For Fan Car Friday this week we bring you Scotty and his unique 1947 Ford Coupe Utility (Ute). Fan Car Friday is a segment where we want to share with the world the automobiles that our fans have. We have absolutely no affiliation/relationship with the cars, the build or the owners. This post was made with written consent from the owner.
“The story behind these two trucks originated from both my Father, who owned the 47Chev, before my brother. My 47 Ford came from my wife’s cousin.
The Chev is powered by an LS1 that my brother restored from the original Blue Flame Straight 6.
The Ford was factory built with a V8 Flat Head. My wife’s cousin transplanted a 350 Chevy motor into it, as the Flat Head has become unreliable. I had always told him that if his situation was to change, I’d like first options to buy it from him.
This took place about 6 years ago. It had to sit in the shed for the first 2 years, while I paid for the $25,000 for it. I was not allowed to do anything to it until paid for in full; except run it up to operational temperature regularly. I put it on the National restoration registry for that time.
When the time came for it to go back on the road, it was very unreliable, but it got a lot of looks from other car enthusiasts. After an embarrassing Road side breakdown, it was put back into the shed, a 351 Cleveland motor and running gear was bought for it and a restoration account set up, that I paid into weekly.
I saved hard for two years and put away $40,000 for the restoration. I had a mechanic look at the truck. I gave him $20,000 dollars to get it up to a reliable, road safe standard. It turned out to be a ripoff and the truck was ordered off the road again.
It is now with another car restoration company and to date it now owes me $95,000. It is estimated to need another $45,000 to complete.”
Ford, like the other major manufacturers, began building mildly restyled 1942 models when the war ended and sales to a car-hungry public resumed in 1946, and it wasn’t until 1949 that an all-new design appeared. The 1946 models received a fresh grille treatment but even fewer changes were made the following year. Once again two trim levels were offered by Ford, the base Deluxe and more upmaket Super Deluxe, and in both cases the buyer had the choice of either a six or V8 motor. Although Ford’s flathead V8 was getting long in the tooth by the 1940s, it was still regarded as the choice for performance motoring by car enthusiasts, and even in the most basic level of tune delivered 100 horsepower from 239 cubic inches. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels through a three-speed column-change transmission and the ’47 Fords were all built on a 114-inch wheelbase platform. In the United States, the Deluxe was sold in either two or four door sedan guises, along with a stylish coupe, although the Super Deluxe had a wider choice of body styles, including a convertible and station wagon. Unique to Australia, the Coupe Utility was introduced in 1947 with a nicely integrated load bay capable of carrying 10 cwt, with lockable compartments built into the sides and a curved tonneau. Most of these early post-war Ford utes were driven into the ground long ago and survivors are few and far between, and those that remain are coveted by Ford collectors around the country.
Thank you to Shannons.com.au for the info.
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