Good, Bad, and Ugly: Front End Swaps

"carcrasher88" (carcrasher88) 06/02/2015 at 18:57 • Filed to: Front End Swaps

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I was poking around Google, and began looking at some front end swaps.

No, I’m not talking about suspension part swaps, but when someone changes the front of a vehicle to make it look like something else.

Usually, this kind of thing is associated with taking a Chevrolet or GMC pickup and putting an Escalade nose on it, or taking a US-spec version of a Japanese car and putting the front end of it’s Japanese market counterpart on.

The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is an example of the former.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

This got me thinking. What are some of the best examples of front end swaps? Worst examples?

Here’s an example of a front end swap that I think it pretty slick, a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

The standard 4Runner is a pretty nice looking, humble machine, but there’s just something about putting a late first generation Tacoma nose on one that just looks right.

Feel free to share the ones you think are pretty cool, and the ones you think they should kill with fire.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:00

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r32, r33, r34 fronts on Stagea wagons look awesome!

carcrasher88 > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif 06/02/2015 at 19:02

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Yes, they definitely do.

It seems like the best front end swaps are when it involves two closely related vehicles, like the Stagea and Skyline are, and the 4Runner and Tacoma.

FromCanadaWithLove > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:04

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Someone put an M235i front on an M135i. I love both cars individually (I actually really like the look of the last M135i), but together it’s bad.

carcrasher88 > FromCanadaWithLove 06/02/2015 at 19:09

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I’ll agree, but only because I personally am not a fan of the look of the current 1 Series hatchback in general, especially compared to the 2 Series coupe.

AM > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:14

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BEST ONE EVER!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > AM 06/02/2015 at 19:17

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for only the fanciest of Bros

AM > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 06/02/2015 at 19:20

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Seeing as it has the LED headlights and everything, I can only imagine how much money was spent to create this truck. Definitely for the fancy bros.

carcrasher88 > AM 06/02/2015 at 19:22

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I will say, the new Escalade nose does look pretty good on the new GM pickup body.

Could do without all the modification. I just wanna see a Sierra Denali with an Escalade front and interior swap, otherwise leave it stock.

That would look awesome.

iNvDrZiM > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:24

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Del Sol w/USDM Integra front end (clean, but bad):

AM > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:25

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Yeah I’m not really one for lifted trucks unless they’re only a mild lift. The Escalade front clip looks fantastic on a truck body though!

Brickman > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:26

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Dodge charger front end on a Magnum looks good IMO.

Goggles Pizzano > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:29

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Sorry, redacted. Replied to reply by mistake.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:30

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Civic EG coupe/hatch on Del Sol

here’s a weird one. DA integra on a EF/ED Civic, not sure if I like it.

early 2000’s Ram on a Dakota, gotta love mini truck guys

2012 Charger on a magnum

Chareger on a Magnum

Goggles Pizzano > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:31

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Volvo 240 front end swap is the best front end swap.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:31

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nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Brickman 06/02/2015 at 19:32

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That looks way better than the magnum face.

carcrasher88 > Brickman 06/02/2015 at 19:34

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Agreed. Charger front ends on Magnums look awesome.

carcrasher88 > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 06/02/2015 at 19:37

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The Del Sol looks alright like that, certainly better than putting a four-eyed Integra nose on one, like seen below.

That Integra/Civic hatch one is weird, but not that bad, IMHO.

Ram nose on Dakota looks pretty good.

Charger nose on Magnum always looks good, especially when it’s left with an otherwise stock look.

carcrasher88 > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 06/02/2015 at 19:38

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Looks so good, that Chrysler sold them like that in Europe.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:39

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I forgot they did the 300 Estate.. actually that very well could be one. I know you can swap a 300 and Magnum front end with minimal tools (body pin puller) in like 10 mins.

N51fanatic > Brickman 06/02/2015 at 19:40

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awful paint match tho

dieselectric > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 19:44

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While not a huge fan of this generation of VW, the Golf looks significantly better with the Jetta front end :

carcrasher88 > Goggles Pizzano 06/02/2015 at 19:45

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That looks so awesome. Not just the front end, but the car as a whole!

carcrasher88 > dieselectric 06/02/2015 at 19:47

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It certainly does. Really liking how that one looks as a whole.

Brickman > N51fanatic 06/02/2015 at 20:03

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True. Couldn’t find a picture without 30 inch rims :P

Makoyouidiot > dieselectric 06/02/2015 at 20:50

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Wow it really does.

dieselectric > dieselectric 06/02/2015 at 21:22

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In a similar vein - the early Golf/Jettas swap even more easily. Jettas look great with Euro Golf bits (though duckbill spoiler is a bit big for my taste):

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 21:30

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This is okay:

I kinda wanna see what the opposite would be like though

Dann > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 21:36

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They sold them like that here in Australia too

gmctavish needs more space > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 23:11

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I’m a fan of Mk3 Golfs with the same generation Jetta front end

Captain of the Enterprise > carcrasher88 06/02/2015 at 23:17

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Grand National El Camino

carcrasher88 > gmctavish needs more space 06/03/2015 at 12:14

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That looks pretty slick, especially with the blacked out grille.

Amoore100 > carcrasher88 06/11/2015 at 23:12

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Yum.

carcrasher88 > Amoore100 06/11/2015 at 23:14

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That just looks SO right! Probably because it already looked right as a hatchback.

Shame there was never an official 9-2x sedan.

Amoore100 > carcrasher88 06/11/2015 at 23:15

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I don’t hate this:

carcrasher88 > Amoore100 06/11/2015 at 23:17

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Me neither. It definitely looks better this way.

It’s like it takes the best of the first generation QX56 and the best of the Titan and combines them together. I wonder if it has any QX56 on the inside...

Amoore100 > carcrasher88 06/11/2015 at 23:18

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It’s the Nissan version of the Silverado/Escalade thing. :D

Amoore100 > carcrasher88 06/11/2015 at 23:20

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Then there’s this...

I mean, same idea I guess?

carcrasher88 > Amoore100 06/11/2015 at 23:20

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Certainly would look better without that gap in the middle. Otherwise, I approve.

Amoore100 > carcrasher88 06/11/2015 at 23:26

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Then I’ll keep going... >:D

RazoE > carcrasher88 06/30/2015 at 15:20

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I’m okay with this!

RazoE > Amoore100 06/30/2015 at 15:20

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Goddamnit Denver!!!

Hoccy > Goggles Pizzano 09/19/2015 at 05:06

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Volvo’s design pretty much consisted of front end swaps between 1966 and 1983.. But are you sure that is a 240, and not just a late-model 164?

These are for sure conversions though, as there were never made 165’s. or 162’s

pjhusa > dieselectric 11/21/2015 at 21:58

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Cleans it up quite well.

gpaac > FromCanadaWithLove 04/08/2019 at 12:21

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Reminds me of the clown shoe. Which in essence is cool but I feel it probably looks worse in person.