1965 Ford Mustang - Kangarute - Mustangs and Fords Magazine
Henry Ford debuted the first factory-produced pickup truck in 1925, a Model T Runabout, but it wasn't until 1934 when the term Ute was coined in Australia. It began in 1932 when a housewife contacted Ford Australia and asked them to design a vehicle that could haul pigs to the market during the week, and be an appropriate vehicle for church on Sunday. Ford designers were initially concerned that simply adding a bed to the back of a passenger car would cause the vehicle to break in half when a load was added. As a result, an entirely new frame was constructed and when it was complete, 22-year-old Lewis Bandt, the head (and only) member of Ford Australia's design team, confidently told his boss, "Those pigs are going to have a luxury ride. " Offering a comfortable cabin along with a functional bed in the back, the first ‘Coupe/Utilities' rolled off the Ford Australia assembly line in 1934, making them the forerunners of the El Camino and Ranchero ‘Gentleman Farmer' trucks introduced... He's owned and restored more than a dozen high-performance Ford-powered cars in the past. Originally from Adelaide, South Australia, Matt has made Oldsmar, Florida, his home since 2006. He and his wife, Sheri, run Florida Street Machine, building and exporting prestige cars around the world. Source: www.mustangandfords.com
