After years of hard use and minor neglect it is time to build the caR50 into my almost perfect overland rig. Over the last month I have touched up the welds on my rear bumper,created a spare tire carrier with grossly overbuilt hardware, and prepared for future mods. Mods hinge on traveling lighter, no more pulling the camping trailer on overland adventures because generally I have to drive in excess of 1100 miles of pavement. (Update 20160114: I am not counting the trailer out just yet) Although the new engine is night and day over a stock vg33e it is still a 5000lb truck and a 1500lb trailer.
Today started with a major interior cleaning which consumed half a bottle of simple green and nearly filled up a 14 gallon wet/dry vac with German Shepherd hair. Then I built a cardboard ARB 67qt fridge template, realizing that wouldn't fit I re-sized to the 50qt model.
The plans are new stainless exhaust, possibly a flat top passenger knuckle for turning radius more than anything, water tank where the stock spare tire goes, second true deep cycle battery, arb fridge, rear cargo area organization and storage device, winch, front locker, re-gear rear to 4.9 and front to 4.88, rebuild my spare transmission with a 88 turbo 300zx over drive to keep the low 4:1 in early pathfinders and gain a .81 over drive vs .86, and last but probably first tiddy up all of the auxiliary wiring and brake lines. Of course these "plans" may be limited by $$$$ and time.
Done
-Spare Tire Carrier
-Rear Bumper check over
-ARB cooler purchased
-Old Transmission removed
-T-Case chain examined, buttoned back up
Now for the pictures:
Before the clean, years of improper gear storage has taken its toll:
New tire carrier latch, very skookum.
The hinge has a latch to hold the tire carrier open in two positions.
Dash after a good cleaning, this part of the truck has worn very well.
The automatic to manual conversion done back in 08. I need to get or order a new set of boots.
The awesome alternator, 125 amps at idle and the manufacture says I can weld directly off the alternator, other benefits...it uses the stock belt size and stock mounting locations unlike the large case ford alternators I use to run.
The alternator regulator. This is their "stealth" model though I am not sure why, it is huge and there is nothing stealth about it, but very skookum it is.
The new tire carrier. The CO2 tank holder and the proper license plate holder are not yet installed.
Clearance for the CO2 tank.
More of the same.
The old front bumper, it is going to get a face lift and a winch.
Here we are testing the 67 qt arb, assuming I wasn't going to have a drawer built under its location it looks like it may fit.
It is hard to see here, but if I had 1/2" it would fit
So I converted the 67qt to the 50 qt size and played around with shelving heights.
A little tight with 9.5" drawers.
But it looks like we are going to have to bring the drawers down to 6".
Progress will be slow, but I hope to order exhaust pieces soon.
One question: I am looking for a quiet muffler, near stock sound levels. The only thing I can find that comes and I trust to last for years is a flowmaster 70 series, but this is made for engines twice as large as mine. I am tempted to give it a shot because I have the room and the reviews seem to be good. Recommendations?
Today started with a major interior cleaning which consumed half a bottle of simple green and nearly filled up a 14 gallon wet/dry vac with German Shepherd hair. Then I built a cardboard ARB 67qt fridge template, realizing that wouldn't fit I re-sized to the 50qt model.
The plans are new stainless exhaust, possibly a flat top passenger knuckle for turning radius more than anything, water tank where the stock spare tire goes, second true deep cycle battery, arb fridge, rear cargo area organization and storage device, winch, front locker, re-gear rear to 4.9 and front to 4.88, rebuild my spare transmission with a 88 turbo 300zx over drive to keep the low 4:1 in early pathfinders and gain a .81 over drive vs .86, and last but probably first tiddy up all of the auxiliary wiring and brake lines. Of course these "plans" may be limited by $$$$ and time.
Done
-Spare Tire Carrier
-Rear Bumper check over
-ARB cooler purchased
-Old Transmission removed
-T-Case chain examined, buttoned back up
Now for the pictures:
Before the clean, years of improper gear storage has taken its toll:
New tire carrier latch, very skookum.
The hinge has a latch to hold the tire carrier open in two positions.
Dash after a good cleaning, this part of the truck has worn very well.
The automatic to manual conversion done back in 08. I need to get or order a new set of boots.
The awesome alternator, 125 amps at idle and the manufacture says I can weld directly off the alternator, other benefits...it uses the stock belt size and stock mounting locations unlike the large case ford alternators I use to run.
The alternator regulator. This is their "stealth" model though I am not sure why, it is huge and there is nothing stealth about it, but very skookum it is.
The new tire carrier. The CO2 tank holder and the proper license plate holder are not yet installed.
Clearance for the CO2 tank.
More of the same.
The old front bumper, it is going to get a face lift and a winch.
Here we are testing the 67 qt arb, assuming I wasn't going to have a drawer built under its location it looks like it may fit.
It is hard to see here, but if I had 1/2" it would fit
So I converted the 67qt to the 50 qt size and played around with shelving heights.
A little tight with 9.5" drawers.
But it looks like we are going to have to bring the drawers down to 6".
Progress will be slow, but I hope to order exhaust pieces soon.
One question: I am looking for a quiet muffler, near stock sound levels. The only thing I can find that comes and I trust to last for years is a flowmaster 70 series, but this is made for engines twice as large as mine. I am tempted to give it a shot because I have the room and the reviews seem to be good. Recommendations?
Last edited:
