Thought you might like to see the Coupe Ute my son Matt just dragged home. http://familyrodding.zxq.net/Matts%2034%20Cpe.Ute.1.html Main link to that site is below http://familyrodding.zxq.net/Index.html Enjoy Bill
Here's my 1961 EK Holden UTE, And my mate's 1951 Chev UTE, And another Chev that's gettin' around down here..... Regards Dave.....
koolkemp your welcome. I'll get some action shots up for you soon. olskl_dave that hemi looks awesome in the engine bay of your EK, looks like you have the rear tyres to handle it too!
First Ford roadster ute was 1928, last was 1938 and only available as a Standard, no Deluxe. First Ford coupe ute was 1934 and by the "true" definition they don't make them today as the bed is seperate to the cab albeit with the same body lines. I bought two A Models in '79 and foolishly later sold them but still have my '38 Standard. Here's a pic of a roadster pickup and roadster ute for comparison.
I believe Chevrolet built a roadster ute in 1927 and there's some contention about whether Ford or Chevrolet were first with the coupe ute as Chevrolet had one out in '34 too. I never let it bother me too much as I like them both. The A Model delluxe bodies shown earlier weren't a coupe ute as such. The original idea of the coupe ute was to allow passenger car comfort with pickup carrying capacity and everything forward of the doors inclusive is interchangeable with a 4 door sedan of the same year. There were additional braces in the chassis beneath driver and passengers feet in 1935 through '40 though I am unsure if they actually started using them in '35. I believe the same braces were used for open car chassis to prevent the outer rails flexing (rotating) at the door openings. There was also an option of an additional pair of semi elliptic springs in the rear to greatly increase carrying capacity. The transverse leaf was retained with this setup. I have photos of this setup in a '39 ute but will have to find them along with the others.
170 odd mph with big wheelspin, had a very strong stroker Holden in it (308 block and Ford single rail 4 spd, 9in rear.). He's since sold the engine but still has the car and intends to repower it. Edit: Just checked, 174.861mph in '09 when these were taken. Last year and this year were washed out but as mentioned, the engine was sold.
Taken at the Nostalgia Drags last year (I think) EK Holden 1940 Ford, '39 and '40 only used these odd rear guards (fenders) Better side voew of the previous '35 Roadster Ute Patinaed Mainline
Last one today, taken at Goulburn Nats '09. Rare enough now that a motor museum had to buy a hotrod and restore it to original to use in their display.
Custom FJ Ute that i have been working on for a customer here in SA I have chopped the rear of the roof but i have from there forward taken a section from the body, that is why i have had to make SWOOPing panel just behind the door, still to come on this is to shorten up the bottom of the doors and french some lake pipes into the sill panels. Aaron MS