Shop Truck: Nissan Y62 Patrol

When Chris Roberts from TRED Outdoors went looking for a new 4x4 to take on camping and off-road trips, he was torn as to what it would be.

The plan was to always to get one of the big 4x4 wagons and cut and stretch it in to a double-cab ute, but choosing between two popular options wasn’t easy.

“I liked the Y62 because there was a supercharger option from Harrop, but the platform was not well-supported by the aftermarket at the time,” Chris recalled.

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He even went as far as ordering a new LandCruiser 200 Series, but when the dealer called to say the delivery was delayed, it made Chris’s decision for him.

“Nissan not only delivered in time, but they were also substantially cheaper which left plenty of money in the bank to build this car,” he said with a smile.

He ended up with a 2018 Patrol and set plans in motion to make it what he wanted.

“One of my frustrations when going away with the car as a wagon, was having to load and unload all the time,” says Chris. “My campsite was always quick to set up, however all the gear needs to be loaded and unloaded a lot. Having a canopy on the back is going to help massively with this.”

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Chris enlisted the team at Queensland company ASG4X4 when it came time to get the chop-and-stretch job done. ASG has done a few of these conversions on the big Nissans, with a choice of chassis lengths available. They also manufacture a selection of different size and design trays and canopies, so they are a one-stop shop for these ute conversions.

For the Y62 specifically, with its independent rear suspension, ASG makes its own lower control arms that are much heavier duty than the Nissan arms, allowing for an increase of GVM to carry all of Chris’s gear. This solved one of the challenges Chris foresaw, with choosing the Patrol over a LandCruiser.

An advantage of choosing the Nissan was the ability to fit that supercharger kit to its petrol V8 engine. With the Harrop kit on board and tuned, this Patrol is now pumping out 542hp and 680Nm of torque at the hubs.

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After overcoming the hassles of developing a vehicle that isn’t so well-supported with bolt-on equipment, Chris couldn’t be happier with the result.

“There was not much aftermarket support, straight bolt-up like you would get on say a 200 Series. So to make things work, as an example the suspension, there was lots of time spent in researching and planning.

“For me, the sign of a good car and build is when the owner has a story of how you need to drive it,” he says. “The owner knows each strange noise and anticipates what the car will do in certain situations, making it truly a custom build.”

KEY FEATURES

BLOWN AWAY

The Nissan VK56 V8 breathes heavier thanks to a Harrop 2300 supercharger kit and uprated fuel system, helping it pump out 542hp and 680Nm of torque at the hubs. The engine exhales loudly through a custom Legendex 3 to 3½ inch twin cat-back exhaust system.

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BULLBAR

Frontal protection comes via an ARB Summit bar (left) which mounts a pair of ARB Solis LED lights, a GME antenna and a VRS 12,000lb winch. The underbody protection plate is from Rival 4x4.

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STRETCHED CHASSIS

ASG 4X4 cut the chassis and stretched it 250mm, reformed the back of the cabin with a flat-wall and built the tray and lift-off canopy. The re-engineered Patrol now has a 4200kg GVM to help carry the gear on board.

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HD

ASG's fabricated rear lower control arms bolster the rear end, allowing for heavier loads.

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PLATFORM RACK

An ARB Base Rack system mounts atop the Patrol and, of course, there’s a set of bright green TRED Pro recovery boards.

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POWER PLAY

Inside the ASG canopy you’ll find a Bushman upright fridge; Projecta DCDC charger, Intelli-RV Power Manager system and Projecta Intelli-wave 2000W inverter; an Invicta 200amp/h lithium battery; and an ARB LINX module to control everything.

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MUDDIES ON ALLOYS

KMC ‘Mesa’ alloy wheels and Fuel Gripper mud terrain tyres conceal a brake package using DBA rotors and pads.

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EXTRA STORAGE

Tapered under-tray storage compartments house the ARB twin compressor on the passenger-side, with recovery accessories on the driver's side.

TOWBAR PROTECTION

The TAG XR towbar provides a bit of protection for those neat-looking Legendex exhaust outlets that bellow out the V8’s supercharged symphony.

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SPECIAL THANKS

ASG4x4, TRED, ARB4x4, Legendex, Projecta, Invicta Batteries, TAG Towbars, KMC Wheel