just curious

Question:
would you buy a Patrol if you could?

Choices:
yes old school and stock (1960-1979)
yes old school ready to cut up! (1960-1979)
yea I'll take an MQ 1980-1987
maybe someday I can own a GQ 1988-onward
Nope

 

I'd love to have one. Trouble is I already have 2 built 4x4's and no room/need for another one. If I could get a late model, though, that Xterra might go bye bye. The downside is getting parts for them....not good if you break down in the desert.

The only reason I've never even thought about jumping on a patrol is parts. Not way to buy them here... Partsamerica.com or rockauto lists nothing for patrols.

There cool and bad but auctions is only way to buy parts.

I hear ya guys about the parts....but what if you could get parts?

The old ones stuff is easy to fix or make work. And if you own an old one you usually know where to get things like used axles, ect.

For my MQ I get stuff out of Aus. Still lot's of places to buy parts for the MQ/MK's. I use ebay Aus. a lot. It is not to bad, shipping takes a week or two. If it is something you think you may break on the trail like an axle or hub you can always carry spares, buy em' ahead of time and keep spares around. The motors in the MQ/MK's parts are available here in the USA. The 1980's Patrols came with the SD33 (put in Scouts and Nissan forklifts), the L28 put in Z cars and the P40 which was put in forklifts here in the USA. I actually never really like the Patrols with the L28 because stock it is such a small whimpy motor. But man I have seen some Patrols with modd'ed L28's and man you can make that into one bad little motor. I seen some Euro guys use Z car stuff on it like duel carbs and a Z cam, even seen them turbo'ed. On both the P40 & L28 you could use a megasquirt kit and dump the carb altogether. You can buy stock Cv's on ebay for like $50 in Aus. Diff & axle parts also on ebay for cheap. I have also found the 1980's Patrols have parts in common with Z cars and even the 720's. A lot of the interior stuff like door handles is a straight swap from a 720. I used a clutch slave in mine that is from a 280Z, perfect fit.

The GQ/GU's. Well same deal with parts. But we can't get these Patrols in the USA legally until 2012/2013. If you search ebay Aus. though there are a dozen pages of parts for GQ/GU's. If you search the net pretty much everything is available for them.

You will never be able to buy Patorl parts at your local Napa, Autozone or whatever. I can get some things from Napa like fuel filter or oil filter. Seals and bearing can be had too but that is about the end of it. Thing is if you like Nissan 4wd's the best to have is the Patrol, hands down. And I personally think anyone who drives one won't go back to a TLC, X-terra, Pathy or whatever.

I asked a guy in Aus. recently how come nobody makes gear like Longfields for the Patrols, in paticular the GQ/GU's since they are so popular in Aus. His response was that the diffs are so strong in these trucks there is no need for better axles and so forth. While the Toyo's and others need upgrades just to be as strong as a stock Patrol. I have pushed my MQ pretty hard and have still not broken anything. They are extremly tuff trucks stock. Why do you think there are still so many old Patrols around!?

I put up the poll because I a curious how many trucks I might be able to sell if I had them available. I am looking to switch my business in the future from irrigation (I don't enjoy it) to Patrols and other 4wds. I am planning to import trucks for resale, mostly Patrols. I also plan to support the trucks with parts but I wouldn't ever have $50-100k in parts around.

Anyways, thanks for the votes!

Hi,

Remember good ol europe......you can easily get parts from any Nissan dealer or aftermarket parts maker.

Our forum is packed with Patrols and there is a specific Nissan Patrol site at:

http://www.patrol-gr.net/forums/portal.php

and here is one of my friends machine

Fudd- If there was a company in the us who sold reasonably priced patrol's and could support parts, I would seriously buy one. For the cost of a SAS Nissan I would buy a patrol.

My thing is. Since the parts are hard to find. I know little to nothing about the Nissan patrol. I would defiantly have to buy from a US based parts supplier. Maybe not a parts supplier. More of a web based company with info of where and how to buy parts that you need from E-bay.

I’ve very familiar with the US Nissan line of cars. I own 3 Z’s and my dad has a 720. Personally I would love to have a patrol with the L28. Due to my extensive experience with 240-280 datsun Z cars. The L28 stock did not put out much power but there are so many modifications you can do. NA you can get 400HP out of a L28. A L28T from a 81-83 280ZX is capable of producing 400HP easily with crazy torque.

Things I would be interested in are Lift kits. Not A-a –leaf. Lift leaf springs. And Detroit lockers front and rear. A patrol with a L28 33-34 MTR’s and dual lockers I’m set. The d/s are 1pc right?

I getting to the point to where I’m thinking about getting a SFA rig. No time soon. I would say within the next 5 years.

quote:

Olivier

Is there a website I can go to convert the text to English? I'm unable to read the posted links.

quote:

Originally posted by LordBiotre:

quote:

Olivier

Is there a website I can go to convert the text to English? I'm unable to read the posted links.

Try this. It's a start.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=htt...%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den

quote:

Originally posted by Schludwiller:

quote:

Originally posted by LordBiotre:

quote:

Olivier

Is there a website I can go to convert the text to English? I'm unable to read the posted links.

Try this. It's a start.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=htt...%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den

I was about to suggest that or send me requests and I'll translate being Bilingual.......Not too much though I also have a dayjob

sweet Patrols on that website, been awhile since I had visited it. Seems Patrols are really popular in some Euro countries but not all. France, Spain, Switzerland and a few others seem to have lot's of Patrols and owners who love them to death. Other countries not so much. I have looked into Europe for parts and also possible trucks to import. Left hand drive trucks available makes it nice but the probs I have seen are so many rotted Patrols. Salty roads and poor care by owners has most rotten in 10yrs or so. In Australia and S.America I have found they take better care of their trucks. Not to say anything negative about Euros that is just what I have noticed. Plus I speak a little Spanish and English and nothing else. So dealing with Europeans is not so good for me. Then we have the fact that the Euro is stronger dollar wise than ours. In Aus and S.A our dollar is still stronger making buying favorable for us.

I didn't know the L28 could do 400+hp! That is pretty amazing, I do know it is a kick ass little engine. You might be suprised what the P40 will do too. I have driven mod'ed P40's in Patrols and it sounds, feels and drives like a small block v8. Could pretty easily find an L28 MQ Patrol in S.A for a reasonable price. Or a P40...they got a lot of gaser Patrols and not so many diesels down there.

I am not far off from being debt free. Something which has been hanging over my head since 2003 and keeping me from doing much of anything with trucks. Should be 100% debt free this year compared to being $125k down 3yrs ago. That changes things for me and gives me lot's of options, I don't have a wife, child and house payment. I have made up my mind that Patrols and 4wds is what I want to do with the rest of my life. So I am going to be doing this but when I am unsure. I learned a few years back you can't go into something like this without a pile of cash to back you up. How much cash I have yet to decide but It will take me another year or two to get that pile started. You can be sure though that I plan to do this and do it without failure. In under five years I should be selling Patrols and other trucks I import. Patrols of all shapes, sizes and forms from old to new, from stock to heavily mod'ed. I also plan to support the trucks I sell with parts. From what I have seen in the Nissan community here in the USA parts is always what holds people back from getting a Patrol and I plan to change that. So if you are thinking about a Patrol in your future keep me in mind!

See my father's (Nissan-Okie) '83 280zx turbo for a 400+ hp example of an L28.. It is crazy fast, and its for sale!

quote:

Originally posted by Fudd:
sweet Patrols on that website, been awhile since I had visited it. Seems Patrols are really popular in some Euro countries but not all. France, Spain, Switzerland and a few others seem to have lot's of Patrols and owners who love them to death. Other countries not so much. I have looked into Europe for parts and also possible trucks to import. Left hand drive trucks available makes it nice but the probs I have seen are so many rotted Patrols. Salty roads and poor care by owners has most rotten in 10yrs or so. In Australia and S.America I have found they take better care of their trucks. Not to say anything negative about Euros that is just what I have noticed. Plus I speak a little Spanish and English and nothing else. So dealing with Europeans is not so good for me. Then we have the fact that the Euro is stronger dollar wise than ours. In Aus and S.A our dollar is still stronger making buying favorable for us.

I didn't know the L28 could do 400+hp! That is pretty amazing, I do know it is a kick ass little engine. You might be suprised what the P40 will do too. I have driven mod'ed P40's in Patrols and it sounds, feels and drives like a small block v8. Could pretty easily find an L28 MQ Patrol in S.A for a reasonable price. Or a P40...they got a lot of gaser Patrols and not so many diesels down there.

I am not far off from being debt free. Something which has been hanging over my head since 2003 and keeping me from doing much of anything with trucks. Should be 100% debt free this year compared to being $125k down 3yrs ago. That changes things for me and gives me lot's of options, I don't have a wife, child and house payment. I have made up my mind that Patrols and 4wds is what I want to do with the rest of my life. So I am going to be doing this but when I am unsure. I learned a few years back you can't go into something like this without a pile of cash to back you up. How much cash I have yet to decide but It will take me another year or two to get that pile started. You can be sure though that I plan to do this and do it without failure. In under five years I should be selling Patrols and other trucks I import. Patrols of all shapes, sizes and forms from old to new, from stock to heavily mod'ed. I also plan to support the trucks I sell with parts. From what I have seen in the Nissan community here in the USA parts is always what holds people back from getting a Patrol and I plan to change that. So if you are thinking about a Patrol in your future keep me in mind!

You could set up an Import business and have it backed someway by Nissan