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Project Rust Bucket. [non-rbv]


koda6966

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
7,898
City
The green part of NY.
Vehicle Year
1988
Transmission
Automatic
Had the Nissan sitting in my backyard for quite some time. Finally decided to do something about it. Mostly it will be used for fun/backup in case the Ranger ever dies. Maybe even used as a winter commuter. 4x4 = winter win.

Here's what I know about it. It has the 2.4 liter Nissan engine. 4x4, and a 5speed. It needs a battery and an alternator. Possibly brakes and definitely tires. It has alot of rust, the frame might need to be bolted or welded. I don't have a welder, so probably bolted. It also needs a new fender because it is smashed in and rubs on the tire, and also needs a pair of doors. The passenger side doesn't open, and the drivers side doesn't close. Go figure.

The doors will be dealt with last. First thing it needs is the alternator and battery of course. The bed is also a problem, because it is so rusted that it hangs down and rubs/smacks the cab. Not only is this a safety issue (could fall off) but it is also very, very, annoying.

Photos:

100_1283.jpg

100_1287.jpg

100_1286.jpg

100_1285.jpg


Cap is no longer on the truck. It was from my Ranger, I put it on there when I was rocking the Nissan's cap. But then I sold that (never should have) and put the old cap back on the Ranger. I hate it, it's ugly. But damn is it roomy and accessible.
 
Cleaned the bed of the truck out. Not only did I get a bunch of cans taken out of it (probably 12 dollars worth or so) but I also managed to get an idea of what I can do with it. I knew the bed had to go but funds are limited so making a flatbed or buying a bed would be hard for me to do. I wouldn't want to do it twice, but luckily I figured something out.

Also, since I plan to put a real bed back on it, maybe I can somehow fab a Ranger bed to fit it. This might also work well with how I want to buy a parts truck for my Ranger. I have seen Ranger beds on Toyotas, and they're prettymuch the same thing right?

Here's my temporary idea.

100_18133.jpg


Blue = No longer connected. (rust)
Red = Area to cut.

The bed is held on primarily by a 4" strip where the tailgate used to be, and the entire wheel well. My plan is to cut the wheelwell at the edge of the fender (so I can keep wheel wells) and then slice it around where the tail light section juts out. Then, I'll just zip tie or screw the tails down onto the metal and call it done. This way, I don't spend ANYTHING at all for the temporary flat bed, and have a semi functional bed. I may also bolt some wood or rails to the bed to try to make it so I can use it for storage as well. I'll never know when I might brake down, I might need it in winter. Can't have sand bags laying on a steel flatbed..
 
so what are the plans for it? just getting it running, or are you gonna do something fancy to it?
 
Getting it running, maybe getting rid of the purple paint, and keeping it for a backup daily driver. I don't have the funds for a real project right now, most of my projects are restorations of junk to semi decent vehicles. Any spare cash that I get will be used on either College, Life, or the Ranger.
 
Sounds like my 84 when I bought it (the inside of my bed wasn't rusted out tho). A nice resto project is always interesting. Good luck yo. :icon_thumby:
 
Thanks. The main convincing factor in doing the restoration is that the entire truck, despite the rust, only has about 59,000 miles.
 
My buddy has a 92 standard cab Nissan with a 2.4. It is stock except for a maxed out t-bar crank,longer shackles,and a header. He put 32-11.50" mud tires on it and I have to say that thing is unstoppable! The motor in them things has a rev limiter to like 7200 rpm or something and he bangs it alot out in the mud yet it still runs like a top. Nissan made one hell of a little truck back then :)
 
turbo it and put it in the ranger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_KA_engine muhahaha
have a truck that last long with a motor that will outlive it

Mmm.. turbo.. tempting, but it would be the truck version of tokyo drift. :icon_rofl:

I may have found a bed for it, not sure if I am going to buy it though unless it is a good bed in my paint code for my Ranger. Then I'd just swap beds and use my Rangers bed for the Nissan. Otherwise, unless it's cheap.. its a no-go.
 
A buddy of mine had the same truck. Dropping the clutch and successively bucking with the throttle, the front wheels would lift off the ground!
 
A buddy of mine had the same truck. Dropping the clutch and successively bucking with the throttle, the front wheels would lift off the ground!

Powerful little buggers ain't they?

Anyways, I measured my Ranger bed and the Nissan's bed today. The Ranger bed is 3" longer at the front of the wheel well, if I want it to fit I would have to cut that out of the Ranger bed and weld it back up. I don't really want to do that.. I'll keep an eye out for a Nissan bed, but I think I might just keep the metal flatbed on it.
 
Powerful little buggers ain't they?

I think I might just keep the metal flatbed on it.

I'd do that too. just find something to bolt around it for support (maybe angle from an old bed frame) and bolt on some low wood sides to help keep stuff in.
 
I'd do that too. just find something to bolt around it for support (maybe angle from an old bed frame) and bolt on some low wood sides to help keep stuff in.

That's what I was thinking.

Apparently Nissan wasn't a fan of building stuff that can survive a bored white kid. I shook the hell out of the bed and apparently the fenders are attached to the wheel wells with some sort of epoxy. No wonder it rusted out the way it did. I'm going to scrape it off once I have time and the bedsides should fall right off.
 

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