that night:

 

Overlapping the bumper:

[AMC-MJ]

I thought it might look cool, Figured most ya would lose is the little round deals between the grill and head lights.

But seeing the Major scale differences, You'd have to cut a rhino down or build/have built one to scale.

 

I want that "AMC Jeep" grill badage ....

Mike

[carnuck]

Maybe find one that is damaged to cut up and make a mold from?

[Pete M]

just be careful about further blocking the radiator of a 4.0. cooling can be sketchy at best already. :yes:

[AMC-MJ]

Maybe find one that is damaged to cut up and make a mold from?

 

I wouldn't dream of wrecking a good one not in my nature.

 

just be careful about further blocking the radiator of a 4.0. cooling can be sketchy at best already. :yes:

 

Good thing i have a 2.5 then :yes: . . . :hmm: But it'll soon have an AMC 4.8L V8 :thumbsup:

 

:banana: should be pretty stable cooling as the short deck version of this block went up to 390 Cubic inches and the tall deck version went out to 401 Cubic inches and didn't need Siamese bores . . . plenty O'Iron plenty O'coolant :banana:

 

 

Mike

[Pete M]

plenty o' lack-of-airflow over the tiny radiator opening... :yes:

[AMC-MJ]

Ya well in comparison with the 2 FSJ grills to his MSJ grill, But my MSJ grill is the older style and it don't appear to be any more restrictive then the FSJ units :hmm:

 

Mike

[jpnjim]

It's about the cubic inch surface area of the XJ/MJ radiator.

 

Measure the width x height of the XJ/MJ radiator, and compare it with a FSJ radiator, or even a ZJ radiator.

 

 

They built the XJ with a low hood height (comparatively speaking), then designed the 4.0L radiator to sit on top of the 'frame' rails, making for a very short, wide radiator.

 

When they did the XJ version II (ZJ), they rethought this (presumably for the V8 option), and made the radiator much taller, with a greater cubic inch surface area.

 

 

 

 

The rule of thumb you used to hear, regarding that the core size of a radiator,

is that engine cubic inches should not exceed the cubic inches of your radiator core's frontal surface area.

 

A ton of variables get ignored in this rule of thumb (engine HP, number of cores, use, etc),

but it's a pretty good starting point.

 

 

FWIW, XJ radiator core = 31 x 10.5" = 325.5 frontal surface area.

 

 

 

Edit:

pre-4.0L radiators were not short & wide like the 4.0L radiators,

I measured one of those a long while back, and seem to remember the surface area was actually a little greater.

 

Not sure that translates into an early MJ being better equipped to cool a V8, but it is one more thing to think about.

[Incommando]

I thought it might look cool, Figured most ya would lose is the little round deals between the grill and head lights.

But seeing the Major scale differences, You'd have to cut a rhino down or build/have built one to scale.

 

I want that "AMC Jeep" grill badage ....

Mike

 

The badges unbolt from the grille, and also were available on other jeeps like CJ's & Commandos. You can find just the badge and attach it to the current grille.

[AMC-MJ]

The badges unbolt from the grille, and also were available on other jeeps like CJ's & Commandos. You can find just the badge and attach it to the current grille.

 

FSJ / CJ / Commando are the rig's i need to look at for the AMC/Jeep badge ? :???: ?

:banana: Thanks much :thumbsup: AMC/Jeep badge for me :banana:

 

It's about the cubic inch surface area of the XJ/MJ radiator.

 

The rule of thumb you used to hear, regarding that the core size of a radiator,

is that engine cubic inches should not exceed the cubic inches of your radiator core's frontal surface area.

 

A ton of variables get ignored in this rule of thumb (engine HP, number of cores, use, etc),

but it's a pretty good starting point.

 

 

FWIW, XJ radiator core = 31 x 10.5" = 325.5 frontal surface area.

 

 

 

Edit:

pre-4.0L radiators were not short & wide like the 4.0L radiators,

I measured one of those a long while back, and seem to remember the surface area was actually a little greater.

 

Not sure that translates into an early MJ being better equipped to cool a V8, but it is one more thing to think about.

 

Ok so an XJ 4.0L Radiator should cool my V8 ? 4.0L = 242Ci my V8 is 290Ci . . .

31 x 10.5" = 325.5 frontal surface area

so it good for up to 325CID ?

 

Mike

[jpnjim]

 

Ok so an XJ 4.0L Radiator should cool my V8 ? 4.0L = 242Ci my V8 is 290Ci . . .

31 x 10.5" = 325.5 frontal surface area

so it good for up to 325CID ?

 

Mike

 

 

Following the 'rule of thumb',

yes.

 

But I take that rule of thumb meaning a good radiator/stock engine/normal conditions.

 

A high horsepower engine, above average conditions (hot climate), or high stress usage (towing/wheeling/racing) would all push a setup that only marginally passes the 'rule of thumb', over the edge.

 

Just look at how often our 242 cu" engines overwhelm their 325 cu" radiators.

 

It probably doesn't help that they were designed to run hot, and were considered high HP for their size back then (even the Renix).

[AMC-MJ]

Well, wheeling ain't going to be of a concern, i got 2WD short bed this is what inspired the V8/5spd conversion

The AMC logos all over it required me to use and AMC V8 with Jeep 5spd :yes:

 

I'm basically building a V8 equivalent to the I4 truck . . . I4/4spd/3.73s to V8/5spd/4.10s . . .

 

Nice all around driver, that can tow if need be and will get up and go should the need arise but will mainly drive back n forth for 20 years/200,000 miles :thumbsup:

 

AMC-290 V8 = 165N-hp & 240N-tq, i'll be shooting for 215-235N-hp & 240-260N-tq range which i am told will be fairly easy with the 290 V8 and still retain that "run forever" durability :banana: . . . I just thought it would be Cool to have a Mean FSJ ish style Grill in front of that V-8 :cheers:

 

Mike

[Eagle]

Okay, so who has a link to those photos of the MJ with the custom FSJ nose on it?

[Eagle]

AMC-290 V8 = 165N-hp & 240N-tq, i'll be shooting for 215-235N-hp & 240-260N-tq range which i am told will be fairly easy with the 290 V8 and still retain that "run forever" durability :banana: . . . I just thought it would be Cool to have a Mean FSJ ish style Grill in front of that V-8

Why not use a 343 or a 360? The block is the same so it's exactly the same amount of work, but you gets heads with larger valves, and a boatload more torque. In the 1967-1969 range, the 343 was the most efficient of the V8s in terms of horsepower-per-cubic-inch. Much better than the 290, and better than the 390. And the 343 in a Javelin or AMX delivered as good (or better) gas mileage as the 290s.

 

The 390s were only available in high compression, but the 343 and 360 were available as a low compression version. Given gas prices today, I'd build a low compression 343 using a 4-barrel intake and a torquer cam, and laugh my fool head off every time I stomped on the gas.

[carnuck]

You've never driven a small truck with large V8 have you? :eek: :nuts:

 

290 is about perfect size for the MJ for power/weight ratio. Heck, I'm going to a 290/AX-15 vs 360/T18A to save fuel! And that's in a Stepside J10 Honcho (which is too pretty to use as a "real" truck)

[AMC-MJ]

Yes the 343 & 360 came in low compression options, I also Hate low compression V8 engines this why i avoided the 304/360/401 engines.

 

I got the running 290 with manual trans fly wheel for $375, which is about 1/3 the cost of a non running 343 and if i was going to a Performance truck i would opted for a 390/T10 combo & 390/NV4500 for a major towing Rig build :thumbsup:

 

The 290 10.2:1 compression, with stock OEM 401 Jeep camshaft, 390 4bbl intake with 500cfm Holley 2bbl carb and HEI ignition will make more power then the 4.0L I-6 and burn less fuel then the 343 last mor miles then the pair combined :cheers:

 

But YOU could run a low compression 343 in YOUR MJ tho ;)

 

 

Mike

[moleslayer]

Out of curiosity I like the look of the grill on the later XJs (97 and newer) . Does anyone know how close that would come to fitting in the MJ grill slot ??

[AMC-MJ]

I'm guessing quiet well as I have seen it many of them switched over.

 

Mike

[Eagle]

You've never driven a small truck with large V8 have you? :eek: :nuts:

 

290 is about perfect size for the MJ for power/weight ratio. Heck, I'm going to a 290/AX-15 vs 360/T18A to save fuel! And that's in a Stepside J10 Honcho (which is too pretty to use as a "real" truck)

Umm ... yes. Have you?

 

I already pointed out that the 343 is more efficient than the 290. When I was active in the Javelin/AMX Sports car Club, there wasn't a 290 of any flavor (low or high compression, 4-speed or automatic) that could come close to the gas mileage I got with my 343 4-speed, and my 343 on a good day would run even with or beat most stock 390s.

[AMC-MJ]

Alrighty chat about that in the 290 / 5spd /4.10 build thread listed in sig, this thread is for Grills if that is cool with you guys :hmm: . . .

 

Mike

[cocco78]

[AMC-MJ]

Looks like an AM General or Jeep M715/AM715 mated a Jeep wrangler, how dose this fit into the MJ grill situation ?

It not a production truck so I can't really order the core support and retro fit it to an MJ.

 

Mike