A Nissan Prerunner 10+ Years in the Making

A Nissan Prerunner (10+ Years in the Making)

What you are looking at is quite possibly one of the wildest Nissan Frontier pickups on the planet. This truck is composed of equal parts passion, dedication, and patience. While there’s just something about the Frontier’s aggressive design, the most impressive feature about this truck is what you don’t see at first glance.

James Holguin has owned this truck since his senior year of high school, and there is video proof of that (go ahead and check Terra Crew’s YouTube page for the receipts). James is seen sitting in front of his already heavily modified Frontier back in 2006, and it’s apparent from the words coming out of his mouth that he was having an absolute blast with his truck back then. Even after a quick watch, it’s evident that James was never going to give up the keys to his ride. In fact, James was already four years into his off-roading journey with his Nissan in 2006, and as it turns out, he was only getting started.

During the Frontier’s early days, James relied on a local SoCal shop to help make his truck look the part of a desert-shredding prerunner. All it took was a basic suspension lift and replacement fenders to make him happy. It was after a trip to Glamis when James saw other trucks effortlessly gliding through the sand that piqued his interest in perhaps someday doing the same in his Frontier.

There was one truck that James had spotted out in Glamis that disappeared as quickly as he took notice of it. That rig seemed like some sort of mirage, and James couldn’t stop thinking about how gracefully it moved through the same sand that his Nissan instantly sank into. After James got back home to Chino Hills, California, he saw that same truck cruising down the freeway. He wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating or not, but James took pursuit of it through thick rush hour traffic to find out. After circling the general area, James finally found the truck parked in front of a house. He feverishly dialed the phone number displayed on the back window and spoke to a guy by the name of Kirby. It turned out this Kirby guy was a skilled fabricator who built the truck in his home garage. He extended James the opportunity to modify the Frontier’s suspension system. Of course, James jumped on that offer—and he hasn’t looked back since.

After years of beating on his Nissan that Kirby helped build, James began to see that even though he had reached the “pinnacle” with his truck, there may be more possibilities to explore. After some downtime, James ended up buying another engine and trans for the truck, ordered some new body panels from FiberwerX, and soon met another fabricator named Eric, who built a full tube chassis for the Frontier. The truck was going through some changes—possibly too much, too fast for James’ nerves and bank account. He decided it was best to chill for a bit, stack some more cash, and come up with a solid game plan going forward. James circled back to someone he knew and trusted to take the reins once he felt ready to start back up on the project again.

James had previously approached Morgan of Morgan Clarke Design (MCD1) to do some sheetmetal work and seal up the Frontier’s cab once it reached that phase of the build. Once Morgan saw the status of the truck in person and heard what James wanted to do next with it, he was able to diagnose the situation. A few of the previous modifications had been completed a bit out of order, so Morgan wanted to first address a few issues regarding the Nissan’s foundation before building outward. From there, he officially signed on to see the truck through to completion. From plumbing and wiring to everything else in between, Morgan would serve as the lead builder and project overseer to ensure the Frontier was finished off correctly and efficiently. This is truly when James’ truck was placed on the path it was destined to travel.

Under Morgan’s direction, the Frontier was taken down to a starting point that made sense, and the rest of the progress was based around that core. The truck had changed hands multiple times between shops in the past, and not all the work jived well enough together to continue to where James ultimately wanted to take it. The remainder of the project didn’t conclude overnight, but the guys knew that it wouldn’t. Everything had to be intentional, and with other real-world struggles going on, including budgeting and family life, the truck was meticulously and correctly put together every step of the way.

The full story of this Frontier could fill a book, and the outcome surely is a gratifying “ending,” especially if you like rooting for the good guy in stories. This build isn’t some unattainable fantasy truck that the everyday guy could never afford. James is a regular dude working with a relatable budget. Sure, it took him more than a decade to get his Nissan to this point, but James had to save up funds and play the slow game just like most of us would. You’ll also be hard-pressed to find another truck owner with such a high excitement level about a truck he has owned for so long. That’s what makes this truck even cooler.

James always dreamt of having a truck like this, and with the help of Morgan Clarke and everyone else who has played a crucial role in changing the trajectory of the project, we are happy to report that good things really do come to those who keep grinding.

2002 Nissan Frontier

Owner: James Holguin

ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN: 6.0L LS built to LS3 spec by Michael Cox Racing Development; AFR heads; Custom stainless, TIG-welded exhaust system by Morgan Clarke Design (MCD1); Custom accessory drive by MCD1; Alternator and A/C compressor on floating mounts on chassis; CBR 3-fan prerunner radiator, trans oil cooler, and engine oil cooler’ Holley Terminator engine management system; 2WD drivetrain; Culhane 4L80E with fixed yoke and manual valve body; Chrisman trophy truck 4-inch rear axle housing; ODR/Gearworks 10-inch third member; Two-piece driveshaft from Drivelines Inc.

Chassis & Suspension: Revised, reconstructed, and built at MCD1; Tube chassis construction; MMW initial chassis and suspension system; 21-inch front wheel travel; Center pivot A-arm with upper J-arm; Chromoly construction plate and tube TIG welded; Trophy truck 1.5 bearings and large rod ends; Triangulated rear 4-link; 60-inch 4130 chromoly TIG-welded trailing arm; 3.0-inch coilovers with remote reservoirs; 4.0-inch front bypass with remote; 4.5-inch rear bypass with piggyback reservoir; Hydraulic bump stops; Howe 2.5-inch rack, pressure relief valve, inline cooler, and filter reservoir for steering; PSS billet trophy truck power steering pump; Powdercoated chassis and suspension components

Wheels, Tires & Brakes: Method beadlock wheels powdercoated black; 40×13.50R17 Toyo Open Country M/T tires; Two spares; Jamar trophy truck hubs and 6-piston calipers

Body & Paint: Nissan single-stage red paint by CM Motorsports, Riverside, CA; Custom-shaped rear bed sides by Mario at MCD1; Custom front FiberwerX one-piece clip; Bolt-on removable front windshield; Baja Designs light package, including service and map lights; Adjustable upper light bar with LP9 lights; Rear RTL bar; Custom headlights; Factory taillights; Superwinch 10k winch chassis-mounted with front and rear mount options

Interior & Stereo: Front PRP Alpha composite seats; Rear PRP side-by-side model seats; Custom stitched and suede wrap; PRP 5-point harnesses; PRP x Terra Crew Deathgrip steering wheel; Safecraft fire suppression, including two 10-pound bottles, two systems, and six nozzles on critical areas and cabin occupant areas; Holley 12-inch display; Custom center display pod and upper control console by MCD1; Alcantara upholstery; PCI race radio with comms system and headsets; PCI pumper system for fresh air in helmet; Brown & Miller / XRP plumbing; Mil-spec harness with Switch-Pros 12-button keypad; Wiring by Justin Eccles