The Best Ever Number 8 – Nissan Patrol Y60 and Y61
The Nissan Patrol first rolled out of the production line in 1951. Despite appearing late in the 4×4 market it has gained a loyal following. This SUV is available in Australia, New Zealand, Central America, South America, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the Middle East. [...]

Originally the car was a three-door design (with the “third door” being a horizontally split tailgate), and it came with a four-speed gearbox. A Fairey overdrive was available ex-works from 1973. A factory-built version with five doors arrived in 1981 due to market pressure; external coachbuilders had already found success with conversions. The gearbox was improved to a five-speed manual transmission with the option of a three-speed Chrysler Torqueflite automatic, subsequently superseded by a ZF four-speed which improved fuel economy and refinement but is generally regarded as not quite as strong as the Chrysler. It was soon after given a BorgWarner viscous coupling transfer box.

Later that evening Evangelista received a call from his new customer informing him he had found the perfect unit for this restorer. But there was a slight catch, “If you want one, you better buy two!” was what he was told. As it turns out the importer wasn’t selling the units separately.

The next morning they were on their way to Manila to check out the units. What was offered to him were two Land Cruiser 40 bodies on top of one another crammed into an aluminum trailer van. A BJ41v on top of a BJ40. The chassis were out in the yard.