GU Patrol Build Up

[Jimmu]

I have recently purchased a DX GU Patrol with a dud 3.0 engine with the intention of building into a beast.





Having been playing with my MU for the last 18 months I am looking forward to working with something with some decent flex in the front end that I can throw some 35" rubber on.

As it stands it is dead stock and in good clean condition. The busted engine has had a new turbo, fuel pump, radiator and a string of other stuff done to it in the months before it stopped and the previous owner got the shits with / could not afford to fix it.

What I am looking for is some genuine advice as to how to go about the buildup. I figured this is the place to ask as quite a few of you have done some serious work to your Nissans.

What I am fairly set on is at a minimum 35" rubber, 4"+ lift, Sliders, and Lockers of course.

What engine to drop into it? Power and reliability is more important than economy for me. A mate who does sports car engine conversions wants me to put a 2JZ into it. Reliable 300-350Hp (read more reliable than 550Hp at the wheels ) at the wheels. VH45 looks the goods and are cheap as chips, but have been told it is a hard conversion and I am not sure it will have enough go NA. A big turbo diesel would be nice too and the torque is always a bonus

What lift should I do? Is 6" to much?

I have heard conflicting stories about the diff gears in the 3.0l some say they are lower than the 4.2 others say they are not?

Budget is about 15k for the buildup of which the bars/lights/lockers/rubber will make up about 5k so I suppose 10K for the engine and suspension.

Thanks in advance

Jimmy

[rvh96]

if you want to do everything youve mentioned here 15k isnt going to go very far 6inch lift if you do it properly and want it to drive right will cost about 5.5k
forget about big hp petrol turbos such as 2jt or rb25-26 cause max torque at 6000rpm doesnt suit 3ton 4wd. cheapest way to fix engine seeing as everything exy has been replaced would be to fit a new 3l crate motor from nissan there selling them now for $5200. changing to a 4.2 td would cost far more.3l have lower diff ratio than 4.2 diesel or 4.5-4.8 petrol at 4.3-1 against 4.1 for the 4.2d and 3.9 for the petrols.fitting a chev 6.5 V8 diesel if you turbo it would cost about your whole budget .If you bought the truck for the right money you can certainly build an awesome truck out of it

[chunderlicious]

just seen a td42 replacement into a 3.0 and it cost 12 fitted and running... not very cheap. for the same a 350 could be easily put in, even getting close to a tpi fully installed (provided you can find one and its only nearly going to be that price)

5 inch springs and mod your shock mounts to fit larger better sized shocks i is reckons.

[ozy1]

if you shop around and hunt down your motor you can do it fairly cheap,

we have the rd28t, we purchased a 4.2 diesel motor which had been fitted with a turbo glide tubo kit and gearbox, we paid 3800, we purchased a td42 wiring loom, from underdash to front bar for 550, so there is evrything there we need,
so far all up we have spent 4350, all we need are oils and a few odds and ends, we hope to spend no more than 5gs on it, we have been offered 1500 for the old motor and box, so we will be back at roughly 3500,

we are in the process of removing the engine this weekend, we hope to have the td42 sitting in the engine bay on xmas day,

hunt down good quality second hand lift kits, they pop up evry now and then, i think if you do alot of the work yourself you can save heaps,

[bogged]

VH45 NA wont have enough sniff? What sort of driving are you intending on doing? salt flat racing?

Once you figure out what you intend to do with the truck, then people could offer the better advice on an engine.

Auto or manual?

3inch lift will get you 35's with room to spare. Done for under a grand, so gives you shit loads more to play with. If you want wank factor go high lift... you dont need it. most comp trucks go 4inch sus and body if needed for 36's etc

for a conversion to a 6.5 chev V8 Diesel from brunswick $23k + drive away.

$12k for a TD42 conversion seems a bit high, but that depends on what you spent on the engine to buy, condtion, klms on donk etc.

[Jimmu]

Thanks for the clarification on the diff ratios RVH96. I got it for a good price. If I have to spend another 20K on it to make it right I will not be unhappy. I see there are rebuild kits available for these engines now too:

Ebay ZD30 Rebuild Kit

But if I go down that path I still have a ZD30 and I dont think that will push 35's as well as I would like.

Sounds like you got that for a steal Ozy1.

It will be used for just general playing around in, hitting the beach for the odd weeks camping, LCMP, local tracks but sadly no salt falt racing.

I will probably run an auto.

4" lift is what I was looking at with maybe a 2" body lift if needed.

I am more interested in flex than in skyscraping.

What kits are suggested?

Ebay 4-7" Lift Kit

Looks the goods for a 4" kit. Comments on Quality?

Will I need a new steering dampner? RTC one?

As nice as those engines sound I am not going to spend 23k on an engine conversion so that is out of the question.

I am really just looking for ideas and suggestions based on you guys experience. No point reinventing the wheel so to speak.

Jimmy

[weeman]

Not sure what your wanting to do with heaps of flex.

But if you want to use in the bush i would just stick in 2-3" lift and you can run upto 36" tyres.. i have 2" ome LTR kit and fit 35's no problems.

Then with the money you save buy lockers. The diff gears in the 3L are 4.3 and hopefully you have a small rear diff.

As for your motor, buy a 4.2 and stick that in and get one with a factory turbo it with a tune will make enough power and will be relieable.

You will need to engine mounts and a gearbox, so try and find a late model gu wreck ute would be ideal and put everything and the rest you just sell.

I wouldnt bother with ebay kits and i dont you need to waste the money on a 4" lift kit a 2-3 kit flexs enough and if you want power and want it to handle for 5.5k for a good working/handling suspension kit if i was to spend that amount on suspension i would go to King Racin shocks with remote resivors canisters...

[not not]

I would also consider a injected 5.0 litre commo engine

[badger]

5.5k to do a big lift my ass

mine is done properly and would cost about 2500 in parts including the tough dog shocks wich arent cheap, all castor correction and arms

[jimsaq]

badger I think your idea of properly is different from some others is all.

If you're happy with doing a 6" lift on 2.5k worth of gear, props to ya. No need to rag on someone else's idea of properly though. To some people, caster correction plates and factory radius/trailing arms isn't doing it properly.

4 coils
4 matched shocks
drop arms
new lower trailing arms for corrected length + strength, maybe adjustable uppers as well
panhards
steering damper
brake lines
drag link, factory one probably won't do depending on model
maybe some labour

sounds around 5k *to the average punter*

[AFeral]

Vh 45 engine is a good convertion with plenty of go but you would be looking at 10-12 grand push in drive out.
Personally I would not go over 4inch lift. I've got 2inchs and have no difficulty.
The holden injected 5 litre seems to be a good convertion with adaptor avaliable of the shelf rather than custom jobs for the vh45. Which will save you money and time over the VH45.

[ludacris]

I would go for a Ford v8. I just picked one up from sump to carby $400 60thou over, near new pistons. Just needs new bearings, custom offroad race cam and a few other little extras and reassembling. Dellows kits are just over a thousand for the conversion and are the best around..

You cannot buy the 3lt motors any more from Nissan for $5200 and personally I would not even bother.

As for suspension lifts 4 inch with drop boxes, shocks, springs, Ad panhards, ext brake lines can be had for around $2000 and ride perfectly on road. With no body lift a 4 inch lift will be right for 36 simex but have to take front mud guards off but for 35 is perfect no dramas at all.

For $15 000 you will be able to do the lot with ease if you shop around.

LudaCris

[Jimmu]

Thanks again for the input guys. I am leaning towards the VH45 again.

I can get the conversion done a bit cheaper than 10k as one of my mates does it for a living. I am told Marks is doing an adapter plate up for the gearbox at the moment and will be ready in a few months. But I am thinking the auto with a few upgrades will be a better option.

I think a body lift will be neccesary to fit the VH45 into the bay with the standing intake manifold so that looks the way to go.

I will update the thread when I have some movement on it.

Jimmy

[bogged]

The VH45 in a GQ is a small engine with miles of room everywhere in a Patrol engine bay, you wont need a body lift.. mates GQ doesnt need one.

Again, as said, you can get better flex out of a good 2-3inch lift than a cheap poor 4-6inch one.

if your mate does the conversion, you should walk out for under $6k, the front cuts were $3k...

been searching for his engine bay photos but cant find em :(

[Jimmu]

The project is finally starting to gain some momentum. I settled on the VH45 V8. The option of throwing a couple of hair dryers on is still there too, but we will see how much room there is. The new engine is out of the front cut and sitting next to the truck. Hopefully it will be in next weekend.

I am going with the Infinity Auto with a stage 2 or 3 kit in it.

I am going to put a locker in the front and get the LSD tightened in the back.

This leads me to the suspension side of things.

I think a 4" suspension lift is looking the goods. Maybe some of you could build a hypothetical kit for me?

Who would you suggest I buy the parts off?

Thanks in advance.

Jimmy

[JemmyBubbles]

4" Lovells coils
matching procomp es9000's

3rds Rear Lowers, Panhards and steering arms.
Snake Racing Drop Arms.

[benhl]

4" Lovells coils
matching procomp es9000's

3rds Rear Lowers, Panhards and steering arms.
Snake Racing Drop Arms.

Price??

[JemmyBubbles]

Cant remember the guys name off here ?4wdstuff? (think he has a rangie in his avatar ?) does good prices......... Basically the Coils and shocks will be <$1k. Make sure you sort out what is going on with your vehicle when you select the coils. Winch/No Winch.. Lot of weight in the back ? etc. preventing saggy bottoms in the future.

<$1200 Shocks/Coils if you shop around.

(more if you go exxy adjustable stuff...?question? if its really worth it... procomp gear is super sexy imo:D Prior to my car being stolen my tough dog shock on my shorty were shot and I replaced them with procomp gear. I actually got my car back after *they* drove it like the stole it and low and behold the shocks are stilllll perfect.. so is the rest of the drive train and suspension goodies. The only stuff they managed to bend was the OE gear. Basically they tried to kill it and failed har har)

$300 rear lower arms
$500 panhards
$400 steering arms
$1500 snake racing drop arms.
Allowance of $250ish longer brake line (put rear up front), extend bumpstops, brake proportioning valve, ?extend sway bar links and retain coils.

Factory rubber bushes in everything that can take it as well (urethane is teh devil.)

From the perspective of a bolt on bandit thats it all done, providing you do the work yourself. Some of that gear is expensive but it is well worth the investment as the factory gear will bend anyhow. Replace now rather than later kind of attitude.

[weeman]

personally i wouldnt waste my money going the procomp stuff it wont last in your GU unless you plan on doing a twin shock setup.

I would just stick with 3" and save your money and get something decent underneath like a good set of koni's.

as this saves you doing panhards.

you can do the rear arms or just laminate them yourself or just wait till they are shagged same goes with steering arms.

[bogged]

personally i wouldnt waste my money going the procomp stuff it wont last in your GU unless you plan on doing a twin shock setup.

I would just stick with 3" and save your money and get something decent underneath like a good set of koni's.

as this saves you doing panhards.

you can do the rear arms or just laminate them yourself or just wait till they are shagged same goes with steering arms.

x eleventy...

[Jimmu]

Whats the deal with Drop Boxes?

I am a little confused about why some people use caster correction bushes, caster correction plates or drop boxes. Then some kits have the Drop arms?

Jimmy

[weeman]

Whats the deal with Drop Boxes?

I am a little confused about why some people use caster correction bushes, caster correction plates or drop boxes. Then some kits have the Drop arms?

Jimmy

castor bushes wont be enough if your contemplating doing 4" plus.

drop box or castor plates or new arms (snake 3rds many others) are your other option.

out of the 3 drop box work the best however people say you get hung up on them well, i dont think you would have an issue seeing that the majority of qld obc trucks all run.