Dudes...

As you know I am into Patrols My dream rig is an old Patrol fitted with a newer TD engine, the bigger the better...a newer 5spd tranny and transfer with Rock Hopper gear mod. Also some newer axles that will except a locker such as an air locker plus have disc brakes at all 4. The Volvo C303 portals probaly not gonna happen so just use newer Patrol axles. Up into the late 90's UTE's or trucks Patrols are leaf sprung and also some other modles so seems doable. Yet, I never seen any thing like this doen anywhere on the net or otherwise. Why do you think that is, cost to much? Now I know you gear heads can fab up just about anything so give me some practicle advice. Is this just a dream or could I make it real!? Yes finding the engine/drivetrain will be outside the USA and won't be cheap but how much cutting and welding would you think it may take? What is best way to research this...buy the repair manuals for the newer Patrols? What kind of problems would I encounter, wiring, excessive weigth for the old frame, to much torque and these kinds of things?? I have 2 rigs with no engine, fairly clean bodies and frames that would be perfect for this but do not really know how to go about it. I can find the engine and drivetrain fairly easily though.

Any help, comments, advice and discussion welcome!

64 L60 Patrol
*project in the works*

64 KL60 Patrol "Hogan"
-67 145 HP engine
-Koenig stock PTO winch
-7.50x16 Michelin XZL's
-Rancho 5000's

66 KL60 Patrol "Admiral Togo"
-40K original miles
-245-75R15 Cooper Discoverers on stock 15" split rims & caps

IMO, this is totally doable. The patrol frame would have NO problem holding up to the extra power. I've got a V8 in mine and the frame itself is solid. THe biggest obstacle you'll find is probably the length of the drivetrain. Newer drivetrains may be a little bit longer and so the T case may sit further back in the chassis.

Tell you what.. if I had the time, I'd love to do something like that.

The main things you'll want to do:


1. Measure the engine bay for sizing. Honestly though.. if a Ford V8 fits with ease, almost any engine will go in there. At the very most, you may need to modify the footwells a little to clearance for the engine.

2. Get a complete drivetrain (engine to T case) that comes with wiring harness and ECU. Go with a manual tranny Patrol drivetrain to eliminate the need for a seperate transmission computer. You will also need all the sensors that go with the engine. Dont forget the O2 sensor! Try to find an engine that comes with the exhaust downpipes, as sometimes those are impossible to duplicate easily. If you have the downpipes, any exhaust shop can fab up an exhaust and weld it to the downpipes.

3. Get a wiring diagram for that engine. If this involved getting the FSM for the newer Patrol, then get it. With any engine swap, a detailed wiring diagram will make the task much much easier.

4. Pick up 1/4" x 2" (or 3") strap steel to make mounts. Or, if you have it available, adapt the donor crossmember to the patrol engine bay by torching out the patrol crossmember and then simply cutting the donor crossmember down to fit. Weld it into place once you determine final positioning.

5. For the axles.. get them from the same truck with matching gear ratios (duh!). Since gears will be impossible to get here in the states, start with a matching set that is in good shape.

6. For steering, any competent steering shop will be able to fab up the steering. One thing you may find.. the OZ steering draglink may be reversed. If so, you'll have to have it flipped to put the end of the draglink on the passenger side.

Thats about all I can think of. Thats definitely doable though. I wouldnt worry too much about the modern electronics. At the very worst, you may have to spend a month or so wiring the truck to work with the engine. As far as how much welding is involved.. not a whole lot, really. Keep in mind that the only parts on the engine that will need to be fabricated by you would be the engine mounts/crossmember and the transmission mount. Depending on the axle, you may need to do some work on the front suspension if you are going coils, but if you are staying leaf sprung, it would be a matter of grinding the axle clean and then welding on some spring perches after you have determined your castor angle. For the driveshafts, you call up a driveshaft shop and have new shafts made to fit. Depending on the shaft design, you may or may not need the original driveshafts to scavenge flanges from.

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BEEFYJames Fabrication - Custom Fabricated for Use and Abuse
Nissan Terrano .. "Take a grip of Steering!"

ok man...great info to start with. So best would be to decide on the set up such as a late 90's GR or something...maybe a 4.2TD. Then find a wrecked truck to get the stuff from. How about the axles, width is a concern right? The length of tranny/transfer seems no worries as custom drivelines could fix that right? I should stick with leaf sprung also right? I can't weld (yet!) and don't know much about engineering or fabbing stuff so it is safe and strong so how should I look into this or find the right guy for it? Would it be best to have a bare frame and measure it all? Or should I think a lot about how it will fit in the stock cowl engine bay and body? I am not against cutting it up to fit as this be a fully modded rig from a dead Patrol. Also, once I decide on the engine/drivbetrain getting some books on it seems most logical. What is best place to start, with a tape measure? Outline my concept and go from there?

Why do you think nobody has done it before? Or at least not done it and showed it off....could I be getting into a $20k-$30k ordeal? The torque has me little concerned as the 4.s puts out a ton of it, like 375lbs! Yet if the drivetrain is to match and frame can handle it then no worries right? I understand the steering issues if it comes from RHD but like you say seems doable. What other kind of things could I be missing that could be problems?

64 L60 Patrol
*project in the works*

64 KL60 Patrol "Hogan"
-67 145 HP engine
-Koenig stock PTO winch
-7.50x16 Michelin XZL's
-Rancho 5000's

66 KL60 Patrol "Admiral Togo"
-40K original miles
-245-75R15 Cooper Discoverers on stock 15" split rims & caps

An H260 rear and H233B front should handle the torque. Or you could go with narrowed 1 ton domestic axles like D60's or something, but it takes away from the all Nissan part of it.

I'd say it could easily turn into a 20-30k ordeal when you factor in finding all the parts abroad and gettting them shipped to you, but the end result would be phenomenal.


1998 Frontier 4x4, 2002 Xterra 4x4, 1983 280ZXT, and a ratty old Sentra
Remember, Grow the Nissan Community and stand up for ORV user rights!
M.E.S.A President (Manly East SWANKy Associates)

As for axles, yes, you'll need to find some that arent too wide or too narrow. FWIW, the Bronco axles I have are just about right. As long as you stay right around the stock width, you'd be fine and wouldnt have to cut much sheetmetal. But, if you want to build a monster crawler patrol, you might want to go with wider axles to fit larger tires.. and then cut the body to work around the suspension and tires once it is all in place.

For suspension, you could stay leaf if you want. That might be the easiest way to go.. but, a coil suspension would kick so much ass if you could make it work.

Any project like this requires fabrication. It might be a good project to learn how to do it and aquire the tools to do the work yourself. You will spend much less buying tools to DIY than you would spend paying someone else to do it. If you have the motivation, you can do anything. I guarantee that if you have all the work done at a shop, using high end parts, it'll cost $20-30k+ unless you can find a shop willing to do it for promotional use, etc. If you spend a year or two and do it yourself, you could probably do the job for around $10k, but also have the tools, equipment, and know-how afterwards to fix it when it breaks.

For about $2-3k, you can have all the tools you need to build this.

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BEEFYJames Fabrication - Custom Fabricated for Use and Abuse
Nissan Terrano .. "Take a grip of Steering!"

Once again awesome....you have given me a bunch of info to think about. I want to go TD for a couple reasons. The low end torque but also the water proof engine without ignition, and the milage. I have had an idea for a long time about the rear fenders for bigger tires or wider axles and so forth. Simply have the fenders flared like the do to 510's. The fender is already flared and seems easy to have this just made bigger, then it keeps a fairly stock look...I just do not like the way cut rear fenders looks. I also think the thing would be super bad once done but still wonder why nobody has done it, especially in Oz. You never see old Patrols modded with newer patrol stuff, always to Ford or Chevy V8's or V6's. Maybe because Nissan parts are way more expensive. I can learn the fabbing as I have been teaching myslef all about working on Patrols and it is easy really. Just the design stuff seems tough as I do not know about making things built to last or the storngest safest way to fab it up. I would much rather do it myself as I always hate what mechanics do to my rigs. It is never just how I want it unless I do it myself. The tools and know how would be awesome to have. Just last night I found some wrecked late 90's Patrols in Oz junkyards for decent price so I think finding the stuff be the easy part. Getting it here and making it work be the hard and expensive part. I do not have the cash to get it going now and may not for awhile but it would be cool to find the engine and drivetrain then get it here so at least I have the stuff for the future.

How tuff wold it be to get coils in under the Patrol? Seems like a ton of fabbing would be needed and it may not work, I dunno. Any ways, right now it is just all ideas. One thing though is there is a guy up in Montana who specializes in Rovers. What he does is takes wrecked D90's or D110's and makes a newer non-US Rover out of an old shell.This way you can have a legal non-USA Rover becuase it is technically still an old Ser3 or whatever. this could be one way that some people could have a new Patrol legally in the USA.

64 L60 Patrol
*project in the works*

64 KL60 Patrol "Hogan"
-67 145 HP engine
-Koenig stock PTO winch
-7.50x16 Michelin XZL's
-Rancho 5000's

66 KL60 Patrol "Admiral Togo"
-40K original miles
-245-75R15 Cooper Discoverers on stock 15" split rims & caps

I think keeping it all Nissan would definitly end up in a 20-30k ordeal. But it would definitly be cool. I think the reason people go with domestic stuff is cost. Importing all those parts could prove costly. To go with whatever drivetrain you want, I'd say go coilovers or captured coils front and rear. That way you can throw the axles all the way at the end of the body, and not worry about driveshaft length. You might end up cheaper with the Volvo portals...

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Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

Coiling the front really wouldn't be to hard, just dupilcate an early bronco setup with radius arms and a track bar. The Links are the key to the whole setup or another way to go is duplicate the Rubicon Express Long arm setup on TJ's very very plush.

Man Keeping it Nissan would be Phat (with a PH) but parts are going to be a pain not only now but later down the line as well. I think the best thing about domestic pars is if you break down on the trail (lets say an axle shaft goes boom) You have a better chance some one having a spare then with all nissan stuff.
I think the reason you don't see that many old patrols done up in Oz with nissan stuff is that they can get domestic stuff cheap and they can get a newer patrol for cheaper then building up a G-60.

John- Is the rear Bronco diff offset?


"TSUNAMI"
1969 Nissan Patrol
Chevy K-10 Springs
FJ-40 Rear Axle
Original driveshaft, slightly modified
Custom shackles
79,000 Original Miles!

Pretty sure they're centered.


1998 Frontier 4x4, 2002 Xterra 4x4, 1983 280ZXT, and a ratty old Sentra
Remember, Grow the Nissan Community and stand up for ORV user rights!
M.E.S.A President (Modified Easterly SWANKy Associates)

Its centered as far as I can tell. May be a very very slight offset, but its centered for all practical purposes.

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BEEFYJames Fabrication - Custom Fabricated for Use and Abuse
Nissan Terrano .. "Take a grip of Steering!"

Well, coils does sound sweet and most of the new Patrols are coil sprung. Only UTE's are leaf sprung and just in rear. I think it is doable also. I do not think parts for the mod be hard to get down the road...not for at least 20 years anyways. There is tons available from Nissan and aftermarket, I can get axles here in under a week and more than likely would keep the breakable stuff around, spares ya know. By what I saw last night wrecked late 90's Patrols complete going for about $10k Oz dollars down there depending on how badly wrecked. Shipping will cost some cash but not much more, maybe less than shipping a rig. There are junkers down there that specialize in the engines and drivetrains from wrecked rigs so not to hard to find. Plus in New Zealand it cost even less as the exchange rate is better. Also may be able to have my buddy in Bogota locate this stuff as they got all the models down there too and it be cheapest from down there. I think I can get both diffs for the cost of one C303 diff. The C303 would rock no doubt but it is non-Nissan and my concept is to go all Nissan and use Patrol stuff. Plus now that I am thinking coils to flex like a champ the C303's are leaf sprung and probaly fairly stiff. A new 2003 Ute Patrol runs about $35k USA dollars so maybe bit more than this cost but you guys are right. Nobody doing it because using domestic stuff much cheaper all the way around. Yet, I am not considering this by cost...just by what my concept is and what I want. I am not after a serious monster rock crawling Patrol, for that would go with domestic and Mog diffs. I just thinking a modded Patrol that is basically new on an old body and frame. Cruise the hwy at 70mph, get great milage, wheel like a champ and have a very unique rig. I am sure if I ever get it done it will be one of a kind and near the top of my pride and joy in my collection!

64 L60 Patrol
*project in the works*

64 KL60 Patrol "Hogan"
-67 145 HP engine
-Koenig stock PTO winch
-7.50x16 Michelin XZL's
-Rancho 5000's

66 KL60 Patrol "Admiral Togo"
-40K original miles
-245-75R15 Cooper Discoverers on stock 15" split rims & caps

Sounds like a real monster, Ian...


"TSUNAMI"
1969 Nissan Patrol
Chevy K-10 Springs
FJ-40 Rear Axle
Original driveshaft, slightly modified
Custom shackles
79,000 Original Miles!