AJs Patrol - the TRAKTA

[AJoz]

Recently I put together a thread on another forum to celebrate 10 years of ownership of our Patrol so I'll just cut and paste it into here.
Enjoy!

December 24th 1999 we traded our TD42 powered GQ Ti Patrol in for a (then) newly released 4.2 litre turbodiesel GU Patrol ST. Jade Green in colour. After 8 years and 230,000 troublefree kms getting another Patrol was an easy decision.

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/BB1.sized.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/aak.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/fras5.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/fras6.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/fras2.jpg

[AJoz]

From the dealer it had a Nissan steel winch bullbar, Milford cargo barrier, ARB roofrack, towbar and weathershields. Drove it out of the delaers yard with about 60km on the odo and on Boxing Day we headed down to Robe SA for some sand dune running in.

Trade in day. GQ infront of the GU
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/abo.sized.jpg

3 days old - running in on the beach!
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/Patrol_on_beach.jpg

About 3 months old!
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/aaq.jpg

Leading 27 vehicles on a trip to Robe ~ 2003
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/robe04.jpg

Air compressor installed
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/acw.jpg

Flexing the OME with 285/75/16s
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/abi.jpg

[AJoz]

35" Claws
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/aam.jpg

Not the first time, wont be the last.
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/gibbon3.jpg

Robe 2006
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/fons4.jpg

Flood damaged roads - back of nowhere
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/rd1.jpg

Tregalana Station
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/treg5_001.jpg

[AJoz]

Within the first 12 months we added: ARB Dual Batteries, Hella 4000 lights, ARB Compressor, Engel 39L fridge, OME Suspension, Bridgestone ATs 285/75/16, Garmin eMap GPS and a GME TX3400 UHF radio.

Flinders Ranges
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/7_G_001.jpg

Vic High Country
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/upperj.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/cobbler.jpg

Snorkel, UHF & phone antenna
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/acv.jpg

[AJoz]

Through the years it has also picked up a 9500lb electric winch and a 3" exhaust system and performance pump tune.

Causeway at Innamincka
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/causeway.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/trak.jpg

Edge of Lake Eyre
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/le3.jpg

Somewhere on the Cooper Creek
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/mitch_001.jpg

[AJoz]

Last year we decided that as it only had about 130,000kms on it we would keep it for a few more years. Having made that decision we also knew that a few upgrades would be nice. These included:
Pioneer ipod compatible head unit and speakers
4" lift with Fox shocks and adjustable everything

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/gu_susp2.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/gu_susp3.jpg

Front and rear airlockers
New ARB air compressor
Slotted DBA rotors and HD pads
4.375:1 Nissan diff gears (replacing the factory 3.9:1)
315/75/16 MTZs to compliment the new ratios (or vice-versa)

[AJoz]

So this is how it looks in its 10th year
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/trmt1.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/trmt2.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/pat2.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/pat1.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/shedshoot1.jpg

Only actual repair money spent, other than servicing and upgrades, has been a new set of belts and hoses at 100,000km. Awesome!

[AB]

Welcome to the forum mate and thanks for the pics!

Some ripper shots there too.

Feel free to ask any questions and join in the conversations too.

[YNOT]

Nice GU, and nice shed too!!!

The Pathfinder in the bottom right of this photo is a very rare SVD Pathfinder.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

Tony

[AB]

Why is it so rare Tony????

[AJoz]

A few more recent trip pics
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/IMG_6696_1.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/IMG_7476_1.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/IMG_6750_1.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/IMG_7280_1.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/IMG_6850_1.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/qld%202010/IMG_7949.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/andrew/cow1.jpg

[Maxhead]

Welcome to the forum mate, great shots. You should start selling some

[patch697]

Welcome on board mate & what an effort for an intro........... Bloody nice Rig, great pics & thanks for sharing

[Woof]

Welcome AJ, very nice Patrol you have there mate and it is great to see that you are using it.
Great photos, we like photos:cool:

[bsax]

looks damn sweet man.
whats that shade cover thing that rolls out on the passenger side?
any idea on where to get them and how much?
i saw one on a cruiser last week and looked to be of good use.

10 years old, still looking as good as new mate

[Bloggsy]

Welcome AJ and bloody nice GU, I remember seeing this on another forum somewhere some time ago now.

bsax, that would be an awning either made by ARB, Open Sky, Ironman or the likes. They generally start from around $250 and up to around $1K for a foxwing. They are a very useful addition to any fourby.

Cheers,
Darren

[bsax]

cheers mate.
oh you're knew? =S
welcome mate

[bsax]

by knew i meant new...to ajoz that is

[AJoz]

Great thread AJoz. I've seen the Trakta elsewhere too and I think even in a mag once? Anyway, very nice 'trol mate and yes, definately a nice shed!!

Thanks for the welcome guys.
Yeah, the Trakta has been in 4WDAction and Overlander mags a few times as I occasionally do freelance stories for them.

[Finly Owner]

Hi and welcome to Nissans Nut House AJ
tim

[AJoz]

When heading home from holidays in Queensland we had the right rear tyre peel its tread (delaminate) on a highway. Fortunately the tyre didnt go down as we had the 2tonne caravan hooked on the back. The tyre made a mess of the paint on the side of the car and trashed the wheelarch flare, side step and the plastic rear bumper.
As the Patrol is now 11 years old we decided that if insurance was paying to repaint one side then we would pay for the other (plus the bonnet).
Instead of putting a new plastic bumper on we paid extra and got a steel dual wheel carrier from Powerful4x4 and instead of a new alloy sidestep we went with a pair of steel chassis mounted steps from TJM (not quite a slider but much stronger than the factory ones plus they have a nice bling bling stainless steel top).

So after a month in the shop it has emerged looking pretty damn good. Bullbar looks ordinary though so might need to get that repainted nice and glossy to match!
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0780.jpg

TJM Outback sidestep
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0781.jpg

Rear bar
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0784.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0785.jpg

Shiny!
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0787.jpg

Next few days I need to fit or refit:
two wheels carriers to rear bar
mud flaps on the rear
roofrack
headlight protectors
bonnet protector
change the 33s back to 35" MTZs

[TheFlyingBadger]

very nice! better than new

[AB]

Thats come up a treat now, very shiny!!!

[patch697]

Love the work thats gone into your Rig AJ & some bloody nice pics to mate cheers.

[Woof]

Looks great AJ, I like the look of the bar the way it is mate.

[DX grunt]

Love it.

Is it gunna get bush pinstriping?

[AJoz]

315/75R16s are back on. Washed the wheels and gave the tyres a coat of tyre black to make them pretty too.
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0798.jpg

One wheel carrier is fitted. Still needs the number plate bracket and light added. Will fit the other one tonight.
Havent fully adjusted all of the anti-rattle bits yet - will get a few miles on it around town first.
Need to make a new bracket for that worklight too, now that it doesnt need to be a spacer for the spare wheel anymore.
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0800.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0793.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0788.jpg

35" tyre seems to follow the body line OK
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0792.jpg

Air tank installed and plumbed under passenger side. Uses the bolt holes from the original side steps.
Gave it a nice coat of paint while it was out.
More bling!
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0797.jpg

Now need to make up some brackets to hold mudflaps and fill this gap between bodywork and bumper.
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0789.jpg

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/DSCF0790.jpg

[AJoz]

Is it gunna get bush pinstriping?

Yep, will be re-installing those soon..... :driving2:

[Dhuck]

Welcome mate. Bloody nice rig

[AJoz]

Test run - to the beach

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l628/aj4wd/patrol/beach.jpg

[Woof]

Very nice job there Andrew, one hell of a nice Patrol you have there mate.

[patch697]

Thats why we own em & why we love em.............. Top job & thanks for the pics.