To celebrate Australia Day this week, we’re looking at some of the best inventions to ever come out of our sunburnt country. Today, we pay homage to Lewis Bandt, who responded to the request of a farmer’s wife to create the world’s first ute.
The story sounds like an urban legend: In 1932, a Gippsland farmer’s wife sent Ford a request for a revolutionary new car design: “Why don’t you build people like us a vehicle to go to church in on a Sunday, and which can carry our pigs to market on Mondays?” she asked. The job of designing a car of this versatility fell on the shoulders of 22 year old engineer Lewis Bandt, and two years later, the first Ford ute was released.
The original ute had a wheel base of 112 inches, a five foot five inch tray that could carry 1200 pounds (550kg). The car went on to become a huge success, and was exported to the US and dubbed ‘kangaroo chasers’.
Sadly, Bandt’s invention was also part of his final moments as he was killed in a collision with a sand truck. He was driving a vintage 1934 Ford Ute he had rebuilt for himself. Fortunately, Bandt’s legacy lives on with utes owned and operated by tradespeople and farmers all around the world.
woody
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 11:54 PMWiFi sounds appropriate!
LucasF
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 1:11 PMI call fake. According to this site and Wikipedia: http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/history/ford_segment1.html – “The date was April 25, 1925 and on that date the Ford Motor Company introduced their first factory produced pickup truck. This new model was officially called the Ford Model T Runabout with Pickup Body. And Ford priced this new truck at $281.00 F.O.B. Detroit.”
You can steal Pavlova, Sam Neil, Russell Crowe (keep him), Farlap was a NZ Horse, Split Enz was a NZ band. I think if you try to steal the pick up truck from America you could actually start a war.
Stefan Chochowski
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 1:14 AMIn 1934, a vehicle debuted in Australia known as the utility or “ute”.[4] It was designed by Lewis Bandt from Ford Australia.
Which means that first ever vehicle to be called a ‘ute’ came from Australia. Sure, there were similar vehicles in America but the term ‘ute’ to describe them was never used, we were the first. My source is also Wikipedia.
Mr Biggles
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 9:09 AMLucasF – Seems to me that yes, a vehicle with a tray in the back was invented in America before the so-called Ute in Australia; however the integrated tray and cabin layout which typifies the ‘Ute’ (not just the name), was in fact invented (or at least first styled) in OZ.
Although Stefan, your argument is pretty thin; first calling something by a certain name, does not mean you invented it…
yor
Monday, October 17, 2011 at 4:59 PMwhen was the patent taken out
tideman
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:07 AMCurioser and curioser!
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_invented_the_ute
Noel Wilcox
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 3:23 PMIf you happen to be the proud owner of an original 1934 Ford Ute you are especially invited to this years Historic Winton on Sunday May 27th 20120 as part of a ” U BUTE HISTORIC AUSSIE UTE ” display for pre 1975 Australian Utility Vehicles .. see http://www.historic winton.org for futher details or contact Noel Wilcox 0354282689 noelwilcox@rocketmail.com