Fun in the cold winter sun M1009 Mule Radiator Grille cover

[cucvrus]

I was outside this afternoon and I thought well before winter breaks I want to add my scrap yard find radiator grille cover. Check it out. I picked up at work a couple years back. It is an Isuzu NPR diesel DEF regeneration unit heat shield. We removed it when we were mounting the body on the chassis and I kept it as a spare because we had damaged a few during the winter, Well this one was slightly damaged and I could not put it on a new $35K chassis so I came up with this plan. I wanted to do some more low budget removable add on's. I went to the hardware store and purchased 4 - 5/16" X 2 1/2" J bolts.($5.19) I did not drill any holes and damage or harm any CUCV parts in any way shape or form. I attached the under laying frame with the J bolts and then the insulated cover was attached to the frame with M8 bolts. I think it looks fine. I took it for a ride and it made a difference in the temperature of the heater. I have the canvas military front but with the light modifications I made it blocks my quad headlamp turn signals in the grille. And my other M1009 has the KC's mounted in the grille. So I thought why not. When it warms I will paint it and shot a few holes in it with the AR15 just for effect. What do you think. Be nice.

 

[cucvrus]

This grille guard also made a nice place to wind up the slave cables. The interior heating has been a major improvement. I drove it 65 miles today. I have a headgasket issue with this truck for the past 4 years. It is warm when you are driving at highway speed but it gets cold as soon as you come to a stop. This vehicle has no insulation on the firewall. I removed it all and the floor is bare painted steel. I painted it with 686 tan carc about 4 years ago. It has held up well. I will be repainting the mule this summer after I do a little field style rust repair. This time around I am going with the entire unit 686 tan. I will paint everything but the rear tarp. I will have to find a tan tarp to sew up and make it fit. I used a HMMWV full cover tarp to start with. It was NOS and was a freebie. Maybe I can get lucky again. I do have a tan FMTV tarp I could get cut down.

 

[rsh4364]

Like the 4 headlight setup,uppers for hi/lo and bottoms for fog or floods,nice grill cover also.I like my jatonka for stock setup.But will look into that 4 headlight set up.

 

[cucvrus]

That is not the 4 headlamp system. That is just the stock headlamps and the Bosch driving lights fitted into the park/turn position. I fitted the park/turn from a quad headlamp system to make up for the set up. Everything is returnable to stock.

 

[rsh4364]

Slick.