Here's the story of my mates Mazda B1500 ute. Thought people might like to check out what he's doing. Its very nearly finished now and on the road. He's done a cracking job on it!
The initial story:
"9 September 2006
For 23 long years our old B1500 ute sat in the back paddock with no shelter, gathering moss and providing cows with a sturdy scratching post. In it's prime, it had been used as a work ute by my father who was a powerline contractor at the time. Every morning the little Mazda was loaded with all the supplies needed to 'dress' power poles and it would follow the truck to work. The majority of powerlines my father constructed were in dense bush, so the Mazda worked long hard days.
Not long after he purchased it in the late 1970's, the original motor started getting tired and couldn't cope with the workload. The ute's chassis and diff were very strong, so the old motor was pulled and a Holden 179 motor installed. The conversion included a 4 speed gearbox with another 4 speed mounted behind it in a joey box type arrangement. Increased power and 16 gears now meant the little ute could haul huge loads (regularly up to two tonne) along steep, rough, bush tracks. Landcruiser rims were also fitted to increase ground clearance and highway speed and this was how she worked for several years.
Only one mechanical failure ever occured - a faulty ignition coil. Not bad for day after day, year after year of such hard work. Although the conversion had proven itself as safe - despite harsh working conditions which would have broken lesser utes - the RTA didn't agree and so in the early-mid eighties the ute was deemed unsafe and taken off the road. It was then used around the farm for little jobs and also became the first vehicle I learnt to drive on at age 11. Sometime soon after though, she was parked in the back paddock and forgotten, the only attention being occasionally robbed for parts for other machines on the farm.
Fast forward to August 2006 and walking through the paddock past the ute, I stopped and took a more thoughtful look at the old girl. It struck me that although it would be a lot (and I mean A LOT) of work, it would be something completely different and original to restore. I asked my father if I could have it and of course he was more than happy to have one less piece of old machinery sitting about the farm. And that's how she came to be mine... "
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The mother of all engine hoists took the old 179 out.
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But what was to become of the ute:
"The original plan for the ute was to do a complete restore job with the exception of the motor, which would of course be a rotary. Straighten the dents out, nice new paint, new interior, a nice little steel tray, etc etc. Somewhere along the way though, this plan didn't seem to sit comfortably with me. First because it's what everyone else would do and secondly because this little ute has a proud working heritage and somehow 'prettying' her up didn't seem to be doing her justice. So the idea of a 'ratrod' ute came into play. Leave the moss, the dents, the scratches, the faded paint and make it into an old working truck ratrod. This plan felt much better, although I still had one problem. What to put on the back?
Enter the tow truck unit that has sat in the same paddock as the old ute for almost 30 years. It used to reside on a '56 Ford F100 and Dad used it to tow power poles through the bush. One particular day though, coming round the side of a hill and dragging 5 power poles, they all slid down the hill and pulled Dad down with them. End result? Completely trashed F100 and a slightly bent tow unit which was put in the back paddock and forgotten about. The thought of a J ratrod tow truck however was perfect and so Dad allowed me to 'borrow' the tow unit for the project. This is how it sat in the paddock for so long. See later photo's and text for a minor overhaul of the unit itself."
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The first spares car:
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As it stood on May 5 2007
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The second spares car:
The initial story:
"9 September 2006
For 23 long years our old B1500 ute sat in the back paddock with no shelter, gathering moss and providing cows with a sturdy scratching post. In it's prime, it had been used as a work ute by my father who was a powerline contractor at the time. Every morning the little Mazda was loaded with all the supplies needed to 'dress' power poles and it would follow the truck to work. The majority of powerlines my father constructed were in dense bush, so the Mazda worked long hard days.
Not long after he purchased it in the late 1970's, the original motor started getting tired and couldn't cope with the workload. The ute's chassis and diff were very strong, so the old motor was pulled and a Holden 179 motor installed. The conversion included a 4 speed gearbox with another 4 speed mounted behind it in a joey box type arrangement. Increased power and 16 gears now meant the little ute could haul huge loads (regularly up to two tonne) along steep, rough, bush tracks. Landcruiser rims were also fitted to increase ground clearance and highway speed and this was how she worked for several years.
Only one mechanical failure ever occured - a faulty ignition coil. Not bad for day after day, year after year of such hard work. Although the conversion had proven itself as safe - despite harsh working conditions which would have broken lesser utes - the RTA didn't agree and so in the early-mid eighties the ute was deemed unsafe and taken off the road. It was then used around the farm for little jobs and also became the first vehicle I learnt to drive on at age 11. Sometime soon after though, she was parked in the back paddock and forgotten, the only attention being occasionally robbed for parts for other machines on the farm.
Fast forward to August 2006 and walking through the paddock past the ute, I stopped and took a more thoughtful look at the old girl. It struck me that although it would be a lot (and I mean A LOT) of work, it would be something completely different and original to restore. I asked my father if I could have it and of course he was more than happy to have one less piece of old machinery sitting about the farm. And that's how she came to be mine... "
The mother of all engine hoists took the old 179 out.
But what was to become of the ute:
"The original plan for the ute was to do a complete restore job with the exception of the motor, which would of course be a rotary. Straighten the dents out, nice new paint, new interior, a nice little steel tray, etc etc. Somewhere along the way though, this plan didn't seem to sit comfortably with me. First because it's what everyone else would do and secondly because this little ute has a proud working heritage and somehow 'prettying' her up didn't seem to be doing her justice. So the idea of a 'ratrod' ute came into play. Leave the moss, the dents, the scratches, the faded paint and make it into an old working truck ratrod. This plan felt much better, although I still had one problem. What to put on the back?
Enter the tow truck unit that has sat in the same paddock as the old ute for almost 30 years. It used to reside on a '56 Ford F100 and Dad used it to tow power poles through the bush. One particular day though, coming round the side of a hill and dragging 5 power poles, they all slid down the hill and pulled Dad down with them. End result? Completely trashed F100 and a slightly bent tow unit which was put in the back paddock and forgotten about. The thought of a J ratrod tow truck however was perfect and so Dad allowed me to 'borrow' the tow unit for the project. This is how it sat in the paddock for so long. See later photo's and text for a minor overhaul of the unit itself."
The first spares car:
As it stood on May 5 2007
The second spares car:
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