Cape York Run
 

Hi,model A Barners, Some time back there was a video posted on the Gladstone Vintage car club on a run to Cape York and I thought I would share with you some info. My 1930 A Ute is one of the vehicles and is still used regularly. Bill Turner got the A from Curtis island in a sad state (first photo)and restored it and used it daily for work. A fantastic bloke and a true vintage club member. Bill sold it to a mate of mine who asked me to do some restoration. My mate lost interest and I acquired it and decided to get it back on the road although, my budget was almost non existent. Anyway I finally got it registered and is still a reliable Ute today.
Note in the photos the sweat down my back when spray painting lacquer. My dad would have had nightmares if he knew I sprayed in those humid conditions. The lacquer is holding up ok but the so called black 2xpak is deteriorating.
Kpar

Re: Cape York Run
 

Bill Turner was a great guy and he would be very proud to know that his car is in good hands & still going strong and looking so fine.
Here is a link to the video kpar is referring to: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211625

Re: Cape York Run
 

Very nice indeed, thanks for sharing!

Re: Cape York Run
 

Kpar, have you still got the Austin A40? My childhood (and everyone else my age) was full of British cars due to Australia's membership of the British Empire/Commonwealth. My parents had a Ford Prefect followed by an A30 followed by an A45, followed by (shock! horror!) the very first fully imported 1964 Toyota Crown, which left everything else for dead in terms of its appointments!

Re: Cape York Run
 

No I sold the 49 A40. It was built from scrap pieces as usual on a tight budget.
Used it for a few years then ran out of room for other projects. Humber Super, Plymouth, Cortina & Matchless Motorcycle. All sold now except for the A Model & 33 Fordor
My first car at 16 was a 49 A40 and like other mates flogged it for years,never let me down. Everyone seem to have one them days.
Kpar

Re: Cape York Run
 

Note the original colour. Like this one.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184375

Seemed to be a fairly standard colour here for open cars in 1930.
Wheels usually ended up red.

Can't be many factory 1930 utes still alive.

Re: Cape York Run
 

Does a ute have the same 'box' that ours have or were they designed differently for Australia's market?

Mike

Re: Cape York Run
 

A ute doesn't have the American style box, even now. Notice how the sides of the tray blend in to the side of the cab. There is no separate "box". See picture in Post #9

Re: Cape York Run
 

We had "Geelong" utes.

Geelong was where the Ford assembly plant was.

I almost bought this car 2 years ago, or one that looked identical to it.

It went for 12K on Ebay.

It started at a lot more, but no body wanted it.

Was said to have some paint cracking and a non operative speedo, otherwise a good driving car.

I believe all the early Model A utes had Model T rear fenders.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...psq0iipr6w.jpg

Re: Cape York Run
 

That looks like a good buy for $12K.;)

Re: Cape York Run
 

Here is another, this one was at the 2014 Busselton National Meet. May even be the same car as Pooch has pictured. It appeared to be a very fresh restoration. If so the pick-up tray has been modified but the running board step plates and the rear view mirror appear to be identical. It was a very nice car indeed.
The rear mudguards were the same as used on the 26/27 Model T Roadster and Coupes.
and the fronts were normal Model A

Re: Cape York Run
 

For the benefit of American readers, we call utes like the one above a "Plumber's Ute". It is different from many of the others in that the sides of the tray allow the plumber to carry long lengths of pipe along the (passenger's) side of the car with the front end resting on a bracket attached to the front bumper.
(Another option I have used to achieve this is to drive the car over the pipe and tie it to the front and rear bumpers, then drive.)

Re: Cape York Run
 

That is a good way to get things home when they are to long, provided however that the items belong to you. Back in 1968 when I was working in a very large engineering works one of the workers decided he needed a 6 meter length of steel and borrowing it (permanantly) from his employer was the cheapest way of getting it.
He tied it under his car and as he drove out off the company premises he had to pass over a gutter. As he drove out, the front end dug into the ground so he tried to reverse and then the rear dug into the ground and he was stuck there. :eek: As per Murphies law, the next person to leave the premises was the Works Manager. You can guess what happened next. :mad:

Re: Cape York Run
 

I have a bracket each side I made attached to my 28 pickup visor side screws.

A lot of guys ask what is that ?

It is a slot in for a front overhead steel carry rack.

I pull the wood hungry boards and put another rack in the rear stake pockets.

I can carry up to 6 metres long.

My pickup earns its keep .

It also carries a slide on camper .

Funny thing , I went to a show in september and it won 3 trophies.

And I am not into trophies at all.

Most radical (because of the camper) best model A (of course), and the entrant's choice of whole show.

Ha ha, gold plastic I don't need, the entrant's choice one looks like Gracelands and almost as big.

Re: Cape York Run
 

Runnerbun, I am only guessing here, but with the somewhat angling out of the side ute body, it would suggest they are model T sedan/phaeton fenders .

I am no expert on Model T/s , but if they anything like Model A/s , these utes look like they are scalloped out at the top to fit the body.

Re: Cape York Run
 

When Bill Turner originally restored this A he always told me that the ute tray on it was how it was sold by Kingle Motors i Rockhampton to the Brown Brothers (farmers). He copied what was left and so did I. Attached photo is how it looked when finished late 90's
Kpar

Re: Cape York Run
 

Forgot to include the sale year 1931.

Re: Cape York Run
 

Pooch, the car at Busselton was definitely fitted with the Roadster guards and the sides of the box were vertical not flared out at the top. Sure they were the roadster guards as I own a 27 Model T Rst. and am familiar with them. I can only take the owners word that they were original to the car. I am also aware of the pick-ups with the flared out side panels which as you say would be most likely fitted with the tourer guards, but maybe those bodies were fitted to the late 28 cars.

Re: Cape York Run
 

When they went to the Model A guards, probably in 29 sometime, I guess when the T ones ran out, they were roadster guards. The original side panels are a simple piece of sheet metal with a slight curve long wise and lots of wood. As far as I know the body was the same with either a flare or well side on top.

Don't think I've ever seen an original "improved" A ute tho. But from where I stand, it looks original, and it is good to see one so well preserved.

The biggest give away is the detail like the tailgate clips and side support brackets. Those creating a ute from something else rarely went to that much trouble.

Re: Cape York Run
 

This body is not vertical, and it is early.

It is on the same outward plane as a Phaeton is.

No way a Model A roadster rear fender would fit this.

As I said, I don't know what a 27 T roadster fender looks like.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...pspbaqimnt.jpg