Pathmaker Speed Shop

Check out all the crazy things I get to in my shop as I modify the Pathmaker Buggy

Plowfinder Project – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Plowfinder Project – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Mounting a snowplow on my rock crawler!

Living up on the mountain and snow is now a part of my life for months of the year. Last year I was not prepared so this year I decided to build a snow plow for my rock crawler, the Pathmaker Rig. Using a rusty old hitch and some welding wire I fabbed up an 84″ K2 Avalanche snowplow for my rig and even got a chance to test it out!

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Nissan Pathfinder VG30 Head Gasket Replacement

Nissan Pathfinder VG30 Head Gasket Replacement

Nissan VG30 Head Gasket Replacement

After years of red line and forgetting to turn my Ford Taurus E-Fan on my Head Gasket was starting to go with a bit of oil showing up under the rad cap. Grabbing some new head gaskets off of RockAuto, as well as an assortment of other gaskets and seals that I may need along the way, including a timing belt I tore into the Pathmaker and got started. Continue reading →

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How to read ECU codes 1987-1995 Nissan Pathfinder and Hardbody

How to read ECU codes 1987-1995 Nissan Pathfinder and Hardbody

 How to read ECU codes from 1987-1995 WD21 Nissan Pathfinder and D21 Hardbody

Do you have a check engine light on in your D21/WD21 generation Nissan Pathfinder or Hardbody? Need to know how to Read ECU codes on your Nissan? If you so you came to the right place! Continue reading →

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Nissan Pathfinder VG30i EFI Swap

Nissan Pathfinder VG30i EFI Swap

Nissan VG30i EFI Swap Part 2 – Bolting up the EFI

In the last post we removed all the parts for the MPFI swap from our donor 1995 Nissan Pathfinder “The Cheapfinder.” Now the time has come to put the Pathmaker Rig under the knife and pull off all the TBI parts so I can bolt up the parts off the 95.
The list of parts you need to remove is essentially identical as in Part 1 so head over there for all the details and we’ll pickup this from a torn down VG30i. Continue reading →

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Nissan Pathfinder VG30E EFI Removal

Nissan Pathfinder VG30E EFI Removal

Nissan VG30i EFI Swap Part 1 – Stripping the ’95

It was finally time to tear apart the 1995 Nissan Cheapfinder project and get the EFI stuff off the engine before sending it to the scrapyard to get turned into a cube. The reason for the effort and the reason you’re likely reading this is to do an EFI Swap on your Nissan Pathfinder or Hardbody with the VG30i Throttle Body engine. Since the Pathmaker rig is a 2dr 1987 Pathfinder it sports the old VG30i and it was time for an upgrade.
Why go thru the effort you may ask? “Free” Horsepower! Continue reading →

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Trailer Box Build – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Trailer Box Build – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Never Ending Trailer Project

The list of things keeps getting smaller on the trailer repair list and a new axle has been ordered to replace the bent old one that was taking out my tires. I cut off the old U-bolts, because you don’t reuse U-bolts, and dragged the axle out from under the trailer. Continue reading →

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Ford Taurus E-Fan Install – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Ford Taurus E-Fan Install – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Two Speed Ford Taurus Electric Fan Upgrade

With my knuckles back on the Pathmaker Rig it was time to shift from “need to” projects to a few “want to” projects. The PSC Full Hydro steering on my rig has been working great for me, except that my pump likes to get nice and hot and whine after some hard use.

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Windshield Install – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Windshield Install – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Nissan Pathmaker Windshield Install

It was finally time to get around to installing the windshield that I pulled out of the Project Cheapfinder in a previous BLOG POST and toss it into the Pathmaker rig. Never having done it before this was going to be an interesting learning experience for me. My good friend Rich owns a glass shop in Kamloops BC Family Glass and he gave me a few pointers on what I should do. Of course I completely forgot everything he said right away so any screw ups are definitely my fault! Continue reading →

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Dana 60 Knuckle Gusset Install – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Dana 60 Knuckle Gusset Install – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Dana 60 Kingpin Knuckle Gusset Weld On Kit

After snapping my knuckle in half during my last wheeling trip. Getting a spare one brought out to me by my buddy Jon and limping my rig home. Back in the shop I pulled the front axle apart and noticed that of course the drivers side knuckle had some huge cracks in it. Looks like I was very close to breaking a second time on one trip!  Continue reading →

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Trailer Pipe Fender Scabrication – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Trailer Pipe Fender Scabrication – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Custom Trailer Pipe Fenders

My rusty old fenders decided that they had had enough, finally crumpling, pushing into the sidewalls of two of my brand new trailer tires, (literally first tow) which in turn destroyed the sidewalls of the tires and prompted a trailer fender rebuild. 

My rig is fat, real fat. It doesn’t fit between the wheel wells of my trailer. Which means that every time I load my rig I have to drive one tire up and over the fenders. I get to choose the side but I’ve got to pick one. Over the years that has crushed my rusty old fenders. So it was time to cut the old fenders off, grab a few sticks of pipe and bend up a few bars. Then I can drive over the bars which will take the weight a lot better, plus if I’m smart I’ll be able to reuse the old steel from the old fenders because I’m cheap and buying new metal is expensive! Continue reading →

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Halfass Press Build – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Halfass Press Build – Pathmaker Speed Shop

Halfass Press Build

With my new dana300 finally sitting on the floor of my shop it was time to get working on it. But since nothing in my life is easy I figured I’d build a new press out of scrap I had laying around to help me with building my transfer case. Continue reading →

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