Unless you’ve been hiding in a dark corner of the internet for the last 12 months, this Patrol has probably popped up on your feed a few times. Here’s your chance to find out more!
Words and Images by Harry Temple
THE OWNER
Luke isn’t one to go and throw money over a counter. If he can’t bend it, grind it or fab it up in the shed, it probably isn’t worth having. Jumping straight out of school into swinging spanners, he’s spent the last 12 years tinkering away on diesels for a bus company in the Illawarra. Mighty convenient when you have your heart set on building Australia’s toughest touring Patrol. Renting some shed space with a mate, he estimates over the last four years he has parted over 30 Patrols, with each one contributing parts and profit towards the project. Last year, he set out on three months of long service leave and gave the freshly chopped Patrol a 35,000km shakedown through the centre and down the west coast. Arriving back with real world R&D, the Patrol is a very different beast today.
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THE VEHICLE
He stumbled across the tidy 2.8-litre wagon on Facebook nearly six years ago. Now running a fully built kettle that won’t boil, Luke has been able to concentrate on refining the off-road liveability of the Nissan – a grand total of six times, giving credence to the windscreen sticker ‘Built Not Bought’. Progressing from swag and drawers set-up all the way to a rushed chop with barwork that sent the 4WD corner of the internet into a meltdown last year, Luke spent some time early this year doing things the right way. After the chassis bent trying to outdrive some mates at Lithgow, Luke realised an overhaul was needed. A chassis extension, jack-off style canopy and a slide-out bar have made this version of the Patrol the best one yet.
THE MODIFICATIONS
After a 350mm extension and extensive bracing, the balance has been restored with the much lighter tray now sitting firmly over the rear axle. The Patrol was put on a diet and received a cut down ARB bar which merges seamlessly with full length side rails that integrate into the tray. Some homebuilt alloy drawers have replaced the creaky wooden ones in fresh alloy boxes. Cooking is no longer tedious, thanks to the slide-out cooker and rear-mounted gas bottle. The Travel Buddy has cemented its spot atop the drawers, after cooking everything from cookies to roasts on the road. A drop-down slide houses the 45-litre Engel and the newly fitted slide-out drinks bar at the rear is the perfect spot to unwind after a day on the road. Luke’s biggest issue with the previous tray was not being able to set up a base camp. Now with the jack-off style canopy, he can quickly attach the four legs and drive out to explore without the risk of damaging the tray or bending underbody components.
We all know Patrols aren’t light (especially this one) but thankfully this power plant is more than capable of pushing it around. The 4.2-litre blacktop has been fully rebuilt, balanced and blueprinted at a lower compression, with over $20K disappearing down the intake thanks to a UFI turbo, 12mm injector pump, bigger injectors and a monstrous intercooler set-up. Transferring all 180kW to the rear treads, an alloy flywheel and heavy duty clutch can take the abuse without question. Even though the boost gauge taps the 30psi stopper repeatedly, getting the kettle to go anywhere near the middle of the temp gauge is nigh on impossible. Complementing the motor and contributing to the remarkable 18L/100km economy, the 3-inch straight-through exhaust and 4-inch stainless snorkel provide maximum breathability at both ends.
Six years on, the sagged 4-inch Dobinsons coils and Armada shocks still soak up the corrugations. Some shiny Superior steering arms and custom control arms ensure the Datsun handles well, despite hauling 250 litres of fuel and 50 litres of water around under the tray. Luke isn’t afraid to get her crossed up or try the hard lines, even though the twin locked rig is rolling on 35-inch Falken WildPeaks. Luke puts that down to two things: having 63% reductions behind the 4.2 box and a low centre of gravity. Contrary to the stereotype, the Fastfit rooftop tent is remarkably light and doesn’t hinder the Patrol when it’s on an angle. Luke enjoys photography so a decent 12-volt system was a priority. The Patrol has four batteries: two under the bonnet to start and run a stereo at camp and two 115Ah AGM units under the tray that are supplemented with 250W of solar and a host of CTEK gear. Luke can set up camp and not have to start the vehicle for a week! Now that’s living.
The rooftop tent sets up in seconds and there is plenty of room for a chair up on the handy viewing platform that Luke has affectionately named ‘The Sundeck’. What started out as a joke between mates has turned into a much-loved addition to the vehicle, coming in handy on Fraser Island earlier in the year. Internally, the comfort continues with XR6 seats saving both occupants’ spines. An overhead console from Outback keeps the two UHFs looking tidy and the switches throughout the cab are in-keeping with the factory colours. A triple pod gets the gauges off the dash and looking like a factory option in the pillar. Future plans are to remove the rear seats and build a platform to make better use of the space.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Luke is quick to give thanks to the many people who helped him out with the build. Without mates pooling resources and ideas, this Patrol would be just another GU. Instead, it’s something that turns heads all across the country. With six builds over six years, it’s safe to say that this probably isn’t the Patrol’s final form. I know Luke quite well and have no doubt that things will be changed for a seventh time before too long. After all, is a build ever really done?
