KL60 vs. L60 ID PLATE MODEL STAMP

npca-grant · Post by **npca-grant** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 6:44 pm

Does anyone one have a PATROL that was sold in the USA that has KL60 stamped in the model number on the ID plate? It was asked awhile back as to why so many soft tops (i.e. L60s) have hard tops on them (i.e. KL60). And Im starting to belive that all PATROLS sold in the USA (and other Left Hand Drive countrys) be them soft and hard had just the "L" stamp. I have been looking into it, and have not come across one PATROL with the "KL" stamp! So, does anyone actually have a PATROL that has the "KL" stamp? I starting to belive that the only thing that mattered for shipping was the "L" stamp and the Long Wheel Base G stamp, in that a thing like the top could easly be swapped, where as the other too things would be hard to do! Here is an example of the plate. This one is from So America. It has a hard top, yet no K stamped in the model. It does have the L for left hand drive, and the G for long wheel base, but that is it. Grant

npca-grant · Post by **npca-grant** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 6:46 pm

Hmmmm did the G designate Long Wheel Base or Heavy Duty? I dont have my book handy right now? Grant

npca-pudde · Post by **npca-pudde** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 7:57 pm

60 is the standard model.....the L means left hand drive.... G60 is the long wb model...400kg G60h is long wb HD..750kg. standard model is the soft top...thats how they made em.if you ORDERED a hard top before they made YOUR vehicle..then it was stamped K.in my dealer book is an option to get the hardtop kit.most were made as soft top and then had hard top kit put on by either dealer or manufacture.

npca-fud · Post by **npca-fud** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 8:47 pm

Pudde is right about the models....thing is there was many many more....i have nothing to prove or disprove that most of these were not sold/offered in USA, even if only a few. It would seem that a few movie vans must have been bought in cali back in the day yet that is a guess. The 65 parts book I got lists a ton of models including the 60P, P for police. The SWB was sold in heavy duty here in USA as the L60H or KL60H...name plates can be decieving, for example before 65 they used 4L6000000 and this number before the model I don't believe was done after 65. I have proof that in 66 KL60's were sold as a standard model. And yes the vin number on this 66 starts with KL60....I have info on every model sold, I do believe, including military models....I'll try to get a complete list of model codes up soon....there is alot more then you might think. One thing I don't have and need is a breakdown of vin numbers and codes in the badges, if they do indeed reveal color and equiptment for each truck we need to know/have the breakdown. I am starting to get a picture of why so many L60's have hardtops....one reason is like Pudde points out here and another is like Grant said where to save the softie people put on hardtops. I wonder where all the tops came from....dealers must have been selling alot of hardtops. I think the numbers of 975 L's and 1640 KL's or there abouts are correct for models sold here in USA and I think it is correct that the KL was not offered untill late 62...I have nothing to disprove this info. One thing to remember is that the badges determine year not something like title. Recently I have a new question....my 64 has got me wondering. It is a L60 and has a hard top, the top doesn't seem to fit right, rear doors have gap at top, homemade pieces were added to top of doors and top of windshield....this appears to have been done because the top didn't fit right. What I am thinking is that there is a slight diffrence in top/door size from earlier to later models. Slight as in one inch or less....once again something I haven't had the time to prove or disprove....

npca-fud · Post by **npca-fud** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:48 am

I put up the 77 manual model varitation page....if you are intrested. i will put up the 65 parts manual list when I get the book back....mechanic has it right now, heh.

npca-missinnissin · Post by **npca-missinnissin** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 7:07 am

; the "G" is for mid ; wheel base heavy duty; ; ; john_n@hotkey.net.ausmile & go 4 ; wheel driving

npca-grant · Post by **npca-grant** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:52 pm

Ok, let me re-word this. Does anyone have a PATROL that has "KL" instead of just "L" stamped on the ID plate? I *think* Fud is answering yes, when he said: >>I have proof that in 66 KL60's were sold as a standard model. And >>yes the vin number on this 66 starts with KL60 By vin number, I assume your talking about the little ID plate? Here is a example pic of the plate Im refering to: http://groups.msn.com/NissanPatrolClubA ... hotoID=171 This example if from So America, thus it says MODELO instead of MODLE. And note, it is a hard top long wheel base. Thus one would expect it to say "KLG60" but it only says "LG60". My *THORY* is that all of the PATROLS with hard top were stamped "L" and not "KL". In that I have never seen one with the "KL" stamp! I know the parts and service manual show that they should have been stamped like that, but, has anyone seen one? I find it hard to belive that they all came here with soft tops, and folks bought the hard tops and put them on. I also find it hard to belive based on the numbers sold 975 L's and 1640 KL's and what is left around today is mostly stamped "L". Could all the PATROLS are left here today be from the 975 L's that were converted to hard tops? Because so many more KL's were should, you would think we would see more today with the KL stamp? Keep in mind, I hope you guys can prove my THEORY wrong, and by Fuds statment it may allready be. Because I have a L60 with a hard top, and I have a L60 with a soft top. I plan on restroing one, and using the other for parts. And my plan is to take the soft top and put it on my PATROL with the hard top, because it is the one I have allready started restrong. So, please prove me wrong! Grant

npca-fud · Post by **npca-fud** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 7:20 pm

Well...to be honest I have not seen one stamped KL60 with my own eyes. I have the vin number and a pic of the badges on the red 66....the vin number starts with KL60 but in the picture I can't make out much other than year 1966. I could have an awnser in a week or two but today mine is....no I have not seen a badge that says KL60. A few are listed here under USA registry and I am sure someone here must have one if they exist....If not then like I said I may have a more solid awnser in a week or two.

npca-grant · Post by **npca-grant** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 9:06 pm

>>Well...to be honest I have not seen one stamped KL60 >>with my own eyes. Ah, ok. >>I have the vin number and a pic of the badges on the >>red 66.... The one with the plow? >>the vin number starts with KL60 but in the picture >>I can't make out much other than year 1966. To be clear, when you say "vin number" what and where are you getting this number? Is it from the Vehicle Identification Plate (VIP)? Because these numbers are pre-vin numbers system. That is to say the VIP has 6 things listed on it: 1)type 2)engine capacity 3)max hp n rpm 4)wheel base 5)engine no 6)car no From those only two have the coding/numbers we are talking about. That is the TYPE and the CAR NO. Im assuming the CAR NO. has the year your referng to, along with the coding we are talking about? Or are you getting these numbers you call "vin numbers" from some other place? >>I could have an awnser in a week or two but today >>mine is....no Roger. >>I have not seen a badge that says KL60. You know, not to muddy the waters even more. But take a look at your service manual. It shows that the coding order would be "KL" but the parts manual (at least mine) shows the ordering would be "LK". >>A few are listed here under USA registry True, but I think they may have done what we all have done and just listed KL because they knew they had a hard top. I dont think they necessarly got it off the VIP. Note the top colum in the listing, it shows KL60 (hardtop) or L60 (softtop) for you to manualy fill in. Also note that some must have look at the VIP, because they went to the trouble of listing thiers as a "L" but put in the notes that it is a hard top! i.e. members bakker, patrolman, Thrasher, dinosaur, fuddskilz (you?). >>and I am sure someone here must have one if >>they exist.... Im sure too! IF! In that... think about it.. Lets assume that NISSAN was good, and that they DID stamp them KL for hard tops and L for softtops.... And we know that out of all of them sold, only 900+ were "L". Are we to assume that today, the only PATROLS left are the 900+ "L"s that someone bought a hard top for? Because all we have to date are V.I.P.s with "L" and no "KL". I find that very hard to belive. I think it is more likly that NISSAN just stamped them all "L" with regards to the top types. >>If not then like I said I may have a more solid >>awnser in a week or two. Roger, let us know what you find out! And again, I hope Im wrong! Because I dont want to restore a HARDTOP with a SOFTTOP if it wasnt orginal! Grant

npca-roc8man · Post by **npca-roc8man** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 10:01 pm

Hey Guys, I just took a look at the USA Patrol Registry and there are 10 Patrols with Vin's starting with KL. But the majority by far start with L. There is even one that starts with DL (?). Anyway, it appears there was no standard process by Nissan because I find it hard to believe most of these USA Patrols were softtops that the dealer converted into hardtops. Way too much work. It would be easier for the dealers to order hardtops instead. I just checked all three of my Hardtop Patrols and they all start with L. Just like Grant stated, I find it hard to swallow that since 2 out of 3 Patrols sold in the US were Hardtops (according to Nissan) but the ratio of Vin's don't support it so it must be an out of control process when it came to stamping Vin's. David