My EK Ute

[deecee]

This is my EK ute. We bought it new from Ireland Holden in Cairns in October of 1962. It has never been deregistered and is still used regularly on full rego. people ask if we put the stainless steel(?) strips up the side with the metallic red inserts, but that's how it came off the showroom floor. Apart from a top overhaul (valve grind) the grey motor hasn't been touched.
It's spent all its life on the Atherton Tableland and interestingly, when we repainted it, the GMH colour is Atherton Ivory.
I'll try and post a pic:

[Blacky]

Welcome to the forum mate, that ute is a pearler !!! Would have been the flashest ute in town in its day

Come to think of it - it probably still is !!!!

[FJWALLY]

Thats a ripper deecee - a true survivor

The level of personalisation/Individuality was quite amazing for these cars.

[iso007]

Great story deecee. Welcome to the forum. Ute looks gorgeous. We love an original and we love a Custom too. I have never seen one like this though. Good first post too. Mate, if you hadn't posted a photo, you would have been hassled, Harangued, abused, derided, bullied, cajoled, lectured, sermonised like they do to me every time I forget to add a photo with the story. Unfortunately, it's all down hill from here for you. How do cars go with the humidity up there? I would have thought the rust would effect them intensely.

[deecee]

Well, yes, rust is a problem here in the tropics. This car has always been garaged which has certainly helped. It did have some rust on the lower section of the front guards and I replaced that panel with a Rare Spares panel. Also the passenger side floor panel was rusted and it was also replaced.
I work as a blacksmith at Historic Village Herberton. This ute carries all my blacksmith gear. We have some impressive vintage vehicles at the Village but the ute seems to attract just as many photos.

[Mick]

the flash is interesting as it is said they were not factory fitted but dealer fitted so unless you had the dealer fit it it must have been a ute the dealer tarted up to sell or was ordered and sale didn't go ahead
nice to see a car still with the original familly

[bootlegger]

Fantastic ute. Well done.

[Devilrod]

Welcome Deecee, that's a great looking ute. The flash sets it off nicely and truly a one owner car. So cool!

[deecee]

Thanks ST for the info about the flashline kit. Yes, you are right - the EJ was released by the time we bought this EK. I said in my original post that it was October of 62, but it was actually December. Towards the end of 1962, my father-in-law was waiting patiently for an EJ but when he went to collect it, the new models had not arrived in Cairns and this smart looking EK was on the floor. He came home and thought about it and then went back to Irelands the next day and bought the ute. He reckoned it would be just the thing for getting his firewood. I'm glad he didn't wait for the EJ. It has been a much loved ute all its life. Before my father-in-law passed away he signed it over to me and, despite some very nice offers to buy it, it will stay in the family.

[ek ute]

Excellent vehicle! I am slowly building an EK Ute. I'll be up your way in couple of weeks; love to catch up if possible.

[deecee]

Tim: The ute has never been out of North Queensland. I did one trip to Townsville in it in 1974 and that is as far south as it's been.
I'll take a side on photo or two. At the moment the front is up on stands while we do the front brakes. They were getting very dodgy. I guess I could still take a side on photo though if you'll excuse the front end!

EK Ute: No worries mate. Brakes should be fixed by then.

[deecee]

OK, here's a side-on pic showing the flashline strips. Front is up getting brake cylinders done.

[FJWALLY]

Looks purdy.
Interesting the tonneau attachment way with the clips down lower - is that something you've done yourself or how it came from dealer?
Mine has the little metal pins much higher up.

Hey Tim if I paint mine I could use the flash kit

[Blacky]

Tim, I have a ute that your flash kit would fit onto

[Craig Allardyce]

Me toooooooooo