Sealed beam to composite grill wiring DIY with pics
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:47 pm
This procedure is for 1999 Astro
I prefer the composite style grill & headlights so here is the way I went about wiring it in
here is a before shot:
![Image](http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3241/frontsc.jpg)
and after:
![Image](http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6374/dsc01065e.jpg)
First get all the pieces you need, grill, headlights with black backing attachment plates, non-functional clear lights that attach to outer edge of headlights, composite left and right pigtail harness from a donor vehicle, and all bolts & screws. I got all my parts from junkyard for around $60.00 total. The swap is a straight forward direct bolt in procedure, no drilling and everything fits, you can find plenty of threads on it. My main concern was the wiring and I couldn't find tutorial with pics for the wiring, so I decided to make one myself.
start with the pigtail harnesses, 2 wires on the left are ground wires I also clipped from donor vehicle
![Image](http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4200/123020091514.jpg)
here is the sealed beam plug you will cut off
![Image](http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1329/123020091509.jpg)
here is the composite harness ends next to sealed beam plug, notice the wire colors are exactly the same, except the composite style has an extra black ground wire
![Image](http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/5359/123020091512.jpg)
find a spot to attach your extra ground wire, I chose this spot by the washer fluid bottle since there is no paint under the bolt, I also used the same bolt on the drivers side for the other ground wire
![Image](http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/3650/123020091516.jpg)
remove bolt
![Image](http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9341/123020091517.jpg)
attach ground, it looks almost factory!
![Image](http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2092/123020091519.jpg)
run the ground through the headlight bucket and you now have all 4 wires needed to attach the composite harness
![Image](http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9923/123020091518.jpg)
cut off the sealed beam plug, and attach all the wires of same color together, for testing
![Image](http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4639/123020091520.jpg)
put some tape over the exposed connections and test for high/low and DRL's
![Image](http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9347/123020091522.jpg)
if all works as it should, the next step is attaching. I used crimp connectors and heat shrink tubing, I would've preferred to solder the connections but I left my solder gun at work
![Image](http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7182/123020091523.jpg)
I attached all 4 wires like this one
![Image](http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/1082/123020091524.jpg)
then taped them all together with 3M professional grade Super88 electrical tape
![Image](http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/4210/123020091525.jpg)
then tucked it all in flame retardant plastic wire conduit and wrapped the ends in electrical tape
![Image](http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3320/123020091526.jpg)
now repeat process for the other side, bolt everything on, plug it in, and your done
![Image](http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1699/frontcomp.jpg)
I prefer the composite style grill & headlights so here is the way I went about wiring it in
here is a before shot:
![Image](http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3241/frontsc.jpg)
and after:
![Image](http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6374/dsc01065e.jpg)
First get all the pieces you need, grill, headlights with black backing attachment plates, non-functional clear lights that attach to outer edge of headlights, composite left and right pigtail harness from a donor vehicle, and all bolts & screws. I got all my parts from junkyard for around $60.00 total. The swap is a straight forward direct bolt in procedure, no drilling and everything fits, you can find plenty of threads on it. My main concern was the wiring and I couldn't find tutorial with pics for the wiring, so I decided to make one myself.
start with the pigtail harnesses, 2 wires on the left are ground wires I also clipped from donor vehicle
![Image](http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4200/123020091514.jpg)
here is the sealed beam plug you will cut off
![Image](http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1329/123020091509.jpg)
here is the composite harness ends next to sealed beam plug, notice the wire colors are exactly the same, except the composite style has an extra black ground wire
![Image](http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/5359/123020091512.jpg)
find a spot to attach your extra ground wire, I chose this spot by the washer fluid bottle since there is no paint under the bolt, I also used the same bolt on the drivers side for the other ground wire
![Image](http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/3650/123020091516.jpg)
remove bolt
![Image](http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9341/123020091517.jpg)
attach ground, it looks almost factory!
![Image](http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2092/123020091519.jpg)
run the ground through the headlight bucket and you now have all 4 wires needed to attach the composite harness
![Image](http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9923/123020091518.jpg)
cut off the sealed beam plug, and attach all the wires of same color together, for testing
![Image](http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4639/123020091520.jpg)
put some tape over the exposed connections and test for high/low and DRL's
![Image](http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9347/123020091522.jpg)
if all works as it should, the next step is attaching. I used crimp connectors and heat shrink tubing, I would've preferred to solder the connections but I left my solder gun at work
![Image](http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7182/123020091523.jpg)
I attached all 4 wires like this one
![Image](http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/1082/123020091524.jpg)
then taped them all together with 3M professional grade Super88 electrical tape
![Image](http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/4210/123020091525.jpg)
then tucked it all in flame retardant plastic wire conduit and wrapped the ends in electrical tape
![Image](http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3320/123020091526.jpg)
now repeat process for the other side, bolt everything on, plug it in, and your done
![Image](http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1699/frontcomp.jpg)