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MOTHER’S DAY

Mum’s the word on this capable combo

WORDS BY BRENDAN SEYMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK ALLEN

DEFINITION OF ‘STYLE’
Main entry: style
Pronunciation: 'st-i-l’
Function: noun
1. A distinctive manner of expression
2. A distinctive manner or custom of behaving or conducting oneself
4. A particular manner or technique by which something is done, created or performed
5. MUM-54B

Style’s an interesting thing. You see, it’s not just about looking good - it’s about being able to take on anything that comes your way with a minimum of fuss while looking good!
It’s an appropriate description of this 4WD and its owner, Wendy Eadon. Wendy’s the club secretary for the Nissan Patrol Club of NSW, and her husband Russ is in charge of the club recovery shop. Both are active participants in some of eastern Australia’s premier 4WD competitions, having witnessed the conception of both the Nissan Trials and TLCC Willowglen Challenge. Russ has a few Trials and Challenge notches on his belt, while Wendy prefers (wisely) to stand on the other side of the bunting, doing anything and everything that needs doing to keep the competitions running.

Wendy and Russ also conduct driver training for the Nissan Patrol club, so they have the experience and knowledge to tackle most 4WDing situations with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of style. Wendy and Russ’s first 4WD was an FJ55 LandCruiser. It was a fantastic truck, says Wendy. It went everywhere they poked it at and kept up with all the newer trucks. But two rollovers eventually spelled the end for the ‘Cruiser. Wendy’s not too specific about who was piloting the truck while it rolled - perhaps to protect the guilty?
After the first roll, it copped a chassis-up rebuild. However, the second time it got put on its roof, the prospect of such a rebuild again, coupled with the fact that it was almost a full-time job taking care of all the rust in the old thing, meant that it was time to start searching for a newer vehicle. Around this time, Wendy’s home number was used as the main point of contact for the Nissan Patrol club, and the home fax machine was frequently filling up with ads and articles for the club’s magazine. One day a for-sale ad came through for a 3L GQ Patrol LWB.

It was largely unmodified but came with a few notable extras, such as twin fuel tanks and some barwork. Wendy says she was "like a women possessed until Russ took me to see it". She ended up convincing dearest hubby that this was the one, so they took it home and went to work almost straight away modifying it. Wendy must just about be the easiest person in the world to buy presents for, because since taking ownership of the GQ, all her birthday and Christmas presents have been accessories for the fourby! Chrissy 2000, she scored a set of Hella Rally 2000 spotties and Mother’s Day 2001 found a shovel and hi-lift jack holder installed on the roof-rack.

The MUM-54B numberplates were a Christmas present in 2002, her birthday present in 2003 was a new Engel fridge, the 5L heart transplant was ready in time for her birthday in 2004 and the 35in tyres went on for 2005’s birthday. It sounds like a one-track mind, though Wendy’s quick to offer that she enjoys shiny gold things, flowers and dinner out on occasions, too! As you can see, the GQ has evolved over a number of years to where it’s almost set up the way Wendy wants. On the wish list (there’s always a wish list!) is a locker for the front diff and an upgraded stereo system. Apart from that, it suits Wendy to a T, and she’s happy to just get out and use it as much as possible. Wendy wanted to thank Nick and the boys at Mannell Motors for the engine transplant, Matwel’s Automotive Repairs Blacktown for diagnosing and fixing the transmission problem, and Russ for keeping things going.

DRIVETRAIN AND SUSPENSION
When Wendy and Russ first picked up the Patrol, it was fitted with an RB30 3L petrol engine - the same used in the Nissan Skylines of the era. In Wendy’s words, "The 3L worked hard on the road pushing around the 33s, but it did beautifully off-road, so we tolerated its on-road shortcomings". After a couple of years of solid off-road work, the number of little things that needed looking at started to grow. They considered replacing the truck with a newer vehicle but didn’t fancy the prospect of starting completely over again, so after some consideration it was decided to do a V8 conversion. A 5L V8 out of a VS Commodore was purchased from Smithfield Auto Wreckers in June 2004 and dropped off, along with the truck, to Mannell Motors. Five weeks later, it was ready to be picked up, just in time for Wendy’s birthday. A new mild-steel 2.5in exhaust system was added to allow the thirsty 5L to breathe better and also to take full advantage of that awesome V8 burble.

A Safari snorkel was installed to give the 5L a fighting chance of getting enough fresh air to keep it satisfied. A Turbo 700 box was mated to the V8, but after 12 months of the transmission thumping into gear, it finally gave in. It turned out that the gearbox computer was getting confused by all the unused wires not sending the right signals around. The solution was to drop a strengthened hydraulic box in to replace the electronic one, and there hasn’t been an issue with the box since. The rest of the drivetrain is on the whole unmodified, with an open diff at the front and an LSD at the back providing the best traction they can muster. Diff locks are on the cards but aren’t a necessity at the moment given the GQ’s awesome ability from stock.

When the vehicle was first purchased, along with a set of 33in tyres, a 2in lift was installed. This worked well with the RB30, but once the 5L was installed, it was apparent that it wouldn’t be enough. Under articulation, it was found that the front diff was fouling on the sump guard, so in went a set of 5in-raised coil springs. Some 2in body blocks were employed at both ends of the vehicle to ensure that there was enough room to run larger tyres. Coil spacers were used at the rear to stop the springs from sagging slightly. To counteract this increase in ride height, Snake Racing Rock Rod steering arms were installed, as well as a Tough Dog return-to-centre steering damper. Hubby Russ and son Trev installed all the suspension gear.

EXTERIOR GEAR
The GQ certainly is an imposing figure thanks to its substantial ride height and all the added extras. Adding to the raised appearance is a full-length steel roof-rack, complete with conduit pipe for carrying tent poles and attachments for a long-handled shovel, hi-lift jack and rear work light. An ARB steel non-winch bar takes care of frontal protection and also houses a pair of spot driving lights. The bar provides a ‘mounting point’ for an axe head, ready to be called into wood-splitting action at a moment’s notice.Underneath the doorsills resides a pair of Col’s Supersteps. Mounted at three points on the chassis and sitting on a 60û angle, they work well as both side steps and sliders that can support the vehicle on a lean. After fitting the 35in rubber, the stock spare-wheel carrier on the rear door fouled when holding the spare, so a TJM steel rear bar with rear wheel carrier was installed.

The GQ runs on 35x12.5x15in BFGoodrich All Terrain K/Os, which are wrapped around white steel Sunraysia rims measuring in at 15x8in. Wendy lists body modifications as being done by "rocks and trees". It’s good to see she doesn’t hide the truth!
Wendy reckons that she and Russ have "gone soft", because no longer is a tent the main accommodation option. A Jayco Hawk off-road camper gets dragged behind the Patrol on trips away, allowing for all the comforts of home, including a TV and DVD player.
It attaches to the Patrol with an off-road-style coupling, increasing the places that the camper can be taken. I don’t reckon that’s going ‘soft’, but more ‘doing it in style’!

INTERIOR GEAR
Wendy and Russ have had the Patrol for the better part of five years now, so there’s been plenty of time to sort out the interior and get it set up the way they wanted. Up front in the cockpit, a custom roof pod houses a Uniden UHF radio and a Uniden AM radio. For spotters, two 1W handheld Uniden UHFs help maintain communications back into the cabin. And should Wendy choose to drown out the sweet hum of the 5L, down in the dash a Pioneer CD/MP3 head unit has been used to replace the original cassette player and radio. Up back is where a roller-drawer system designed by Wendy to suit her needs, and built and fitted by Russ, resides. It’s a triple-drawer system, with two full-length drawers making up the base and a half-length drawer the same height as the 40L Engel it sits opposite to on top.

Also in the rear of the vehicle is a 20L water bottle plumbed through a small water pump to a 12V tap mounted to the side window frame. Another accessory that proves invaluable every time Wendy’s out bush for more than a day is the Twine hot-water exchange shower that lives under the bonnet. There’s nothing quite like having a hot shower after a dusty day’s wheeling! Not technically an interior accessory but not an exterior one either is the modified fuel sub-tank. Originally providing an extra 150L of fuel storage over the stock 90L tank, after the engine conversion and new exhaust, it was refabricated to improve clearances. As such, 30L of fuel-carrying capacity were lost, but still being able to carry 210L provides a good range between fuel stops.

BRIEFLY…
VEHICLE: 1990 Nissan GQ Patrol
ENGINE: 5L Commodore V8
GEARBOX: Turbo 700 automatic
4WD ACTIVATION: Part-time, manual-locking hubs
SUSPENSION: Front - beam axle, 5in-raised coil springs, 2in body blocks, 45mm Tough Dog adjustable shocks
Rear - beam axle, 5in-raised coil springs, 2in body blocks, 20mm spring packers, 45mm Tough Dog adjustable shocks
BRAKES: F&R solid-disc brakes, Bendix brake pads
WHEELS: BFGoodrich All Terrain K/0 35x12.5x15in
TYRES: 15x8in white Sunraysia steel wheels