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As part of my concept of building the ultimate search and rescue recovery vehicle adding a CB radio was high on the list of required modifications. If you don't own a Nissan Frontier your missing out on a lot, but it does have it's limits. Namely, space in the cab. Having driven Full size trucks my entire life, getting used to the confines of a mid-size truck cab took some time to acclimate. Adding in cab controls for the Air-lift airbag system, brake controller, and a GPS you start running out of room to put things like a CB radio. I purchased the Cobra 29 for it's rugged and trustworthy reputation. Proven design, with NOAA Weather channels it was the radio I wanted in my S&R Truck. After a few mock up installation points we decided to place the radio smack dab in the middle of the dash!
With the side mounted handle bracket the CB is easy to reach from either seat, clearly visible, and has the look and feel of factory installation (sort of). Below are a few pics and tech tips from the install: Sean started by removing the top portions of the dashboard plastics and the overhead plastics to gain access for the CB antennae.
With access behind the dash Sean was easily able to locate power sources and grounds. The spot on the top of the dash nearly fits the width of the CB mounting bracket perfectly. We had to notch out the inside of the dash mount to get the CB mounting bracket to fit snugly in the open space. you can see where we notched the plastic to get the CB mount just right. We painted the bracket black for a finished look.
Sean replacing the dashboard plastics after the mounting bracket paint dried
Sean removed the third brake light cover and ran the CB antennae through the headliner, out of the brakelight cover to the magnetic based whip.
The radio works great and the installation is solid as a rock. If you don't mind looking at it this mounting location is perfect for frequent use. Building the Black Widow 2008 Nissan Frontier
Instead of building a mid-size truck that is capeable as other mid-size trucks, I took a different tact. Build a mid-size truck that can perform full size truck duties effortlessly. The culmination of this concept is realized with this build. What started out as a timid (yet capeable) 2008 Nissan Frontier NISMO truck soon turned into a whole different animal. Before:
After:
The completed Black Widow has been transformed from "grocery getter" to "trail terminator". You see a lifted Frontier with nice tires and wheels, but there is a lot more to a Black Widow build than good looks! Start with some welcomed engine modifications. The Nissan 4.0 liter is a potent power source from the factory, already boasting 262 hp bone stock. That's nice for a mid-size truck, but the Black Widow demanded more performance. We are designing this truck to perform with it's gas powered full size counterparts. Adding a cold air intake and throttle body spacer were just the beginning.
Bolting on an additional 93 RWHP with the Stage II Stillen supercharger was the next step. Add to that the JBA ceramic coated titanium headers, HF Magnaflow cats, and Magnaflow exhaust. While this engine hasn't been dyno tested yet, I am confident we are well over the factory 262 hp. With all the performance extras in place I turned to the suspension.
The factory IFS was replaced courtesy of Fabtech's 6" lift kit. An additional 2 1/2 inches of suspension lift were granted by the Revtek kit, seen here stacked with the fabtech kit. Factory Bilstein's still work great, and factory geometry is preserved. I finished it up with Weld's black Method 17X10's with 5.5 backspacing wrapped in 35x12.50x17 Pro Comp Xterrain tires.
In the rear are 4 inch blocks on add a leafs. I am not spending too much time out back since we are in the process of developing a 3-link setup for the rear, and doing a SAS up front.
Inside, I made some necessary modifications as well. I ditched the factory seats and replaced them with Mastercraft Baja R/S seats up front. This will provide superior rollover protection with the added 5 point harnesses, not to mention a stunning good ride on suspension seats!
Add the 1000 watt stereo system, COBRA 29 CB, trailer brake controller, and in cab controls for the Air-Lift air springs mounted under the rear suspension for unparalleled ride quality under load. Put it all together and you have a "one-stop-shop" for your truck. This build allows us the flexibility to have a high performance daily driver, solid footed off-road vehicle, and a powerful tow rig. No matter what your hobby's, this truck will suit all of your needs for a price that is surprisingly affordable. Build packages starting at $36,000 (vehicle included in price). If you want to build your current vehicle, or just custom order a complete ride from us, we have packages available to meet every need. Packages available for your Jeep, Toyota, Nissan, Chevy, Dodge, or Ford. Please contact Bear for custom quotes at: 801.337.9151 or toll free 888.85.WIDOW. |
The Black Widow 2008 Nissan Frontier is truly a one of a kind build. I wanted to create an overall ownership experience unrivaled with "off the shelf" truck packages. I wanted to take the nearly bulletproof platform of a late model Nissan Frontier and rebuild the truck to perform to a whole different set of standards.
