'97 NPR build
- Thread starter Tim K
- Start date
baipin
Active member
Amazing build! I saw a few of your posts on DIYsolarforum and have been hunting around for more about the rig itself - glad to see it here!
I have a similar build going on right now in terms of GVWR/tire size/drivetrain/intended use. It's great to see that I'm not the only one planning on a D60, NP205, etc. Nice to see that stuff being used successfully in yet another medium-duty application (I believe this is the 5th Isuzu I've seen with that set up).
Thank you for all the pictures! I'm curious about that air-shifted 205... Giving me some good ideas.
I have a similar build going on right now in terms of GVWR/tire size/drivetrain/intended use. It's great to see that I'm not the only one planning on a D60, NP205, etc. Nice to see that stuff being used successfully in yet another medium-duty application (I believe this is the 5th Isuzu I've seen with that set up).
Thank you for all the pictures! I'm curious about that air-shifted 205... Giving me some good ideas.
Thanks!
After having gone through it, unless you are using the NP205 on a transmission that originally came with it, Id find a different solution like an atlas or https://midnightmetalworks.com/collections/products or something else. The way I went was a ton of work, really didnt save any money and there were several little details that I didnt realize before hand that made getting it all to work a PITA.
The air shifters were pretty simple but I had to remake. Originally I had rigidly connected them but because nothing is doweled between the transfer case and the transmission where the other end of the cylinders are mounted, when I took it apart the first time they didnt quite line up. The brackets were all reworked to accept rod ends to fix that.
Curtis in Texas
Adventurer
That is impressive Tim. I think the gasser motor might be a good choice given todays fuel prices.
I'm looking at a 2002 FSR 14' box that I want to build up like yours only I'm going to keep the box and add the bed to the rear. LIke he did here. I like how he kept as much floor space as possibe. My plan is to replace the factory roof with a sandwich aluminum foam paneling so it can handle solar panels and walking on it.
I'm thinking of building the lift gate into a motorcycle carrier that raises the bike up under the bed box. And it will have a rack on the outside of the platform for the spare tire and other things attached that will raise up to the back of the bed wall and lower with the bike rail. The bike will roll onto the carrier between the back bumper and the tire rack.
I have been thinking of building my axles too. Only not quite that $$$. Don't think I'll be rock crawling it enogh to need that much suspension. I've got an Extreme Isuzu Rodeo Crawler for that.
Are you going to air bag the suspension so you can level it with the air bags?
I'm looking at a 2002 FSR 14' box that I want to build up like yours only I'm going to keep the box and add the bed to the rear. LIke he did here. I like how he kept as much floor space as possibe. My plan is to replace the factory roof with a sandwich aluminum foam paneling so it can handle solar panels and walking on it.
I'm thinking of building the lift gate into a motorcycle carrier that raises the bike up under the bed box. And it will have a rack on the outside of the platform for the spare tire and other things attached that will raise up to the back of the bed wall and lower with the bike rail. The bike will roll onto the carrier between the back bumper and the tire rack.
I have been thinking of building my axles too. Only not quite that $$$. Don't think I'll be rock crawling it enogh to need that much suspension. I've got an Extreme Isuzu Rodeo Crawler for that.
Are you going to air bag the suspension so you can level it with the air bags?
Hey Curtis,
I would have went with gas power plant no matter what happened with fuel prices. I dont like diesel. Hate the smell both before and after its burnt, dont want the weight. Dont want the potential fuel contamination issues but the biggest thing for me is gasoline is just dead simple and I lack familiarity with diesel. Diesel does have some benefits but for me I just dont like it as a vehicle fuel.
Ya, I got a bit carried away with the suspension and drive line. I like building stuff and have a hard time not going all the way. Probably should have just left it leaf sprung......
Nope, no air bags. Once the truck is done Ill change out the springs to get everything leveled out and that will be that. I dont have big variable loads like water. 100 lbs of water would be about the most I carry and 40 gallons of fuel would be the only other variable.
Good luck with your build. Send a link to a build thread when you get started
Curtis in Texas
Adventurer
I think your statement of getting carried away with the suspension might be a true under statement. But being a rock crawler type guy I understand completely.
I prefer diesel mainly because I know how to hot rod them so much better than gas motors. Plus I can run them on waste motor or veggie oils.
My current RV build got a new drivetrain 20 years ago and I'm still bumping the horsepower up. I swapped out the Ford EFI 460 & C6 tranny in 2002 for a 12 valve 5.9L turbo diesel that now pumps out 400 HP on the low end and I can now turn it up at the dash to 650 should I need it. I replaced the old 3 speed with an Allison 1000 5 speed back in 2002 also that I got out of a Freightliner Truck. It should handle the 600 ponies really nicely. I regeared the regeared the rear end and installed Limited Slip to get me out of those soft spots I tend to get into when trying to flat tow my rock crawler rigs away from the masses...
About to go install a hopped up injector pump this morning on the motor. And the best part is that motor will now put out 600 hp without worrying about spitting out rods. Never had that luck when I was trying to get that kind of horsepower out of gas motors.
Funny thing is, recently I've been shopping around for an Isuzu FSR truck to build a better camper out of to haul my toys farther back off the beaten path. (My next project)
Kinda hard to get the 37 foot Class A very deep.
Post up some more progress when you get the chance.
Haven't check in here lately because the wife is doing another round with her cancer battle. Going on 5 years now! She's wanting me to get the big bus runnning again so we can go revisit some of our old favorite camp sites again while she still can. Long story that is way off topic, but ya'll love em while you can and enjoy the nature all you can with them.
I prefer diesel mainly because I know how to hot rod them so much better than gas motors. Plus I can run them on waste motor or veggie oils.
My current RV build got a new drivetrain 20 years ago and I'm still bumping the horsepower up. I swapped out the Ford EFI 460 & C6 tranny in 2002 for a 12 valve 5.9L turbo diesel that now pumps out 400 HP on the low end and I can now turn it up at the dash to 650 should I need it. I replaced the old 3 speed with an Allison 1000 5 speed back in 2002 also that I got out of a Freightliner Truck. It should handle the 600 ponies really nicely. I regeared the regeared the rear end and installed Limited Slip to get me out of those soft spots I tend to get into when trying to flat tow my rock crawler rigs away from the masses...
About to go install a hopped up injector pump this morning on the motor. And the best part is that motor will now put out 600 hp without worrying about spitting out rods. Never had that luck when I was trying to get that kind of horsepower out of gas motors.
Funny thing is, recently I've been shopping around for an Isuzu FSR truck to build a better camper out of to haul my toys farther back off the beaten path. (My next project)
Kinda hard to get the 37 foot Class A very deep.
Post up some more progress when you get the chance.
Haven't check in here lately because the wife is doing another round with her cancer battle. Going on 5 years now! She's wanting me to get the big bus runnning again so we can go revisit some of our old favorite camp sites again while she still can. Long story that is way off topic, but ya'll love em while you can and enjoy the nature all you can with them.