Nissan Hardbody Bulks Up with 780+hp!
SR20VET-powered 90s favorite built to race, show, and cruise.
Think about modified versions of Nissan's mid-80s-90s-era, top selling workhorse Hardbody pick-up trucks and, if you're old enough, you'll recall a booming minitruck market that took over the enthusiast automotive scene at that time. Hydraulic-assisted dancing truck beds, chrome wheels shod in ultra-low-profile tires, and enough audio equipment to put on a small concert.
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The Modern Take
Today you can still find that same style of custom truck roaming surface streets though they're few and far between. Since those days, the import automotive market experienced an initial boom, a certified golden era, and continues to be a focal point for customization. Some of that influence has crossed over and been applied to builds like this 1994 D21 Nissan Hardbody.
When owner Luis Chavez bought this in 2010, it wasn't intended to be turbocharged, in show-ready condition, with almost 800hp on tap. He states, "The intention was to use it as a work truck but little did I know what this truck would become. I started off small and lowered it, put some wheels on, and just kept it clean and simple." The transition from workhorse to project build would accelerate after attending a few local gatherings.
Early Influencers
"I started attending some car meets on the weekends for fun and talking to others who loved cars as much as I did. There I met Jordan Alatore @scrapelux, who at the time was the president of a car club named Mini Machines. Alongside them I began to attend more car meets and then began attending car shows." The influence from enthusiasts around him prompted Luis to make some changes to the interior, swap out wheels, and other various details, all the while leaving the engine bay completely stock. That is, until opportunity came knocking. "Around 2015 my truck began having problems with rod knock."
Seeing the engine issue as a means of making a major change to his Nissan, Luis' initial plan was to drop a 6.0L LS in place and he'd already stripped the engine bay and was set to drop the V8 into place. "After talking with Tepaswaps , he recommended keeping the Nissan truck with a Nissan motor. I ended up switching things last minute and decided to put in an SR20DET swap," he adds. "We spent months working at his shop during weekends, holidays, and long nights after work, but it was all worth it in the end."
From Static to Causing Static
Dubbed "La SR20," the completed engine swap was a welcome addition to the build and round out its list of modifications, and with that came plenty of 1st place awards at various car shows. Along the way, Luis met the crew from Team Showtime - a group consisting of both show and race builds. Having spent his younger days in the street racing scene in Jalisco, Mexico, the urge to compete pushed him to start drag racing the Hardbody. "My truck was not fast - it didn't have enough power. I knew I wanted to focus on drag racing but I still wanted a truck that was clean and that I could take to shows and drive out on the street."
Luis went on to rip out the SR20 swap and sold it to a close friend, then pushed those dollars into a new engine build based on an SR20VET platform. With help once again from Tepaswaps, the bottom end was strengthened with Darton sleeves, then stuffed with 9:1 CP Pistons and Manley I-beams. Up top, Mazworx provided stage 2 cams, complete valvetrain, and some port work on the head. A Full Race twin scroll manifold now supports a Garrett GTX3582R paired with dual TiAL wastegates. Additional fuel was crucial and is supplied by a pair of AEM 450lph pumps and ID2000 injectors. With an AEM Series II at the helm, the new combination is good for 783hp with over 650 lb.-ft. of torque, though the long-term goal is to hit that magic 1,000hp mark.
The front end look mostly factory from an outside view and the fenders, headlights, grill, and front bumper are intact, but held in place by custom tabs attached to a tubular structure. That custom addition attaches to the firewall, leaving the front wheels and suspension fully visible with the hood removed. A polished Mazworx intake manifold is balanced by a polished turbo and its charge piping, the additional touches no doubt a result of Luis' car show experience.
What's On the Inside Is What Counts
Catch a glimpse of the front portion of this truck and there are subtle clues that it's got suprises under its hood, namely the velocity stack that takes over a portion of the grill and the four pins that secure the hood. The large Speedfactory intercooler is in plain view, but painted matte black, it blends naturally into the bumper and lower valence. Step around to the side and the skinny 17-in. Weld Racing fronts and 15-in. rears that carry 275/60 MTs tell you this Hardbody means business.
If the sticky rolling stock isn't enough to convince you, then the drag wing hanging off the rear and the parachute will spell it out for you. The gutted tailgate uses a row of drilled holes to avoid drag and under the lightweight roll pan you'll spot the Drake Muscle Cars differential cover. Also viewable is the custom TSF antiroll bar set up, one-off chassis bracing provided by Twisted Metalworkz, and @_mgfab Trac bars to help keep the truck on the straight and narrow under full throttle.
Inside, a set of Sparco Sprint buckets are flanked by roll cage bars that connect and run throughout the cabin, as well as making their way into the truck's bed area both for safety and to increase overall rigidity. A trio of gauges pair with an AEM CD7 to monitor vitals and Luis grips a Sparco steering wheel with one hand while the other shifts a 350Z transmission.
Currently putting the truck through initial testing, Luis admits that the process hasn't always been easy, with multiple setbacks making their presence known along the way. He adds, "We worked through them all and after some passes and small adjustments with the help of Erick's Racing , we began to see some progress. We aren't where we want to be just yet, our goal is to go low 5s in the 1/8th and prove that it can do it all: show truck, race truck, cruising, and small trips."
Car 1994 Nissan Hardbody
Owner Luis Chavez
Instagram@lasr20_garage
Engine SR20VET; TepaSwaps custom engine mounts; Darton sleeves; CP Pistons 9:1; Manley I-beam rods; Mazworx stage 2 cams, valvetrain, port/polished head, intake manifold; Garret GTX3582R; Full Race twin scroll turbo manifold; TSF Fabrication down pipe, exhaust; TiAL wastegates x2, blow-off valve; JMD muffler, charge piping; Speedfactory intercooler, radiator; AEM 450lph fuel pump x2, flex fuel sensor; ID2000 injectors; Marshall fuel pressure gauge; HKS oil cap
Drivetrain CD009 6-speed transmission; Mazworx shifter; Clutch Masters 850 Series twin disk
Suspension Viking double-adjustable shocks; Bell Tech leaf springs; TSF custom anti-roll bars; Energy Suspension bushings; Song's Alignment specs; Twisted Metalworkz chassis bracing; Eleven23 Motorsports roll cage; @_mgfab Trac Bars and differential fabrication
Braking Wilwood 2-pc. discs, pads, 6-piston calipers, master cylinder; TSF custom caliper brackets
Wheels & Tires 15x10 Weld Racing wheels and 275/60 Mickey Thompson Pro Bracket Drag Radials rear; 17x4.50 Weld Racing wheels with 26-6.00 R17 Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R Radial front
Exterior Paint by Millan Body Shop
Interior Sparco Sprint seats, steering wheel; Racequip harnesses; carbon fiber dash kit
Electronics AEM Electronics Series 2 ECU, CD-7 digital dash, boost/AFR/oil pressure gauges, boost solenoid; Wiring Specialties engine and chassis harness, fuse panel
Thank You I want to thank my wife @magda.chavez.5473 and my daughters @arianna__chavez @lesleychavez.z for the endless support. Special thanks to Eddie TepaSwaps for the help 24/7 at the track, shows, and all the modifications we do everyday. I'm thankful for my pit crew's help @marquez510 @chispa_marquez @canelo454 @smokey_mj @ek_ricky. Special thanks to @sr20s13abel for the help and recommendations on this new setup. Lastly, special thanks to my tuner @ericksracing for the help from the shop to the track, always ready to help no matter the time.
Swap : @tepaswaps
Tune : @eriksracing
Fabrication : @tsf_datsun
Alignment : Song's Alignment
Chassis Brackets : Twisted Metalworkz Roll Cage: Eleven23 Motorsports Paint: Millan Body Shop
Tire Services: @beltrantiresllc Suspension Fabrication: @_mgfab
