R34 Body Onto Gq Patrol Chassis/drivetrain With Rb26 Motor

[Sparkys]

I have had an idea buzzing around in my head for a custom build and I have some questions about feasability.

GQ Patrols have an RB30 motor (in some of them). I've seen some Patrols running an RB26 conversion for extra power which is a relatively straightforward conversion.

The Idea

I have often wondered about taking a LWB GQ Patrol chassis, shortening it by 305mm to match the wheelbase to an R34 GT-T 2 door, fitting an RB26 then modifying the R34 with a custom floor pan, matching body mounts to that of the GQ Patrol and bolting the two together. Retain the Patrol diffs, suspension, drivetrain etc and fit the R34's cooling system, engine management etc. A bit like taking the old Kingswood ute's and bolting them to a Range Rover chassis only with a Skyline/Patrol version.

I realise the project is

A. Impractical.

B. Costly

..............but most projects are

What are the pitfalls? I can think of quite a few but keen on the SAU input.

FWIW no I'm not 12 years old with big dreams and a small budget

[scotty nm35]

I dont think you will ever be able to engineer a cut and shut chassis, you had better speak to the engineer you plan to use first if you plan to road register it.

I believe they would have used the stock RB30 block, with forged internals then slapped the 26 head on it, as you need all the torque you can get to move the weight. I was planning to do my brother's patrol the same way.

[Adriano]

Can you start with a short wheelbase

[Craved]

took us 11 hours to swap an rb25det into the rb30 patrol and drive it away. drives fine and is going up hills in 3rd that used to require to drop back to 1st. rb25/30 would be even better, but that increases costs etc

as for the rest, that would be up to the engineer.

biggest hurdles i can see is wheel tubs, floor clearance to GQ handbrake setup (behind GB) and drive shaft, and the entry/exit angles if using the 34 body.

[XRATED]

easy! ha ha ha.

or do this!

http://www.rhinobuggies.com.au/

[Sparkys]

Thanks for all your ideas.

Adriano - The short wheelbase chassis is shorter than the 34 so would need lengthening. I could use the LWB chassis and lengthening the 34 body by 34 mm, but this would take away from the skyline's lines I think.

Scotty - Engineering a cut/shut chassis would be possible (as it is legal to build your own chassis if properly engineered) but it would need to be subjected to some pretty rigourous twisting tests to ensure safety.

XRATED - The Rhino buggies look cool.

Craved - I think a custom floor pan would solve the handbrake/driveshaft issues, and entry and exit angles would definitely be compromised using a skyline body, however with a body lift and some custom barwork I think it would be achievable.

What do you mean by the wheel arches presenting a problem?

[scotty nm35]

Scotty - Engineering a cut/shut chassis would be possible (as it is legal to build your own chassis if properly engineered) but it would need to be subjected to some pretty rigourous twisting tests to ensure safety.

Perhaps, it may depend where you are too.

My brother bought an ex ambulance f250 that had been professionally shortened after the rear axle (by the government), it took him over a year to get registered in Victoria, and only after hassling every engineer and Vicroads manager he could find. None of them wanted a bar of it. Chassis rails have to be one piece apparently. Ring and ask?

[zebra]

Isnt the Patrol a Seperate Chassis and the Skyline a Monocoque? Would make it kinda hard to mate the 2 together.

[Craved]

should make it easier Andrew, as you can cut the reinforced areas out without affecting the chassis strength

as to guard clearance, if you are going to run big tyres, and over alot of rough terrain the axles are going to move to some crazy angles. so unless the body lift as very noticable to may have issues with the tyres contacting the guards.

for example my r33 front guard openings are only 28 inchs wide. most 4WD's will run 33 inch tyres or similar

[nobby]

It all sounds nice but arent you worried about basics like engine oil trouble, patrol will go places an rb26 was never designed to travel across, I own both the cars you mention and I recon you would be dissapointed.

In the end you would have 2 throw away cars, unsellable.

An idea, have a search, I recently came across a bloke on a chat site, think he was in U.K. modifying rb26 single exh stainless manifold, to mate a big single to 4.2 patrol he had head semi assembled on bench inc man&turbo, like the man he's onto something.

And if I remember correcty he was going to make/mod more if anyone was interested

4.2 torque down low and buckets up top.

dont you have to update engines in cars not go backwards so what would it be patrol or skyline compliance hasells till the end of time, forget insurance.

and gq 4.2 don't run a cat std, so there's 1 problem gone.

engine mod not a whole car from scratch.

In the end you would have something you could sell,not what it cost but you'd have something special just the same.

and for a whole lot less than rb26, it would also be up and running in a 20th the time.

recon you should have a look around 4x4 chat sites to see what othes have achieved and go from there.

Heres another option save 50+% of the dollars your idea would cost, if your 32 is gtr, have a look at Nismo's lattest offering r34 6 speed conversion for 33 and 32gtrs About 11k ex japan, if I had the money!!!.

Edited April 29, 2011 by nobby

[mystery_kid]

so at the end of the day you're going to end up with a really heavy r34 ?

f**k yeah that sounds awesome

[SNOQPY]

just take the patrol shell off and put a r34 GTR shell in its place, now that would be unique. an R34 GTR 4WD.

[bLaQ.bOi]

I dont think you will ever be able to engineer a cut and shut chassis, you had better speak to the engineer you plan to use first if you plan to road register it.

I believe they would have used the stock RB30 block, with forged internals then slapped the 26 head on it, as you need all the torque you can get to move the weight. I was planning to do my brother's patrol the same way.

you can modify a cars chasis all you want. SO LONG as 40% is unmodified and original!!!!!

one of the guidelines we go by at the hotrod shop.

[scotty nm35]

You obviously don't use the Vicroads approved engineer my brother went to. He was a knob. Who do you use by the way?

[gobble_doc88]

you can modify a cars chasis all you want. SO LONG as 40% is unmodified and original!!!!!

one of the guidelines we go by at the hotrod shop.

+1 we get patrols and landcruisers which have been converted into 4 door ute's with an extended chassis. It's more a case of being done correctly, fish plates and that jazz.

[DAN00H]

love the idea - do it! but as suggested, just go the 4.2 and turbo it (look as the crazy desert patrols with massive turbos )

[Raysboostin]

i read a few yrs ago about a guy that put his commodore wagon shell on a patrol chassis running a holden 5litre. the whole thing was engineered and registered in NSW. i cant imagine using a r34 shell would make it any harder to engineer. it would be an interesting car to see. maybe to avoid cutting the chassis you could use a 4 door body???

[boiracer]

yeah ive seen a few commo's like this too.

i doubt you will get around the chassis cutting thing. the old VW Manx's were shortened. and very popular. the only way to have one of those now is if it was an original one from way back when.

you can still build/buy them, but they are a full length chassis for these reasons.

go for it tho, this could look hilarious and very different

[XRATED]

i read a few yrs ago about a guy that put his commodore wagon shell on a patrol chassis running a holden 5litre. the whole thing was engineered and registered in NSW. i cant imagine using a r34 shell would make it any harder to engineer. it would be an interesting car to see. maybe to avoid cutting the chassis you could use a 4 door body???

I know the guy that owns this.... hell of alot of work.

[Tai1or Made]

Yeah there's a guy near with a Kermit green commy wagon on a hilux chassis with a V8 of some sort.