I just acquired this 1969 Nissan Patrol

[alber garage]

I just acquired this Patrol. Immediate plans are to get it into running condition. It's currently powered by a chevy 235 straight 6 but I'm unsure about the overall health of the motor. It starts but won't stay running and PO says that the carb needs to be rebuilt so that's where I am starting.

 

Medium to long term plans will be swapping the motor back to something nissan. I am considering going back to the P40, some kind of diesel engine like an SD33 or possibly a KA24. Pros for KA24 are they are easier to find and pretty cheap to acquire. Are there any cons?  Does anyone have any engine suggestions?  Nothing prohibitively expensive or ridiculous - I would like to stick with an inline 6 or 4 cylinder.

 

There is also the option of keeping the 235 but then I have to live with the shame of having a chevy powered vehicle. If the motor is healthy I will be keeping it in there for at least a little while.

 

Vehicle uses will be tooling around, looking cool and maybe light offroad duty from time to time. 

 

Some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

-Steve

 

[danfiveten]

Nice always loved how the patrols look. 

[datsunaholic]

A 4-cyl would look funny in that long engine bay.  Cheapest and easiest to find would probably be a carbbed L28 (though you could always keep it EFI).  An LD28 would be nice BUT they're next to impossible to find with the crankshaft present.  SD33 would be a great choice, if you can find one with a transmission.

[zed1]

Welcome to the Patrol Owners Club.  If you are not alredy a member, please join 60Patrol.com

Keith

[Tristin]

Glad to see you actually pick one up. Hope to see some cool things done to it.

[alber garage]

Glad to see you actually pick one up. Hope to see some cool things done to it.

 

Yeah, I had found this one a while ago and had been negotiating forever. Its down near Portland and I'm up near Seattle and I actually had my cousin go see it, check it out and pick it up. So I have actually not seen the Patrol in person yet but he's a big 4x4 guy and I trust his judgment. He actually has a first gen Ford Bronco so he's really psyched I picked this up so we can go mess around together.

 

I'm going down to his place in two weeks so I will have more info and probably more pics by then. It should be a really fun project.

 

-Steve

[alber garage]

Welcome to the Patrol Owners Club.  If you are not alredy a member, please join 60Patrol.com

Keith

 

I haven't checked that out yet but I probably will.

[freekwonder]

Super jealous.  I want a Patrol so bad.  

 

What about a VG33

[alber garage]

Super jealous.  I want a Patrol so bad.  

 

What about a VG33

 

That could make a good option too. Did pathfinders have a manual option? I'm not really interested in an automatic.

[freekwonder]

That could make a good option too. Did pathfinders have a manual option? I'm not really interested in an automatic.

 

Honestly not sure, the Frontiers were offered with a manual so I would assume the pathfinders were.

[Tristin]

Yes, they came with 5spd manuals. 

[Sealik]

  Does anyone have any engine suggestions? 

 

 

Carbed..........L28 with side drafts...SUs

[MikeRL411]

Engine options?

 

Easiest, since you have a Chevy, upgrade to a Chevy 250 CuInch straight six. They came in Chevy 2s and others.

 

Rediculous but sexy, find a Pontiac Firebird [1967 to 1970] overhead cam straight six. In the spirit of the Nissan OHC engine in the Patrol, but who has even heard of this engine?

[Boaty]

Being perfectly honest, I see no reason to be ashamed of having a Chevy engine in that thing. It fits, lots of torque, etc etc.
While I might be a Nissan purist, I wouldn't be ashamed of a 4.3L EFI swap in something like that, lots of Toyota people do this with great success - and there are a *lot* of Yoder runners down here in southern Oregon. I haven't heard a single person complain about them yet, parts are cheap and plentiful, gobs of aftermarket, lots of options here.

I think it would be cost prohibitive to swap to something that is unobtanium, but that's just me - This is one of those instances where I wouldn't mind a small block swap. THAT being said, I would probably be more apt to roll with a VK56DE if I was rich, had lots of fab skills, and wanted a shit ton of money under the hood.

If one was given to me, in a heart beat? Otherwise... I'd stick with what's in there. But I'd definitely go to something with EFI. All the perks in the world for something you'll be tooting around in the woods with. And doing stuff like that usually accompanies repair bills for broken parts, and once again the perks of parts availablity comes to mind. :)

[Sealik]

Rediculous but sexy, find a Pontiac Firebird [1967 to 1970] overhead cam straight six. In the spirit of the Nissan OHC engine in the Patrol, but who has even heard of this engine?

 

 

The modified 67 Fitchbird also ran the straight six.

I've had three 69s over the 'early' years...all with 400s though

[Z-train]

Engine options?

 

Easiest, since you have a Chevy, upgrade to a Chevy 250 CuInch straight six. They came in Chevy 2s and others.

 

Rediculous but sexy, find a Pontiac Firebird [1967 to 1970] overhead cam straight six. In the spirit of the Nissan OHC engine in the Patrol, but who has even heard of this engine?

Actually 1966 thru 69.Another Delorean gem.

[alber garage]

Correction from the wife:

 

Vehicle uses will be tooling around, looking cool and maybe light offroad duty from time to time. 

 

 

Vehicle uses will be tooling around, looking cool and maybe light offroad duty from time to time. towing up to 5,000lbs, frequent off-roading, and some occasional 4x4 activities.

 

I miss having a utility vehicle and I will certainly use it as one. Engine and tranny must stand up to some abuse. Manual tranny is a must. Towing ability is a must. Brake upgrades are probably a necessity. 

[bananahamuck]

In my opinion the chevy 235 has pretty good towing ability,  parts are plentiful , cheap,, and it`s all ready in there.

[alber garage]

In my opinion the chevy 235 has pretty good towing ability,  parts are plentiful , cheap,, and it`s all ready in there.

 

We'll see where we're at once we can fully evaluate the health of the current motor. Super long term I will want to do something else but short to medium term it could be a viable motor to keep. I am not at all excited about the factory 3 speed manual that is still in the car. I have heard that the absolute max speed is 55 mph so it would not be ideal for freeway driving.

 

-Steve

[merlin]

I own a basketcase patrol ...  i feel you on wanting it to be Nissan, L28 would be cool but i don't know how it would mate up... the late IH Scout diesels are all nissan inline 6 engines... the one year is that turbo diesel.

[alber garage]

I own a basketcase patrol ...  i feel you on wanting it to be Nissan, L28 would be cool but i don't know how it would mate up... the late IH Scout diesels are all nissan inline 6 engines... the one year is that turbo diesel.

 

To be honest, I saw one of the SD33 Scouts at the Greenwood car show this year. I got excited when I saw the Nissan valve cover and then when I started talking to the owner found out it was a factory option. When I started researching it is when I found out that the Nissan Patrol existed and that it looked cool and I wanted one. I would never have even considered getting one if I hadn't seen that Nissan powered Scout.

 

Btw, why is your Patrol a basketcase? What drivetrain are you running?

 

-Steve

[Tristin]

To be honest, I saw one of the SD33 Scouts at the Greenwood car show this year. I got excited when I saw the Nissan valve cover and then when I started talking to the owner found out it was a factory option. When I started researching it is when I found out that the Nissan Patrol existed and that it looked cool and I wanted one. I would never have even considered getting one if I hadn't seen that Nissan powered Scout.

 

Btw, why is your Patrol a basketcase? What drivetrain are you running?

 

-Steve

 

Qtip has a bunch of Scout stuff... maybe he has an engine to sell you. I dont know what he has, just that its all over his garage lol. 

[alber garage]

My cousin snapped this pic of the patrol with his bronco (which is pretty disassembled at the moment). 

 

[merlin]

 i had it sent out for media blasting and haven't got around to putting it back together yet lol

[ArchetypeDatsun]

There are always a few maxima diesels that are running cars I would say take a look on CL especially Portland area I seen at least a handful in the last few months, on top of that a nice turbo set up on a LD28 would wake the engine up get better mpg and good torque! If you want gas powered yeah a L28 would be awesome too there's lots around always for sale and not expensive, I only seen a few patrols in town it's been awhile if I had th pe chance to buy one I would in a heartbeat your a lucky guy!