SWB Patrol ok for a family?

[mike_nofx]

Im looking to upsize the sierra to something a little bigger, and im starting to look at the SWB Patrol. My main reason is that i need to be able to fit a baby seat in the back.

I don't need a full sized wagon as i already have a 100 series (which is set up more as a family car, and tourer than off road beast).

So the SWB will replace the Sierra as the off-road weapon.

I just need to know wether a baby seat can be mounted in the back, is there enough room, and is there anchor points?

Im looking towards the cheaper end of the market <$5000 and the 4.2 petrol seems like the most common. Is this engine ok?

Anything else anyone can add will be appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

[300WinMag]

I have a baby seat in mine, I fitted my own anchore point. There is plenty of room and we have done some long trips in it.
The TB42 is a strong motor as it has the same bottom end as the diesel, they go really well turboed on gas.

[mhgill]

Baby seats in a 2 door suck, but if you can put up with that a SWB patrol may do the job you need, although storage space is still limited.

The bottom end's are stong but the alloy heads crack, warp and go soft. espcially on LPG as it increases the combustion temps and basically melts the head. The heads arn't cheap either. Some TB42's have 6 water inlets drilled into the head and run 6 small hoses from the radiator to help cure this problem.

[THICKNICK]

cant comment on the SWB as never owned one, but must say after owning 3 tb42s probably will never get another one, due to head problems unless in very good condition and low kms. still a good motor if you get a good one.

[mud_runner_GQ]

i ran a baby seat in my swb, used to put my boy in through the sliding windows as i had aftermarket bucket seats.

[mike_nofx]

Ok well that sounds good!

Another thing, are most parts inter-changable between the SWB and LWB?
Such as suspension, diffs, any panels??

Thanks
Mike

[300WinMag]

YES, YES AND YES.

[bogged]

I would suggest taking your missus, find a shorty with the mods you wish to fit, and trying to put something in the back seat same size as a baby... It isnt anywhere near as easy as it sounds. Mate had shorty, she fired out kid, within mths he had a Lwb as his missus spat it. His was stock on 31's.

[BeNoS]

far as i know the only real differences between swb and lwb is sliding rear windows and rear tailshaft. mostly the rest of the stuff is the same. and also i have raised the back rest of the seat up ever so slightly in my swb and can get an 80l weaco in there with a few other bits and pieces for those days in the bush.

[mike_nofx]

I would suggest taking your missus, find a shorty with the mods you wish to fit, and trying to put something in the back seat same size as a baby... It isnt anywhere near as easy as it sounds. Mate had shorty, she fired out kid, within mths he had a Lwb as his missus spat it. His was stock on 31's.

It will be rarely used as the family vehicle, maybe once a month.... Most of the time it will be just me. For everyday stuff We go everywhere in the 100, Including simple off-road trips, and camping trips.

But there are some places i dont like to take the 100 (mostly because it wouldnt make it without its fair share of recoveries)

It will be set up as a 90% off-road - 10% road, and i think the SWB is a better starting point than the LWB. I think having the shorter wheelbase will give it more of an edge off-road. Currently owning a Sierra (locked on 33's) i've noticed its wheelbase (or lack of) gets me through many things my mates scrub out on. The way i see it is 2" lift will be as good as 3+" on a LWB

So my plan will be to modify it to be as good, or at least very close. I know it wont be easy, but i wouldnt be in any rush. I'll take it out as i buy it, and upgrade its shortfalls as i go.

So as long as the SWB can fit 2 adults, a baby, and camping gear it should be sweet. we usually only go for about 2-3 nights, not round aus trips or anything. (the baby seat is still rear facing at the moment, which takes up more room, but very soon it will be converted to forward facing)

Thanks for all the replies
Mike

[macneil]

i have a LWB myself but if it was for offroad purposes only i would get a shorty.. you can always get a roof rack for it to store things if you can fit it into the back..

OR...

You could remove the rear seat entirely and get some mounts fabbed up to hold the baby seat to one side or the middle and cage around the seat (so objects cannot fly round hitting the baby)

might i suggest a roll bar aswell.. doesnt have to be a full cage just protection..

[Jake GQ..]

me and my mate have both got GQs mine a wagon and his a shorty i would defently not buy a shorty after driving his. your choois

[mikmav]

I had a shorty with a baby seat, it was fine for day trips etc.
However I wouldn't want to put a young baby in thats still facing backwards, it'd be pretty awkward to do.

The space in a shorty for camping gear isn't great if you have the back seat down, only about 1 - 2 feet.. You'd probably want a roof basket unless you travel pretty light.

[grinch2]

ive got a lwb wagon and it goes most places, with std diffs, with a front locker it would go just about anywhere. they are a bit more of a challenge in tight spaces but nothing you cant deal with. unless you plan on taking a trailer i cant see you fitting all the camping gear for a family in a swb its bad enough in a lwb, i ended up buying a trailer.

[mike_nofx]

I might start to look at a few LWB's too if i find the space to be too restrictive in the shorty.

Thanks for the advice

me and my mate have both got GQs mine a wagon and his a shorty i would defently not buy a shorty after driving his. your choois

For what reasons exactly?

Mike

[tim75b]

also if you buy a safari the back seat is further forwards with a car seat in the back it will contact the front seat unless your passanger doesnt mind being pushed up against the windscreen and a capsual wont fit through the gap between the door and the b pillar

[chubbs83]

I got a MQ Shortie SD33
with a baby in a front facing seat 13 month old girl and a 3yr old boy on a booster seat
we still have plenty of room for gear around 2 foot from back door to back of seat, and around a foot and a half between the front of the back seat and the back of the front seats.
The wife puts the baby in she don't complain too much only when the girl is a sleep she finds it hard to get her out with out waking her and the boy goes through the side window. (he loves it)
mine has 2 inch lifted springs and 2 1/2 body with extended shackles on 33's
she still manages to put the girl in the back.
but on long black top roads we take they vy commodore.
there is plenty of room for us to go away camping for a long weekend (3 nights)
Hope this helps
Peter