I plan to do a project that will convert the known Frontier here in the USA to the Navara known in South and Central America, UK, Europe, Australia, and many other places; Sometime within the next 4-6 years.

I'll take a few minutes to explain why:
In 2000, my father had bought a model year 2000 Nissan Navara CC 4x4 2.5 TDI D22 in Iceland (we lived there at that point). In 2002, we moved to Germany and took it with us. In early 2005, my father died of cancer, thus, we needed to do something about the truck real soon. Mainly because in Germany, we couldn't have two vehicles to one person. 1 vehicle per person otherwise, and I wasn't old enough to get a license. At any rate, we ended up selling it to a Belgian landscaper in early 2006. It was my father's last vehicle, and I remember the Navara well enough, and know enough about it that I want to reconstruct it here.

Here are a few pictures of it:
2 images my dad took in Iceland-


2 images I took in Germany-



Now, when went around collecting information, I realized I couldn't do anything about getting the same engine the Navara had and drop it in a Frontier...EPA emissions standards killed that....The engine was awsome though, a 200ci 3.2 liter Inline-4 Turbo Diesel Intercooled. This is what one would look like:
5 speed manual and a 4WD transfer case took it down the road.


I figured out a way to drop a diesel into the Frontier though: Go junkyard hunting for an older or get a slightly newer Volkswagen TDI from a Bettle or some other vehicle that has a small enough engine and is light in weight...with fabrication needed of course for fitment.

I'm doing this project as a memorial for my father, because I know he enjoyed this truck.

If anyone has any tips, hints, tricks, suggestions or pointers about how to go on about this, please post.

 

Man that is a sweet ride. Easily outpowers anyting made in the states. I really do not know where to find that engine NNA dosent even offer parts for it and I cant read German. Hope youre able to make it work out though.

 

Sad how nissan doesn't bring any of there diesels here to the states. Good luck with the swap, might try and find a truck and shipping it over(they still sell that body style over sea's).

 

I can't have a Navara shipped over here because of the engine unless I write it on paper that it is an Off-Road engine/vehicle only...and I was hoping to take it down the Highway or on the Interstate for those long trips. EPA Emissions standards deny the shipping of an diesel engine like that for all-around purposes.

What I can do though is go find an older or newer diesel engine here in salvage yards that is small enough (size and weight) to go in the compartment. Right now, the only known engines that are light and small enough are from VW TDI Bettles...

Now, I have looked at UD Nissan Trucks, but those are commercial trucks, the larger engines for small rigs, semi's and moving trucks.

 

Write it as Off-road, then buy a used Vin #.

 

I want to do this as legal as I can...

 

Look for a turbo volvo engine or try to find an audi 5000 old school 5 cyl. I think they were standard mounted with a transaxle behind the motor, possibly small enough with a fair amount of torque. A 5000 should be an easy find and it dont take much to make a diesel run. Im not sure if VW made the same engine but you are selling yourself short on the engine bay size. Theres alot of room in there comparitively speaking to other minis. Another idea is check out the websites for cummins, they dont just make that 5.9 hoss, they have other engines suited for smaller stuff and generators, just a thought.

 

http://www.dieselenginemotor.com/die...nes/363,1.html

Generator engine with 100BHP for a irrigation pump. If that dont suit you keep on looking. Diesels are used for everything and it looks like youve got quite a project to start with. Gotta think outside the box.

 

Well, this project is far off into the 5 or 6 year range, I am just collecting as much information as I can.