Adventure Jeep Body Mods

(NARRATOR)>> WE'RE BUILDING A DEDICATED ADVENTURE RIG OUT OF THIS LJ AND YOU CAN ENTER TO WIN IT. TODAY ON XTREME OFF ROAD OUR JEEP GETS TOUGH BODY ARMOR,

RAM ASSIST STEERING, AND A HALF CAB CONVERSION KIT. PLUS FOUR BY FOUR VANS ARE FUN, BUT CONVERTING A UNIBODY

VEHICLE TO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ISN'T. LUCKY FOR US NISSAN MAKES A FULLY FRAMED VAN THAT'S THE FOUNDATION OF A VERY XTREME PROJECT.

(IAN)>> THE LAST TIME WE HAD OUR ROCK AUTO DOT COM GIVEAWAY

JEEP HERE IN THE SHOP WE DITCHED THE FACTORY FOUR LITER, REPLACED IT WITH FIVESEVEN HEMI.

NOW TODAY WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH SOME OF THE BODY MODIFICATIONS FOR THIS RIG. NOW THAT MEANS THE USUAL ITEMS, BUMPERS BOTH FRONT AND REAR, TUBE FENDERS, AND SOME ROCK SLIDERS, BUT BECAUSE THE JEEP LJ IS A FULL 10 INCHES LONGER THAN A STANDARD TJ, THERE'S ONE ADDITIONAL UPGRADE THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THIS RIG INCREDIBLY VERSATILE ON THE TRAIL.

I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU GUYS HOW FOND I AM OF JEEPS BUT THERE'S A PARTICULAR MODEL THAT I LIKE MORE THAN ANY OTHER, AND THOSE ARE JEEP PICK UP TRUCKS. NOW YOU CAN TURN ANY WRANGLER INTO A PICK UP TRUCK. YOU JUST CUT THE TUB IN HALF AND CAP THE BACK SIDE AND THEN ADD A PICK UP BED, BUT THERE IS AN EASIER WAY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE JEEP LJ.

YOU CAN GET ONE OF THESE HALF CAB CONVERSION KITS FROM GREAT TOPS. NOW IT INCLUDES A FIBERGLASS BULKHEAD THAT WILL BOLT INTO THE TUB BEHIND THE SEAT, AND THIS NEW HALF CAB THAT WILL LOCK INTO THE WINDSHIELD FRAME AND FINISH OUT THE LOOK OF OUR JEEP. IT WILL GIVE US THE TRUE PICK UP TRUCK LOOK AND ALL THE FUNCTIONALITY OF HAVING THAT BED IN THE BACK BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, IN ALMOST ANY WRANGLER THE BACK SEAT, IT'S REALLY ONLY FOR KIDS. SO HAVING ALL THAT EXTRA STORAGE SPACE WILL REALLY HELP

OUT WHEN YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL. THE BULKHEAD IS CONTOURED TO FIT INTO THE TUB OF THE JEEP, BUT TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION THE HALF CAB MUST BE DROPPED INTO PLACE.

THE BULKHEAD IS THEN PREDRILLED FOR THE FASTENER.

NEXT THE BULKHEAD IS TEST FIT INTO THE TUB.

WE'LL USE NUTSERTS TO INSTALL THE BULKHEAD SO IT CAN BE REMOVED IN THE FUTURE IF WE EVER WANT TO GO BACK TO A

TRADITIONAL LJ SETUP. WHEN WE DID THE HEMI SWAP ON OUR LJ I NEVER REINSTALLED THE FACTORY FENDERS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE PLAN ALL ALONG HAS BEEN TO UPGRADE THE FRONT END OF THIS JEEP WITH A SET OF TUBE FENDERS FROM PARAMOUNT AUTOMOTIVE. NOW LIKE MOST TUBE FENDERS, THEY REUSE THE FACTORY

INNER FENDER WELLS. SO I HAVE TO CUT IT OFF OF THE EXISTING FENDER TO MOUNT IT ONTO THE NEW PIECE, BUT TUBE FENDERS IS JUST THE START FOR THIS JEEP. WE'LL BE ADDING BUMPERS BOTH FRONT AND REAR, ROCK SLIDERS, AND A SET OF REAR TUBE FENDERS AS WELL. THE PARAMOUNT BUMPERS ARE HEAVY DUTY STEEL UNITS WITH A TWO INCH, 120 WALL UPPER TUBE, INTEGRATED WINCH, AND DRING MOUNTS AS WELL. THE REAR BUMPER INCLUDES A RECEIVER HITCH MOUNT AND DRING MOUNTS OUT BACK.

THE ROCK SLIDERS PROTECT THE TUB WITH A LAYER OF THREESIXTEENTHS INCH STEEL AND A SLIDER MADE FROM TWO INCH TUBING. THE DIMPLED PLATE ON TOP OF THE TUBE NOT ONLY STRENGTHENS

THE SLIDER, IT ALSO ACTS AS A STEP TO GET INTO THE JEEP. TO INSTALL THE TUBE FENDERS THE INNER FENDER STRUCTURE IS CUT OFF OF OUR STOCK FENDER.

IT IS THEN ATTACHED TO THE NEW PARAMOUNT TUBE FENDER, AND THE FENDER IS INSTALLED ONTO THE JEEP USING THE STOCK MOUNTING LOCATION.

(NARRATOR)>> UP NEXT THE LJ GETS A SWAY BAR FOR GOOD ROAD MANNERS. PLUS WE PREP THE NV FOR A FIVE LITER DIESEL ENGINE SWAP.

(IAN)>> NOW THE NEXT ITEM TO INSTALL AFTER OUR TUBE FENDERS

WOULD BE OUR PARAMOUNT AUTOMOTIVE FRONT BUMPER, BUT

BEFORE I INSTALL THAT I HAVE TO REMOVE A FEW ITEMS AND ADD A FEW ITEMS TO THE FRONT OF THIS JEEP THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET TO ONCE THE BUMPER IS IN PLACE.

THE WHOLE JOB OF THE NEW FRONT BUMPER IS TO PROTECT THE FRONT

FRAME HORNS, AND IT'S A LOT EASIER TO INSTALL A FEW ITEMS WITH THOSE FRAME HORNS OUT IN THE OPEN. THE FIRST IS A CURRY ANTIROCK OFF ROAD SWAY BAR. NOW THAT WILL ALLOW THE AXLE TO ARTICULATE WHEN WE'RE OFF ROAD BUT WILL REALLY CLEAN UP THE ON ROAD MANNERS OF THE JEEP, AND THE SECOND IS A NEW STEERING BOX.

THIS IS A RAM ASSIST KIT THAT WE GOT FOR PSC STEERING. NOW IT COMES WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED LIKE ALWAYS, NEW STEERING GEAR, AND RAM, AS WELL AS EVERYTHING TO MAKE IT

WORK, BUT ON THE '04 JEEPS THERE IS ONE OTHER ITEM THAT YOU NEED. THE STEERING GEAR ACTUALLY CHANGES. SO YOU NEED A NEW LOWER STEERING ROD THAT CONNECTS THE

COLUMN DOWN TO THE BOX. NOW YOU CAN GO TO THE JUNKYARD AND GET ONE OR YOU CAN DO WHAT I DID, AND THAT IS ORDER A BRAND NEW STEERING ROD FROM SUMMIT RACING. THAT WILL JUST PUT THE CONNECTION IN THE RIGHT LOCATION. THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS ARE HAMMERED INTO THE FRONT

FRAME TUBE ON THE JEEP, FOLLOWED BY THE SWAY BAR.

AND THEN THE ARMS ARE BOLTED UP.

THE STEERING LINES ARE HOOKED UP TO THE NEW PSC STEERING GEAR PRIOR TO BOLTING THE BOX ONTO THE FRAME.

ANOTHER ITEM THAT MUST BE INSTALLED BEFORE THE BUMPER IS MOUNTED ONTO THE JEEP IS THE WINCH, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE MOUNTING BOLTS ARE UNDERNEATH AND YOU CAN'T GET TO

THEM ONCE THE BUMPER IS BOLTED INTO PLACE. NOW FOR THIS RIG I CHOSE THE WARN VR 10,000-S SERIES WINCH. NOW IT'S A 10,000 POUND CAPACITY WINCH, AND THE "S" STANDS FOR SYNTHETIC ROPE THAT REPLACES THE AIRCRAFT CABLE THAT YOU SEE ON A LOT OF WINCHES. THE WARN SPYDURA SYNTHETIC ROPE WILL JUST HELP LIGHTEN UP THE FRONT OF THIS JEEP, REMOVE SOME WEIGHT OFF THIS FRONT BUMPER. NOW THE REASON I CHOSE THE VR SERIES IS BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY MOUNTS VERY LOW. THE BUMPER HAS THIS DROPPED WINCH PLATE, BUT NOW THE OVERALL HEIGHT OF THE WINCH IS GOOD AND LOW. THAT'LL GIVE GOOD AIR FLOW ACROSS THE RADIATOR IN THIS JEEP, AND THAT IS A BIG DEAL SINCE WE PUT A HEMI UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. WE WANT TO GET AS MUCH AIR IN THERE TO HELP KEEP OUR VEIGHT COOL.

THE NEW REAR BUMPER IS A SIMPLE SWAP. AFTER REMOVING THE FACTORY BUMPER, THE NEW ONE BOLTS IN PLACE USING ALL NEW GRADE EIGHT HARDWARE. STOCK PLASTIC FENDERS HAVE TO GO, AND THE TUB IS CLEANED USING SOME GUNK ALL PURPOSE CLEANER AND DEGREASER.

THE NEW TUBE FENDER IS THEN CLAMPED ONTO THE TUB, MOUNTING

HOLES ARE MARKED...

...DRILLED...

...AND THE TUBE FENDER IS INSTALLED.

FOR THE ROCK SLIDER THE BODY MOUNTS ARE REMOVED AND THE SLIDER IS SLID INTO PLACE.

THE MOUNTING HOLES ARE THEN DRILLED AND NUTSERTS ARE INSTALLED IN THE FRONT AND REAR MOUNTING HOLE. [ air ratchet spinning ]

(IAN)>> THE ROCK SLIDER CAN THEN BE MOUNTED ONTO THE TUB FOR GOOD.

(NARRATOR)>> COMING UP WE TACKLE THE DRIVETRAIN IN OUR VAN WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A TITAN.

(IAN)>> THAT'S GOOD!

(IAN)>> I'VE ALWAYS KIND OF DUG FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VANS. I MEAN THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY COOL. YOU CAN DO SO MUCH WITH THEM. YOU CAN USE THEM FOR EXPEDITION TRAVEL. YOU CAN BUILD BASICALLY YOUR OWN MOBILE ROLLING SHOP, OR MAYBE EVEN A SUPER INTENSE OFF ROAD RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. NOW BACK IN THE '80'S, AND EVEN IN THE '90'S, YOU COULD FIND SOME HALF DECENT VANS TO USE AS A BASE TO BUILD YOUR OWN CUSTOM FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VAN FROM, BUT NOW DAYS VANS, THEY'VE CHANGED. THE WHOLE IDEA OF A FAN BECAME ALL BASED AROUND MINI VANS AND

JUST CARRYING A WHOLE BUNCH OF KIDS TO SOCCER PRACTICE, OR MAYBE GOING TO THE MALL, BUT THE IDEA OF HAVING A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VAN, IT JUST KIND OF WENT AWAY. NOW RECENTLY CARGO VANS HAVE STARTED TO COME BACK ONTO THE SCENE, AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ONES OUT THERE, AND I WANT TO TURN ONE OF THESE CARGO VANS INTO A HARDCORE OFF ROAD VAN THAT YOU CAN GO FOUR WHEELING IN AND

THEN AT THE SAME TIME HAVE A COMPLETE ROLLING MOBILE SHOP TO FIX YOUR STUFF, AND YOUR FRIEND'S STUFF IF YOU'RE OUT ON THE TRAIL. NOW I STARTED TO LOOK AROUND AT OPTIONS OF VANS. WELL, THE FIRST THING YOU NEED IN A HARDCORE OFF ROAD VAN IS GONNA BE A FULL FRAME. VANS IN ESSENCE USED TO BASICALLY BE TRUCKS WITH A BIG BODY ON TOP OF IT. WELL THAT'S CHANGED. MOST VANS NOW DAYS ARE UNIBODY, EXCEPT FOR ONE, THE NISSAN NV VAN, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS A FULL FRAME VAN UNDERNEATH A LARGE, LARGE CARGO STORAGE AREA. THIS IS THE PERFECT BASE VEHICLE TO BUILD INTO THE ULTIMATE OFF ROAD FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VAN. THIS NISSAN NV VAN IS A FULL SIZE COMMERCIAL CARGO VAN DESIGNED WITH THE TRADES PERSON IN MIND. WITH A LARGE INTERIOR STORAGE SPACE AND A FLAT FLOOR AND VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, HAULING STUFF IS WHAT THIS VAN DOES BEST. AVAILABLE WITH TWO DIFFERENT ENGINE OPTIONS, FOUR POINT ZERO VSIX THAT'S RATED AT 261 HORSEPOWER AND 281 POUND FEET OF TORQUE OR, LIKE THIS VAN, WITH A FIVE POINT SIX VEIGHT, 317 HORSEPOWER AND 385 POUND FEET OF TORQUE. BOTH OF THESE ENGINES ARE OFFERED WITH A FIVE SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEHIND THEM. THE NV HAS A VERY PRONOUNCED LONG NOSE FRONT END. THIS IS BECAUSE THE DRIVETRAIN IS PLACED IN THIS VAN DIFFERENT THAN OTHER VANS. IT'S MORE LIKE A PICK UP. THIS ELIMINATES THE DOG HOUSE THAT'S OFTEN FOUND INSIDE FULL SIZE VANS. INSIDE THE VAN IT'S ALL BUSINESS WITH TWO BUCKET SEATS, A TOUCH SCREEN DASH MOUNTED ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM, GPS, AND BACK UP CAMERA. FOR A TRADES PERSON THE VAN COMES READY TO INSTALL EVERYTHING FROM LADDER RACKS TO INTERIOR STORAGE, AND EVEN

UP FITTED WIRING IN BOTH 12 VOLT AND 110 VOLT IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AND IN THE BACK OF THE VAN IN THE DPILLAR.

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THIS VAN IS A ROLLING BILLBOARD AND IF YOU'RE A TRADES PERSON THAT'S PERFECT FOR YOUR BUSINESS. FOR US IT'S GONNA GIVE US TONS OF SPACE FOR A CUSTOM VEHICLE

WRAP TO SHOWCASE WHAT WE'VE GOT PLANNED FOR THIS VAN, A ONE OF A KIND HARDCORE OFF ROAD GO ANYWHERE VAN WITH TONS OF STYLE.

EVEN THOUGH THIS VAN IS BRAND NEW, IT STILL STARTS LIKE ALL OTHER XOR PROJECTS, BY COMPLETELY BEING TORN APART.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEIGHT ENGINE THAT'S UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THIS VAN, AND YES, A VEIGHT POWERED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VAN, IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY COOL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE EVEN COOLER THAN THAT? WELL THAT WOULD BE IF WE HAD A DIESEL POWERED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VAN. WELL LUCKY FOR US NISSAN HAS JUST COME OUT WITH THE TITAN XD PICK UP, AND UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THAT TRUCK IS A FIVE LITER VEIGHT CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE.

MY PLAN IS SIMPLE. I'M GONNA DITCH THIS GAS BURNER AND REPLACE IT WITH THE ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN FROM ONE OF THOSE TITAN PICK UPS TO GIVE

US THAT CUMMINS POWER.

THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY UNHOOKED FROM THE VAN TO BE PULLED OUT. FOR MORE CLEARANCE THE HOOD NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, AND FOR JUST A COUPLE OF EXTRA INCHES THE VALVE STEMS ARE PULLED FROM THE TIRES TO AIR THE TRUCK DOWN, AND OUR GAS BURNER IS OUT OF THE VAN.

(IAN)>> WITH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION OUT FROM OUR VAN YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF SPACE TO WORK WITH. NOW A LOT OF THAT IS THANKS TO THIS LONG NOSE THAT IS ON THE FRONT OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. YOU CAN ALSO SEE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROJECT, THE HEAVY DUTY FRAME THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT

SINCE WE BROUGHT THIS VAN FIRST IN THE SHOP. THIS IS A FULLY BOXED FRAME, SOMETHING YOU'D SEE ON A HEAVY DUTY PICK UP TRUCK. IT HAS A NICE, BIG STEERING GEAR AND CROSSOVER STEERING,

AND HEAVY DUTY MOUNTS FOR ALL THE SUSPENSION, EVEN THOUGH WE

DON'T PLAN TO USE ANY OF THAT.

THE FRAME IS THE PERFECT BASE FOR US TO BUILD A HARDCORE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VAN OFF OF, BUT WHAT CUMMINS ENGINE IS GONNA GO UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THIS TRUCK? WELL IT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE. THIS IS WHAT IS LEFT OF A PREPRODUCTION PROTOTYPE NISSAN TITAN PICK UP TRUCK. NOW I COULD LIE TO YOU GUYS AND TELL YOU THAT WE FOUND THIS AT A WRECKING YARD FOR A GOOD DEAL BUT THAT IS NOT WHERE IT CAME FROM. THIS CAME STRAIGHT FROM NISSAN CORPORATE. THIS WAS BUILT TO PRODUCE REAL WORLD TEST DATA. YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY BASICALLY BEAT THIS TRUCK WITHIN AN INCH OF ITS LIFE, AND THEN THEY

OFFERED IT UP TO US. NOW THE CAB IS LONG GONE BUT WHAT IS HERE IS WHAT WE NEED. THE FIVE LITER CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE, THE AISIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSFER CASE, THE DIESEL AFTER TREATMENT SYSTEM, ALL THE WIRING AND THE PLUMBING THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS ENGINE RUN UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF OUR VAN, BUT WHAT MAKES THIS CUMMINS ENGINE SO UNIQUE?

NISSAN AND CUMMINS WORKED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THE FIVE LITER CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE TITAN XD PICK UP. IT IS A VEIGHT HIGH PRESSURE COMMON RAIL DIESEL WITH A TWO STAGE TURBO CHARGER, A COMPACT GRAPHITE IRON CYLINDER BLOCK WITH A FORGED STEEL CRANK SHAFT AND ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS. THIS 310 HORSEPOWER AND 555 POUND FEET OF TORQUE ENGINE WEIGHS IN AT JUST UNDER 800 POUNDS. THE TWO STAGE FUEL FILTER SYSTEM USES THE LATEST NANO NET TECHNOLOGY MEDIA FROM CUMMINS TO ENSURE THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM IS FULLY PROTECTED EVEN IN THE HARSHEST OF ENVIRONMENTS, AND THE CUMMINS AFTER TREATMENT SYSTEM FEATURING A DPF AND SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION SYSTEM PROVIDES NEAR ZERO EMISSIONS FROM THIS POWER PLANT. TO PULL OUR CUMMINS THE VAN NEEDS TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE SHOP AND THE FRAME NEEDS TO BE MOVED IN. THAT'S GOOD. OUR FIVE LITER CUMMINS IS QUICKLY DISCONNECTED AND PULLED OUT OF OUR FRAME.

I PULLED THE DRIVETRAIN OUT OF THE VAN AS ONE COMPLETE UNIT, BUT TO SWAP THE ENGINE IN I SEPARATED OUR NEW ENGINE FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON. I DO PLAN TO USE THAT TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE IN OUR NEW VAN BUT THE MOUNTS ON THE TRUCK CHASSIS VERSUS THE VAN CHASSIS, THEY LOOK THE EXACT SAME BUT THEY'RE IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION, AND IT'S JUST GONNA BE A LOT EASIER TO LOCATE OUR NEW CUMMINS ENGINE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VAN WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE BOLTED TO THE BACK OF IT. ALL I HAVE TO DO NOW IS CUT THESE MOUNTS OFF OF THIS FRAME SO I CAN USE THEM IN OUR VAN, AND THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND PULL THE REST OF OUR DRIVETRAIN AND SET IT ASIDE. THE MOUNTS ARE CUT FROM THE FRAME AND THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THIS FRAME IS PLENTY TOUGH.

NOW THE FRAME CAN BE STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED, TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE, ALL THE WIRING, AND THE COMPLETE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

WITH THE TRUCK'S FRAME COMPLETELY STRIPPED, THE NEXT

STEP, WELL IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TAKE ALL OF THAT DRIVETRAIN AND STUFF IT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF OUR VAN. NOW I'LL START WITH JUST THE FIVE LITER CUMMINS VEIGHT.

ALL THE NEW MOTOR MOUNTS GET IT IN PLACE, AND ONCE IT'S IN THERE I'LL BE ABLE TO ADD A VERY SPECIAL BADGE TO THE

SIDE OF THIS TRUCK, THE ACTUAL NISSAN CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE BADGE. THAT'S PRETTY COOL.