Project Rust Bucket ----> Winter Assult Truck.

[Hooked on 240]

Just bought a friend the other day kinda cheap.

Copied from my other fourm:

More knowledge to fill your brain:1995 Nissan Hardbody XE (base, but with options). Chassis Code: D21128k i thinkRegular (Standard) Cab6ft (Standard) bedTruck Version Ka24E. 134hp of fury! Single Slammer!5spd.



Factory Options:-4x4-SE model Alloy Rims-(Upon further inspecting and taking stuff apart) SE Limited slip diff-Chrome bumper and grill (Offered on the SE)-A/C-Sweet factory stick that adds ~102 Tq not hp!



Current issues: -New clutch (slipping like a MOFO!.... probably 10% left)-Battery tiedown (note that a bungee is in place)-Suspension. Replacing with KYB GR2's for now.



Fixed:-vaccum leak-Got a free box, need a tailgate now (rot on the bottom



I will add pics as to why i call it rust bucket. s***, the bed is rotted out in the one corner.

*Now since the Box i got is red. and theres some rust i wanna take car of on the body. What color should i do?. I was thinking a Army green/satin green. paint the bumpers/grill black etc.

More pics to come, but heres the day i bought it: Crappy cell pics....booooNote the bungee cord battery tie down here ^ SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!



Engine bay was a mess. cleaning it up. im VERY OCD about a clean engine bay,if its a s***ty car or not. Carbon canaster had been mesed with at one point. gone now. updates when i feel like it



*Also, there is NO way in hell im turning it into a gay lowered mini truck. b****

UPDATES:Wednesday 9/2/09

Got the tail lights out. the 4 bolts that hold the bed on. and the other 2 are too rusty to move. stay tuned...

Thursday 9/3/09Well after a call to my friend. i now have a sawzall for a little while. lets just say, i didnt give two poopies about the rotted/rusty/nasty/ bedOn the truck still:

And these are just cell phone pics. now imagine it in real life Off with thy head! (NOTE: the two giant squares made by mr sawzall )

For anyof you who have taken off a hardbody bed you have the 4 bolts, two on each side of the tire and 2 in the rear. i simply (ya ok...) cut around the rear ones, took the bed off. then took the sawzall sideways to cut the bolt off. and knocked it threw the whole with a screwdriver.

End of the night:Frame pics.

I started to grind away with a wire wheel to the driver side. got tired and called it quits... until tommorow muhhahahahah...

OMFG look at those shocks. the outer part rotted right off.Good thing i got 4 brand new ones for 20 used (400 miles and the motor blew he said.. so there just about brand new )Thats it for tonight!

Modified by Ghost518 at 11:46 PM 9/3/2009
Modified by Ghost518 at 11:52 PM 9/3/2009

[pejsa s-13]

well if your going gr2 isn't it going to be lowered?

and i wouldn't go all one color if your going with a satim green i would paint the grille bumper and trim a semi gloss black

[seang]

Thats a really cool truck, even though it's stock. Think of it as a 240sx, but a 4x4 version thats 800 lbs heavier.

[Rev_D21]

Nice truck but those aren't alloy rims sadly.

[Hooked on 240]

well if your going gr2 isn't it going to be lowered?

and i wouldn't go all one color if your going with a satim green i would paint the grille bumper and trim a semi gloss black

It should be almost the same hieght. there just Advance Auto specials. Its either that or the monroe for 18 each Find me a suspension system for around 200 thats my limit as this is only for winter. i might buy my other friends hardbody next spring.

And ya i think i said in my post somewhere black grill/bumpers.

Thats a really cool truck, even though it's stock. Think of it as a 240sx, but a 4x4 version thats 800 lbs heavier.

Thanks dood. Ya its wierd. im used to pushing my car around the driveway inbetween working on it. The truck i cant even move. i think the ebrake could be stuck a little

[Hooked on 240]

Nice truck but those aren't alloy rims sadly.

No but the ones in my garage are!

those are for the winter tires. Alloys are tireless at the moment

[seang]

I have trouble pushing my truck, too. I think its a weight issue, because I just overhauled my rear brakes. The e-brake gear was all stuck and didn't look like it could be un-stuck. When I replaced the drums, I just left the e-brake actuator arms right out, it isn't like they were going to start working again. So if I'm in a situation where I have to park on a steep incline, I'm just not going to.
Modified by seang at 11:31 AM 8/30/2009

[Hooked on 240]

im glad im not the only one i usually dont need any help pushing the 240. even going up a little hill.

the truck. s***, i cant move it DOWN my driveway

Progress today:

Got home late. and did nothing. til i had a bowl of rice krispy treats (ceral) and got motivated. alittle. degreased and wire brished the valve cover and painted with duplicolor ceramic color. it looks half a** bc the vc was starting to (sp?). thats it! tommorow is a different story

[Desert Rat]

These little 4x4 trucks are gutless. It's just a fact of life to get used to. Even the KA24DE 4x4 Frontiers are bad - possibly worse even due to increased weight. The fact is you're moving a 2 ton truck with a little 134hp 4 banger without a lot of torque, and that translates into slow. That said, they're dead reliable and will run a long time with reasonable care. Just don't expect to win any races with them. Adding bigger tires only compounds the problem. If you want slow, drive mine with the Dana 44 front axle swap, 400+ lbs of rollcage and bumpers, 200lbs of camper shell, 300lbs of tools and spare parts, another couple hundred in underbelly armor, and 33" rubber with 5.14 gearing. 3rd gear is your friend on those long highway grades.

[kibatheloanwolf]

These little 4x4 trucks are gutless. It's just a fact of life to get used to. Even the KA24DE 4x4 Frontiers are bad - possibly worse even due to increased weight. The fact is you're moving a 2 ton truck with a little 134hp 4 banger without a lot of torque, and that translates into slow.

3rd gear is your friend on those long highway grades.

What about The NAP-Z hard body's? My family wants me to take my lil beater camping this winter in the North Carolina mountains and I wanna know if it will at least attempt to go up those big a** hills lol

[Desert Rat]

It'll go wherever you want....just not real fast.

I've had mine over 13k ft in the Rockies.....Lots of downshifting, but it went where it was pointed.

[kibatheloanwolf]

Well I'm running 15" tires right now on steel rim's would it change anything if i go back to the 14" tires?

[Hooked on 240]

Just don't expect to win any races with them.

Trust me im not trying to win anything but a 1 up on the NY snow storms up here. thought about swapping my extra dohc into. but its just not worth it.

Sohc trucks... pffft. THANKS NISSAN!

[Rev_D21]

Mine moves along just fine.

[kibatheloanwolf]

Right now mine is sluggish out of 1st and 4th and gives me problems when I am downshifting into 1st to where I have to literately Slam it into first lately

[seang]

Both manual transmissions in both my HB's were finicky shifters, that is they were less of a riflebolt, and more of a malted milkball crusher. This may be overstating the case, but the fact is they are not perfect. I used to miss 3rd gear while trying to "race" my 87. Don't laugh, alot of work can be done with 103hp., I could get my litttle truck sideways off road. I ran 20w50 in that transmission, but maybe it would have shifted better with a good synthetic MTL.

[Rev_D21]

MTL really made my trans shift nicely.

[kibatheloanwolf]

Whoa... Happy birthday to me! My mom got me new brakes and marker lights!

Oh and I think that the gear fluid might need to be changed so I'm gonna do that after I eat some cake this afternoon I shall eat a slice for all of Nico club!

[Desert Rat]

Both manual transmissions in both my HB's were finicky shifters, that is they were less of a riflebolt, and more of a malted milkball crusher. This may be overstating the case, but the fact is they are not perfect. I used to miss 3rd gear while trying to "race" my 87. Don't laugh, alot of work can be done with 103hp., I could get my litttle truck sideways off road. I ran 20w50 in that transmission, but maybe it would have shifted better with a good synthetic MTL.

20W50 in the trans? You synchros were probably dissolved. 90 weight GL4 is the only thing that should be run in a Nissan truck manual transmission.

[Hooked on 240]

updated first post. more tommrow when i ACTUALLY get something done.

[PEZi]

just throwin this out there... i know you got a deal on the shocks but if you get either the gas-a-just or the monomax from KYB you'll be miles happier than with the gr-2's....... like really f***ing happy

[Rev_D21]

I agree, KYB monotube design shocks kill anything twin tube in design.

[lino]

I find the GR-2 are usually too soft and more suited for low performance sedans. If you're getting them for a deal it's one thing, but to spend the money on new that's a different story.

Best of luck with your project. I just saw a D21 a couple of days ago. It was the first time I'd seen one in a long time. I also saw a Stanza that same day and both of them were black. It's so rare to se older Nissans like that over here.

[Hooked on 240]

The Gr-2's you want.

Then the Gr-2's i shall get

[Hooked on 240]

Ok, heres an update...

Got to it for the first time last night. Lets just say i got carried away with buying parts for my 240 (bigger turbo,head work etc. ) Far more then i wanted to go. but whatever.

So i was thinking about it. and since im only using it for winter.. then maybe some dd'ing there after for a short time. its not gunna end up like i wanted to. Plus im not going to be towing anything...

Last night:-Bought/installed Monroe shocks all the way around. came out to 47 after Advance discount -drove the truck down the road with no bed/ rearlights/ hood/grill etc . it rides 309403493% better. -Checked over all the brakes. cleaned them up a bit.-Went around the truck with a hammer, and got any dead metal out.(rockers ) I still have a spot above the windshield i gotta fix. then its off to my friends shop (body shop) to get fixed.

Still have to figure out why the heat gauge dont work. I think i might do the waterpump and thermostat. I THINK....

Also there is this wierd thing happening. I get smoke out the back of the motor. not heavy just enough to get noticed. Was thinking head gasket. but then i looked at the coolant it was fine. oil was just changed, and the old oil had to be about 1K old. and nothing wrong with it.

Two pics from yesterday. just took it up the road and back to see how it rode before the suspension update:

this is what happens when you give me a can a primer when im bored...

I still need to take a angle grinder on the frame and stuff... Lots more updating to be had!

[Hooked on 240]

So i did stuff... wish i had more pics..

Been on the road since Friday.. so far... ive:-new clutch (free from a friend)-new waterpump (10 bucks of nico)-new belts (free... well sort of. bought them 2 years ago for a friends hardbody)-new alternator off my sohc 240 shell (old lady bought a brand new alternator from nissan 400 miles later the transmission went... thats when i got it... woot)-transmission/ front/rear diff fluid- stock rad off my 240. IDK F'in how the truck stock rad was holdin anything. you touch it and the fins cumble to dust.

so all and all im only in the hole 600 truck cost + 47 shocks + 10 waterpump = 657 for a winter beater. not that bad.

Today/yesterday i did the clutch. omg it was easy except for hte snapping bolts/rust here rot there. good god. Nothing special just pics of it on the lift at a friends warehouse garage thing.. More pics later this week when i go through the trail thats there!

Ok so when i took off the bed the first thing i noticed was that the exhaust was BAD and i didnt think it would last a week. In fact i was right i lasted TWO DAYS on the road. and went to pull it in the garage to do the clutch and hit a bump Tommrow im going to cut it just before the cat and make my own exhaust. I got a 89 240 shell i jsut bought have a brand new exhaust on it. might make it work and add turn downs LOL.

And this is me grinding the frame.... again nothing speical just a pic i sen to the gf when she asked what i was doing to my POS truck now. lol and im not that big... 2 sweatshirts/1 shirt/1 thermal. twas 22 today. and i forgot to bring kerosene so the salamandor wasnt on right away. i got it later when i coudlnt bare it anymore.

Went off roading the first day on the road. was a HUGE mess with mud everywhere but the snow storm cleaned most of it off. Look below the sliding glass :



Ill have an actual update tommrow with tons of pics when i have time this week.

Also i was thinking... since the i dont really want a bed but i want something i was thinking something close to this... lemme know your thoughts.

Stuff i want-Place to put my spare-Place to mount spot lights above the truck roof line-Going to make it so it bolts in. using stock bed mounts. -Cover the tire? idk if open wheel is legal in NY.



Btw if you wanna make your own design in MS PAINT heres the orig:
Modified by Hooked on 240 at 3:24 AM 12/7/2009

[Hooked on 240]

So i seafoamed my truck (the method of takeing a vaccum line and sucking it through turning off mid can, this resuming.. i dont bother with mixing it with gas/oil) Anyways theres a HUGE night and day difference. Finally has power throughout entire rpm range instead of having a huge dead spot in the middle of 2nd and 3rd. Best 7.99 ive spent on this thing

~Found a little rusty but no rot box/bed for 150... might talk him down to just to save some money... cant wait... been driving with no box lol..~This week at some point i gotta through up the torsion cars and put the 4wd axle back in.. as i took both out to do the clutch. ~Fix the hood hinges.. all 4 bolts broke/snapped. might take the hinges off and just weld them to the hood. ~Wating on nissan to send me the things that attch the grill to the body.. ALL are missing/zipties ftw!~Grind down the entire rear frame one day this week (looking to be thursday) and either just paint or spray can rhino line it. ~at some point i need to get new leafs. i have a broken one on the right rear. ~cut out the rockers and weld new ones in/other rust stuff too~looking to snorkel this pig when i get the materials...

CAnt wait to have pics and show REAL progress on my winter beater

[seang]

Don't rhinoline the frame, use rust preventing paint instead. This is not gonna be a one time fix. The rust will find a way underneathe the rubberized coating, and it's just more work scraping it off the next time you detail everything. Indeed, if where you live is anything like where I live, there will be a next time.

[Hooked on 240]

granted we dont get lake effect snow like you guys do.. but its upstate ny. 4-6 inches is a dusting... and 2ft is an actual storm for us. the salt is bad.. or should i say 88% dirt the rest is Chloride. ya the rhino lining went out the window once i thought abuot it more. ive got a bunch of duplicolor Rust preventer crap laying around. might put it to good use.

[Hooked on 240]

I might get what i need fixed like, grind the frame/put bed on. clean the interior good. and sell to get a WD21. LOL. I want more interior room. plus im going crazy for a beater pathy right now hahaha