This 2005 Nissan Xterra S 4×4 has been repowered by a GM Vortec 6.0-liter V8 backed by the factory Nissan six-speed manual transmission. The engine swap was done by LOJ Conversions of Tuckerton, New Jersey in 2018, and the seller purchased the truck from LOJ in October 2018. Additional modifications include a Pontiac G8 camshaft, a Lingenfelter-tuned ECM, a custom wiring harness, a custom exhaust system, a Nissan 350Z A/C compressor, and more. This Xterra is now offered with a Carfax report and a clean Michigan title in the seller’s name.

The liftgate and rear quarter panels reportedly were professionally resprayed in silver under current ownership, and dents and rock chips were repaired. A gear basket sits at the front of the factory roof rack, and the rear bumper features tow loops. The Carfax report shows an accident resulting in minor damage to the vehicle’s front and to the left rear in January 2019, which the seller states was a result of an incident where the truck had to be towed out of a snowbank.

Factory 16″ five-spoke wheels are fitted with 32″ BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A tires size 265/75 that show 2017 and 2018 date codes. Brake pads and rotors reportedly were replaced under previous ownership, and a connection to a rear wheel-speed sensor was repaired at the same time. The ABS light is currently illuminated.

The above video shows a vehicle walk-around and in-car driving footage.

The seats are upholstered in two-tone gray cloth, and rubber floor mats protect the carpeting. The driver’s seat cushion shows wear at the outer edge, and a piece is missing at the back of the center console, as shown in the photo gallery below.

LOJ Conversions swapped out the gauge cluster due to a broken tachometer, and the digital odometer in the replacement unit reportedly indicated 205k miles upon installation; the removed odometer is said to have shown 144k miles when LOJ began its work. The installed odometer now shows 224k miles, approximately 4k of which have been added by the seller. A Pioneer CD stereo head unit has been fitted, and the cruise control is inoperable.

The engine is a Gen IV 6.0L Vortec L76 V8 sourced from a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado and is believed to have around 78k miles on it. It has an aluminum block and LS3 rectangle-port cylinder heads. The variable valve timing was deleted and a stock Pontiac G8 camshaft installed. The electronic control module was retuned by Lingenfelter for better drivability. The engine runs on 87 octane gasoline. The engine swap is said to encompass:

• A custom-built wiring harness that retains the GM E38 Gen IV electronic control module. It also integrates the factory Nissan accelerator pedal, and a CANBUS translator is used to drive the stock gauges and warning lights. The factory Xterra OBD2 port reads the engine codes and can be used for tuning. The Nissan transmission does not have a speed sensor, so a GPS speed-signal generator was installed to feed the E38 ECM a vehicle-speed signal.

• Custom intake piping to the stock GM truck airbox.

• Nissan accessories bolted to the engine using a 350Z accessory-drive package. The alternator is the stock Xterra part, while the power-steering pump and A/C compressor are 2003–’06 350Z parts.

• A new Xterra radiator with a pair of SPAL 11″ electric fans powered by SPAL 40-amp fan relay harnesses, with the relays triggered by the GM E38 electronic control module.

• An adapter plate that allows the L76 engine to bolt to the Nissan transmission. The engine has both an automatic-transmission flex plate and a stock GM manual-transmission flywheel. The flex plate is sandwiched under a flywheel spacer, and the spacer is bolted on using ARP hardware. The bolts go through the spacer and the flex plate into the crankshaft. The spacer has threaded holes in it that the flywheel bolts to. This reportedly allows the GM starter to engage the flex plate and the stock L76 flywheel to be used with an L76 pressure plate.

• The clutch disc is a standard GM unit with the Nissan spline in the center. The clutch hydraulics are all factory Xterra components.

• The 4WD computer has been bypassed, and now a momentary switch engages 4WD. The function of the dashboard lights indicating 2WD, 4High, and 4Low reportedly is retained.

The seller notes that sometimes after extensive driving, if the engine is shut off then restarted again immediately, it restarts in limp mode but if it is allowed to sit for a few minutes it restarts without issue. The seller reportedly performed an oil change in June 2019.

A custom dual 2.5″ into single 3″ exhaust system is fitted and attaches to factory exhaust manifolds. All of the pipes are mandrel bent, and the connection points are all V-band. Of the two mufflers, one is a dual 2.5″ in with a single 3″ out, and the other is a 3″ in and 3″ out bullet-style muffler. Two Magnaflow catalytic converters also are installed. Corrosion can be seen on the suspension components. Additional pictures of the underside are shown in the gallery.

The Carfax report shows that the truck had 144k miles on it when LOJ acquired it in May 2018, before the instrument-cluster swap. The report also notes the aforementioned accident in January 2019 and shows history in New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

The walk-around video above was produced by LOJ Conversions and dates from before the seller’s purchase of the truck.