Alright, I have a question to pose to you guys. I am converting the front end of a 1995 Acura Integra GSR coupe. I have a JDM radiator support, but had a conflict with myself and wanted to see what some people with more experience with the entire "JDM' thing thought.

I was looking at the difference between the USDM and JDM radiator support. From what I saw, the main difference was the top plate of the radiator support, and the t bar (where the hood latch bascially mounts to). So I was thinking that I could just get that, drill out those spot welds and mount that to the USDM stock radiator support. Then I can still be spot welded at the bottom of the radiator support. Also I see that I will have to remove the bracket that was to the inside of the USDM headlights that is spot welded to the top plate as well. And then I see just a small amount of trimming on the outside of the headlight holes to allow the turn signal area to recess in all the way.

What do you guys think? Should I just do that, or remove the entire USDM radiator suport, and install the JDM in place of? Also what hood latch cable are you guys using?

Does anyone have any pics of a JDM front end coming together through the process?

Thanks,

Jason

 

for the price of all this stuff it seriously seems like a better idea to me to just buy the entire car and have it shipped over. i suppose if you only need one thing i could be worth it, like in your case the front end. i just was looking at it like:

'96 JDM ITR $5300
shipping $1800
dmv, dot costs? i'm still looking into this one

in the US

JDM front $1500
ITR motor and trans $4000
seats $1000

right there you pay for the cost of the whole car.

 

Yea that would not be a bad idea. But I already have the car, just doing the front end conversion on it.

I already built the motor/transmission. Just need to decide on how I want to do the front end. Entire radiator support, or the top plate and t bar.

Jason

 

You're talking about a t-bar conversion, it's been done several times and it's a short cut to doing the JDM front end conversion.

Even Password JDM sell the T bar for this purpose.

But as you mentioned, you would have to include the lower brackets for the head lights. What I usually do is cut the JDM T bar to include the lower brackets. Then I cut the USDM T bar off and simply reinstall the JDM T bar and overlap the lower area where the lower brackets should be. Then you can either weld or pop rivet the thing in place.

Here's what I mean:



See how it's all one piece but still has the lower headlight brackets? The red dots are where you should overlap with the stock USDM radiator support. By lining up those holes, you know that the placement is perfect. I usually then put rivets right in those holes to make sure it's aligned, then I drill a few more holes and rivet the rest of it to make sure it's nice and tight.

This is what you should end up with, the green dots are where I install the rivets. Remember, it must overlap or else there will be nothing for the new support to "hold" onto :




Good luck


Modified by CARMA_626 at 12:12 AM 10/27/2008

 

Yea thats what I was thinking about right there. I forgot to mention in the original post that I still needed the lower headlight "V" brackets on the supoprt itself.

Now what cable do you guys use? And are you remounting the original USDM GSR hood release on the frontsid eof the radiator t bar?

Jason

 

You need to use a DA hood cable and hood latch.

 

Thank you. I will post pics of the build then as I go along.

Jason