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-   -   Masonite ute (http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=31812)

Mike K 19-12-20 12:00

Masonite ute
 
1 Attachment(s)
Considering less than 200 were built ( So says the Woodville figures ) , pics of these are uncommon . Source: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-449744762...e/n29/mode/1up

Mike K 20-12-20 02:12

Pontiac ute
 
After closer scrutiny, its a Pontiac, I think ? I bought one of these in 1981 from a elderly Mr. De Grandi down at Geelong, for $150. He had purchased it in 1946 ex RAAF from Townsville he said. He had a caravan hire business and the Ponti was used for many years to haul caravans around. The motor was tired but I managed to drive it home down the Geelong freeway ... :thup2: He had fitted metal panels over the masonite sides , doing this had preserved the original tub very well. But sadly, he had just handed in its original 1946 number plates a week earlier :bang: :bang:

He took it for a test drive and as he manouvered it around his back yard the front guards were scraping along the fence causing more damage :doh:

Tyres needed some air and he wheeled out a Wirraway undercarriage main wheel and transferred some air into the Ponti tyres. The hydraulic brakes had a junction at the rear where he could connect the hydraulic brakes of his caravans

I passed the ute onto Colin Anderson, Colin had another one ( sold at his 2003 auction to a Sth Aust buyer) plus panels and parts he had scrounged from two 41 Pontiac sedans, ex hire cars. Colin fitted a rebuilt post war Ponti engine, side valve 6 and he took the ute on many club trips . Colin eventually sold it but the car was destroyed in a fire in the Port Adelaide museum when the seat stuffing caught alight .

Mike K 20-12-20 07:10

Found him
 
3 Attachment(s)
Amazing what you can find. I do recall he said they had a annual holiday and towed a caravan to QLD with the Pontiac . I asked him if he had any photos of the QLD trips but he didn't seem to have any.

Mike K 21-12-20 01:55

Arn
 
Funny thing is, these Pontiac utes don't appear to be in the ARN books . Does anybody have any ideas ? Maybe they were all issued to either the RAAF or the US forces , therefore not being in the Aust. army system. they were not issued a ARN

More pics http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...hlight=pontiac

Mike K 22-12-20 12:16

Omg
 
OMG here it is ..before its unfortunate end. Colin did a brilliant job on it , he was a A grade panel beater/restorer .

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+69282/690

Mike K 15-08-23 05:43

Trove
 
1 Attachment(s)
1946 pic with three of the Pontiac utes in a surplus yard.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...chTerm=vehicle


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