Australian-built 1949 Ford UTE. 350/2004R trans, A/C, beautifully built!

1949 Ford Other Utility Coup Description

Our cousins down in Australia are just as car-happy as we are here in the US, and as a result, they’ve created some pretty cool hardware over the years. Their unbridled enthusiasm for horsepower has actually fueled a renaissance here in the domestic auto industry, providing us with cars like the last Pontiac GTO, the current Chevrolet SS, and being the catalyst that brought Cadillac back from the brink. Yeah, those guys Down Under know cool. Heck, remember “Mad Max” and his killer police interceptor? Pure Australian badassery. So it is with all that in mind that we’d like to introduce you to this very cool 1949 Ford Utility Coupe, AKA the “Ute.”

Yes, it’s factory-built, not a home-made custom. It pre-dates the Ranchero and El Camino by several years, but it’s the same concept: comfortable car-like ride and interior, hauling space out back. This one came stateside a few years ago and was comprehensively rebuilt to a very high level—high enough that everyone here in the shop stopped working to check it out when it came off the trailer. Not only is it unusual, it’s beautifully built, so it’ll stand up to the scrutiny that it will undoubtedly get every time you take it out.

After everyone gets past the unusual bodywork, the thing that they notice is the paint, which is a spectacular hue called Candy Cinnamon Pearl from PPG. It’s gorgeous in person and outside in the sunlight, it’s downright amazing. Of course, you don’t get great results without a lot of work going on behind the scenes, so every inch of the bodywork was smoothed, straightened, and finished before the paint went on, and once it was dry, it got a comprehensive color sanding and buff to really bring out the shine. The doors open and close with precision, the hood (which is on pneumatic struts, not springs) snaps closed easily, and there’s not a wave or a ripple anywhere on those long quarter panels. It still retains all the familiar 1949 Ford styling cues, including the front sheetmetal, which is the same as domestic 1949 Fords, so it looks right. The lovely oval-shaped rear window adds a touch of elegance and the bed’s proportions are exactly right. Speaking of the bed, it’s just beautifully finished, with oak slats, polished skid rails, a spare tire mount, and interior panels that are finished to the same high standards as the rest of the bodywork.

The chrome and stainless trim was also fully restored, starting with the “bullet nose” grille, which also includes an accessory dealer-installed center driving light (the bulb is unique and uses 6 volts, so it’s not hooked up). The hood ornament has a Plexiglas crown, all the stainless was polished and reinstalled, and 1949 Lincoln taillights were used out back, because the Ute only used a single taillight on the right. You’ll also note in the advertising that the Utility Coupe did not come with a rear bumper, so a custom bumper was fabricated using two 1950 ford sedan bumpers that were seamlessly stitched together and chromed to look completely OEM. There’s simply nothing on this Ute that’s merely adequate.

The interior was given a complete makeover as well, but the essence of the original design survived 100% intact. Most notably is the switch from right-hand to left-hand drive, which was accomplished by simply transplanting a domestic 1949 Ford instrument panel. Since the chassis got a GM subframe grafted on, the steering column moved at the same time. All the original Ford gauges were retained and rebuilt, so they look great and work properly, even with the modern hardware under the hood. That’s so cool in an era when most modified cars have a set of aftermarket gauges stuck under the dash, although this one does have a auxiliary temperature gauge that’s a bit more accurate than the original. The original bench seat was upholstered in luxurious-feeling tan vinyl, with pleated door panels to match, so it feels period-correct from behind the wheel. And yes, that’s an original Ford wheel and steering column, which really completes the illusion. A neat custom panel was created to hold the Vintage Air control panel and vent, while the other vents were discreetly tucked under the dash and out of sight. The long-handled shifter is from Lokar and includes a lighted display on the base to indicate what gear you’ve selected, and even the original radio is fully functional with an FM converter inside and controls for a CD changer installed behind the driver’s seat. All the window and door seals are new, so it seals up tight and even though it’s a vintage car, it doesn’t feel vintage going down the road. Dark brown carpets add a luxurious touch, and there’s an upholstered luggage area behind the seats that offers secure, dry storage for your gear on road trips. And perhaps my favorite feature are those delicate little glass lights on the B-pillars, which are original 1949 Ford pieces that add an Art-Deco touch.

Mechanically, this Ute is bulletproof. The valve covers say Cadillac and that’s a ‘50s Cadillac air cleaner, but it’s actually a tried-and-true Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8. The intent was clearly to have it look period-correct, and nothing was more popular in the 1950s than Cadillac power in your hot rod. Regardless, it’s neatly detailed with plenty of chrome and polished aluminum, body-colored block and intake manifold, and a fresh Edelbrock carburetor up top. You’ll be impressed by the engineering, with neat wiring and plumbing, easy service access, and impressive attention to detail; I already mentioned the gas struts on the hood, but be sure to check out the dual reservoir master cylinder, custom radiator hose, and neatly installed radiator with shroud up front. The guy who built this truck clearly knew what he was doing. It starts easily and idles well, and it’s got plenty of horsepower to be entertaining on the street without ever getting fussy.

As I mentioned, the front suspension is part of a late-model GM subframe, which also includes power steering, so this Ute is effortless around town. The transmission is a 200-4R 4-speed automatic overdrive unit, so it’s a fantastic highway cruiser that just loafs along at modern highway speeds. The chassis shows signs of use, of course, because this car was built to drive, but the floors and rockers are spotless and the workmanship on the frame modifications was professionally done. Everything was painted black, so it’s not detailed like you need to park it on mirrors, but it’s durable and ready to be driven anywhere. A Flowmaster dual exhaust system uses three-chamber mufflers, so it’s muscular without being annoying and a GM 10-bolt rear end hangs on leaf springs so you can even put it to work if that’s your thing. Color-matched steel wheels with Ford hubcaps and trim rings are a low-key look that really works on this commercial vehicle, and it’s wearing a set of brand new 215/70/15 Firestone radials that ride and handle beautifully.

We’re extremely impressed by this Utility Coupe. It’s the coolest thing you’ve never seen before, but you’ll be even more pleased by the quality that went into the build. We promise that you’ll always be the only guy at any show with a car like this and if our experience is any indication, you’ll always have dozens of questions to answer about it. We love the Ute!