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97+ swap without the front clip


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I started in on this. From my recollections, the four nuts that hold on the front header are in different locations. I think I was/am going to bend up some clips for the top two. Then relocate the holes for the bottom two. I didn't get to wiring. The headlights should be the same. The side markers I haven't looked at. Also, there will be missing material on the upper corners. The '97+ being round, the earlier being a chamfer. I planned to fiberglass then up and shape to fit. 

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1 hour ago, 75sv1 said:

I started in on this. From my recollections, the four nuts that hold on the front header are in different locations. I think I was/am going to bend up some clips for the top two. Then relocate the holes for the bottom two. I didn't get to wiring. The headlights should be the same. The side markers I haven't looked at. Also, there will be missing material on the upper corners. The '97+ being round, the earlier being a chamfer. I planned to fiberglass then up and shape to fit. 

So if you use the older fenders you won't have this problem right? Also then the 97+washer bottle won't fit behind the fender from what i have been reading

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Yes, Older fender with the older front header panel are correct. The newer washer bottle would probably 'fit', ie space wise. But the cutout in the inner fender panel is not there for the older models. I have not really looked much at that. Not sure what I'll do when I get there.

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3 hours ago, 1988manche said:

Yes xj swap, so what would you have to do to keep the front end original?

 

XJ What! Doors? Windows? Interior? Engine? Dashboard? Axles? Everything?

 

I don't understand the question. All you need to do to keep the front end original is not replace anything on the front end. So, what do you mean by "front end"? To some folks that means the nose clip -- body work. In this neck of the woods, "front end" generally refers to the front axle and differential.

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1 hour ago, Eagle said:

 

XJ What! Doors? Windows? Interior? Engine? Dashboard? Axles? Everything?

 

I don't understand the question. All you need to do to keep the front end original is not replace anything on the front end. So, what do you mean by "front end"? To some folks that means the nose clip -- body work. In this neck of the woods, "front end" generally refers to the front axle and differential.

 

Pretty sure he asking about swapping the engine and tranny and leaving the body alone. 

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2 hours ago, Eagle said:

 

XJ What! Doors? Windows? Interior? Engine? Dashboard? Axles? Everything?

 

I don't understand the question. All you need to do to keep the front end original is not replace anything on the front end. So, what do you mean by "front end"? To some folks that means the nose clip -- body work. In this neck of the woods, "front end" generally refers to the front axle and differential.

I have the entire interior swapped over from a 97 plus the engine and trans, i was wondering what work would be done to keep the front end, fenders and front clip from the comanche. I would think the front headlight harness from the comanche does not plug up with the rest of the cherokee wiring 

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1 hour ago, Eagle said:

Why not use the donor Cherokee headlight harness? If you're swapping the rest of the Cherokee wiring, move the headlight harness, too. The headlight connectors are the same.

This is what i was trying to ask ha, i wasn't sure if they were the same plugs or not

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The 97+ has 2 turn signal bulbs. The 96- has one. You have to mod the light hole on the 96- to accept the 97+ bulb holder. You then have to remove the unused bulb plug and put a resistor inline or you will have hyper flash from the missing bulb. You may be able to replace the flasher with a heavy duty one to avoid the hyper flash. I never tired so I don't know.

 

 

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There was a write up on the MAD/XJ site about doing the reverse, ie late style flasher on an earlier XJ. You might find some info if you do a search. The site was abandoned some years back though.

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The late model XJ flasher is a combination unit that does both the turns and the hazards in one unit. And it's electronic, and it's about two or three times the price of the most expensive flasher you can find for the early XJs and MJs.

 

I don't think it's sensitive to the number of lamps in the circuit -- my wife's 2000 XJ with trailer package and my 2000 XJ without trailer package take the same flasher unit. The 2000 XJ factory parts book only shows one part number for the flasher module, not a separate part number with trailer tow.

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So this would get plugged in place of one of the bulbs?
No, it replaces the stock flasher to put resistance in the system to stop hyper flash when there are LEDs installed. It "should" work the same when removing one of the bulbs to retain the old front end.

I've never done it but in theory it should
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6 minutes ago, shelbyluvv said:

No, it replaces the stock flasher to put resistance in the system to stop hyper flash when there are LEDs installed. It "should" work the same when removing one of the bulbs to retain the old front end.

I've never done it but in theory it should

Guess it wouldn't hurt to try ha

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