The frenzy around importing JDM vehicles shows no sign of abating, but it does appear that some of the hyper-inflated pricing has died down. This was inevitable as what was once was a very exclusive business opportunity for those with the necessary connections to import a vehicle from Japan has become a much more accessible past time for anyone with a few friends at the port. The Nissan Safari shown here on craigslist is a former Japanese market fire truck with average to slightly below-average cosmetics and all of its firefighting equipment still attached, listed for a bargain basement price of $4,500.

The Nissan Patrol is a sought-after overseas rig, known for being as overbuilt as the Toyota Land Cruiser but considered forbidden fruit for U.S. shoppers. The fire truck conversion was handled by a Japanese company called Morita that added the rear water pumps, hoses, and other equipment, along with painting the vehicles red and adding a gold flake logo to mark it as an official member of the Japanese fire-fighting fleet. The trucks usually also got some additional reinforcements underneath, such as upgraded axles; someone has also added all-terrain tires to this Patrol.

As you can see, the paint is in so-so condition, with the red finish peeling or burned off in many places. Like most fire trucks, mileage is said to be quite low at just 4,232 – presumably kilometers – but that hasn’t kept this Patrol for being cosmetically neglected. Now, one thing that’s interesting about JDM vehicles is they used to sell for a huge premium when they became available for export. Those days have passed, and if you talk to anyone who regularly imports JDM vehicles, you’ll quickly learn some of these vehicles sell for a pittance. Now, the seller’s asking price almost seems too cheap for him to be making any money on this Patrol, but for all we know, it got jammed into a container with a batch of other vehicles that cost a premium.

The funny thing about these old fire trucks is that – well, they’re slightly goofy looking. I can’t imagine actually driving this around town, but plenty of JDM enthusiasts do. The better idea, in my opinion? Remove the fire fighting equipment, sell it for what I presume a decent amount, and install a flatbed or a pickup bed, or figure out if there’s a camper shell that will slide in. To me, this is the best value proposition for a truck like this, because you’ll still have a four-door Nissan Patrol with low miles and a heavy-duty 4WD components underneath. How would you use it? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Henry Reining for the find.