My New Build: 1990 3-Door Nissan Patrol, 4.2, Diesel

Patrollife

Explorer
Tonight, after work, I removed the back seat and rear door panels. Tomorrow at 8am she's getting a full-service oil change. This weekend I plan to complete the interior strip and begin sanding down. I've also begun sourcing tire quotations. I'm considering the BFG KM2s or Cooper Discoverer STT.

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EricMcGrew

Adventurer
you are definately getting a good start! As far as the tires go, I don't think either of the two you are looking at will be a bad option for you. Can't wait to see this thing lifted and on some aggressive tires! I'll definately be watching.
 

RMP&O

Expedition Leader
KM2's will be fairly fast to wear, Coopers will wear slow and last a long time. The KM2s will be a bit better off-road, probably only noticeable in the rocks though.

I have had the Cooper STT on my Cruiser for nearly a year now. Good tire but they are a bit loud and in snow/ice not so great. In the sand they work great! They are a pretty heavy tire which you may notice in brake performance.

I have driven across Guatemala 4x now. Seen this old G60 Patrol out near Rio Dulce

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and this G60 Patrol Ute south of Guatemala City.

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Cheers
 

Patrollife

Explorer
Very cool RMP&O! Thanks for sharing. I'm having a hard time finding either the KM2s or the STT, which sucks because since researching I'v really fixated on the STTs! The only M/T tires I'm being quoted around town are the Bridgestone M/Ts or the Yokohama M/Ts. If I had to choose, the Bridgestone's would be my choice, though I'm not really a fan of either. That said, I need new tires ASAP because the current ones are practically bald. I might have to bite the bullet and get a tire that I don't want while I source for the STTs.

A colleague of mine is traveling out to Guatemala on the 1st of December, which means luggage space! This weekend I'm going to pull the trigger on one of these lights. I think the Hellas would look great against a freshly painted coat of blank or metallic gray, and they've got great reviews. The Lightforce, well, they are Lightforce!
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Patrollife

Explorer
I got the Patrol back from the shop tonight with new tail lights and a fresh oil change. On Monday she's going back in to the shop to have a few more parts replaced, liquids refreshed, and brakes renewed. I was anticipating the additional work so no worries on my end.

After bringing the Patrol home, I blacked out the front grill and bull bar. One of my Guatemalan staff located a local shop that has BFG KM2s available, so will be checking them out after my MTB ride tomorrow morning. As I mentioned, I'm planning to sand down the inside and begin repainting. Will have pictures up by Sunday at the latest.

All I can say is, now that I have this project my workweeks are tougher and tougher to get through. But this week was a good one. We accomplished a very successful project launch. Pics of the setup included, myself pictured (dark hair).

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Patrollife

Explorer
I was a little busy today. Blacked out the front and all four wheels and finally found some KM2s. They are 31s. I took a bunch of pics of the underside while the tires were being put on. Would love feedback on what looks bad and needs replacing. I will post those pics tomorrow.

Since the oil change and tune up yesterday, plus the new tires today, she's running awesome! I'm starting to enjoy driving this thing more than my FJ.

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Before the blacked out wheels:
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MTB Shot from this morning:
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Patrollife

Explorer
Agreed! But boy do they come in with are a hard landing on the wallet. The blue outline would look awesome against the all black backdrop, though, not to mention provide great lighting!
 

Patrollife

Explorer
Pics of the tire install and underbody of the Patrol. Thoughts on current conditions? Anything jump out that needs replacing?

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EricMcGrew

Adventurer
I know you said you were refreshing your brakes, but have them take a good look at the rotors (if you were thinking of just changing pads). Those rotors look like they have wear patterns in them that could have come from grit or not changing them when they should have been.

Also, while it's not uncommon for the Rear of the Transfer case to be a bit wet on old 4x4's, I would try and make sure there's not something current, that is leaking, making the transfer case darker than the tranny and such.

One of the first things I always do on a used 4x4 is check the greasable parts to make sure they've not been neglected. Gravel, sand, Dirt, and water filled roads have a tendency to dry them out. If Guatamala is anything like Chile, the locals would rather run the ujoints dry until breaking over getting under there and greasing them every few months. That would help save the bearings and all, if they are still any good.

I think you said that you were planning on upgrading the suspention too. I can't remember, but I do know that most of the Troopers, Cherokees, and other mid-full size SUV 4x4's in rough areas tend to have soft/fatigued springs. If not fixed, this can be funky to say the least. It can effect the off-roading capabilities of the rig, the breaking ability of the rig, and even the life of your shocks, so I would look into how bad the springs are. On the flip side, if the springs are ok, and the shocks are bad, it can have the same effect and ruin your bumpstops and springs.

These are just a few suggestions that I have since I look for the same things in my own used 4x4's. It's looking good!

Hate to say it, but while I Really like it with the black wheels, I think I liked the contrast of the silver wheels equally. Once again though, it does look good all black!
 

Patrollife

Explorer
As usual, thanks for your feedback, Eric. Always helpful and useful. I do plan to upgrade the suspension at some point. I'm trying to find local shops that are affordable and knowledgeable who can source the OMEs. From what the guy told me at the shop, it's cheaper and better to get the parts on my own outside of Guatemala and have them shipped. I agree about your comment on the wheels, the black on black is A LOT. I went with the white wall on the KM2s to try and break it up a bit. I would like to eventually have the Patrol re-painted (not a fan of black cars/trucks). I've always liked safari colors (hues). I think a darker flat camel or green would liven her up a bit. Right now she looks like a cop car out of Total Recall or something.
 
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Patrollife

Explorer
Flooring is fully stripped. Some structural weaknesses were identified in the process. I hear there's a guy in town who specializes in restoring old vehicles. That is my homework for next week. As for this weekend, I am done and feel pretty good about the progress made in the short time she's been under my ownership and care.

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EricMcGrew

Adventurer
Looks good man! Keep up the good work!

As far as the parts for a Patrol goes... Those will have to be sourced from either Australia, Europe. I know that the Patrol was sold in England as a Ford Maverick. You may want to check out these pages.

- http://www.euro4x4parts.com/nissan_parts
- http://www.patrolapart.com.au
- https://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/nissan-patrol-y60-y61-y62-c-1151.html?osCsid=7sjtm28r71q06mfp35hbncsog3
- http://www.southwest4wd.com.au/nissan-4x4-parts/patrol-4x4-parts/
- http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/index.php?pag_id=4

THese are basically the only ones that I found parts for.
 

Patrollife

Explorer
Sweet thanks! I edited my last post down a bit. I am weird like that sometimes.

I think I'm going to start a running list of online sources for any 4x4 and/or overland related adventure.

BTW - I ended up going with something completely different than the Lightforce or Hellas. After going back to the Overland 2013 Gear Issue and doing a little more research, I decided to go with the PIAA 5702 570 LED Driving Lamp. Good bang for the buck, good size, and reputable company. Can't wait to put the on because as it stands, I can't see shi# with the lights currently on the Patrol!
 

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