I always wondered why he didn't have sliders on the old girl, but looking at the thumbnail for the vid, there really isn't any easy way to mount a set.
Graham I absolutely love seeing Shorty. My old man had a short wheel base patrol and back in those days taking photos wasn’t a thing my family did. So seeing yours always reminds of of his. During one school holiday I must have been around 12, my Dad swapped out the old engine for a V8 Chevy motor. Yeah Dad could do almost anything. Helping my old man during those 2 weeks is one of my best memories as a kid with him. Something I had forgotten about until seeing Shorty on 4WD Action. Dads been gone for almost 10 years so remembering good times like that is important. Thanks mate.
What a magnificent story and relationship that you've formed with Shorty! Amazing experience and one that will be hard to beat! It inspires me to follow your path and make similar memories with my truck. Thanks so much for the inspiration Graham! You're a legend!
Mate i own a TD42 powered GQ SWB as well, and watching yours on tele as a kid inspired a whole generation of 4wd enthusiasts. I had the same though as a young pup, TD42, full size truck potential and strength, in half the size and twice as capable. These things are a weapon!
Your shorty is the reason i own my GQ wagon, i heard shorty and the sound of the turbo and liked it so much i brought mine, well that was 9-10 years ago's now. Thanks for all the inspiration.
Great little vid Graham and it makes you reflect on your own 4WD. My relationship with my 4x4 is early days compared to your journey but I'm already starting to understand what you're saying. I call my hilux 'truckasaurus' and it's my first 4x4. She's only 3.5yrs old and I've already given her a 2inch lift, 32inch muddies, cb, bullbar and a winch. I've had about 30 big days out with her and I've already had at least a dozen scary moments in her. I've been stuck in the middle of nowhere a few times and she's just been an absolute animal and always got me out of the shit. I feel like I owe her my life. As I said, early days for me but I'm feeling the vibe.
Awesome look into the history of Shorty. I agree with a lot of the other comments - the DMAX is cool and all, but Shorty is the real star, and we'd all love to see it out on more adventures! I totally understand how you feel about it too. My first (and current) 4wd is my 1999 Honda CR-V. It's taken me on a ton of adventures with more planned, it's never let me down, and I absolutely love it. Sometimes a car just somehow clicks perfectly with you, and when that happens, driving it becomes magic. Cheers!
Dad has a petrol 94 GQ (he's not a fan of diesels) that thing ran on the original motor upto 684k and went for another 6yrs after the odo stopped. $8000 rebuild later and she lives again. You just can't kill the GQs, I'm a Toyota girl but I do love the GQs, great cars by Nissan. Thanks for showing us why "shorty" means so much to you hun, will you bring her to the 4wd show in Perth this year? We'd love to see her in the flesh
my shorty was a 1974 gmc high sierra 4x4 (fathers truck). as a youngster we went camping in the bush every week end, loved it so much. I wouldn't change a thing.
I own the exact same swb safari in nz, yesterday I purchased the same turbo kit and I bet ya I’ll own it for the rest of my life, once you get one there’s no going back, such a great a unit and great looking. 👍🏻🤘🏻
Ohh chur bro. How much is the average swb shorty in nz. Im thinking bout geting myself a hilux soon. Got a pajero at the moment, need to get a biger car to carry more toys
Love my td42 24v shorty! Something about them just makes them awesome! Ever thought to do rock sliders and side bars to protect panels. I know in nz it's a must have
I love mine too Jayden, it's awesome. Even has the same color scheme as Grahams. Mine has a winch on the front that runs from a PTO off the gearbox - has yours got that? I've never seen it before and I'm nervous that if I ever blow my gearbox I'll lose my winch!
I have an electric winch. As far as I'm aware all the td42 boxes are the same and the ones that dont have the PTO just have a blanking plate and you just just swap everything over from yours if it did blow it.
Upgrading tie rod, drag link and control arms was the best thing I did for reliablity in my gq they are too weak for nz South Island river beds. I like how passionate you guys are for the 4bys it’s awsome!
Graham was the one that inspired me to go buy a shorty but you can’t really find a complete car know days know I’m just completely building one up td 42 she’s a absolute beast
270 batwing awning, Mount Jerry where plate is, mount plate to jerry to reduce weight up top. Know you seem to prefer swag, so no roof top tent ( for the same reason as bringing a jerry down lower). On a dream list a way to move reefer to drivers side ( as you drive on the wrong side you know ;). So you could do a reverse extension of your reefer drawer ( where it pulls out double length ). This way you could fold the passenger seat down extend the drawer over the folded down seat and create a solo swag area to sleep in when the weather truly is horrid. From on Yank that loves the channel, and while I don’t deal with the number of flies you seem to, our mosquitos are big enough to require FAA tail numbers, so sometimes inside the rig is best 😉
I’m such a sucker for square body vehicles, I’ve always had a connection with them. I know weird right, but seriously shorty is nothing less than a once in a lifetime. Don’t ever let her go! You mentioned the smell, so maybe a line-x interior with heat shield would be my upgrade, cheers!
Great episode 👏 I feel the same way. I have a 2004 silverado that has been everywhere with me. Countless hunting, fishing and off road trips with my family. It's never left me stranded . I'll probably never get rid of it.
Graham, I agree the side hatches would be nice. How about a little touch of modern w/ a back up camera installation. Would help avoid backing into a ditch again, and help with trailering. We take this technology for granted with the new rigs today. It would be a tribute to the old shorty to give her a touch of modern convenience without altering her clean old school greatness.
I use to have a 4 l 3 speed manual short wheel base patrol with flop down front windows canvas canopy . Aircon was flaps you opened on the dash. Was a beast and unstoppable. Not great for cruising top speed would've been 110 kph down a very steep hill but I loved it and have always regretted parting with her. (Swapped it for a dugout in white cliffs where I was teaching at the time.) so don't ever sell her. Retire her gracefully but hang on to her if you can afford too. Thanks for the vids they are great. Really look forward to them and especially the next ecomuse ones . Hope there sooner rather than later.
I can relate with your love of shorty as I have a 1986 ute and it is my baby. It does not look good nor is it fast but you point it in a direction and it will go non stop.
Great stuff Graham !! , as an owner of a BJ74 I understand and appreciate everything you said about “shorty” and no I would never and will never be parted from the old girl .....thumbs up mate 👍🍺😎
I remember reading about old Leethal wiring up your 24v winch years ago on the patrol4x4 forum, very knowledgeable bloke and he's probably helped thousands of 4x4 enthusiasts with his posts! Love the shorty mate I had one when I was on my p's shame I didn't keep it as they are getting rare these days and expensive. Cheers mate and all the best!
There has been a few comments on full bar work around shorty to protect her panels but otherwise Graham you have done a mint job mate, would love to see her in real life! Shes a masterpiece....
I got into 4wding from watching shorty on 4wd action from day one I fell in love with it.. fast forward to now and I am from the south west of WA and I own a two tone black n silver SWB GQ Safari 24v td42 turbo.. and am a member of the Western Patrol Club which I'd love for Graham and shorty to come to a meeting one day maybe catch up for a beer...
I have a shorty. Dumped a lot of money into it and still have more to do. Haven't had it long. Already done the Nullarbor, a trip to Queensland and a few fishing trips on the Coorong . Doing a huge trip to the NT next year.
I agree, a 270 degree awning might be a decent mod, maybe side lights off the top rack pointed towards the sides so you can light the trail beside you at night. I did this to a jeep I owned on a lark, and I was amazed at how much it seemed to open trails up at night. Not super bright/powerful ones, just decent wide angle floods mounted in line with the strike plate door seam. Rock slides is another, maybe integrate them with front wing bars. Limb slides from the bullbar to the roof rack to keep limbs from slapping the front glass on overgrown trails.
Hahaha hahaha nice story yeah I bet a y62 has a shit load of power , but il guarantee you a y62 will be no we where as reliable or tough as this td42 shorty,
Y62 on 37s that's cute and a supercharger as well? Just add a over bonnet water crossing and watch the 10000680678 hp supercharged y62 petrol shit itself when the sensor/computer's get water into them
Sliders mate. Or rock guards. Whatever you guys call them over there. They're one of the first mods we do over here in the US. My sliders have saved my sills on MANY occasion.
I think I’d start by changing the garden edging flares to some solid aftermarket ones, then build some sliders/scrub bars and put the blue bead locks back on. Other than that seems like a solid built rig 👌
You guys in Australia are lucky that you get square body 4x4's like these. Hopefully i will be able to import one of these diesel Patrols over to the states one of these days
Hi Graham!! I am from the USA and i love your videos. They are full of enthusiam and heartfelt commentaries. God bless you mate! P.S. I don't say mate here in the States, but you got me hooked on.. lol.
Thanks for inspiration. Am Namibian. I have been following your videos since last. Your are my entertainers. Am busy with my project on a 3f landcruiser series 75. I believe it will be ready before next year April
I know how you get attached to these vehicles. We have had our 80 for 27 years and could never sell it, Has taken our family camping for years across Australia. Our kids grew up with it and are now 33, 37,39 and now have their own 4WD's . The 80 has been with us longer than the kids . They all left home at 18. We still camp and 4WD with it and it also tows a caravan now.
Hello from the States! I think I would add side and back lights at the top, flood type to light up the area around the truck whether you are cooking or fixing something, etc.
with all the remote driving you do in shorty you should definitely be running a Cel-Fi go phone booster for a lot further phone coverage. takes up no room as you can mount it under your seat & place the antenna on your roof rack like I have with a GME swivel mount. that way around town you lay it down flat but as soon as you head out bush stand it up to get the highest & best range possible 👍
love the clip u do and with 4 wheel drive action every time i watch one my mouth waters . I have a 4x which has been in my possession for 9 months a Prado V6 petrol which loves the fuel on the highway so very wary as to where i go of road that i will make it back. Any how keep up the great work and Keep the shinny shinny side up.
There needs to be a special video trip. When the new dirty 30 gets finished there needs to be a nostalgia trip with the new dirty 30 and shorty. If you could drag roothy Jamie etc back that would be even better.
A good mod I've done with my 75 Series troopy is a 360degree camera system, with integrated water spray jet plumbed to each camera to blast crap off the lens when needed. Didn't go as far as putting separate controls for each jet (too hard). Also a high mount rear camera to see what's behind you.
Rear windows that open would also be my first mod to Shorty. I own an old L200 and actually right now I'm making such windows in my hardtop!! I would be happy to clean up you electric system (done several camping 4x4's and rally cars). Unfortunately I'm located in Europe... :)
As a fan from the States, I don't know if my suggestion is worth much, but I'd say stick with the 33's man. It looks perfect the way it is. And to be honest, you've taken the ol girl through the same stuff rocket does on his big 79 with 35's, and followed Shauno and his 80 and never seem to be any less capable. As far as mods go, a suggestion if I may, rock sliders. Save those panels as much as you can. We have a product here called Line X, Im sure you guys have a similar product there but I've no idea what its called, but have you considered having the bottom half Line-X'ed? Undercarriage as well. It would save the frame rails and underside of the pan from salt water, and with the ability to color dye the material, you could have Shorty's color matched and line x the sides in the color you want, and then no worries about scratches and stuff.
