The Young Gun GQ Patrol

Pumped-up GQ patrol is a flying first 4x4 for young Nick Mitic.

- Matt Raudonikis

FOR MOST of us, our first 4x4 vehicle is a memorable one. Memorable to us for all the adventures and stories it brought, but in the grand scheme of things, usually not memorable to anyone else. Your first 4x4 or your first car is usually an older, more affordable offering and for those early years of motoring it was your lifeline to the greater world and all possible exploration. But the reliability of older cars means those memories aren’t always good ones.

For 20-year-old student Nick Mitic, this GQ Patrol wagon is his first 4x4 and it’s a solid base that he has built in to something more memorable than most.

“I first noticed the GQs when I was 15 years old,” recalls Nick, “and I knew then that I’d own one, one day. I always liked the look of the older boxier cars.”

Nick found himself a 1996 LWB Patrol with the unloved RD28 diesel engine but yanked that mill for a naturally aspirated ‘silver-top’ TD42 swap which he performed in his shed with helf from his father. While no powerhouse, the TD42 was still a step up from the RD engine and is well-known for its durability and ability to accept an aftermarket turbo and plenty of boost.