Patrol: a FJ40 knock-off by Nissan
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curious since we're kinda on the subject... what's the difference between Nissan and Datsun? When i was a kid there was a transitional year when Datsun models started being rebadged as Nissan (or in some cases Nissan-Datsun), and then they all became Nissans.
I always thought Nissan was a new name for Datsun - were (are?) they separate companies?
I always thought Nissan was a new name for Datsun - were (are?) they separate companies?
a bit complicated...and very interesting reading material
read on here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan
read on here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan
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Sweet!
Geez, man, where you been lately? /threadjack
WOW.
There are tons of Fairlady and Skyline GT-R models around here these days. It seems the JDM importers are bringing in Toyota 4x4s, Suzuki delivery trucks, and Nissan performance cars.
LOTS of NISMOs piling up at the local pick 'n' pulls, too. I guess 275hp for under $10,000 isn't such a good combo.
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Had too many other priorities and the internet was at the bottom of the heap for them. Family stuff, helping the kid with his college studies, helping my daughter with her upcoming exchange trip to Japan, home remodelling, vehicle maintc, the kids each needed a computer for school, and my computer augered in as well. Had to set them up. And spent every "free" moment deer hunting to help the kid get his first deer (he did). Basically busier than a one legged man at an ass kicking contest.
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Hella old thread, here I go.....
I got into Patrols 25yrs ago, by chance. I was looking for an old 4wd, a FJ40 or Rover or whatever and came across a 67 Patrol in an autotrader. I went and looked at it and drove it, as soon as I drove it I was sold and bought it on the spot. 25yrs later I have had dozens of them and traveled overseas because of these trucks.
The Patrol was developed at the same time as the FJ25 but the Patrol was released first and also exported from Japan first. This being 1951. They were sold in N. America from 1962-69, total units sold being 2616. All we got were SWB hard top and soft top Patrols. Soft tops sold were roughly 975. These trucks were sold all over the world, certain countries like Colombia or Australia or Saudi Arabia got a lot of them. A long time rumor was that Nissan and Toyota made a deal which is why the Patrol was pulled from N. America in 69. The deal was Nissan would focus on sports cars and Toyota could focus on 4wds. This rumor was confirmed by Mr. K (the man who brought Datsun/Nissan to the USA) a while back. Had this deal never been struck, we would very likely still be getting Patrols today in N. America. The Patrols were the main competitors for the Cruisers.
They are extremely well built trucks. Mass production didn't really start until 1960 with the release of the 60-series Patrol. This model ran from 1960-1979, in 1980 Nissan released the 160-series Patrol, very similar to a 70-series Cruiser. They also did a limited production of the older Patrol, known as the 61-series up to 82 but some rumors say 84. These were made to compete with the last of the FJ40's. Only one model and version of the 61-series was made, MWB soft tops. From 1960-onward the Patrol has a fully boxed frame, SWB have 5 cross members and MWB/LWB has 7 crossmembers. I have seen no other 4wd that has as stout of a frame, it is super burely. The 160-series continued this tradition, the front half of the frame has a 3rd rail inside the frame that is made from hardened steel, super hard steel. I have cut up a 160-series frame and that inner rail is no joke, it ate up no less than 6 sawzall blades! Patrols had an engine hand crank, are positive ground and had tons of awesome features like a hand prime on the fuel pump, adjustable voltage regulator and complete water proofed engine and trans. Every Patrol sold in N. America (and likely worldwide) came with a jack, engine hand crank, a very complete tool kit and a very cool owners manual. During the 60-series the Patrol had the most powerful engine in it's class, beating the Cruiser by 10-20hp and 10-20ftlbs depending on year. The 60-series Patrol was the first vehicle of it's type to come standard with front and rear sway bars along with some other somewhat funky suspension items like "rebound rods" which I call limiting rods. All components are over built on these trucks from steering to axles to trans to t-case to engines. Early Patrols, up to about 1970 had the old "ball and claw" front axle, Nissan called it a "tracta joint". After this CV/birfields came in the trucks. They are seriously stout which is why so many are still on the road in countries like Colombia and is why so many are still around out of the 2616 sold in N. America.
Patrols are still made today, after the 160-series came the Y60 in 1988. It beat Toyota to the punch with a fully coil sprung truck. In the late 90's came the Y61 which is still produced today. The Y61 is still a SFA truck.
I could go on and on about these trucks but there is some pretty basic info for anyone who cares. I am a big fan of both the Patrol and the Cruisers and have had both. Comparing a Patrol to an FJ40, the Patrol is just much more stout in nearly every way. Once the FJ60 came out this was not so much the case anymore.
Cheers
I got into Patrols 25yrs ago, by chance. I was looking for an old 4wd, a FJ40 or Rover or whatever and came across a 67 Patrol in an autotrader. I went and looked at it and drove it, as soon as I drove it I was sold and bought it on the spot. 25yrs later I have had dozens of them and traveled overseas because of these trucks.
The Patrol was developed at the same time as the FJ25 but the Patrol was released first and also exported from Japan first. This being 1951. They were sold in N. America from 1962-69, total units sold being 2616. All we got were SWB hard top and soft top Patrols. Soft tops sold were roughly 975. These trucks were sold all over the world, certain countries like Colombia or Australia or Saudi Arabia got a lot of them. A long time rumor was that Nissan and Toyota made a deal which is why the Patrol was pulled from N. America in 69. The deal was Nissan would focus on sports cars and Toyota could focus on 4wds. This rumor was confirmed by Mr. K (the man who brought Datsun/Nissan to the USA) a while back. Had this deal never been struck, we would very likely still be getting Patrols today in N. America. The Patrols were the main competitors for the Cruisers.
They are extremely well built trucks. Mass production didn't really start until 1960 with the release of the 60-series Patrol. This model ran from 1960-1979, in 1980 Nissan released the 160-series Patrol, very similar to a 70-series Cruiser. They also did a limited production of the older Patrol, known as the 61-series up to 82 but some rumors say 84. These were made to compete with the last of the FJ40's. Only one model and version of the 61-series was made, MWB soft tops. From 1960-onward the Patrol has a fully boxed frame, SWB have 5 cross members and MWB/LWB has 7 crossmembers. I have seen no other 4wd that has as stout of a frame, it is super burely. The 160-series continued this tradition, the front half of the frame has a 3rd rail inside the frame that is made from hardened steel, super hard steel. I have cut up a 160-series frame and that inner rail is no joke, it ate up no less than 6 sawzall blades! Patrols had an engine hand crank, are positive ground and had tons of awesome features like a hand prime on the fuel pump, adjustable voltage regulator and complete water proofed engine and trans. Every Patrol sold in N. America (and likely worldwide) came with a jack, engine hand crank, a very complete tool kit and a very cool owners manual. During the 60-series the Patrol had the most powerful engine in it's class, beating the Cruiser by 10-20hp and 10-20ftlbs depending on year. The 60-series Patrol was the first vehicle of it's type to come standard with front and rear sway bars along with some other somewhat funky suspension items like "rebound rods" which I call limiting rods. All components are over built on these trucks from steering to axles to trans to t-case to engines. Early Patrols, up to about 1970 had the old "ball and claw" front axle, Nissan called it a "tracta joint". After this CV/birfields came in the trucks. They are seriously stout which is why so many are still on the road in countries like Colombia and is why so many are still around out of the 2616 sold in N. America.
Patrols are still made today, after the 160-series came the Y60 in 1988. It beat Toyota to the punch with a fully coil sprung truck. In the late 90's came the Y61 which is still produced today. The Y61 is still a SFA truck.
I could go on and on about these trucks but there is some pretty basic info for anyone who cares. I am a big fan of both the Patrol and the Cruisers and have had both. Comparing a Patrol to an FJ40, the Patrol is just much more stout in nearly every way. Once the FJ60 came out this was not so much the case anymore.
Cheers
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Hmmm... I really like the looks of Patrols. I hate to admit it, but I've actually mistakenly identified Patrols as Cruisers at first glance in certain pictures. Sounds like they came with some cool and useful parts. I think there is an old one around here that just sits. I'll post up a picture next time I drive by it. It's got a hard top.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
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Currently they are way way cheaper than an FJ40 to get into, even a Rover. But parts can be a real bitch! Parts are available though on Ebay.Australia and from a few sources in Colombia. Nissan Japan doesn't have a lot but you can get a few thousand bucks worth of parts from them still.
Check out this absolutely mint 69 Patrol that sold in California for $10k. It is one of the nicest un-restored Patrols I have ever seen. If this was an FJ40 it would easily sell for $50k+. It is even sporting the original tires, a true time capsule of a truck.
Not often do they come up like this one though and sometimes they go for 2-3x what this one did. The guy who bought this seriously scored imho.
Cheers
Check out this absolutely mint 69 Patrol that sold in California for $10k. It is one of the nicest un-restored Patrols I have ever seen. If this was an FJ40 it would easily sell for $50k+. It is even sporting the original tires, a true time capsule of a truck.
Not often do they come up like this one though and sometimes they go for 2-3x what this one did. The guy who bought this seriously scored imho.
Cheers
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That's frigging amazing...
I toyed with getting a Patrol when I had my Datsun roadster. I thought that would make a nice pair in the driveway...