Pathfinder upgrades & mods nation unite

[N2mesnob]

Hi I jus purchased my dream car (13 years later ) a manual 95' Nissan Pathfinder SE. She has a VG30i but I'm not looking to offroad or race her so when you read my intentions you may think im crazy I tend to ramble so please bare wit me. So as i was saying I jus got my dream car shes got a few dents & issues and I'm looking for ways to make her my own!!! So far the only thing I've done to her is an official NISMO oil cap, replace the old deck, and xeon headlight bulbs. Currently I have urethane front suspension and swaybar bushings coming in. I'm not looking to raise or lower my baby. The last things I see me doing to her is paint, rims, and stereo system. I'm open to suggestions I have found some stuff for her its jus a matter of time. Some of the things I've found and would like to do: 1. replace the the radiator fan wit an electric one. 2. replace the front upper control arm with a tubular one (I'm jus not sure how well it will fit since it is part of a lift kit and I'm not trying to lift her). 3. replace the stock headers & intake. 4. replace the front seats wit Bride adjustable(reclineble) seats. 5. replace the radiator car the a NISMO one. 6. replace the clutch wit i believe to be a 3rd or 2nd stage clutch (although my friend has advised me against it as it will make driving a pain and is not needed unless i decide to go turbo and or NOS). 7. install a rollcage. 8. Diablo front doors. 9. when i decide to get bigger rims I'll upgrade to bigger calipers & rotors(I find it laughable when ppl get bigger rims but keep the stock brakes.. how ghetto )

What I would like to do but have not found yet: 1. get roller rocker arms. 2. get a true dual exhaust. 3. find a center console that goes all the way to the dash. 3. upgrade the front suspension (thinking coilovers). 4. upgrade the rear suspension & parts. 5. replace the dash console gages wit kooler looking ones(not sure if that means finding a factory dash and transplanting it or or getting an aftermarket one, I jus know I don't want gages that mount on the steering column, dash or anywhere external I want it to look like it belongs and or came like that wit the truck from the factory. as much as i like the all digital dash gage console that also is not what i would like to do) I saw one in an integra one time that reminded me of one of those chunky mechanical watches but i can't find it.

I'm sure there's somethings I've missed but now that yall know my intent I'm open for ideas and suggestions. Thanks to Everyone N2mesnob

Modified by N2mesnob at 1:42 PM 6/1/2009
Modified by N2mesnob at 11:40 PM 6/3/2009

[K03sport]

Hi I just purchased my dream car (13 years later ) a manual 95' Nissan Pathfinder SE.

From the sounds of it, you might need to search out a dream therapist.

With the amount of "things to do" you listed, it looks like you could have just found a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and be done with it.

[N2mesnob]

Hey thanks that was a very intelligent and informative response to my post. Unfortunately I think I'll wait for more constructive responses. Guess if you really knew anything you would not have wasted your time responding to my meager post!!!

[krott5333]

6. replace the clutch wit i believe to be a 3rd or 2nd stage clutch (although my friend has advised me against it as it will make driving a pain and is not needed unless i decide to go turbo and or NOS). 7. install a rollcage. 8. Diablo front doors.

9. when i decide to get bigger rims I'll upgrade to bigger calipers & rotors(I find it laughable when ppl get bigger rims but keep the stock brakes.. how ghetto )

I could cut the irony with a plastic knife

[Qxxx4]

welcome to nico! unfortunately most of the owners on here have the R50's (96-04 platform) so it looks like we cant help you with a lot of your plans, but you can be the first to do them! Any ambition or ideas are welcomed on this site, and we invite you to share them with pride. You may get criticism or rude comments but you just need to ignore them and realize that there are always people that will like your ideas/efforts and eventually you may just help someone out who wants to do the same, or give them an idea. That's what NICO is all about!

You have a lot of unique plans and Their all great, but what are you aiming to go for? a show truck? Diablo doors are expensive and when it comes to swapping out dashes it can consume many hours and $$$, you may get more satisfaction out of more obvious upgrades such as a stereo or rims, which you plan to do last.

[Fisherdude]

no turbo, no Nos. please be smart, save your money. Pathys will always be slow so don't waste your money souping the engine up unless you have a lot of free money to piss away. How old are you??? And why is a 95 pathy your dream car??? . Either you can build a car that is fast, build for off road, looks good, or made for work. Combining them all is an unlikely reality. Also the Aftermarket for pathfinders is very limited.

[Empty V]

welcome to nico! unfortunately most of the owners on here have the R50's (96-04 platform) so it looks like we cant help you with a lot of your plans, but you can be the first to do them! Any ambition or ideas are welcomed on this site, and we invite you to share them with pride. You may get criticism or rude comments but you just need to ignore them and realize that there are always people that will like your ideas/efforts and eventually you may just help someone out who wants to do the same, or give them an idea. That's what NICO is all about!

You have a lot of unique plans and Their all great, but what are you aiming to go for? a show truck? Diablo doors are expensive and when it comes to swapping out dashes it can consume many hours and $$$, you may get more satisfaction out of more obvious upgrades such as a stereo or rims, which you plan to do last.

Very well put Brian, you are by far the best diplomat NICO has to offer. Unfortunately I do not posses some of those traits.

N2mesnob, I think this link best expresses how I felt after reading your post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7w64fbqYQY

Billy

[Empty V]

I could cut the irony with a plastic knife

Billy

[Qxxx4]

LMFAO oh man that was harsh! lets be reasonable here though, if the poor guy had an R50 i bet you guys would shut up since id LOVE to see a lot of that stuff on an R50. Even if it sounds impractical or just plain nuts.....We would all love to see it. Speaking of which, i have a pretty useless mod ill be posting later tonight, i bet you'll be next to do it empty V

[REZN]

lmfao i love the crueltyits just hilarious to me

some of the things he posted up to do to his car are straight though. i wouldnt mind seeing some of it doneopposing to that... there are some things that would definately be pointlessbut good luck with that bro, id like to see it done. no doubt about it

[N2mesnob]

Why the PF? I'm from the east cost, I couldn't afford one when I was a kid, and I luv the lines of it. As a 6'3" person its not too small and not big & lumbering like alot of todays SUVs. My goal? I'm creative and like to work with me hands. While I feel this platform will give me a great creative outlet I have no plans to make her a show truck. Show cars tend to be good to look and provide a great source of inspirations to all of us who have ever dare to bolt on or full custom our vehicles. That being said they are not suited for everyday life. The outline I've provided is jus that, an outline of current ideas. Some of the mods I feel are jus simple upgrades over the factory parts others are jus what makes her my baby. My plan is to still be my unique daily driver and when parked she is very unassuming, but when you pop the hood or step inside mod geeks & Nissan fans like me can appreciate what has been done.Recently I've been playing with the idea of lighting up the console alil more by changing the hazard and defrost buttons to illuminated ones, as always I welcome suggestion to help make my plans possible.And no worries there are no plans for turbo or NOS. I think I'd do an engine swap before that.

To all of those who have been supportive I'd like to thank you.

[W O T]

its nitrous, not NOS

[Adnan]

congrats on acquiring your dream car those WD trucks look pretty beasty imoyou mentioned it comes with a vg30i? if you wanna go turbo you can easily swap it for a vg30dett off the 300zx from japan.As for custom one off pieces such as the center console I think it would look great,especially if it runs from the dash to the second row for a 2+2 seating seating arrangement.Building one isnt as hard as it may seem it just requires good precise wood work and good fiberglassing skills,the rest is a matter of patience and double checking your work every step of the way.

[Fisherdude]

its nitrous, not NOS

And what is NOS

[W O T]

In automotive terms, the word "NOS"

=

"New Old Stock"

Brand new parts, but for older model cars

[Empty V]

In automotive terms, the word "NOS"

=

"New Old Stock"

Brand new parts, but for older model cars

In my book and everyone that I talk and fix cars with NOS = Nitrous Oxide N2O

Billy

[krott5333]

NOS is to Nitrous Oxide as Kleenex is to tissues.

[N2mesnob]

NOS is to Nitrous Oxide as Kleenex is to tissues.

At this point I agree with that statement but to clarify although NOS has become more of a brand name if I'm not mistaken NOS stands for Nitrous Oxide System.

[Fisherdude]

Nos is a brand name. Nos is N20

[K03sport]

Hey thanks that was a very intelligent and informative response to my post. Unfortunately I think I'll wait for more constructive responses. Guess if you really knew anything you would not have wasted your time responding to my meager post!!!

Your welcome. I'm not going to stand in someone's way if they want to go forth with a dream or a project, but sometimes people need a tap on the shoulder to have them realize what they are doing or about to do is futile or crazy and shouldn't be attempted.

Sure, some of you aspirations are noble, but I don't think even the hardcore guys would touch something as parts limiting as a PF when there are more capable vehicles to be used as a starting platform and those more capable platforms have more aftermarket parts available to make them even more capable without destroying vehicle or the its usefulness.

Most of the parts you seek can probably be found in overseas markets - Japan and Australia mainly.

Your aspirations for your PF will definitely set yours apart from everyone elses, but I don't think its going to happen. Sure, I could see the NISMO radiator cap, the intake/headers and the seats, but most of your list is either going to have to be hand-fabbed one off pieces or the almost, but not quite right pieces that will be tweaked to fit. I see lots of man hours in your future.

In the end...your dream, your rig, your reality. Best of luck.

-p.s. Don't forget to document the process. Progress books earn extra show points.

[N2mesnob]

Now i have to genuinely thank you for that reply, it was truly constructive.Although i agree with you

sometimes people need a tap on the shoulder to have them realize what they are doing or about to do is futile or crazy and shouldn't be attempted.

However my aspirations are no more lofty than providing myself with alil creative outlet.True i could have chosen a different rig but where's the fun in that and if it was all about the cost of it than most of us would never do half the things we do to our rides.Now a days if you can think its almost guarantee that someone has already thought of it.Sometimes the excitement is in exploring the road least traveled, creating a solution were there was none and daring to stand out from a bunch of bolt-ons rehashing the same idea that Tom got from d!ck's rig that looks exactly like Harry's.Original ideas are uniquely rare and sometime its not the idea that has to be original but the application that makes it unique.Although i have no plans to go "show" with my rig i do appreciate

In the end...your dream, your rig, your reality. Best of luck.

-p.s. Don't forget to document the process. Progress books earn extra show points.

[sicwitit]

you should look into finding a supercharged Xterra that has been wrecked, and just swap the engine. The engine from it and your 4x4 trans will bolt together and BAMF! just wire it up.

sure a 300z turbo engine could work with enough finesse, but its ECU is programed for a 2wheel drive sports car, not a 4x4 suv! and sure you can tune it if you have the equipment, but why? if your looking for 300z performance, your going to be let down by the fact that the stock gearing of 95% of the SUV's are taylored to towing/comfort/off road ablilites, and not a 60ft time of under 2 seconds.

Thats what I'd do/wanted to do if I ever bought a 95 pathy

[N2mesnob]

UPDATE!!!Lately I’ve been focused on replacing as many of the stock rubber bushing with polyurethane ones as much as possible.So far I’ve replaced the bushings for the front compression rods.The bushings are listed as front strut rod bushings... after much research and no real help from that Chilton book I bought, I found out that 89-95 PF have compression rods not strut rods.

I've also replaced the OEM front bump stops…with low profile urethane bump stopsAnd I figured since I was already there to replace the front OEM sway bar bushings too.She squeaks like sex on an old bed but I don't mind... Better that than a tick from the engine I can't find. I used all of that sticky @$$ grease that came with it maybe I should've gone and bought more to use before the install. Owell live and learn Now I know for when I do the rear sway bar. (note to self and whom ever else: buy and use plenty of that grease that is so sticky it feels more like glue than grease when installing urethane bushings)

[sicwitit]

Why do you want a roll cage if your not going to race your truck?

be forwarned, a roll cage is a saftey device that should only be used when A. you plan on driving with an increased risk of rolling over, and 2, you should consider anytime you are in a vehicle with exposed metal, if for any reason your head should come in contact any part of that bar with a force >15lbs/sq inch, there will be little chance of anyone being able to save your life. this will be due to the fact that your brain matter will have spilled out into your lap.

I'm not saying this to be funny, as this is a serious matter. I am a paramedic by trade, I currently work in a ER in Japan, 2 months ago I responded to a MVA where a kid was drifting on city streets, hit a semi truck head on. he had a full cage in his car and had standard seats and belts installed and no air bag because he just had to have a Sparco wheel for what ever reason. he and his passenger suffered the same fate. both were belted, but when an impact happenes, its not the same as if you just roll over out in the mud pit, or the desert in a pile of soft sand. Just something to keep in mind.

[Fisherdude]

A roll cage would only be ideal in a car only used for sport off road; if this car is your daily driver then scratch the cage for safety.

[N2mesnob]

When I originally made this post I had jus purchased my dream rig was full of excitement, grey matter spilling out my ears bout what i can do to make this ride my own and unique.Taking into consideration many different factors (age & type of vehicle, my personality to try something new different, creative & never done before [atleast not on this platform] practical & frivolous ) I created a list of possibilities knowing that I may not do everything on the list and come up with new ideas without losing site of the old.In short an outline before the rough draft.In a time when truly original ideas are possible but rare, it frustrates me as an enthusiast when seeing the direction that others have taken and its jus a rehash of what others have done.Fairly recently I installed lighted cup holders in my armrest and a key ignition light ringNone of these mods made my "outline"and it's not like it hasn't been done before but how many have you seen on a 95' Pathfinder... I'm probably ranting & rambling right now so I'll try to wrap this up but to those like Sicwitit (and others i have not listed but you know who you are) I appreciate the constructive input because without it I'd be like those ppl who put fake louvers & bullet holes on their rides and think it looks good. lol As for the rollcage i think if simple & done well it can still be a nice added safety feature but will i do it... to be honest i don't know but its great to hear constructive input.To anyone that has something to say i welcome you give your opinion and input but i would like to offer up that when you decide to do your own mods don't jus dismiss an idea jus becuz.I.E. currently this is my daily driver and I have no plans to ever race her but that doesn't mean that if the thought should move me that i would never drop a 1000hp engine in her. An idea totally impractical for my application but than again how many SUV's do you know pushing 1000bhp...Positive or negative i actually look forward to hearing what others have to say so thanks and keep the replies coming
Modified by N2mesnob at 12:19 AM 8/4/2009

[sicwitit]

I still say swap in a Exterra supercharged engine, its not a 1000hp, but when Porsche unveiled the the Cheyanne, their explanation at the detroit motor show was "who doesn't need a 550Hp suv!"

I love the that you want to try some new and un heard of things with the pathy, just realize the aftermarket isnt very supportive of our trucks, but that doesn't mean things can't be done. You want to do something new, try and upgrade your brakes from a QX56. that would be an awesome swap and ground braking R&D. If I were still in WA, or the states for that, I'd be all over a project like that.

JT

[Buzzman]

IMO, A: A roll cage would add a lot of unnecessary weight to an already underpowered vehicle. Unless you are planning an engine swap, I'd re think this plan.B: I have to agree with SICWITIT on the safety aspect as well. Unless you address the seatbelt/restraint system situation, the cage could actually make your rig less safe. If you roll it over, the roof won't collapse, but your head might. Have fun though.

[sicwitit]

don't get me wrong, I have plans on building a cage in my track car. Hence I said track car. I'll only drive it on a track....with a helmet on!

If it were me, I'd focus on suspension, even if you keep it stock, or close to stock height (my dad has a 94 SEV6 Hardbody) and If I could get a pathy to have its same stance, I'd be happy. I'd try and make everything that has to do with suspension new as possible and use urethane sparingly (sway bar links, control arms) and a set of Bilstiens.

then a good sound system, nothing to crazy, but a good set of components front and rear, a couple 10's installed in hidden locations if possible, and nice amps and head unit to finish it off.

finally, I'd send it to a shop for paint. something from Duponts line up comes to mind (I'm a big paint person so I'm partial to Dupont) and after paint, engine swap....I think you know what I'd do, and a cool set of wheels and tires. 15-16" with BFG all-terrain tires.

all said and done, I'd say that should run about 10 grand. I know its sounds like a lot, and I could do the same thing with a 96-99 R50, but I got to say, I love the rugged look of the 95 style body, and it will always be the best looking pathy in my book.

JT

[brianf7028]

I wish you good luck with the mods.The infamous tick is usually from broken exhaust manifold bolts- google itThe VG30e has many mods and swaps that can be done from other VG30 platforms.The engine is nearly indestructible if you change oil and timing belts.I am curious if the energy suspension replacement made a difference in ride. And as in any car mod, if you have the money, anything is possible, but plan for the extra 20% to 30% for unforeseen costs.