clip swap

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betsy84

Greasemonkey
Nov 27, 2005
140
0
0
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
hey guys i was wondering if anyone could help me through a front clip swap, i currently have a 84, and would be swapping in the 87 clip. i would like to know what parts exactly i need to take off the 87. pictures would help alotttttttt if anyone has them of a swap or whatever parts i would need. thanks, chris
 

Cutty87

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 30, 2005
20
0
0
BC, Canada
Isn't the 84 and 87 completely interchangeable?


That's what I gathered from the junkyard.
 

85_SS

G-Body Guru
Nov 6, 2005
683
3
0
Ontario, Canada
You just need the front clip itself, the bumper is the same. I believe you will also need the headlight harness for the composite lights.
 

mayorjesse

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 11, 2005
18
0
0
San Francisco, CA
Front Clip Bracket

I have and '83 Cutlass Calais with the '87 front, I got it like this but it looks like it hooked right on. I just need the bracket that goes from radiator to clip - does anyone know what that's called?
The wiring does have to be changed a little but not bad - watch the headlight tho - I put in high powered headlights, didn't install bulb quite right and it melted part of headlight case, so I had to stick in other socked (I only have low beams right now, haven't gotten to wiring highs in). I still gotta do blinkers, i'll llet you know how that goes.

oh yeah, on 83 calais side markers are lit - 87 seems to have dummy side markers (reflectors).

-mayor
'83 Cutlass Calais
T-tops
V6
'87 Euro nose
 

mayorjesse

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 11, 2005
18
0
0
San Francisco, CA
Wiring

So the wiring isn't too hard to do. The guy who I bought it from had wired the headlights into turn signal curcuit, so I fixed the signal circuit. In process of wiring headlights. I just bought the sockets individually at Kragen (auto parts store like autozone) - You need one 3 wire socket and one 2 wire socket (GM '84 and up) - they were like 3 or 4 bucks each. I would've got a whole harness, but I was kinda working by trial and error and didnt have voltmeter either (you should have easier time b/c your existing wiring is correct for '83, mine was messed with). So change sockets and bulbs for headlights (you may have to for signals too - I didnt have any sockets on mine so I dunno if theyre diff. Everything else should be pretty straightforward, just keep track of all nuts and bolts and you should be able to switch the clips pretty quickly, and yes, I too believe the front bumpers are the same as well. I'm prob. gonna go back and straighten out the work that's been done to my car, so I'll have a better step by step breakdown by the time I'm done if this info isn't enough.
-mayor
 

betsy84

Greasemonkey
Nov 27, 2005
140
0
0
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
hey thanks, the guy across the street's cutlass has been in the shop for a couple weeks and they cant find whats wrong with it, so i might be getting his 87 to strip down! pretty sweet eh, i kno he just rebuild his carb last month. so ill be doing the swap over the winter hopefully! ill post pics when i finish all that up. thanks boys
 
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