hey ya'll. yeah i'm new here. i've got an 88 pathfinder that i used to have a lot of fun with in the country hills and corn fields and such, but apparently i drove it a little to hard

driving from the midwest to both coasts probably didn't help either. anyway, at the moment, my truck is sitting idle on a friend's farm, waiting some tlc. i'm currently driving an 89 dodge raider, which is fun, but just isn't cuttin it if you know what i mean. it's also falling apart faster than i can keep up with.
i like to tinker with automotive stuff, but definitely don't have any formal training. i more or less read the book, dig in and get dirty until i figure it out. my goal for this coming summer is to overhaul my pathfinder inside and out so it's in dependable running condition, and with better performance than a stock truck. while i was still driving the pathfinder, i replaced the tranny on my own, and that's about the biggest job i've done. now, i'm looking for info on how to rebuild the engine, and make it more powerful. my truck also needs attention to the suspension, big time.
anyone with suggestions on links or places i can find detailed information on rebuilding the engine and working on suspension parts, i would love to hear them.
i live in minneapolis, love to ski, play drums in two bands, and work at Ecolab on the side. it's just a job.
so how's everybody doin'?
hutch