History
The car was bought new from Sydney Atkinson Motors 99-113 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth in 1968, off the show room by my father.
Then 10 years later in 1978 I needed a first car and Dad sold it to me for $1200. This ute had already traveled the country with a camper strapped to its back (hence brackets still fitted in photos) every Christmas and Easter with five of us and a black and tan sausage dog. The high compression red 161 engine and three speed crash box had its work cut out with all our stuff that's for sure as a family, but it never stopped except for a flat tyre a few times.
Its work really started in 1978 when I got it one September day as for the next 9 years we crossed gravel roads together , beaches and sand dunes with surf boards , motor bikes and ATV's strapped in its back most weekends and we had bigger adventures most summer holidays where it was my accommodation by night and explorer truck by day.
It leaned to fly a few times (some by accident ) and The LSD diff fitted made it unstoppable (nearly) in the sand and on gravel roads or no roads really on some occasions , I just could never break it not that I ever tried to .
I do admit we both limped home a few times for repairs as my driving ability's and luck ran out some days and nights , the poor old ute always paid the higher price for my rally cross attempts and lack of judgement on how well the four wheel drum brakes could avert danger.
Like most people I would love to see my first car again, even just to thank it and in the perfect world I maybe drive it with the sound track of the red motor playing with the window down one more time.
Modifications
Villa Nova camper brackets, helper springs to carry extra weight, 3.36 LSD Diff center , rubber mats , radial tyres , power brake booster. ever changing beach towel for a seat cover on drivers side on hot days.
