Andrea Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 how would you consider the owner of this Pathy? Back in 1999, Chad Lucas bought a '92 four-door Nissan Pathfinder with the intention of customizing it. He originally wanted to buy a Nissan Hardbody, but his mom and dad preached to him the virtues of having extra seats to haul his buddies around. Soon, he had a four-door Pathfinder with a fully chromed hydraulic setup installed on all corners and a set of ultra-cheesy Pathfinder wheels. Looking like a refugee from south of the border, Chad wanted more. Soon, Chad found himself rolling to shows and finding out that he had custom tastes that far exceeded his income level. When his cash ran short, Chad stopped working on his truck. By this time, he redid his hydraulics so that his Pathfinder laid out -- one of the first to do so anywhere. Before he knew it, Chad found a set of blemished 18s and 20s and cut out the rear doorjambs to try to make it all work. Keep in mind that Chad has no fabricating skills, but he couldn't help himself -- he had to have more. At the 2000 West Coast Nationals held at La Paz County Park in Parker, Arizona, the Pathfinder was body-dropped, but it wasn't done cleanly. That's when Chad met a really quiet, often misunderstood fabricator from Northern California named Bob Grant. Grant approached Chad and told him how much he liked the truck. Soon, a friendship forged in steel was born and Chad found himself irrevocably drawn to Northern California to have Bob Grant work his magic on every square inch of the truck's body and frame. Over the next two years, Chad made almost 10 1,000-mile round trips to Oroville, California, to oversee the work Bob Grant was completing on the truck. They worked side by side conceptualizing the buildup, making sure they were always on par with what Chad wanted and what Bob could do to further the original ideas. They spent countless hours on the phone talking about how the truck should be built, and ideas flowed from Bob to whatever piece of steel he was currently building for the Pathfinder. In no time, Chad found himself expecting the utmost in custom fabrication from Bob and from every show-worthy vehicle he saw. Today, Chad's learned that nothing compares with vehicles built solely to compete at the highest level of custom-truck show readiness. Chad still sees a few more trips and at least a couple of complete teardowns on the truck before he can consider the truck anywhere near complete. The Pathfinder's custom one-off frame was built by Grant Fabrication to hands-down defeat anything that will be built for years to come. There isn't an inch of frame on the Nissan that ever spent time in Japan. Bob Grant and the crew at Grant Fabrication spent nearly a full month with three people working full time building the chassis that Bob now refers to as "Grant Fab Serta-fied." (You'll have to ask Bob for the details on that little gem, though.) For much of the 2002 show season, most people didn't even know that there was a body for the incredible chassis. During the latter part of 2002, Chad worked closely with Grant Fabrication again to start building the body of the Pathfinder. According to Grant, the most challenging part of creating the body was to design the floorboards to lay tightly around the frame without touching it and to allow room for the headers and the monstrous engine that pokes through the hood. With the end of the buildup in sight, we asked Chad to get his truck ready for our third-ever Construction Zone special issue; and he and his closest friends have spent the better part of a whole month getting the truck ready for us. To Grant Fabrication, Chad Lucas, and everyone involved with the building of the most incredible SUV we've ever laid eyes on, we thank you. Now finish it while we're all still young, would ya? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 that's not a pathfinder......... it USED to be......... but now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Can't say I care for it. Although the fronty grille on it made me do a double take, that's kinda cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I'd LOVE to see that thing off road XD If he can lower it via hydraulics... can he raise it too? *grins* Slap a coat of mud on that and have it haul ass thru water (it IS supercharged right? The giant thing thru the hood?) and that'd be one hella sweet look! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj big shoe Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Customizing is customizing, and I give props to you whichever route you take. After all the top notch fab work I can't believe he went with the sherbert green, though. Looks like the inside of a '70s VA hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 it would be interesting if it could lift to give a boatload of ground clearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jitterymonkey Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Where's the rear drive shaft? I'm guessin' it's a 2 wheel (rear) drive. He just pushing it on an off the trailer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 how would you consider the owner of this Pathy? I'd say he is pretty lucky!!! I'd butcher a truck to get that chica to hang out too!! B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Well, does not look like he has any issues with frame rot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packie88 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 id agree with precise1 on this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdoggNZ Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I'd LOVE to see that thing off road XD If he can lower it via hydraulics... can he raise it too? *grins* Slap a coat of mud on that and have it haul ass thru water (it IS supercharged right? The giant thing thru the hood?) and that'd be one hella sweet look! I think thats just a tunnel ram. I'm just gunna say one thing. Eww. *plays last post on the bugle* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoodzz Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I like the chick in the first photo. She's hot IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yozsi Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 i actually think that its pretty awesome, who cares if its a pathy... plenty of em out there. Better than hacking on some pos pathy than a classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 still kept the stocker inside door handles....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 at least he didn't hack a 2 door and the front end conversion is kinda cool. i wouldn't drive it but as long as he likes it, he has to drive it not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUELER Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Where's the rear drive shaft? I'm guessin' it's a 2 wheel (rear) drive. He just pushing it on an off the trailer? My thoughts exactly, where is the rear axle and driveshaft?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 that looks nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jitterymonkey Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I think thats just a tunnel ram. Nope, That's a blower. Look at the gears and belt. And why no drive shaft. I'm thinkin' he probably took it out for the photo shoot. Because it won't go that LOW with the drive shaft in it. Rear axle is there but no shaft. The girl? She's a paid model. Give her enough money and she'll pose next to any dirty ol' WD21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeppelindrummer Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 (edited) poor pathy! looks like the michael jackson of Pathfinders! back in the early 90's it was what it should be... but now... what is it?!?!?! Edited June 10, 2008 by zeppelindrummer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarsiff Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 well im thoroughly disgusted...*sets down snack with sour look on face* Im all for customs and give people props on their passion whenever i can but damn man..thats just gross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeV Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 no me gusta... but it is very clean and the fabrication is top notch. Just not my style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 thats not a pathfinder thats a crack finder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver97ex Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 still kept the stocker inside door handles....... And all the panel and access door in the hatch area is stock too That far into the build, I think everything should have been addressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukinitupagain Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Well... it's uh.... well it's 'special'... yeah... The Fronty conversion is pretty damn neat though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StatutoryApe Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 yeah, i thought it was an Rfiddy at first. then i was like "no, it's a frontier" then i was like "no it's a wd21" lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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