Well, the Chev V8 is in the Nissan Patrol and in my driveway – at least it was the last time I looked! (After losing my GXL ‘Cruiser ya can’t be too careful can ya!)
It’s not without a few minor issues. Rather than drive back to Brunswick Diesels with it, I phoned ‘em up before diving into it myself. We agreed on what the problem was and Brunswick had no probs with me fixing it – being an old mechanic helps. I had to readjust the clutch master cylinder to pedal pushrod as the clutch wasn’t
clearing and it was causing shocking clutch drag and sore left hand trying to get gears. But 15 minutes work and it changes gear like a good Nissan GQ box should do – firm but slick. Even my wife can drive it! Mind you she can and does drive anything.
Anyway, I digress.
The truck was formerly a 1999 Nissan Patrol with a 2.8 litre 6 cylinder turbo diesel motor, with the usual lightweight gearbox and low ratio diffs at 4.7 ratio. It’s red in colour and will henceforth be known as “Freddo The Fire Engine”. ( The ‘Cruiser was “Thomas the Tank Engine’),,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The Patrol is now fitted with:
Chevrolet 6.5 litre V8 diesel motor
Lovell high lift, heavy duty springs, all round
Lovell “Gas Legend” shockies all round
3 inch body lift – approx
Polyair springs on rear
New offset Castor bushes- these have yet to be fitted at the 1st service which will be done free, by Brunswick at about 1000 kms.
1997 (Pre 2000) GQ gearbox
2 by 3.9 ratio diffs from a GQ – rear with LSD
New very large radiator!
Very large metal fan that think I saw once on the wing of a B17 bomber in the film “Memphis Belle”!!
New electric fuel lift, pump mounted externally under the floor near the drivers bum – annoying little noise but ya get used to it!
New 105 amp alternator
New power steering pump
New air con compressor and piping
New Safari
snorkel
New 3 inch exhaust with “straight through” muffler. No resonator.
Additional work done by Brunswicks for me was:
Fitting a dual battery system with ARB Battery box, Redarc isolator, 2 new Optima 55 amp hour batteries (I couldn’t get the bigger 75 amp hour Optimas to fit in the battery carriers). A single 55 amp hour Optima AGM battery has about 750 cranking amps (CCA). The 75 amp hour has about 850 CCA. A normal N70ZZL has about 580 CCA. The Chev V8 starts easily with a single Optima doing the cranking.
Enough spare cable to the rear of the truck to wire in my Autofridge - when I get the drawers and slide finished.
New rear axle oil seals – one was leaking when I bought the vehicle.
Checked all wheel bearings and all sound as a bell.
New rear brake disc pads
Tekonsha Prodigy caravan brake controller
Cruise Control
Immobiliser
Vehicle entry security
Glass breakage alarm
All up cost - $26,812. 92 with a 12month/20,000 km warranty
How does it go?
Well, I don’t use 1st gear at all these days. 2nd gear is as easy as pie from a standing start. I’ve come to love red traffic lights and Stop signs. Just sit ‘n wait, drop it into 2nd gear, drop the clutch, a bit of throttle, no more than normal and “Whhhhoooosssh, roaaar”, it’s about 150 metres ahead of traffic without even going above 1600 rpm. This is way BETTER than my 100 series GXL TD Landcruiser – and I used to love that. It’s a bit rougher, a bit more of a savage beast, but definitely more tractable from tickover to changing to 3rd gear. But I still reckon that after about 2300 rpm the 1HDT-FE engine would slowly leave the Chev behind. But the Chev is much easier to drive in around town. It just “tonks” along at about 1200 rpm at 60 kmh, and you know all you have do is put yer foot down, even in 5th gear and will oblige you by getting up going. The low down torque is there from tickover to 100 kmh – as fast as I’ve been so far as I’m still running the motor in. There’s simply no work involved in driving this engine. It’s a lazy man’s motor. Driving the Chev/Nissan as opposed to the GXL ‘Cruiser is a slightly different story, but the engine is easy. At 100 kmh the motor does 2100 rpm.
How does it ride compared to the GXL?
Well, the extra weight of the Chev over the 2.8 diesel hasn’t made it sloppy at the front. It’s yer typical Nissan solid ride. But overall, the truck is a harder ride than the GXL ‘Cruiser. There seems to be a lack of spring progression that gave the ‘Cruiser that “limousine feel”. However, the odd bit of bush work that I did with GXL before it was nicked proved that the IFS on the GXL could get a bit sloppy when the going got rough. But it was very comfortable nonetheless. The Nissan is a work truck and I reckon this set up that I have now is way better suited to what we want to do in the future – go back to prospecting again. With a heap of gear in the back and a 2.0 tonne van on the tow bar, the ride should be about right in the rough stuff.
The seats in the Nissan are streets ahead of those in the ‘Cruiser. I was always disappointed about those ‘Cruiser seats for such an expensive, high profile vehicle. The Nissan seats have good support and are
well cushioned. The interior fitout of the Nissan is a bit plain and dated compared to the ‘Cruiser, but that won’t be bother me too much. When I get back from a bush trip, it’s usually covered in red mud anyway! It’ll do me.
NOISE!! Did I hear you say - NOISE!! Yes, the Chev is a noisy indirect injection diesel. At tickover, it’s like standing next to 8 London Cabs!! Rattle, rattle, rattle. But all that disappears when you get some load on it and ya put yer foot down. It then becomes a ROAR. A typical V8 ROAR. It makes you feel 18 years old again. But I can’t tramp it just yet as it’s still running in. I can wait,,,,,,,,I think! The noise from the electric fuel lift pump is also a PIA. There is a distinct “booming” from the exhaust at about 70 to 80 kmh. It’s nothing you couldn’t live with, but over a long distance I think it’ll get on yer nerves. I’m planning on a bit of noise suppression when I get back from the next trip.
The brakes on the ‘Cruiser were impeccably brilliant. The brakes on the Nissan stop the car. ‘Nuff said.
Overall it drives very easily with typical solid Nissan gear change as opposed to the comparatively vague Toyota gear change. A typical solid Nissan ride as opposed to the “luxury feel” of a GXL ‘Cruiser, the Nissan is definitely more suited to offroad work. The Chev can more or less be fixed if it stops as there are no electronics on it – just a fuel stop solenoid and that’s it. No electronic engine management, no computer required to diagnose what’s wrong. Just good old fashioned “diesel mechanicking” to get it going again. I’ll be doing my own servicing – just like the old days – and prolly save about $2,000.00 per annum on servicing costs. It’s a simple truck.
A prospecting mate of
mine in the USA tells me that they tow 7,500 kg to 8,000 kg 5th wheel motor homes with these 6.5 litre Chevs over there. However they do use 4.7 diff ratios to do it! But that’s still impressive I reckon.
Resale value? I’ve heard different stories. Some people love ‘em and some people won’t touch ‘em with a disinfected rubber gloves and long pole! I don’t have a problem with either. I usually buy cars with a 10 year view in mind. As long as it’s reliable, I’ll keep it for the 10. Besides, there might be no fuel in 10 years time ;)
Only time will tell if this conversion was a good idea, but I’ve heard only one disaster story and Brunswicks did the right thing and fixed that one for free. All other stories have been good ones. I hope
mine is.
Bilbo