I have an 04 fab fours winch bumper and an 05 header panel, headlights, and grille. I'm sending the truck to the body shop (hit a tree) in a couple weeks so I need to get my plans straight.

I've seen the conversion write ups to modify the 05 grille to fit the 04 bumper and header panel, but I'm actually using the 05 header panel with my 04 bumper. I can modify the grille, no big deal. The big question is, do I need to modify the 05 header panel to clear the bumper, too?

I had planned on modifying the bumper to accommodate the lower grille but because the main steel tube runs at the level of the 04 grille I quickly realized that would not be possible without totally re-engineering the bumper. My 04 header panel is smashed trash along with the grille, so reusing them is not an option.

So what to do with the 05 header panel once I cut the 05 grille?

 

The 04 bumper would either have to be modified like I did with mine (center section cut down and rewelded) or a 05 bumper used. Assuming it is built much like an oem 04 bumper.

The 05 header panel may clear the 04 bumper the way it is because it sits back a little from the bumper. But you will have to cut the bottom of the grill off some to clear the 04 bumper.

It may not be much work to cut out the center section of that 04 bumper and lower it and weld it back in but it might not be to cheap depending who you would have do it. That would make the grille and header panel and all just bolt on with no mods.


If you just wanted to use everything how it is I would say just the bottom of the grille would need to be cut off some to clear the bumper and that is it. If the header panel does interfere a bit the body shop should be able to trim the little bits that hit with a body saw very easily. So easy that they shouldn't charge you extra for the trimming.

 

I do my own fab work so the welding isn't the issue. It's the way the fab fours bumper is built. It's 4" pipe and the pipe runs directly under the 04 grille and has diamond plate welded straight back. I looked at the 05 fab fours bumpers and they actually dropped the height of the tube down several inches to clear the taller 05 grille. Basically they lowered the entire bumper and raised the end sections under the headlights.
So I could cut the diamond plate and leave the 05 grille extending down behind the bumper but that would be kind of pointless. And I could cut the diamond plate and step it down, but again, it would be behind the 4" main pipe so kind of a pointless aesthetic thing. And cutting the tube would be silly since that would sort of ruin the look.

But you pretty much answered my question. I'll cut the grille as per the write up I found on here and either test fit the winch bumper if the weather warms up, and trim the header panel, or ill wait until the truck gets back from the body shop and do any trimming I need.

 

That sounds more involved than the factory bumper for modding. I agree it sounds best to just cut the grille to fit. Possibly with the aftermarket bumper you won't have to cut as much since sometimes aftermarket companies allow more room.

Don't forget all the pics and stuff for us!