Restoring a 98 Frontier

[LateNate]

I was wondering if there was a company or a custom shop in the United States that could tackle restoring my truck. I wish I could do a lot of the work myself, but I dont have the tools or knowledge. I want to totaly restore my beat up Nissan. I mean, a frame off type job. New engine. Diesel perhaps. SAS. I want to design a flat bed that I can easily take off and hook up a camper too. So when I am using the truck for a daily driver, I dont have to haul the camper around. Something like a Earth Roamer camper on the back. Lots off Ideas. Lots of money. But that is why I am thinking of it now. I just have to find a "garage" that could handle it. Some may say just to get a new vehical, but I dont want to. I would rather make payments on a loan for the truck I love then buy something new that I dont really like. It sounds crazy and a little dreamy. But its what I work for. And I would definatley post pics for the viewers enjoyment.

 

[getlost4x4]

wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a new one? the rig isn't that old and the parts to fix it will probably cost more then a new vehicle.

 

[Joe's Toy]

Hah, you are no doubt going to get a lot of "Buy new" responses. I'd think any car shop that advertises themselves as a "custom" shop would be able to build your truck exactly as you want, but as you've already mentioned yes there will be a lot of cost involved.

Flat beds are easy. A custom camper would be very spendy for sure. You might consider a roof top tent intergraded into your flatbed design or rather just a small camper/trailer.

Lets see some pictures of your rig. Do you really think it needs a frame up restoration? After all the vehicle is only 12 years old.


I'm subscribing. Let's bounce around some ideas. :chef:

 

[Co-opski]

Look into a half-cut JDM Navara as a place to start. save your frame and start swapping parts over.

 

[AdvisorX]

Ive been working with Nissan for 10 years now (service) I agree as above I doubt very seriously the truck needs a frame-off resto. I would lean towards a flat bed rig as well and build off of that (alot of options with flat bed) and very functional

There are shops that will build this rig for you, man I could prob get some of my guys to consider the task but the cost will be outrageous.

 

[CA-RJ]

How bad can your truck be to need a frame-off resto at 12 years old? With it's age, I'm sure you can find many interior and body panel parts at your local salvage yard. Check out LKQ for those parts.

 

[RMP&O]

Yeah I am with the rest....

It is a 98 and needs to be restored!? I don't get it....

 

[LateNate]

Joe's Toy-
I like to hear that flat beds are easy. I have seen a lot of them. What I had in mind is something like you see on the Australian Outback rigs. Love that look.

The flatbed would have to be easily removable or moderately removable though. Just for the switch to camper mode. I don't really want to go the roof top tent idea because one, if I wanted to sleep in a tent I would just bring my own. I wanted something that was more four season. Security reasons to I guess.

The vehicleis only 12 years old but it looks rusty to me. I don't think it is too bad of shape, but a clean finish would be nice. I say this only because if I take the engine out and replace axles, why not just blast and reinforce the frame and other parts. Repaint and start new. There is a body lift on the truck that I have been wanting to take off since I had the thing.

Co-opski-
Sorry for my ignorance, but what does half-cut JDM mean? I do understand the idea of swapping parts.

AdvisorX-
Give me a number with outrageous.

For All-
I know this sounds kinda crazy, but I have had this truck for a while. It has a lot of value to me. Plus, I don't really like any of the new vehicles out there. I would rather build something custom and spend the money there than the latter. I would love to get my hands dirty doing this too. Unfortunately like I said before my knowledge and lack of tools doesn't help. Thank you for all the responses so far. I am sure you guys will be very helpful. This is going to be a slow project, seeing how soon I will be driving the Pan-Am higway, but it will happen.

Here's the truck as it sits today.

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[davidshourd]

looks like your worst rust is on components that would be coming off for the solid axle swap. then the surface rust on the frame you should could just be blasted down and plated over, if its really that bad. how about a flat bed with a FWC (fourwheelcamper) built for a flat bed? you might as well put the 3.3 V6 that came in those trucks while your at it to get a little more power out of it.

 

[LateNate]

looks like your worst rust is on components that would be coming off for the solid axle swap. then the surface rust on the frame you should could just be blasted down and plated over, if its really that bad. how about a flat bed with a FWC (fourwheelcamper) built for a flat bed? you might as well put the 3.3 V6 that came in those trucks while your at it to get a little more power out of it.

Thats what I had in mind about the frame. Just blast it and make it look new. I like the FWC idea. It would be easier then building my own. I would also like to build my own though too. As far as the engine goes. I would like to put in Nissan's 4.2L turbo diesel in it. If thats possible.

 

[Co-opski]

JDM 1/2 cut

JDM= Japanese Domestic Market. Current import laws make bringing a Non-North American market car to the States difficult with cars and trucks newer than 25 yeas old. So to get some of these cars in to the States they cut them in half. It saves on shipping (weight and volume), and you get all the good stuff from the cab forward.


Get out the PB Blaster!

 

[LateNate]

Ahhh, thanks.

 

[LateNate]

It looks like this project might get started sooner than I thought. My Pan-Am trip didn't go as planned as some of you might know.

This is mostly just a bump to get this thread going again. I'll have to see what is wrong with some of the pictures. I'm pretty excited to start this and a little overwhelmed. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Jsanderson]

Ready to see what all you do with your Frontier, I have a 98 Frontier that I love and wouldn't trade away for the world, might have to with my grandparents helping me get it 11 years ago, but still! Good Luck on the restore and get those pictures fixed! :wings: