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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: project85 on November 17, 2010, 11:00:04 am

Title: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: project85 on November 17, 2010, 11:00:04 am
does anyone make a grille kit to swap a 85 grille to an 88 grille? i like the 85 look but i love the 88 double headlight look. i wanna do that with the directionals in the bumper. not sure if anyone has done that before on here or if you know if there is a kit out there to make this easier.
thanks
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: three8six on November 17, 2010, 12:11:11 pm
81-82 is the year with directionals in the bumper....It's easy though buy the head light buckets, head lights, radiator support, cut the holes in your bumper/buy a new bumper, buy the lights. Nobody sells a "kit" though.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: topp on November 17, 2010, 05:11:26 pm
88 P/U grill or Blazer Grille?
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: project85 on November 17, 2010, 06:29:58 pm
i'm looking to convert my 85 single headlight to a dual headlight, then get a bumber that has the directionals in it. or i'll cut my bumper and put the directionals in that. i'm not sure if its a blazer or an 81-82 year. i thought the 88 had dual headlights.
the one in the upper left is the look i want.

Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: topp on November 17, 2010, 06:58:23 pm
I think you need the following-

From an 82-88
Harness for Quad headlights
2 "high beam" buckets
Radiator Support
Both Bezels for Quad headlights
Grille


Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: project85 on November 17, 2010, 08:36:33 pm
so what year had the dual headlights like that? or was it a specific model? i havn't seen anything in the few books i have that is rea clear.
thanks
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: topp on November 17, 2010, 09:03:39 pm
The Square Headlight years (82 (I think)-88) had over/Under Optional Quad lights...
89-91 Had side by side Optional quad Lights...

That is for Blazer and Suburbans. In 88, the Pickup went to the new body style and those lights are entirely different..
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: project85 on November 17, 2010, 09:20:20 pm
So if I order or hunt down stuff for an 82-88 dual headlight set up ill be all set? Is the grille different from an 85? I have a billet grille for my 85 and not sure if it will work with the dual headlights.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: topp on November 17, 2010, 09:24:25 pm
According to some online catalogs , the grille for single/Dual is the same for 85-88
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: Irish_Alley on November 17, 2010, 10:11:24 pm
Thought the quads only came with 85-87. And my 82 had bumper marker lights
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: topp on November 18, 2010, 06:17:18 am
Thought the quads only came with 85-87. And my 82 had bumper marker lights

The catalog page the OP posted shows them in 81-82 as well as 83-88
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: jaredts on November 18, 2010, 06:44:09 am
I've heard the quad headlights on squarebodies called the "Silverado front end."  Don't know that it was a Silverado only option, though.  My '83 has them.  Either way it was optional.  There's a lot of these in the junkyards, so it should be easy to find the parts used.  Seems to be hard to find a good grill, but they're cheap enough new.  I don't care for the single square headlight, so I would make the switch too if I didn't already have them.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: Grim 82 on November 18, 2010, 08:48:16 am
My 82 and 84 Silverados, and 88 suburban all have the over under quad lights, but the 84 and 88 have the turn signals behind the grille. I have only heard of the bumper mounted blinkers on 81 & 82 models. I plan to use the suburban grille and move the blinkers up, and use the holes in the 82 bumper for fog lights.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: VileZambonie on November 18, 2010, 09:55:26 am
The 81 and 82 front bumper had the signal holes. The quad headlights were available 83-up
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: 80stepsideguy on November 25, 2010, 05:43:47 pm
The 81 and 82 front bumper had the signal holes. The quad headlights were available 83-up

I agree here, my 83 blazer(sigh wish i never sold it) had the stacked headlights.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: choptop on November 25, 2010, 06:37:29 pm
The 81 and 82 front bumper had the signal holes. The quad headlights were available 83-up
I may have missed something here, but oldyellers 81 is original quad lights, and the 82 I just sold had quad headlights as well. If you plan on changing to the quad headlight, you will need the proper core support, and the grille and headlight bezels will have to be ofthe same year model, or close, so they will match. The will all pretty much bolt on together, but vary in design some.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: Grim 82 on November 25, 2010, 09:28:14 pm
My 82 also has original quad headlights.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: VileZambonie on November 25, 2010, 10:56:17 pm
Yes 81 up I don't know why I put 83. Maybe I typed it on my phone... sorry about that
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: project85 on November 27, 2010, 02:25:19 pm
so i have to find a core support that is a quad light? can i cut my core to make it work or is it not worth it? are the grilles different or is the grille the same? i thought someone on here had said the grilles would work. i have an aftermarket billet grille for my truck, and hoped to still use it after converting to the quad lights. will it bolt up or do i need to do some fabricating?

thanks
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: VileZambonie on November 27, 2010, 03:22:25 pm
Get a core support. I have an extra one you can have if you want it... not sure where you're located. The grille will fit.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: project85 on November 27, 2010, 06:17:21 pm
im from southern NH right on the mass border. so i need a core support from a dual headlight truck, and i've check a few salvage yards close by and no ones has anything yet. i'm actually leaning toward putting a phantom grille on it that covers the headlights. would that hide anything i would have to do to convert the single headlight to a dual? or am i just stuck finding or ordering a dual headlight core no matter what i do?
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: topp on November 27, 2010, 06:19:44 pm
You need the Core support no matter what
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: Blazin on November 28, 2010, 07:27:11 am
Southern N.H. Hmmm, you must have snuck in while I wasn't looking!!!! From the Newfound lake area myself.
Title: Re: 85 grille to an 88 grille???
Post by: fitz on November 28, 2010, 08:06:07 am
My 82 had the 4 headlight set up with the directionals in the bumper.