4x4_AU_2016_08_

THE EARLY YEARS

THE Nissan Patrol has a long and proud history, with production

of the first generation of this legendary off-roader kicking off in

1951, the same year Toyota began producing the Land Cruiser.

Called the 4W Series, these early Nissan off-roaders (4W60)

looked very similar to a Willys Jeep and were only sold in Japan.

This model was updated in 1955 with the introduction of the

4W61, but it wasn’t until the release of the 4W65/4W66 variants in

1958 that the vehicle first wore Patrol badges on its bonnet.

A year later, the 3956cc Nissan P engine was introduced. This

donk would eventually power the 4W’s successor, the 60 Series,

which would be the first Patrol officially sold in Australia.

1951 1960

60 SERIES

NISSAN began exporting the Patrol in the early 1960s.

The first model to make it down under was the 60 Series,

which was powered by the aforementioned 4.0-litre six-

cylinder P engine.

With a separate chassis and relatively basic leaf-spring

suspension, the 60 Series was sold in Australia in a number of

variants, including the short-wheelbase soft-top 60, the K60

hardtop, and the long-wheelbase G60 in wagon and pick-up

body styles. Early examples of the 60 had a three-speed

manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case; a four-

speed manual was eventually introduced.

In 2012, Nissan celebrated the 50th anniversary of what

it claimed to be the first vehicular crossing of the Simpson

Desert. The vehicle used in that 1962 crossing was a G60

Patrol, and it was piloted by famous geologist and founder of

South Australia’s Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Reg Sprigg.

Sprigg was accompanied on the journey by his wife Griselda

and their children Doug and Marge.

The 60 Series Patrol would see active duty for an impressive

20 years, and over that time it changed little, other than minor

updates to some body components and the

engine. By the time it was replaced by the

MQ Patrol in September 1980, the 60

had certainly reached its use-by date.

GEN 2:

60 SERIES

The first Patrol s

in Australia and

the beginning of

legendary statu

thanks to a G60

the Simpson De

1962 – the first

to do so.

EN 1:

W SERIES

ring the Patrol’s

rst decade it built a

reputation as a tough,

reliable 4x4 that

could take on some

of the world’s most

inhospitable places.

MODELS

4W60, 4W61, 4W65/4W66,

4W70/4W72/4W73

MODELS

G60 & Nissan Patrol 60,

H60, KG60/KGL60, Jonga

GGG

DDu

fifirr

PATROL

HISTORY

THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND FIRST OZ PATROL

SSS

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G60 Patrol became the fi rst

vehicle to cross the Simpson

Desert in 1962.

82 http://www.4X4australia.com.au

HISTORY NISSAN PATROL