93 Grille to 94 Grille Question

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HotWheelsBurban

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LOL :D no worries. I love sharing knowledge. Some feel like they need to preserve their secrets like it makes 'em special.. I just wish I could remember every single detail I've learned over the decades, without error, so I could continue to share all of it. Once you fall out of daily practice of messing with these trucks, like any subject, the memories start to get fuzzy.

Richard
Thus the saying"I've forgotten more than some ever know...."
Been having a discussion with an old musician friend about something similar, although involving music history instead of truck history.
 

Drewskis94

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It's not a direct fit. You'll need the lower filler panel as well, and to make that fit you need to add little notches in the rad support for the "hooks" on either end of it too sit in.
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I believe these are the notches he is referring to. They were already there on my 1993. And yes, you absolutely need all 4 bumper brackets from a 94-98 truck as well or that filler piece won't have enough room to fit.
 

someotherguy

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I believe these are the notches he is referring to. They were already there on my 1993. And yes, you absolutely need all 4 bumper brackets from a 94-98 truck as well or that filler piece won't have enough room to fit.
Those are indeed the notches. They aren't on the core supports of the first few years of GMT400's but the specific year break escapes me.

However, you do not need all 4 bumper brackets. You need the main 2 that aim forward off the frame rails. The outer 2 do not change. I'll edit back to add this - the outer 2 do seem to change part # over the year break but the info is sketchy at best at this point; I do know I've done more than a few of these conversions and never needed to change the outer 2 brackets for everything to fit and look correct.

Richard
 
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Drewskis94

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Those are indeed the notches. They aren't on the core supports of the first few years of GMT400's but the specific year break escapes me.

However, you do not need all 4 bumper brackets. You need the main 2 that aim forward off the frame rails. The outer 2 do not change. I'll edit back to add this - the outer 2 do seem to change part # over the year break but the info is sketchy at best at this point; I do know I've done more than a few of these conversions and never needed to change the outer 2 brackets for everything to fit and look correct.

Richard
I would personally stick with the part numbers I originally posted. GMpartsdirect will tell you those numbers are only for 94-00. Although I have found other conflicting info on part numbers and exact fitment. However this photo is of my original side brackets off my 93 next to the bracket I bought off a 97. The one that is a little longer is the 97
 

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SweetNLo

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I went from a 93 GMC to a 94-98 GMC. You need the grille, side markers, reflectors, bumper fillers, bumper brackets, and probably some of those square nylon screw nuts. The 94+ grilles "snap" into the bumper filler on the bottom, and then the filler piece itself is what gets bolted in.

Chevy grille 15981106
Chevy side markers 5977737 and 5977738
Chevy reflectors 5977459 and 5977460
Bumper fillers 12376285, 12375170, and 12375171.

My center bumper filler (12376285) did not fit at first because the chrome bumper sat too close to the truck. The 94+ had longer bumper brackets that pushed the front bumper out 1/2 inch or so more so the wider bumper filler could fit. So I swapped all 4 bumper brackets out from a 97 silverado. They are 15686152 (discontinued) 19417107, 15686149, and 15686150. The screw nuts are those square shaped, yellow(ish) nuts that the grille bolts thread into. My truck was missing a few so I bought some off eBay.

Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thanks for the thorough response!!
 
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