4X4 Australia

Moab, Utah, is a labyrinth of sandstone that has been sculpted by millions of years of wind, rain and plate tectonics, making it a playground for recreationalists of all genres.

During the last half century it has become a mecca for four-wheel drive aficionados the world over – largely accredited to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers and the Easter Jeep Safari.

These groups arrive by the thousands each year for an event that has become a showcase for the who’s who of the off-road world. We joined the Jeep crew in Moab for the 2016 Easter Jeep Safari to celebrate several significant anniversaries and to have a “last drive” on one of the most notable trails in the area.

Unless you’ve been living under a slab of slickrock, you’re aware 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the seven-slot grill. Yes, the first Willys MB rolled off the assembly line on November 18, 1941. This little soldier’s entrance into World War II would not only help change the history of the world, but also how its inhabitants would re-create.

A quarter century later, a group of Jeep enthusiasts – members of the Moab Chamber of Commerce – organised a small, one-day event on the Saturday before Easter. It was the catalyst for a five-decade tradition. If one ties in the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, there was cause for real celebration this year.

The greater Moab area offers hundreds of kilometres of dirt two-tracks and white-knuckle tracks, but only a handful have gained Holy Grail status. While these are driven on a regular basis, the most famous of the elite rests on private land and has been closed to the public for more than a decade (for liability reasons). It is not the longest, nor is it the most difficult, but this long brown fin of sandstone that resembles a lion at rest is as renowned as California’s Rubicon Trail.

It is believed the first vehicle to drive the Lion’s Back did so in 1938 as part of a geological survey for the pending nuclear age. After the war, it became a Friday night party spot for Moab’s youth, and the post-war flood of surplus Willys MB provided the 4WD traction needed to traverse the precipitous sandstone with confidence.

In the 1980s, it landed centre stage when Tina Hastie experienced a brake failure on her Chevy Blazer and took a wild and frightening ride to the bottom, 105 metres below. The internet had not been created yet, but VHS tapes of Hastie’s plunge went viral.

With its newfound notoriety, the Lion’s Back became the subject of multiple television shows and documentaries. It has never been an official trail of the Safari, but it was always a favourite side-trip for participants.

With the aforementioned anniversaries at hand, a small group of Jeep executives got together with Michael Badger, the private landowner, and spun the idea of releasing the lion one last time. In the following morning’s pre-dawn light, a 75th Anniversary Edition Grand Cherokee and two-door Wrangler nosed up to its 45-plus degree sandstone tail – the third member of the fleet was a limited edition Wrangler Red Rock.

At the steering wheels were Jeep’s Tyler Ruby, Mark Allan and Jim Repp (it’s great when the guys that run the company love Jeeping as much as we do). It was the first time on the Lion’s Back for the trio and spirits were high. Ruby picked a line up the centre, slipped the Grand in gear, and led the procession on a last ascent to the summit.

The sun peeked over the La Sal Mountains as the team negotiated a multi-point turn at the top, casting brilliant hues over the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and greater Moab valley. It was a glorious moment to celebrate.

Many have asked about the future of vehicle access to Lion’s Back. What we know is that the area surrounding this iconic trail will host a beautiful resort and conference centre, and that Badger is a Jeeping enthusiast.

Jeep extended a special thanks to Badger for helping craft a unique and memorable day for both the 50th anniversary of the Easter Jeep Safari and the 75th anniversary of the seven-slot grill.

Whether you’ve been off-roading for the past 20 years or you’re just about to use your four-wheel drive’s first tank of fuel, a snatch recovery is an invaluable technique.

It’s quick, easy and requires a minimal amount of gear. But snatch recoveries have their downsides: they’re tough on vehicles, tough on gear and potentially fatal if something gives way. So they should always be taken on with a clear head and solid plan.

In this edition of 4X4 Australia, we’re running you through the technique behind a typical snatch recovery. It’s a handy guide for new players, but it can also be a useful reminder for more experienced off-roaders.

THE SNATCH RECOVERY STEP BY STEP

1. IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM Many things can cause a 4×4 to stop dead in its tracks, and the problem should determine the response. In the situation pictured on p162, forward momentum was halted by a lack of traction, with the Jeep’s road tyres simply spinning in slick mud. With a curve in the track ahead, a rear recovery is in order. A different plan would be needed if there were a step or ledge behind the tyres.

2. CHECK THE GEAR Before we can begin setting up for a recovery, it’s vital to ensure all gear is in safe working condition. A frayed or damaged snatch strap can greatly reduce its safe working load, leading to premature failure, vehicle damage and a Wrangler that’s still stuck in the mud. Pay careful attention to the stitching at either end; the ends normally fail first.

3. ATTACH THE STRAP With the snatch strap passing visual inspection, it’s time to attach it to the bogged vehicle. In a pinch, the towing pin of a receiver-style towbar can work as shown here, although a hitch receiver will offer a stronger alternative, helping prevent the pin from bending, and allowing broader recovery options in the process.

4. ROLL THE STRAP OUT With one end securely attached to the bogged 4×4, roll the strap out in the direction you intend to perform the recovery. As you roll the strap out, every effort should be made to keep it clean and dry. Mud, water, knots and twists can all severely lower the strap’s safe working load.

5. LEAVE SOME SLACK A snatch recovery works by transferring built-up energy from the free vehicle to the stranded one via the elasticised strap. For this reason, you need a run up – of sorts. Leave at least 2-3m of slack in the strap when rolling it out, to ensure you’re able to gain enough momentum before the slack is taken up. The strap should be laid in a way that won’t tangle or knot it when you pull on it.

6. CONNECT THE OTHER END With 2-3m of slack left, you’ll be able to position the free vehicle and connect it. In this instance we’re using a rated recovery hitch with a rated bow shackle. In no circumstance are tow-balls, tongues or tie-down points to be used – these are all designed for a gradual application of vehicle weight and may not withstand the shock loading of a snatch recovery potentially creating a dangerous situation.

7. FIT AN AIR BRAKE Often overlooked, an air brake is a vital piece of the puzzle for any snatch recovery. In a perfect world with perfect equipment, air brakes might not be necessary, but in reality, things often go wrong. Failed straps, recovery points or mounting bolts may result in metal objects hurtling towards a window with a couple of tonnes of energy behind them. An air brake can direct those objects to earth and absorb some of the energy in the process.

8. ENSURE PLENTY OF ROOM With the recovery equipment fitted, it’s time to ensure there is adequate room in the run-off area. If the stuck 4×4 comes out more easily than anticipated, you’ll need a fair distance for run-off. To avoid potentially twisting either vehicle’s chassis, it’s vital to perform the recovery in a direction that is as straight as possible; ideally, less than 10 degrees.

9. KEEP PEOPLE WELL CLEAR In the event of something going pear-shaped in the midst of a recovery, it’s vital to keep bystanders to a minimum. Both vehicles should have a driver, but everyone else should be off to the sides – at least 1.5 times the length of the strap away from the vehicles. There is no reason for anyone else to be closer to the vehicles.

10. COMMUNICATION In a snatch recovery, communication is vital. If you’re using hand signals, a UHF, or even shouting to each other, both parties should know exactly what’s going to happen, what to expect and when to act. A count down via UHF is often the clearest way to direct the recovery effort.

11. READY THE BOGGED VEHICLE The bogged vehicle should be in low range and the lowest gear possible to provide maximum torque and control. If heading forwards, this will be first gear, although in our situation reverse was required. A vehicle’s driveline is weakest in reverse, with potential for damaged diff gears or shattered uni or CV joints, so moderation is important. Go as fast as you need but as slow as you can.

12. READY THE FREE VEHICLE With the bogged vehicle ready to go, the driver of the free vehicle should select low-range second gear to provide torque and control but also to allow appropriate speed. Before commencing, the driver should be aware of the path they’re driving and what could happen if the vehicle kicks out sideways when slack is taken up or a strap breaks.

13. PERFORM THE RECOVERY With both drivers ready and bystanders out of the way, the signal to go should be given by the driver of the bogged vehicle. With the free vehicle accelerating to no more than 10km/h, the driver of the bogged vehicle should accelerate as soon as they feel the tug of the strap. This is to break suction in mud. Too late can lead to a failed attempt while too early can cause the bogged vehicle to be sucked deeper.

14. ASSESS FOR ANOTHER ATTEMPT If on the first attempt the vehicle isn’t freed, stop and assess the situation. The solution may be as simple as dropping tyre pressures or having a second attempt. But it could be more involved. Is there a previously unseen ledge or branch trapping the bogged vehicle? Repeated attempts at increasing speeds may free the vehicle but can also cause catastrophic damage.

15. INSPECT THE GEAR With the bogged vehicle back on solid ground and stationary, disconnect the recovery equipment and perform another visual inspection before packing it away. Torn fibres or busted stitches are a death sentence for any strap. Straps should always be thoroughly cleaned in hot soapy water after use. Engrained sand or mud can cause internal damage.

FIVE THINGS EVERYONE GETS WRONG

nIf you want more info on 4×4 recoveries check out:

How cool are these? Produced in Ford’s River Rouge factory in Michigan, USA, the GPA is basically an amphibious version of the World War II Willys MB, or Ford GPW Jeep.

It has the same engine and running gear, but with 12-volt electrics for the radio equipment (needed for wartime use). It also has a marine propeller driven through the gearbox, a power take off-driven Capstan winch on the front deck, a rudder and a very efficient bilge pump.

More than 12,700 of these vehicles were built in just eight months during 1942 to 1943. Around 150 officially arrived in Australia during the war years, of which only about 20 remain, and like many other weird and wonderful cars and 4x4s, there’s a handful of blokes who love ’em! These blokes disregard any cries about rarity and value, to regularly take on a real adventure in the remaining vehicles: cruising the Murray River. They reckon, out of the 20-odd vehicles, only 13 are known to take a short swim, let alone several long days in the water!

This small but dedicated crew has now enjoyed six similar trips, covering about 1540km of the 2226km of navigable water in Australia’s longest river. That feat has been undertaken over eight years and I was lucky enough to be invited on what may be the last trip.

Of the sections that have not been covered, most were avoided because of fluctuating water levels and hazards in shallow water. The hazards include rocks, mud, sandbars and snags, which are often the submerged remains of huge river red gum trees. These fall in to the river when flood waters cause erosion on the river banks.

At the start, our trip involved four GPAs and seven crew members. By the time we completed the trip’s first stage, two vehicles had developed engine problems and their owners had unfortunately opted out. One continually stopped because of fuel vaporisation not uncommon in World War II land Jeeps, particularly in heavy-going such as climbing steep hills in low-range on warm summer days.

This vehicle didn’t have an additional heat exchanger device fitted to it like the others did. Meanwhile, the other vehicle that dropped out had developed a valve issue – most likely a burnt exhaust valve on the number-two cylinder, or possibly it was a broken valve spring, as the compression test undertaken was not too alarming.

The GPAs were all modified in some way to improve the original Sparkman & Stephens’ design and to make them more suitable for long trips on the river. The important mods were pressurised axles to stop water entry through the hub seals, the (aforementioned) additional heat exchangers to better cool the enclosed motor and transmissions at the low river speeds, and an extra electric bilge pump to quickly remove excess water passing seals of those parts that run outside the hull (steering drag link and drive shafts).

The Murray River has a system of kilometre-marker signs nailed to trees about every 2km. The first part of our trip started at 1228 at a place called Boundary Bend and finished at 1118, Lock 15, near the town of Robinvale. That was three-and-a-half days of adventure!

After testing one engine for a possible problem, we started the next part of our journey on a short road and track of about 80km. This took us through the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, bypassing a particularly bad section of the river with low water levels.

The two remaining GPAs re-entered the river at marker 986 on Watts Bend, Colignan, and then finished near 832 at the junction of Australia’s second longest river, the Darling River, at the town of Wentworth. We’d travelled for five-and-a-half days, at a steady 8-10km/h on the river. Accommodation? Like most 4×4 owners, we mostly camped!

As mentioned, the main problems for a GPA when navigating the coffee-coloured river were hidden hazards in shallow water – mostly sandbars and mud, but also occasionally rocks and sunken logs. These hazards were particularly prevalent at the water’s edge, which made it difficult at times to find exits for morning tea, lunch or at day’s end.

We did have a number of concrete launching ramps to use at times, but in a lot of places none were available. So it was common to send one vehicle in to test the suitability of the exit. If it failed, we’d extract it then try somewhere else.

Things didn’t always go to plan and on one occasion a vehicle became so bogged – after hitting a hidden mud bar close to shore – that both remaining vehicles were left bogged on the foreshore. The second of the bogged vehicles, however, had been deliberately aimed at a tree so it could be winched out of the Murray. This allowed it to use terra firma to snatch-tow the other vehicle out of its predicament.

On other occasions, however, trees were not close enough and we had to use the second GPA as a winch anchor to recover the bogged vehicle. Plenty of improv and luck was needed, and fewer visits by Murphy and his law were always appreciated.

There’s always memorable schemozzle during a 4×4 trek – especially if the trek is ‘driving’ along a river! One of these situations occurred when one of the vehicles was travelling a little to the left of centre and hit a mud bank. Through its momentum it rolled over the bank, dropping into water not deep enough to allow it to float, but also not shallow enough to allow it to gain traction. Effectively, it was bogged in the middle of the river.

I was driving the second vehicle at the time and returned to the bogged one to attempt a recovery by tow rope. But the rope became tangled in the propeller as I manoeuvred the vehicle in the water, trying to get close enough to the stranded vehicle without also becoming bogged.

With the prop useless, I drifted downstream until I got close enough to the shore to jump overboard with another rope. I swam and clambered ashore to tie the rope to a suitable red gum stump. Then I hauled the vehicle to a point where I could get underneath it with a knifeto cut the rope jamming the propeller. Once the propeller was turning again, I was able to get the vehicle farther downstream.

From here I had one chance to get it ashore to finish removing the remaining rope from around the shaft and rudder underneath. I then returned to the water, re-engaged the propeller, and cruised upstream to the stricken GPA (it was about an hour later by now, mind you).

Fortunately, I got another rope to the bogged vehicle and we dragged it out of its now enlarged hole. Manhandling 1500kg of boat-hulled Jeep is not the same as fishing out a tinnie, believe me. A beer, or three, was definitely earned that day!

Our journey covered some remote areas away from roads and tracks, with only the river wildlife to keep us company. At other times in more accessible areas we passed fisherman and campers and amused them and their children by exiting onto sandbars.

We also cruised through some built-up areas with all the trappings of civilisation. Conveniently, these areas also had formed exit/entry points and there was even a marina at Mildura where we could stop, tie up outside a cafe and enjoy a cappuccino!

All in all, like most ‘off-road’ treks, it was an excellent experience with good blokes who have laughed about these and many other predicaments during their eight years of travel.

The Haval H9 is aimed squarely at Toyota’s Prado, but has it got what it takes to threaten the class leader?

In many ways the H9 is a take on Toyota’s Prado, which it was benchmarked against during development.

It shares the basic body dimensions and seating arrangement of the Prado 150 and, like the Prado, is built on a separate chassis with a coil-sprung live axle at the rear, double wishbone coils at the front and dual-range full-time 4×4.

Where the H9 differs from the Prado is with its engines. There’s no diesel H9 and the sole engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four cylinder.

324Nm is available all the way from 2000 to 4000rpm, which makes for nicely progressive power, good driveability and decent performance. At its peak the H9 makes 160kW.

The H9’s performance is aided by a sweet-shifting six-speed ZF automatic gearbox and reasonably short overall gearing.

Selecting low range automatically engages the rear diff lock; although, this can then be manually switched off. The rear locker can also be engaged in high range. The crawl ratio is a handy 43.6:1 thanks in part to the 2.48:1 low-range reduction.

The H9’s trump card is that it offers Prado Kakadu ($84,490+) equipment levels at prices below a base-model, five-seat, manual Prado GX.

With a little money spent on suspension it could be made to be more useful off-road and to handle better on the highway.

What the H9 lacks is a diesel engine and as such it’s hard to imagine it will get decent sales traction given the buyer preference for diesel power in this class of vehicle.

The 2017 Chevrolet Colorado has been revealed in Brazil, providing an insight into the direction of the 2017 Holden Colorado.

The new Colorado’s public debut follows the revelation of the GM-Australia-built Colorado Xtreme and Trailblazer Premier concepts at the 2016 Bangkok International Motor Show.

The redesigned Colorado, which has taken inspiration from the concepts, boasts a significant redesign of the bonnet, grille and headlights.

The style lines on the new Colorado are more angular and purposeful than ever, while the sporty front fascia, the extended slim-line grille, and the muscular bonnet reflect its serious off-road nous.

New slim LED daytime running lamps top off the aesthetic package.

Holden’s Executive Director of Sales, Peter Keley, said in a statement: “The Chevrolet concept revealed by our Brazilian colleagues is the result of ongoing work between Holden and Chevrolet Brazil and a clear indication of where the Holden Colorado is heading.”

Interior elements include a redesigned centre console featuring an eight-inch colour touchscreen, which houses the latest MyLink infotainment system (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).

A wide range of Holden accessories recently showcased with the Bangkok concepts – Holden-designed bullbar, ‘Safari’ bar, snorkel, sports bar, roof basket with LED lightbar, sidesteps, rear-step tow bar and wheel arch flares – will be available.

Holden’s Vehicle Development Manager, Jeremy Tassone, said the 2017 Colorado was developed to ensure it would meet the needs of a range of customers in different markets.

“Australian customers demand quality from their vehicle for different purposes depending on the market,” Mr Tassone said. “We’ve worked hard to make sure we have engineered greater refinement without losing any of Colorado’s tough characteristics, off-road capability and impressive towing capacity.”

The new Colorado will be on sale locally in August/September this year.

Cooper Tires’ latest offering, the STT Pro, has been designed from the ground up over a 10-year period of consistent testing in Australia’s harsh outback.

It began in 2007 when Cooper’s product manager John Pecoraro came to Australia from the US to see first-hand what it was that made Australia such a tough place for tyres.

He committed the company to developing a tyre that would outlast the tyres of its competitors. After a decade and more than one million kilometres of testing, the result is a product that will set the standard for new-tyre development in Australia.

So, with a fair bit of travelling to do in some of Australia’s toughest environments, we thought it appropriate to give Cooper’s New Discoverer STT Pro a run. The first thing we noticed was the tyre hasn’t had a makeover, but a complete redesign over the old STT.

Features that have made it a clear winner for the serious off-roader include new mud-release dimples and mud scoops. Simply put, these are small grooves on the leading edge of the outer lugs designed to prevent mud from sticking between the tread blocks.

Also new to the tyre is a flex groove, generating a point in the tyre, which allows more flexibility and dampens the impact of inconsistent terrain. In other words, your tyre will conform better to the terrain beneath it, without compromising its integrity.

The STT Pro’s rubber compound is formulated with a ‘chemically’ – rather than ‘mechanically’ – infused silica, further improving wet traction, stopping distance and fuel economy. The compound has also been infused with cut and chip additives that reduce chipping often associated with inferior brands.

Traditionally, the Achilles heel of any ‘luggy’ tyre has been its propensity to chip on sharp, rocky surfaces. Now, if there is any place that will test the new STT Pro’s chip resistance, it’s the Flinders Ranges and, more specifically, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary’s Ridgetop Track.

The tyres ate it up. The Ridgetop Track is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular and challenging 4WD tracks in the Flinders Ranges, if not Australia.

The sure-footed nature of the new chip-resistant tyre design saw little damage to the rubber. With it came superior grip; minimising tyre spin to almost zero while offering unbelievable traction.

The next outing for the tyres was along the Queensland coast. With tyre pressures at about 20psi, a 60km beach run was made easy; the tyres handled the dry sand substantially better than their predecessors, and the side biters, or the lugs around the sidewall of the tyre, assisted greatly in traction. Essentially, they have more surface area, which means they have more grip.

The final workout for the tyres occurred at the Vic High Country, following in the footsteps of the 2015 4X4 Of The Year contenders. To add to it, we towed a camper trailer ensuring that our combined weight would have topped four tonnes.

The tracks were chosen to test the 4WD systems of the contenders, and it sure made for an interesting couple of days. Nevertheless, the tyres performed exceptionally well and, with the new design and chemical compounds used in the STT Pro, we would say Cooper Tires has come up with a winner.

With more than 10,000km on the tyres now, tread is down from its original 16mm to less than 14mm, with no evidence of chipping or tearing of the carcass. Golly, they’re good. I love you, Mr Cooper, whoever you are.

RATED

Available from: www.coopertires.com.au RRP: 305/70 R16 – $468. We say: Great all-rounders up to any challenge.

ISUZU in the UK has teamed with Arctic Trucks of Iceland to create the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35, a factory-sold-and-backed ute riding on 35-inch off-road rubber.

Notable hardware enhancements include the addition of Fox shocks and 17×10-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch Nokian Rotiiva All-Terrain tyres. This combination not only gives the AT35 a flat and planted stance, but it lifts ride height by 125mm over the standard 4×4 D-Max.

A host of optional extras can be acquired to jazz up your rig, including the Arctic Trucks Truxedo (increased security in the tray), Arctic Trucks Sports Bar, a 27-LED square work light, skid plates and an ARB tyre inflator with inline gauge.

The AT35 retains the D-Max’s chassis, engine and transmissions. While its towing (3500kg) and payload (1000kg) capacities will also remain the same.

UK-spec D-Maxes run a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel that delivers 120kW and 400Nm, and this remains unchanged. This is mated to Isuzu’s six-speed manual or five-speed auto (double-cab only) transmissions. Its two-, four- and low-ratio four-wheel drive modes make sure the AT35 can crawl over the trickiest topography.

It will be available in double-cab or extended-cab configurations.

Despite developing and manufacturing off-road capable rigs for more than 25 years, the AT35 is the first Arctic Truck pick-up in the UK that can be ordered directly through the dealer network.

It’s expected to hit UK showrooms by late May this year. However, don’t get your hopes up for a local launch. Isuzu Ute Australia has no immediate plans to release the AT35.

Pricing:

Extended-cab (six-speed manual): £30,995

Double-cab (six-speed manual): £33,495

Double-cab (five-speed auto): £34,495

At the same meeting where Nissan announced the axing of the Y61 (GU) Patrol, Nissan Australia CEO Richard Emery said the newer and very different Y62 model is selling like hotcakes. As of March, the Y62 Patrol is outselling the old Y61 model but is being limited by supply issues.

“By being honest with ourselves and our dealers with where that car [Y62 Patrol] was and what it was capable of, we repositioned and respecified that car, and really priced and specced it at what the market expectation was,” said Emery of the current model. “And surprise, surprise, people started buying it in droves to the point now where we can’t build enough of them. It’s still in small volumes, because it is a big, petrol in a diesel market, so it’s not as if it’s running away selling 200 cars a month.”

Emery went on to confirm there are presently no plans to introduce a diesel engine variant to the Y62 Patrol range. That range continues with just the $69,990 Patrol Ti and the $86,990 Patrol Ti-L.

Opposed to the traditional old Patrol that had live axles front and rear, a ladder frame chassis and choices of petrol and diesel engines throughout its 19-year history, the high-tech Y62 uses independent suspension front and rear and is powered exclusively by a stonking 5.6-litre petrol V8 engine that makes 298kW and 560Nm. It also utilises some clever technology, such as the Hydraulic Body Motion Control system (HBMC) that stiffens the shock absorbers up at speed for on-road dynamics and loosens them off-road to improve wheel travel. About the most high-tech part of a GU Patrol was its wireless.

The Y62 is coming up to seven years old and we don’t expect it to live as long as its predecessor, given the relatively fast model turnaround we see now. We can only live in hope that the next generation is engineered with Australia in mind (not just the US and Middle East) and will include a diesel engine and, heaven forbid, a ute!

As we predicted back in May 2015, Nissan has cut the GU Patrol (Y61) from its line-up before tighter emission regulations come into play at the end of 2016.

At the launch of the NP300 Navara in 2015, Nissan Australia CEO Richard Emery told us: “To continue with it [Y61] beyond 2016 would mean meeting EU5 emissions, and that would require considerable investment,” he said. “It would really be for us [Australia] only, so it’s a very limited market.”

At a press gathering held in Melbourne (April, 2016) Emery confirmed the action, saying: “We’ll be withdrawing the Y61 Patrol from the marketplace, both in wagon and cab-chassis version, at the end of this year. We probably will be selling the last of our Y61 Patrols late in the calendar year.

“It’s probably not a surprise because it [the Y61] has been hanging on by its fingernails for quite a few years, and we just made the decision now to make that call. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to keep selling Y61 because it is such an iconic product for us and it has such a loyal base of owners, but you’ve got to know when to retire, and I think that time has come for that car specifically.”

Speaking of the possibility of re-engineering the GU Patrol for future production, Emery said: “There are a number of things that we would need to consider with that car continuing on in terms of regulatory and other market acceptable specifications. They’re just not available to us, or if they are available to us, the cost impediment versus the volume opportunity and the profit opportunity is such that probably its time has come.”

The GU Patrol has been on sale in Australia for 19 years, during which time it has gone through several ‘Series’ updates and six different powertrains. Its demise leaves us with no live-axle 4×4 Nissan offering and leaves Nissan with no seven-seat, diesel 4×4 wagon, and no heavy duty cab-chassis offering. The Patrol cab-chassis was still popular with fleet buyers, but its numbers were dwindling.

The Patrol nameplate lives on in the larger, petrol-fuelled, wagon-only Y62 Patrol, which gained a new lease of life following a re-alignment in the product range and a price cut late last year. As of March, 2016, the Y62 Patrol, which starts at $69,990, is outselling the old Y61 model but is being limited by supply issues.

There are currently no plans for a diesel engine to go into the Y62 or Y62 cab-chassis.

Every year at about the same time – the school holidays after Christmas – I give Milo an annual check-up.

In the past few years most of the mechanical servicing has been done by Wayne, Aaron, Pete and the lads at Roo Systems workshop. Before that there were a few years where RV and the lads at ARB Queensland handled the bulk of it. They’ve all done a sterling job. But as good as they are and tough as the old girl is, I need to make sure of everything for myself. After all, they’re not there on the track when things break, are they? Well, not always…

Anyway, I built her, I’ve pounded the crap out of her, and at the end of the day I’m responsible. So far the old girl’s always made it home under her own power (‘touch wood’) – wire, tape, ratchet straps and zip ties notwithstanding.

That’s not bad, given there’s more than a million kilometres showing on the four busted speedos on the shelf. She’s been hammered up most of the worst tracks in the country, not to keep up with new and well-modified trucks, but to lead the way. That’s always been my chosen place, not just because I’m the mug choosing the short cuts, but also because everybody else has air conditioning and all that dust-proofing stuff, like window rubbers and things.

Now I was just about ready to retire her after the LowRange series because the cumulative damage of thirty plus years of hard work was starting to cause some major metal fatigue. You can see from the shot taken on a corner of a back track in the Flinders (main pic) that there was so much movement up front that the old girl shed a headlight and one of the driving lights too! She’s definitely seen better days.

Forty Series Tojos have a big hinge as the mount for the front headlight panel and that panel offers the frontal support for the two mudguards as well. While the ‘guards are also mounted to the chassis, it’s done in such a manner that there’s room for flex. This is one of the reasons these old girls are almost indestructible – they are built to move around. You can get almost 60mm of movement diagonally across the riveted chassis for starters, so mount anything too firmly and it’s guaranteed to break.

But Milo’s front panel has been cut and patched several times and after a minor prang in the Kimberley it was pretty much out of shape too. Despite a few new nuts, bolts and ‘temporary’ repairs, it wasn’t doing its job.

Meanwhile, the original doors have led a merry life. The left one has a habit of ‘springing’ open when passengers touch the handle thanks to its leaning against a tree a decade ago in Tasmania. It stopped the old truck rolling but not without cost! My door has been shaken so much the handle dropped off last year.

Doors tend to be sacrificial rust pits in old trucks where the constant flexing weakens the metal and allows plenty of dust and water to settle in the inner crevices. Yes, I have bogged them up a few times now – it’s amazing what you can do with fibreglass reinforced filler; maybe it isn’t a surprise the Septone factory is right here on the Mudflats!

The bonnet has had a rough ride keeping a lid on things, too. In fact this bonnet is so stuffed its next life will see it mounted over a fire place or something.

But a few little things like this aren’t enough to kill a tough old bird like Milo, so my sons and I spent our Christmas holidays tarting her up with a few new/old bits. It’s become a tradition I guess, because I’ve got photos of the lads at age four and six, helping me wire-brush down the body ahead of another repaint and another year of hard tracks.

There’s more to it than damage control, though. I like to chuck a few improvements in – I get plenty of time to dream up crazy solutions on those long outback tracks – and this time that means a whole new way of attacking that potentially weak front panel. Will it work? Well, if it doesn’t, I guess I’ll be wiring her back together somewhere on the side of another track… Stay tuned!