fbekholden.com

Rosco Belinda is smiling at your comments. She's well aware of the rarity these days of a good ute. To be honest I couldn't bring myself to cutting it up. I live in the country now and all I can see is us chugging around in it with our gumboots on and the dog in the back.

Brilliant, there's something special about running around in one of our buses - probably not so much when living in the country, but in the burbs - people get to know you by the car.... it's a rarity to see one chugging around as a daily driver.
We have a few classics here which I see from time to time. I usually park next to them because I know full well they won't damage my car... and like to offer them the same respect - far too many people in supermarkets simply don't see vehicles as we do.... more like trolley rests...grrrrrrr!.

These vehicles I mention are not limited to early Holdens, we have some really neat classics around here. There's even a great little Morris Marina... now, who would have ever thought they would become classics.... it's in top nick, and the owner loves it immeasurably. The pick of the local bunch is a Chrysler Royal.. black, of course - with a red and aluminium flash.... the dear old lady who runs it lives on the fringe of the area... it was her father's car - and she can't bear the thought of parting with it....

Perhaps, Craig - Belinda might become a local identity earlier.... known as the "lady with the great EK ute"... undoubtedly, you both will soon be accepted as locals... if what I have learned of you thus far is any indication.... country towns are great - the smaller the better....
We hardly know anyone around here.... after some 16 years... modern lifestyle is certainly not the great life I enjoyed in my early years....

So - guess you're about to list out your plan..... I expect this will be accomplished in weeks, not days..... preservation would probably be the highest priority if it were my undertaking... mechanicals are relatively easy... but - the body..... every little bit of effort now will avoid a huge commitment later on...

Enjoy - great to learn that another of our dear old girls has been saved....

frats,
Rosco

Everyone loves pictures. Here's a few more teasers.
I acquired this car 4 years ago. Its basically sat for all this time waiting till I finished the FB. History is a bit unknown. The first pic is from as far back as I can find and it I have been told it was in Mudgee NSW. Owner unknown.
From some markings in the paint on the doors, paint colour, and possible previous mounting of Govt ID plate, there is some chance it could be an ex Navy ute. I am yet to try and get the detail out of the paint but you can clearly make out the words (At Your Service Always) in a scroll below a crest. This wording was Navy but I am sceptical as usually vehicles were allocated to ships and were emblazoned with the Ships Crest i.e. HMAS Parramatta with in scripted in the scroll "Strike Deep" It is possible though that it could have been a logistic pool vehicle used elsewhere (transport, admin type Navy shore based units).
NSW plate search comes up empty apart from the one historic plate shown.

Love that one mate, you will have to line them up and take some photos.

A good detail and only fix what needs to for reliability and safety and I'd call it done Craig. Sure don't find many like that anymore!

Awesome ute , a rare find these days that's for sure !!!

That is one tidy ute! Look forward to keeping an eye on this project.
Regards Stephen

Splendid vehicle, Craig (and Belinda).
It is possibly one of the last bastions of finding such a rare and untouched specimen.
Ordinarily, I'd suggest to someone who found such a rarity as this that they simply don't know what they've got..... but I know full well that my words would be wasted on you both.
Preservation would be my most sincere and urged comment.... I do appreciate that it probably wears some of the usual issues, which I fully hope you will address before they become substantial.
Every little bit now will ensure we all can enjoy this incredible find for decades - not to mention the enjoyment you both will savour whilst tootling around in the dear old thing...

As for its history, I have absolutely no appreciation of any Navy or other military services identification.
If it were Railways, as I would be able to offer some suggestion - I would very much expect that there'd be a lot more damage in the cargo bay ..... they were pretty ordinary when hauling tools etc.
In the prime of the era when this car may have been a service vehicle, I suspect the Railways would have used an Inter ute or even a Bedford or similar - due to it's ability to traverse rough ground with higher clearance.
The VR departmental "soft" vehicles were usually black, the registration plates having an "M" prefix.
I can't recall with which manufacturer the VR had tendered with to supply such vehicles in our era.

I am hoping Sunny Tim might have some input to the Navy prospect... he holds a vast array of period photographs.

frats,
Rosco

Trev wrote:I dare you not to go overboard hahahaha.

Can I borrow your paint brush then Trev?

Craig Allardyce wrote:

Trev wrote:I dare you not to go overboard hahahaha.

Can I borrow your paint brush then Trev?

I never mentioned doing a shit job either Craig hahaha.

Trev wrote:

Craig Allardyce wrote:

Trev wrote:I dare you not to go overboard hahahaha.

Can I borrow your paint brush then Trev?

I never mentioned doing a shit job either Craig hahaha.

Well today marks our start on the ute to get it ready for rego and for Renmark next year. I took it for a little lap around the block before the inevitable strip down. Plenty of headway made with no real suprises. I am quite pleased with the originality of the car. I'd say she's done 155k miles as the donk still had it s original bearings, std bore and crank. All serial numbers appear to be time correct. The engine has basically run out of wind and doesn't appear to have been maintained that well with all the crap I found in the sump and block. Bloody amazed it lasted that long. The pistons basically fell out!
Shocks are the original spiral case type and the handbrake cable has its grease nipple points in the sheaths.
Most of the day was spent cleaning 50 odd years of gunk. Also had a good look underneath, still no rust to be found. Rapt!

A few more pics of todays work.

Lovely, Craig... this old girl is now sharing her life history with you. It's a real "buzz" to be up so close to something so timely - and untouched as it came out of the factory... many can't appreciate this, but I sure can.

frats,
Rosco

ps. - green with envy - a hoist!.... grrrrrrr!

Hi Rosco, yep it sure is. I'm starting to find and learn a few things that they appeared to have changed between the models. I'll have to take some more pics of the floor pan and rails. There's some interesting drain tubes and holes in a few spots I've not seen before.

Yes the hoist. Thanks to Belinda, she's a life saver. No more crawling around on my back underneath. She pushed me to do it but I wouldn't. Thank god she had it put in for my birthday without me knowing. My back is past it these days but I can still manage now with the hoist.