# My 1987 Nissan Hardbody XE



## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

Mostly just starting this thread as somewhere to post pictures, info, etc. on this truck project. 

1987 Nissan D21 4x4 pickup
Z24 motor, 2.4L 4 cylinder, twin plug head
Manual transmission
99,xxx miles
All original except for wheels

My late father-in-law bought this truck new at Younker Datsun/Nissan in Renton, WA in 1986. He wanted as base a 4x4 extended cab as he could find. Manual windows, 2 speaker AM/FM cassette player (with a tone knob! lol), and a/c. He bought the wheels and a canopy shortly after, and always kept aggressive mud tires on it. After he passed in 1989, it mostly sat. My mother in law drove it occasionally, and my wife's sisters borrowed it for messy jobs once in a while. The last time anyone but me or my brother in law worked on it, a shady garage that my MIL trusted told her that the tires needed replacement (they were new, and expensive), and that the shocks were bad, too. It took them almost a month to put the cheapest goddamn tires and shocks they could find on it. They said the shocks were very hard to find, because they were an exotic "Macpherson strut" design. No joke. That was more than 15 years ago actually. So the tires and shocks are beyond shot. It blew a head gasket a couple years ago, my brother in law pulled the head and fixed it up. 

Anyway, she gave it to us, and now I get to get it shined up and repair issues caused by just sitting around. And make some modifications.  The tires are hard as rocks, the suspension creaks and groans like crazy, shocks feel like you are driving a boat, the front fenders have rusted though in small spots, and the paint is badly faded. 

Plans are:
3" suspension lift, 3" body lift, both by Superlift most likely
33x12.50/15 tires (ordered) (from my friend at www.tirebuyer.com, pm me for his info, he can do 10% off anything + free shipping anywhere) 
15x12 Bart wheels, powdercoated silver (ordered)
Hannemann Fiberglass fenders and bed sides, 4" wider
A cheap stereo/amp/4 speakers
spray in bedliner (or a diy roll in one)
new tail lights (ordered)
new headlights (ordered)
hub adapter to mount my OMP steering wheel (ordered)


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## cramerica (Oct 8, 2004)

That thing will be killer when you're done. Keep us updated.


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## ager_silvestris (Feb 10, 2013)

Thats awesome :thumbup: 

Looking forward to updates.


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## unimogken (Jan 19, 2005)

Nice truck!
I have a 1991 Nissan Pathfinder that I love and they'll run forever!

When you lift it make sure you replace your idler arm and get one or make one of these also.

FYI there is a huge 4x4 swap meet this coming weekend at the Puyallup fairgrounds.
Heres the link.

I'll be there lookin for deals.


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## GoStumpy (Jul 14, 2000)

Yours looks MUCH better than the one I bought! Had fun in it, damn thing is like a mountain goat! Go Anywhere once the hubs are locked!





































Paid $1100cdn for it


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

haha, yeah- yours has seen some use! Mine has just sat, so it has some issues from that. Window and door seals aren't too good, and there is moss and pine needles in every cranny. I keep washing it and then putting it back in my garage dry off. 

These are surprisingly capable stock- I drove this one back from Whistler BC probably 15 years ago in a terrible snowstorm. The RCMP closed the highway and everything. We just kept right along, no chains and no problems.


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

prepping for the bedliner- doing a DIY roll on one. Filling some 1/4 holes that were drilled in the bed to hold the canopy on. Just ordered suspension kit for 3" lift and a body lift for another 3". New torsion bars, rear springs, shocks, and control arms. Wheels should be here soon, tires are actually getting ordered tomorrow. Then I have some work ahead of me!










+


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## 7JAD3 (Jan 13, 2007)

YES
Love the plans for it as well. 
Knowing you are a vw person I can see this project coming out absolutely fantastic. This truck should clean up nicely. Where/what brand lift?

I have a 95 XE 4x4 standard cab. Great trucks!

fwiw here are a couple of boards worth checking out:
http://www.infamousnissan.com/
http://forums.nicoclub.com/nissan-trucks-forum.html


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

7JAD3 said:


> Knowing you are a vw person


Haha, thats why the tires will have a bit of stretch. . The lift is this one from 4x4parts. The Superlift is about 600 bucks and was only shackles for the rear and no new torsions, so I felt like this was a pretty good deal. 

And thanks for the links, I will check them out.


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## g60vwr (Apr 9, 2000)

I know that your plan is pretty cool but I would leave it mostly alone. Id do the OEM + thing to it. Rims and tires.

I cant remember the last time I saw one of these this mint. 

If you are gonna go Ham on this- them at least redo the stickers on the aftermarket stuff to make it look factory-ish


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

Nothing I am adding has any stickers- I am repainting the stock bumpers and keeping the grill stock. Will do a stereo upgrade, but it should be invisible except for the head unit.


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## Trike Kid (Sep 28, 2008)

Well, a bit late now but you don't need that much lift for 33's, especially if you're going to run glass fenders. 

This is my old XE, 33" TSL's (run more like 34) and no lift. I did trim, more than most like to but the body wasn't straight and I didn't help that any (The bed side is my handywork, high clearance for them tight corners in the woods)


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## g60vwr (Apr 9, 2000)

ArtieLange said:


> Nothing I am adding has any stickers- I am repainting the stock bumpers and keeping the grill stock. Will do a stereo upgrade, but it should be invisible except for the head unit.



Plans are:
3" suspension lift, 3" body lift, both by Superlift most likely
33x12.50/15 tires (ordered) (from my friend at www.tirebuyer.com, pm me for his info, he can do 10% off anything + free shipping anywhere)
15x12 Bart wheels, powdercoated silver (ordered)
*Hannemann Fiberglass fenders and bed sides, 4" wider*
A cheap stereo/amp/4 speakers
spray in bedliner (or a diy roll in one)
new tail lights (ordered)
new headlights (ordered)
hub adapter to mount my OMP steering wheel (ordered)


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

I have backed off from 100% doing those, but if I still do, they'd be painted the stock silver with the xe rocker graphics redone on them.


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## g60vwr (Apr 9, 2000)

Hardbody trucks are awesome, and pretty much rare finds these days :thumbup:


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

g60vwr said:


> Hardbody trucks are awesome, and pretty much rare finds these days :thumbup:


 
Also rare: aftermarket Hardbody parts. :banghead: 

Updates: 
3" suspension lift, 3" body lift, *shipped, ordered from 4x4parts.com, new torsions and all* 
33x12.50/15 tires *1st choice backordered, 2nd is too far out, but my dream first choice was ordered today* (from my friend at www.tirebuyer.com, pm me for his info, he can do 10% off anything + free shipping anywhere) 
15x12 Bart wheels, powdercoated silver *ordered, shipped, arriving tomorrow* 
Hannemann Fiberglass fenders and bed sides, 4" wider *ehh, maybe* 
A new head unit, 3 ch amp, shallow mount 10", pair of 6.5s *ordered* 
DIY roll in bedliner *supplies purchased, prep started* 
new tail lights *installed* 
new headlights *received wrong ones, re-ordered* 
hub adapter to mount my OMP steering wheel *installed*


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## 7JAD3 (Jan 13, 2007)

Nice to see you are moving forward on things. I feel your pain on the aftermarket support for these things. Coming from VWs myself it has been an "interesting" transition. My Dad had a hardbody he bought new in 86 as an 86.5 (first year of d21). I had so many fond memories of the thing I had to buy one for myself when I wanted a truck. 

if you want opinions; the rear flared fenders are a bit odd looking to me. 
I like the front flares though and have thought about it myself but my og paint is in such good shape I have a hard time pulling the trigger lol


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

Yeah, I decided against the fenders. I fixed the rust in the one fender, and I can cover the hole with flares. g60 flares on a jetta with cut fenders style.  

Put the wheels and tires on last night, cranked the stock torsion bars up about 1.5". I'm liking the black wheels, not gonna paint them silver anymore. Have the body lift and 30% stiffer torsions in my garage, the suspension lift hasn't even shipped yet, dammit.


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## Heffernan (Apr 17, 2006)

Looks great! :thumbup:


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## cramerica (Oct 8, 2004)

I love this thing


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## BackflipBongrip (Sep 3, 2008)

awesome little project you've got going. I loved my Baja claws, they were absolute beasts when swapped around and ran backwards, never got stuck.


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

cramerica said:


> I love this thing





BackflipBongrip said:


> awesome little project you've got going. I loved my Baja claws, they were absolute beasts when swapped around and ran backwards, never got stuck.


Thanks everybody. :thumbup: Yeah, can't wait to get this thing out into SOMETHING.  Gonna be fun.

The stock springs must have been more tired than I thought- the add-a-leaf that was supposed to lift 2.5" ended up being more like 4". The front control arms added about 1.5", and the I haven't installed the new torsions yet. Should get another 2", easy. Not going to do the body lift at all. Also just picked up a set of OEM flares and some other bits from a junkyard this weekend. They need some good cleaning, but for $55 for all four...


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## cramerica (Oct 8, 2004)

more post-suspension pics please :wave:


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

OK, so I painted the grill, mirrors, wiper arms, bumpers, and corner lights satin black. Finished the bedliner... Put the new thicker torsion bars in and adjusted them up. Removed the front sway bar. Going wheeling tomorrow at Tahuya here in WA with about 10 Jeeps. :laugh: Pretty excited, haven't done anything like this in years. 

PICS!


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## cramerica (Oct 8, 2004)

Hell yeah man :thumbup:


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## ArtieLange (Sep 14, 2008)

My father in law had a canopy for this truck since it was nearly new. It has been in storage for years. It was pretty sorry looking with moss, dirt, bugs, etc, but after a pressure washing it looks like new.


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## cramerica (Oct 8, 2004)

Not sure if I'm feeling the cap. Now maybe if you put a rack on it or something...


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## ventovr (Aug 29, 2006)

I kind of like that canopy


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## Heffernan (Apr 17, 2006)

Such a nice looking truck :thumbup:

One day I'd love to have a lifted regular cab pickup like this.


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## Noisyninja (Nov 19, 2003)

I had a 1994 Pathfinder SEV6 in high school and loved it.

I also ran 4x4parts.com's 3" suspension lift, a 3" body lift, and 33x12.5" mud-terrains (BF).

If I could do it over again, I would have kept it stock and spent all that money on a beater. Yeah, it looked pretty cool but it was a pain in the ass keeping the alignment from chewing up the inside of the tires. It may have been fun but I still wish I had just listened to my friend and kept better care of it.

Also, I would watch out for rust on the frame above the rear axle.


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## vrisk (Jan 1, 2005)

updates on your HB? i got one alittle over a year ago stock and did a few things.


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## yeayeayea (May 29, 2005)

Love me a good Hardbody! OP yours looks like it is in ridiculously good condition! Jealous of you left coast guys with your minimal rust.


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## itschrisb (Jun 7, 2007)

Im picking up a hardbody in 2 days to build. Pretty siked on it. Any details on that cap?

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk


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