I have been watching and chatting with many of you..learning to fumble my way through the site. We have shared ideas..and I have met a couple of you flesh to flesh. With your help I have now been able to post a few photos. We all know life keeps getting in the way of our ambitions..so..hopefully you will find this entertaining and educational as the build progresses. Has anyone heard from the fellow that was doing the Comanchee build. He kinda went away. Probably should have posted this in an album...although that would take me another 2 months to figure out.

 

This is cleaning compartment for transplant. Was pretty dirty. Used Home Depot purchased pressure washer, lots of elbo grease. The cleaner is bio-degradable..available from Costco. Works majic..as you will see from trans photos later. Also are photos of the engine as removed from the Nissan test car. Used old wagon to break in the engines after the rebuild. Has been a world search...pistons from New Zealand, gaskets form New Zealand, Uk, and Australia, and alot of research on interchange and ....do not forget the fabrication. The engine is pretty funky..the battery slid out of the tray..rubbed a hole and threw acid all over the engine compartment. Oh well, needed to tidy thing up a bit anyway. I removed the wiring harness, heater, stripped the car to the bare body/chassie. Will use only wiring required for diesel...since was a 4.0 HO is probably 20lbs of computer, electronics, and copper not needed.

 

This is the introduction of the first fit of the engine. Engine bay has dust from being in the shop. The clutch on the cart is a Clutchmaster ceramic. Is 10.5 inches. Re-drilled the flywheel, had the the flywheel surfaced. Note the yellow mark. This is do I can electrically time the engine when in the car running. The transmission I used is out of a Hardbody 4x4. Had to put hole in the dust cover to align marks. Also, the clocking of the trans is approx 15 degrees different from the std Maxima 5-speed. Big dilemma...use Maxima 5-sp with a divorced transfer case, use the Hardbody. I have to build an oil pan anyway...probably use the Hardbody. Hummmm....Also, does anyone know if the pad in the center of the block is drilled. IF it is ...I could block off the front pickup and move the oil pickup to the rear without building a new pickup tube. I used Eastwood ceramic paint on the engine after we media blasted the funk off. The header was a real bugger. I have about 35 hours in it. There is a fellow in Idaho that has been cutting me flanges (I am also building a 7.3 IDI in a 1979 Bronco). It started as a Pace Setter Gas header. Well...gezz..what a pain in the ....well...you know. The paint on the header is 2000 degree wood stove paint. I had headers ceramic coated once. Wow...took a lot of $ from my wallet...after 300 miles the headers looked like they had been painted with a rattle can of Krylon. I have the engine setting in the car now...however been very busiy with weather related issues. Will keep you all posted...still trying to figure out the workings of the web site.

 

Hi Ken! Glad to see you finally posted your build thread. I'll have to stop by sometime soon and see your progress.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. This photo thing is making my blood pressure rise. I had attached a few to the threads...did not show up. Went back to edit and add...could not. Said you cannot add after 60 min. Sent a note to the administrator. Will probably put photos up with no explaination...can read then look at photos down the page farther. Is there an easy way to add photos now to keep the information neet and tidy?

 

Attached are photos that related to threads #2 and #3.

 

Sweet! I always liked that Nissan motor.

 

Looks like it will be easy to do the motor mounts on this.

 

Hi all...been awhile since last post. You all understand how "life gets in the way". Well, still working on the Nissan/Jeep conversion. This photo will show the header I made, and the oil pan that is under construction. I can tell you the header was a B*t#h, and the oil pan is not going any quicker. Do not believe the "do not worry, Z Car parts fit". Yeh, right.

I have had so many engine/trans combinations in and out of this thing I need a zipper. Finally settled on the mid 1980's Nissan Hardbody trans and transfer case. The transmission is "clocked" different than the Maxima...so trans case parts shifting, manufacturing, etc. Almost there though.

Also building a 7.3 1979 Bronco as a daily driver....ohhh....too many projects...too little life. Way to little $. Hope all is well with those of you I have chatted with in the past.

Does anyone know what happened with the Commanchee/LD Build? I have been watching.