Jon Haigwood Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 (edited) Ute (vehicle) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A ute – originally an abbreviation for "utility" or "coupé utility" – is a term used in Australia and New Zealand to describe trayback vehicles, that can be driven with a regular driver's license. Traditionally this meant (usually two-wheel-drive) passenger-car based vehicles with a cargo tray in the rear integrated with the passenger body; as opposed to a pickup truck whose cargo tray is not integrated with the passenger body. Present-day usage of the term "ute" in Australia and New Zealand has however expanded to include all regular pick-ups. Both the Australian and New Zealand national automobile associations call for instance Toyota Hiluxes or Nissan Navaras utes,[2][3] and major news outlets also report news using the definition frequently that way. [4][5][6] The Australian automotive press also uses 'ute' that way, including the Hilux and Ford Ranger,[7][8][1] and a popular New Zealand automotive magazine even includes pickup versions of Land Cruisers and Land Rovers in their definition of utes.[9] In South Africa, the term "bakkie" is generally used, although General Motors in that country now sells the Australian Holden in small numbers there and calls it a ute, while a small front-wheel drive Chevrolet pickup sourced from Brazil and sold in South Africa is called a utility. However, only General Motors uses this terminology.[ Edited October 26, 2018 by Jon Haigwood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan barton Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 (edited) Hi guys, would love to add a couple of observations on utes, being an Aussie and being quite fond of them myself. The Wikipedia article that Jon included is quite accurate, particularly regarding the bastardisation of the term ute to include any form of commercial vehicle. The media might be clueless as they are on most things but a car guy in Australia would never call a pickup or a Landcruiser or a Landrover a ute. Why, you might ask? Because a true ute is based on a passenger car design with an integral bed. However, like much in this world there are some exceptions to the rule. Dodge Fargo from the late 40s, early fifties had a ute as well as a pickup. Chevrolet in 1947 and 1948 had a passenger car based ute, a commercial based ute and a commercial based cab-chassis . The last generation of Falcons had ute styling but the bed was separate, albeit with a quite discrete join behind the cab. This allowed the installation of custom beds or boxes. Some utes are a five window design, some are a three window. Yep, it can be confusing. The first coupe utility was built by Ford Motor Company in 1934. Since then the following makes have produced utes in Australia although some were in ridiculously small numbers. I am only including factory production line models here, not conversions. Ford almost continuously from 1934 til 2017 although I'm not sure if they made one in 1959. Models included Ford Standard and Deluxe, Mercury, Mainline, Consul, Zephyr and Falcon General Motors from 1934 or maybe 1935 until 2017. Models include Holden, Chevrolet til 1952, Vauxhall, Commodore Bedford. Chrysler including Dodge and Plymouth from about 1936 or 37 until the late fifties, Chrysler Royal, DeSoto, Valiant, Willys, Anglia and Prefect - yep, you can build a gasser ute! Armstrong Siddley Vanguard Austin 1800 Morris minor, although like the late model Falcon, there is a join, but not a separation like a pickup Mini Toyota Crown and Corona Now there is one more thing to consider if you are going to design and build a model of a ute based on any non-Australian car. Our Aussie utes have a certain balance to them. In magazines and websites all over I see examples of utes based on a Mustang or a Corvette or a Cutlass or whatever and they often miss the mark for two reasons, both of which are pet hates of mine! First, if you are going to build a ute out of anything, remember that all bar one generation of Ford Falcon utes were based on FOUR DOOR cars. That's right they have a short front door thus allowing a longer bed. In regards to those Falcons, the XA, XB and XC models from 1972 to 1978 used a two door coupe pillarless door, quite similar to an American Ranchero of the same era. To the best of my knowledge they are the only utes with two door style doors. Secondly, they don't have triangular side windows! Australia has always been a land of low production numbers so rarely did a ute get special doors - there are some exceptions, namely pre- 1962 Holdens. When modellers typically take, say, a 69 Camaro to make a ute, they drag the rear of the hardtop roofline straight forward creating an awkwardly shaped side window that would bang your head on the opening every time you got in. If you keep the door window pillar nearly vertical and stand the B pillar up almost vertical as well, possibly slimmed down, it will look a lot more balanced. Also, regarding the Falcon Rancheros versus Falcon utes if you Goggle the utes you will notice that they had, as mentioned, a four door sedan front door, a T bird inspired B pillar, much more rakish than the Ranchero, and a shorter bed by about four inches. This was because in rural areas with gravel roads, we had a lot of creek crossings and early trials by Ford showed the American bed dragged on the ramps in and out of the creek crossings. It always bugs me when I see references to the Ranchero, 1957 and the El Camino, 1959, being the first car based pickups! Pfffft! We were onto our third generation by then! If you want to read everything there is to know about Utes, Larry O Toole wrote a very comprehensive book called the great Aussie Ute, by Graffiti Publications. It is still available directly from them and is extremely comprehensive. Cheers Alan Edited October 27, 2018 by alan barton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
restoman Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 I've been fiddling with this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan barton Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 That gets my seal of approval restoman. All the proportions on your Poncho are perfect for an Australian ute. It is using a two door door but the land barge proportions of the Bonneville are fine with it. Throughout Australia, enterprising enthusiasts have built utes from American and European cars just like yours, often because they were old and cheap at the time.Looking forward to seeing this one finished. Cheers Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Haigwood Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Thanks for the info Alan. Lots of great stuff. One thing I noticed that the term "package tray" was used rather than calling it a "bed" . I will save the info for future builds. thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan barton Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Package tray or cargo tray? We still call the shelf behind the seat the parcel shelf or parcel tray. For the rear cargo tray, most guys I know usually say the bed or even just "chuck it in the back!" It is not unusual for the bed to continue forwards , under the back window and parcel shelf up to a bulkhead behind the seat. This gives about another foot of carrying area. Happy help with any info you may need. Here's a few more utes for your viewing pleasure. The M3 BMW was custom made by a noted bodybuilder for a famous Aussie golfer, whose name I can't recall. Stewart Applebee perhaps? Cheers Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Haigwood Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Thanks . I can see a 56 Ford Ute in my future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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