Ok, here's where I'm gonna document my progress. Starting with a stock Pathfinder I got form my Dad, he bought it new in '89 with the intention of one day handing it down to me as a first vehile. I've had a lot of years in this truck and now that its mine I feel like the funs about to start all over again. Here are some things on my list to do;

• Full Exhaust-I got Thorley headders, magnaflow Cat and mufler
  
• Centerforce Clutch and Fidanza Aluminum Flywheel.-I found out OEM clutches are better, and lighter flywheels reduce torque.
  
• Some sort of High Energy Ignition systemrunning more powerful and will eventually install MSD igniton system
  
• 33x12.50 tires on 15x10 American Racing Baja Wheels (been eyeballin' the Toyo MT's)
  
• Steering Stablizer- I made some coustom brackets (I'll post more when I install)
  
• 3" Calmini suspension lift
  
• Matt's Custom Rock SlidersNOt made anymore, I'll just use AC's or some yota part
  
• Bumpers/ bull bars- Lota ideas up in the air on this, I'm thinkin' somthing simple cousom built for the rear. but I need sugetions on the front.
  
• winch- this effects front bumper choice; I've seen some ppl put a 2" reiver on front and back. Then use a reciver mounted winch (I like that, versatle and removable for street)
  
• Paint- eventually I will have the whole thing re-painted, and I want to Herculiner (RhinoLine) all the way up to the body line(about halfway up the body)
  
  
• Shaved Throttle body (where can I find one these days?)
  
• If I get the engine rebuilt I think I might get15% cam form 4x4parts and a Knife Edged Crank
  
• Russ Adjustable cam gears or similar product if I can find it.
  Not all these items are in order, and they may change and it prolly won't look like much in its early stages. Since money doesn't grow on trees all this may take a while.(a long while lol)

I'll add to this post as I remember what else I want.

don't forget to upgrade your steering!
and a body lift if you wanna go with that tire/wheel combo.. you'll need AT LEAST 5" of lift, and you'll prob. still have to trim... i would go with a 15x8 wheel, also...
just my $0.02

and good luck on the project

quote:

too many choices out there and I don't have enough knowledge to know which is best

Just some helpful knowlege. The nissan ignition system is very strong out the box. One of the strong point in our trucks. One reason why you dont see to many guys running the MSD system. It's really not needed.

However it is best to run upgraded wires and expensive plugs, cap,rotor. You can replace your coil pack also with a new one. This will give you plenty of power to the plugs.

Rock sliders- Only draw back I see to the link posted is they are bolt on. I'm not saying it's a bad design. I would feel much better if they were weld on. If I had the one's pictured I would weld them on. Plus it's easier, don't have to worry about drilling and tapping your frame. GREAT price.

quote:

33x12.50 tires on 15x10 American Racing Baja Wheels (been eyeballin' the Toyo MT's)

15X10 will put a ton of stress on your front suspension. I recommend 15X8 to save you money on replacement parts.

Bumper- Decide if you want to be able to easily service your winch. This will drastically change the design of the bumper. All after market bumpers for a hardbody have a recessed winch. You have to remove the bumper to service the winch. A/C does have a brush guard but I'll question it's strength. I think warn make a winch bumper for the hardbody also. See what you can find out about them.

Good luck on your build. My best advice is research, research, research. Gather all parts you could possibly need prior to throwing her under the knife.

quote:

15X10 will put a ton of stress on your front suspension. I recommend 15X8 to save you money on replacement parts.

THANKS! That size was based on the most reccomended for tires of that width. 15x8 is also a reccomended size. I was told the narrower sizes could cause premature tire wear but that was in reference to my stock 15x7. But @ this point I'm sure you guys know better.

You'll be fine running a 12.50 width tire on a 8" wide wheel. Here's an idea of how it works 15X7 max tire is 11.50. 15X8 max tire is 12.50 15X10 max tire would be 13.50-14.0. If I was running a 14" wide tire I would have bead locked wheels.

I would never get a tire over 4 inches wider than my rim. You'll run the risk for loosing the bead. As for a daily driver goes 33X11.50 will work very well. Should stuff inside the wheel wells good to.

Wheel width really matter in the bigger tire sizes 35+. There's few choices on tire width.

The Headders are IN!
I also installed a Magnaflow High Flow Cat I ordered the "direct fit" model but its aobut 2" shorter than stock and will not reach to blot up to my mufler and tailpipe. So I ripped out the unattached guts untill and I'm running open cat untill I figure out what I want to do w/ the rest of my exhuast. Yeh it's loud, kinda obnoxous and with it that much open its seems most my power has moved closer to redline.
I think for temorary I will get a section welded into my tailpipe to make it reach.

*There's a few installation notes included with the pictures below*


The front driveshft has about 1.5" of clearance. Should be enough to clear when a dif drop is intsalled. Minor denting may not even be required.

One of the primaries Inteferes with the steering shaft. Disconnect the shaft, let your engine warm up, then give it a few well aimed whacks with the round side of a ballpeen hammer or rounded drift punch. then trim down the your steering shaft blolts a little.
If you hit it cold your likely to chip the chrome and not make a very good dent either.

you can see they hug the block fairly well and with and oil relocator kit(+90degree fittings) clearance is not an issue. Just make sure your o2 sensor wire Is coming from above your tranny and not rght next to your headders.

Thanks for the photos. I was wondering just how close the clearances were going to be.

Question, If I want to runt the headers with no down pipe will they work? I would still have to dent the pipe around the steering shaft?

How hard were the old headers to remove? Change out any studs? If so were they any problems?

quote:

Originally posted by LordBiotree:
Question, If I want to runt the headers with no down pipe will they work? I would still have to dent the pipe around the steering shaft?

Because the primaries are so long once they reach the collector that there is no down pipe, just a crossover Y pipe. The dent must be made in the primary coming out of the fowd most cyl on the driver side. An odd feature of these headers is that this particular pipe is removable and must be welded into the collector. But, not everyones engine sits on the mounts exactly the same so you may get lucky and not have to dent, or unlucky and have to dent more. Mine is only dented about 1/8 of and inch.
You can run open from the collectors but I would be concerned about lines and wires on the passenger side. You can also run Open Y pipe with no ill effects. I don't like this 'cause most your power seems to be at really high rpm. (and its stupid loud) even with the Mid pipe(after the Y holds your o2 sensor) and Cat hooked up I thought it was too loud and too high rpm.
I put a short piece of 1.75" pipe on the back of my cat to choke it down a little. Its not as obnoxious and my torque band feels like it has come back down.

quote:

How hard were the old headers to remove? Change out any studs? If so were they any problems?

I replaced all the studs, 3 were broken and after breaking an easy out on the fist one I decided to take it to a mechanic. There is a stud removal article,I think its in the how too forums, if you are so determined.
the old manifolds are tough, get yourself about 2ft or more of socket extensions to make unbolting your downpipes easier reaching in from the bottom. Taking off your front drive shaft (only 8 bolts) will make maneuvering the pipes easier. once the the passenger manifold comes out easy, use socket extensions. form the fender well the driver manifold same principle but you have to fight w/ the emissions hookups and you have to fight with them more on the new headers, had a mechanic help me there too.

Kool mod; Istalled a 3rd brake lihgt form a 93/94.I stuck with the 89 wind deflector tho cause I think it looks better this way.

So I'd been running half-crumpled-wire-mesh as my grille for quite some time because about 2 yrs ago I shattered my stock grille hitting quad jumps with my pathy. I had hit the jump form the landing side and my front bumper/raidator support came down on the lip of the launch side. it was a small "double" so the pathy was able to crawl out no problem with everyting that the bumper made contact with smashed. So finally I got a grille back on it. I chose the Hardbody pickup grill (95&up) of off ebay because I like the V-style grille. I modified it for my aftermaket lights beause I didn't want to swap for HB lights(see the alluminum fillers above the lights in the first pic)

After trimming and picking up the correct Light ajustment holes I sanded and washed it down for a custom paint job.

Semi-gloss Black and a light basecoat for the bars so the next coat would show better (looks silver in the pic)

And the final product looking better than I imagined it would

and heres a small shot of my blackouts. I'm still trying to decide if I like em or not