D22 Front Xterra swap

[Monstertruck]

A Nissan Xterra 2002-2004 front can be bolted to a Nissan Navara D22 and vice versa. (Hood, fenders, grill, headlights, some interior parts .etc) (applies to some other models too)

It's a thing I've seen on some US forums. When they mix their Nissan Frontier (D22) and an Nissan Xterra they refer to the vehicle as a "Fronterra".

Anyone here done it and got some info to share? Maybe just a neat picture? Original parts work, but also fiberglass panels like on some of these examples:

 

[Old.Tony]

Hmm, Holden released a car called a "Frontera" in Australia.

Should mixing the D22 and the XTerra be more of a "Front Error" instead? Not sure I'm a fan of the cars in the pics, but then I don't like VW either and there's millions of people that do.

 

[Monstertruck]

The benefit of this knowledge is valuable I think. Some spare parts should be shared, and it gives options for fender styles. The Xterra has more of a boxy wheel arch instead of a standard round one. I atleast think that the bodylines can look neat, in some configurations.

The images posted above are with custom fiberglass fenders and such to widen the wheel arch.
Here's one D21 with original Xterra parts, no fiberglass:

 

[Old.Tony]

^ Agreed.

What's amusing is one of the pics in the first post is of a D22 with the roof bars that Nissan included on the D40 "Titanium Edition" here in Australia.

I wonder if the grille areas are significantly different in throughput. It makes an impact when towing. I don't know much about the XTerra, but in Australia the D22s are rated to tow 3 tonnes - and they're not bad at it, but they're also manuals with slightly less power so if you were buying a Navara to tow with you'd choose the D40 for its extra power and choice of automatic gearbox.

With the driving lights I had on my car (they're gone now) if I added a light bar below the top of the bullbar, my coolant temp would rise a lot more quickly when hillclimbing, so they're sensitive to airflow.

 

[Monstertruck]

From what I've found and read so far, every supporting structure in the front is identical. And parts will swap right over using the same bolt holes.

Car frame and suspension isn't identical, but everything you bolt exterior parts to on the body are.

So I would assume the cooling performance is about the same. It's more that the Xterra grille takes up space under the headlights, slightly interfering with an original D22 bumper.

I have a 2" body lift, but I can't lift my bumper any more and there's a gap. An Xterra 2002 grille could in theory fill the gap Atleast a big section of it towards the front. Maybe some trimming needed.