Header Panel Question

[MGriff013]

I am new to Comanches and have seen several with the newer style cherokee header panel. I like the way this looks and would like to convert mine over but have a few questions before I start collecting the parts to do so, do I need new fenders as well as the header panel or will my 91 fenders work? Also are there any years that will not work with my truck? Thanks for the help!

[88whitemanche]

Both fenders and brackets to hold the whole front header panel...no parts interchange from the 86-96 header panel except the head lights....

[88ComancheMitch]

I have only the header panel on mine. The panel is rounded on the top corner, where the original was square. Therefore, it doesn't line up prefect. Personally, I don't think it's enough to keep anyone from wanting to do it. Check out my project thread for pics

 

 

http://comancheclub.com/topic/43285-project-katrina/

[Eagle]

I have only the header panel on mine. The panel is rounded on the top corner, where the original was square. Therefore, it doesn't line up prefect. Personally, I don't think it's enough to keep anyone from wanting to do it.

Especially not when there's a (comparatively) easy work-around. One of my friends in NAXJA-NAC did it about ten years ago.

 

On the early fenders, the "vertical" side surface doesn't roll smoothly into the "horizontal" top surface -- there's a flat bevel between them. On the 97+ fenders there is no bevel -- the upper corners of the header are round, and the transition from vertical to horizontal on the fenders is round.

 

What Bob did was to use bondo to fill in the voids in the back up the upper corners of the header. Made it completely solid. Then, when he bolted the new header onto his old-style fenders, he just took a grinder and shaved down the corners of the header to blend with the beveled profile of the fenders.

 

If you didn't know what he did and how he did it, you would never guess that it was a kludge.

[MGriff013]

Thanks guys, I'm sure looking at it it's not too noticeable but it's probably something that would end up bugging me eventually so looks like I need to find a front clip from a cherokee

[dasbulliwagen]

I saw a guy on here once that added a little fiberglass to the backside of the rounded corners and then sanded the corners to more evenly match the existing fenders. The header needed bodywork and paint anyways so it really wasn't a big deal. This seems like a good option if you don't want to swap fenders.