PerlNinja Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Hi folks, Been sort of lusting after a 4WD pathy but considering that down this way cars tend to get driven until they fall to pieces, finding one has been a problem (that and everyone loves their pathys so actually finding a 4WD for sale that isn't a rusting heap of junk is rare, and prices reflect this). I did some poking under the body of my pathy, and noticed that contrary to what people have been telling me, all the bolt holes and other mounting points for a transfer case are there, and judging from the look of the floor pan over the tranny, a little dremel action will cut out the slot for the transfer case gear shift. Now obviously the question that's been on my mind; would it be worth finding a transfer case that bolts up, and converting to 4WD? I'm not uh, very mechanically inclined, so any custom-fab jobs would have to be farmed out to whatever local guy I can find, with the caveat I need to have drawings for him to work off, otherwise I'm going to get something that's close but no potato. So yeah, just wondering if it's possible, and if it is, whether it's actually worth the trouble of doing it. I'm looking at a potential move to the USA at the end of 2012, so if that goes through the pathy here gets sold, and I'm getting another one when I get to the USA, but roads around my area have gotten to the point where any sort of rain turns it into a major mud fest, and 2WD's have a grand old pain in the ass finding traction to get through. (Although sitting in 2nd gear @ 4000 rpm and just powersliding the crap out of everything works) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GApathfinder Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) it is very possible. I don't know ver much about it, but I know you can do it. Edited August 25, 2011 by GApathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I'm pretty sure Cuong Nguyen did that on his. I'm not sure if he SAS'd it or did up the IFS like a stock 4x4, but it was 2WD, now it's 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Yes, it is possible with a lot of work and a donor vehicle (preferable side by side), just ask Steevo... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerlNinja Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 Hmm, the donor vehicle is a problem. I guess I'll just wait until I've moved to the USA and but a 4WD there From the looks of it going to be a bunch cheaper too, most pathys run anywhere from $7000 to $10000 here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle94 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 move over here now and buy mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerlNinja Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 move over here now and buy mine. Well, the move, if it goes through, is at the end of 2012 So if you're still entertaining the idea of selling it by that time, who knows Also, I'll be in Florida... not my first choice but to make it a bit easier on the missus I figured moving somewhere with a similar climate is a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der_Vier Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 From what i've seen/read, it is possible, but most people concur that its cheaper and easier to just buy a 4x4. What about hilux's and navaras/d22's? THey get all the nifety diesels, don't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerlNinja Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 From what i've seen/read, it is possible, but most people concur that its cheaper and easier to just buy a 4x4. What about hilux's and navaras/d22's? THey get all the nifety diesels, don't they? I don't see many HiLuxes around here, but Navara's get the 3.something diesel, at least, until the end of the year, they're stopping that line of engines. I think I'll just stick to doing maintenance on my pathy, this move-to-US thing seems to be firming up so I think the money I can get off selling it will go towards getting one in the states. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Hmm, the donor vehicle is a problem. I guess I'll just wait until I've moved to the USA and but a 4WD there From the looks of it going to be a bunch cheaper too, most pathys run anywhere from $7000 to $10000 here. Yes, much cheaper!! I got a 1995 with under 100k on the clock for just over $3k. Well, the move, if it goes through, is at the end of 2012 So if you're still entertaining the idea of selling it by that time, who knows Also, I'll be in Florida... not my first choice but to make it a bit easier on the missus I figured moving somewhere with a similar climate is a start. This might seem odd advice from a truck site, but don't move to Florida for the wife to have similar climate. Figure out where you want to live (assuming you aren't chasing jobs or want to live in the snow) and go straight there. The culture shock will overshadow the climate and it will keep from setting roots somewhere that is temporary. My story isn't quite the same but I have an asian wife and relocating to snow country isn't really an option, even if I was willing. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerlNinja Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yes, much cheaper!! I got a 1995 with under 100k on the clock for just over $3k. This might seem odd advice from a truck site, but don't move to Florida for the wife to have similar climate. Figure out where you want to live (assuming you aren't chasing jobs or want to live in the snow) and go straight there. The culture shock will overshadow the climate and it will keep from setting roots somewhere that is temporary. My story isn't quite the same but I have an asian wife and relocating to snow country isn't really an option, even if I was willing. B Well I asked her about it too, for the job the options were limited to either Florida or California, I've lived in Miami for a year and near Los Angeles for a year and a half, so for me that's a matter of "don't care either way". So she settled on Florida, given that it sees there's a somewhat larger Indonesian community around there than other states. Snow country is something I personally would do in a heartbeat (I'm Dutch so sub-zero temperatures and such don't bother me any), but I was told that that would be something that'd happen when pigs fly. Considering I'm nominally speaking a muslim, I can't kick a pig either to make it fly so that kinda fizzled Price wise I'm stunned, been looking at CL and some other websites and it's like, pathy paradise! I know I can sell the one I have here for around $9000, so I should be able to find me a cheapish 4WD V6 equipped one and have enough money left to throw an overhaul at it. Probably initially it won't get pimped out and will be the daily driver until my wife's gotten her license and I've gotten her some wheels, then the pathy will turn into daddy's toy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Ahh, ok, I get it. That makes sense now... Best of luck to you two and I hope the move goes smoothly!! I'm born and raised Californian so snow is something you visit, not live in. For $9k you could buy and fix up a Pathy quite nicely and still have gas $ for a year or two... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 At least they carried the WD-21 platform well into the 2000s in that country. You could probably make a mint shipping out body/light parts from the latter models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerlNinja Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 At least they carried the WD-21 platform well into the 2000s in that country. You could probably make a mint shipping out body/light parts from the latter models. Thought about it, but to get a pathy that I can strip for parts would run me about $9000 for the pathy alone, then there's the slight annoyance that I must get an export license even to just ship parts out of the country. Just the customs way of getting paid a little extra on the side, so in the end it'd mean that I'd spend a day stripping a part off, ship it, and make $5 off the deal. No time for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Come on down, plenty of cheap PF's around here! And plenty in the local junk yards, I paid $500 for mine another $600 for a nice JDM engine and it's like brand new!! When you get to Florida we'll go shopping, LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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