Showing posts with label Ute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ute. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

5-Speed Uticorn: 2005 Subaru Baja Turbo

Are you a fan of the utility of El Camino style 4-door car-based pickup trucks?  What about 5-speed equipped, turbo, all-wheel-drive versions? Down under they call them utes, but up here in right-side-up world we call them uticorns because they are all but non-existent -- and if it wasn't for a little Japanese company called Subaru, we wouldn't have them at all.  Find this 2005 Subaru Baja Turbo offered for $9,500 in Pittsburgh, PA via craigslist. Tip from Jeff.


Monday, December 4, 2017

Sport Compact Utility: 2001 Acura Integra GSR Type U

You've seen them before...and they go by many names.  Not quite a pickup truck, not quite a car...but they are known as a Ute, coupe utility, utility, an El Camino, a Picarup, Ranchero...or simply a vehicle where you can go to church on Sunday, but carry the pigs to the market on Monday.  Find this 2001 Acura Integra GSR Type U offered for $5,000 in Frederick, MD via craigslist. Tip from SeanT.



Sunday, October 15, 2017

Fairmonchero-amino: 1979 Ford Fairmont

Seeing that no automakers currently produce a car based ute in the US, interest in older El Caminos and Rancheros is stronger than ever.  A cottage industry has even sprung up selling car to truck conversion kits for Dodge Chargers and various VW cars.  The Ford Durango ute was not an official Ford vehicle, but some 212 conversions were said to have been produced by National Coach Works between 1979-82.  Today's car has followed the Durango formula by starting with a two door Futura model and basically losing everything after the b-pillars to create the flat floor pick up bed.  Find this 1979 Ford Fairmont for sale in Stafford Springs, CT for $8,500 via craigslist.



Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Might Be A Car: 1983 Suzuki Mighty Boy

The Suzuki Mighty Boy is the mini-El Camino that you didn't know existed, but you certainly need in your garage.  The Mighty Boy was built in Japan from 1983 through 1988 on a shared platform with the Suzuki Alto -- and while both used the tiny sub 600 cc engines to qualify for Japan's keijidōsha class of vehicles, only the Mighty Boy offers an exposed pickup bed.  Find this 1983 Suzuki Mighty Boy offered for $4,399 in Hartford, CT via craigslist. Tip from Johnnyhoo.


Thursday, November 10, 2016

Holden My Breath: 2001 Holden Ute

The VX generation of the Holden Commodore was built in Australia for local consumption from 2000 through 2002 along with its sister car, the Holden Ute that was designated VU.  The V platform was a full sized affair built with a front-engine rear-drive setup with Ecotec V6 and Gen III small block V8 power heading to the rear wheels.  Find this 2001 Holden Ute offered for $6,000 in Hawthorne, CA via craigslist. Tip from Peter. 


Saturday, September 3, 2016

Proper Bogan: 1996 HSV Maloo

While over in Oz scouting cars at Performance Car Mania at Winton in 2014, I heard both sides of a drunk argument of which is "the best burnout car from the factory, ever". The contenders were the VN SS, the Tickford EL XR8, and the VS Maloo. Though the VN SS won this particular Carlton Draught-fueled debate, the VS HSV Maloo was capable of epic feats of boganism with a simple touch of the throttle. Find this 1996 HSV Maloo here for sale in regional South Australia for $AUD12,500 ($USD9,465.88 as of today) via gumtree.  Tip from Michael



Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Needs TLC: 1982 Dodge Rampage

Remember the Dodge Rampage?  Those things were sweet.  Wait...you don't remember the Dodge Rampage?  Lemme give you a recap --  from 1982 through 1984 Dodge sold the Rampage (and Plymouth Scamp) to fill the needs of the (now dead?) light pickup truck market similar to the Subaru BRAT and Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup.  Caught up?  Great, find this 1982 Dodge Rampage here on eBay bidding for $620 with less than one day to go, located in Highland, CA.


Friday, May 13, 2016

Cleveland Tire Killer: 1972 Ford Ranchero GT

One of the little known facts about the world of factory car based pickup trucks, aka El Caminos, is that the Chevrolet El Camino was not the first of its kind -- because Ford had been building Rancheros for two years before the El Camino hit the show rooms.  Today you can pickup examples of the 70s Torino based Ranchero for not a whole bunch of cash. Find this 1972 Ford Ranchero GT here on eBay bidding for $8,800 reserve-not-met with 3 days to go, located in Vacaville, CA.


Thursday, March 3, 2016

Auction Watch: 2010 Holden Ute SS

Take a look at this 2010 Holden Ute SS here on eBay bidding for $48,600 with auction ending on Thursday.



Tuesday, February 3, 2015

DTO: Australian For El Camino: 2008 Holden Commodore Ute

The Holden Commodore is a full sized sedan built by GM's Australian subsidiary that was (for a precious few years) imported into the USA as the Pontiac G8, and currently as the Chevrolet SS.  The Commodore has always been a rear-wheel-drive monster, but the VE generation (2007-2013) brought new lunacy in the form of an all independent suspension setup and GM's GenIV small block up front -- plus it was available as a Ute.  What's a Ute, you ask?  This is a 2008 Holden Commodore Ute offered for $37,500 buy-it-now here on eBay in Phoenix, Arizona.


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

15k: Aussiecamino: 1955 Ford Mainline Ute

 In the 1950s Ford exported Customline convertible chassis to Australia where they were reworked by the madmen down under and turned into Ford Mainline Utes.  The Mainline Ute was sold starting in 1952 and was only canceled in 1959 when the new Falcon Ute became available.  However, the old Mainline is a classic by every sense of the word and finding one in the USA for cheap is way cool. Find this 1955 Ford Mainline Ute currently bidding for $13,100 reserve-not-met with 1 day to go. 


Sunday, May 4, 2014

5k: Target Acquired: 1978 Volvo 242ute El Camino'd

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov, a noted Russian novelist, lepidopterist, and possibly a closet pedophile, once wrote "Which arrow flies for ever? The arrow that has hit its mark."  Today's next feature will fly forever because it has landed squarely in the sweet spot at the intersection of Volvo 240 and El Camino.  Find this 1978 Volvo 242ute El Camino offered for $5,500 near Los Angeles, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Andrey S.


Tuesday, March 26, 2013

5k: Boosted Ute; 1985 Volvo 240 Turbo Custom Pickup

In the vast pantheon of automotive interest, there are as many different preferences as there are auto enthusiasts. Some of us like clean stock rides, some like wild custom hot rods, and some are in between. We know there has to be someone out there looking for a light-duty "ute" / El Camino style pickup truck, a Volvo 240 Turbo, and sweet '80s Swedish flag themed graphics all at the same time. But if you're that person, you may not realize that they can all exist simultaneously as one vehicle. The good news is - the mischievous Norse god Loki is smiling down on you - and this vehicle does indeed exist, and can be yours! Find it here on the turbobricks forums for $6k or reasonable offer in Harbor City, CA.