Author Topic: Grille Swap  (Read 3748 times)

Offline lwperry

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Grille Swap
« on: March 29, 2014, 07:54:54 am »
Good Morning Folks,
    I've got an 83 20 series 4x4 pickup, great truck. I'd like to put the pictured grille/headlight arrangement in it. I wondered A.) I think it's 85, but would like to confirm and B.) Is this easily doable?

THanks and have a good day!


Offline Engineer

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Re: Grille Swap
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2014, 08:49:10 am »
That is a beautiful truck........right up to the point of ruining it with that sun visor.

That is a 89~91 R/V series front end.

It only came on 89~91 Blazers, Suburbans, and the R/V series 2500, and 3500 series trucks.

Since your truck is an '83 all you will need to change is the core support, grille, headlights, marker lights, and the wiring harness.

Also, when swapping you will need to use the little body panel between the bumper, and grille from the 89~91. Your '83 won't work.

I recommend a salvage yard search to get all of the parts. Almost none of these parts are available new from GM anymore. I bought the last grille in the GM parts chain just before the grille part number was cancelled. The headlight bezels, and marker lights used to be available, but may have been discontinued. The core support, headlight buckets, and wiring harness hasn't been available for a long time.

There used to be a few lists on the forums that list OE GM part numbers, if you had those you could atleast search NOS supplys.
2002 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 8.1/ZF6sp RC/LB
2001 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 6.0/4L85E EC/SB
1997 Chevy Blazer 4x4
1994 Chevy K-2500 4x4 C6P 5.7/4L80E
1979 Chevy K-30 4x4 4sp 4.10
1977 Chevy K-30 4x4 4sp 4.10 454

Dad of an Eagle Scout, and a Life Scout

Offline bake74

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Re: Grille Swap
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2014, 08:54:30 am »
      I agree with Engineer on everything about your truck and how it looks.  He has got you covered as far as what to do, and welcome to the site.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline Engineer

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Re: Grille Swap
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2014, 09:03:09 am »
I forgot to add....

Check out my build thread if you want to see a closer look at the individual parts.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=12875.0


2002 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 8.1/ZF6sp RC/LB
2001 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 6.0/4L85E EC/SB
1997 Chevy Blazer 4x4
1994 Chevy K-2500 4x4 C6P 5.7/4L80E
1979 Chevy K-30 4x4 4sp 4.10
1977 Chevy K-30 4x4 4sp 4.10 454

Dad of an Eagle Scout, and a Life Scout

Offline lwperry

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Re: Grille Swap
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2014, 09:24:04 am »
You guys are awesome. That explains why I was having trouble nailing down what it was...didn't realize it wasn't a "Blanket" front end for a specific year. The pictured truck is one I just yanked off the internet, mine isn't that pretty yet, but solid, straight, and around 30,000 miles.

Not what I'd call "pretty" :)  But it will get there.