The Nissan Patrol Coulda Been a Contender (to the Land Cruiser)
Maybe Nissan's timing was lousy? By 1969, the rugged Patrol was gone.
It's really a shame that the Nissan Patrol wasn't sold in America after 1969—at least, technically. These Jeep-like vehicles were first offered by Nissan in 1951 and have continued to be very capable and popular vehicles across the globe through to today's sixth-generation. Unfortunately, the U.S. missed out after 1969, so it's considered a very rare Nissan in the States. Fortunately, one is coming up for sale at the 2023 Mecum Auctions Kissimmee on January 4-15, 2023.
A Brief Look of the History of the Nissan Patrol
The first generation of the Nissan Patrol was built in 1951 and called the 4W60. It looked very much like a Willys Jeep, and much of it was copied from the Willys CJ-3B, including its iconic flat front fenders. It was only sold through Nissan's Japanese dealerships with the 3.7 liter NAK I-6 engine, the same one used in its 290 bus. Just like the Willys, it featured a part-time 4WD drivetrain and four-speed manual transmission. It would eventually spawn a two-door pickup and fire truck versions, but there was also the Nissan Carrier known as the 4W70 that was based off a Dodge M37 chassis and using the 4W60 engine and drivetrain. Both it and the 4W65, now named the Patrol, would eventually use a version of the Nissan P engine that would be found in the next-generation Patrol, the 60 Series.
The 60 Series began production in 1959 for Australia with the 86.6-inch short wheelbase (SWB, 60) and the 98.4-inch long wheelbase (LWB, G60) and as right-hand drives. LHD models sold outside of the country, like ones sold in North America, were designated L60 and GL60 but were otherwise similar in design and powertrains. Unfortunately for North America—specifically Canada and the U.S.—the Nissan Patrol was only available from 1962 through 1969, but that did include the KGL60 hardtop that was offered in 1963. Although they were sold by Datsun dealerships, the Patrols were branded under the Nissan name, making them (along with 100 1960s Nissan Cedrics) the first models sold under the Nissan banner until the 1980s. There was also a super-long-wheelbase version known as the H60, which was 110.2 inches long.
Under the hood of these Patrols was the Nissan P40, a 123- to 143-hp 4.0-liter I-6 engine mated to either a three- or four-speed manual transmission with a part-time 4WD that operated each axle independently. The engine wasn't anything special, being a cast-iron block and head with bathtub-shaped combustion chambers, but it was used until 2003, most recently in the Spanish-market version of the Patrol known as the 260 Series, which was based off the third-generation 160 Series. There was also a version made just for fire-fighting trucks like the 1962 to 1966 FR40, the PF. The changes included using a better alternator and engine block heater, among other improvements.
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It Was Also the First Ford Maverick (in Australia)
The third generation, the Y60, was produced in 1987, and for the Australian market, it was also branded as the Ford Maverick. So, unfortunately for you all who hate the Maverick name being used on a truck, it's not the first time. Another interesting feature of some Y60s was the inclusion of a power take-off (PTO) driven winch mounted to the front end and controlled from inside the cab. This was also one of the vehicles you can source an RB30E from, the same engine used by Holden in the VL Commodore, though the Commodore was the only vehicle to get a turbo variant (the RB30ET) of that engine.
Modern Patrols
The current generation of the Patrol, the Y62, is now a full-size SUV, and versions of it are the only modern Patrols we've gotten in decades. But not branded as a Patrol, rather the Infiniti QX80 (previously the QX56) and the 2017+ Nissan Armada—both of which are based on the global Patrol, with some important differences.
The global Patrol uses the VQ40DE and the VK56VD while the NISMO version comes with a 428 hp version of the VK56VD. It also comes with Blistein dampers and 22-inch forged aluminum wheels to further differentiate it from a standard Patrol. It's also the first generation to not come as a three-door or two-door pickup version, and only a single wheelbase is available at 121.1 inches. As of 2017, it was also the only generation to get just an automatic transmission—the RE701B seven-speed—as you could still get a six-speed manual from 2010 to 2016.
The Patrol G60 for Sale at Mecum
Although the Mecum Kissimmee auction lists this as a G60, this is actually a KL60, meaning it's the SWB version of the Patrol with a hard top. This is the original build of this Patrol as the body tag lists it as KL60, designating it as the LHD hardtop, and the underhood tag lists it as the 2,200mm-wheelbase (86.6-inch) version. This also has the later P40 engine that makes 145 hp at 3,800 rpm. This particular version is equipped with the three-speed manual, which you can see from the shift pattern on the floor. The Desert Tan and white top are all original, with the restoration of the exterior color being done by a wet-sanding and buffing process. The interior uses a black trim and black seat covers (including the rear jump seats), but the interior floors are treated with a Raptor Liner bed liner kit in Desert Tan. It has 74,314 miles on the odometer, but regardless, this is one very impressive-looking restoration of a rather rare Nissan Patrol. Just looking at the attention to detail to give the appearance of a nearly new vehicle makes this a worthy purchase.
The average price of Patrols is about $22,000 to $25,000. However, looking at the extensive work to restore this 1969 Patrol to a nearly new condition, it should bring in more than the average. When this exact vehicle last went to auction (the 2021 Mecum Orlando event), it sold for $33,000. Another 1969 Patrol—a restomod—sold for nearly $50,000 at another auction in Las Vegas during that same timeframe. For this Kissimmee auction, it will be going to the block with no reserve price, so this might be your chance to steal this gem of a Nissan.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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