thank you for posting. the 'station wagon' model you mentioned at 2:23 looks like a precursor of ford's ranchero. other photos identify this model as 'utility' or 'ute'. looks very practical for a couple w/o kids. looks like there might have been a bit of storage space behind the seat.
the first car I can remember, dad worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and we drove all over in that car, three of us kids in the back driving through the desert to White River with dad's beer cans on the back of our necks keeping cool, a burlap water bag hung on the hood ordainment, mom called it Robins egg blue (turquoise) w/ brown interior, all metal dash, when I found the meaning of sit down when I was allowed up front great car
What a great review. I appreciate the work involved in finding nice examples, including some light information on engines etc. It shows an appreciation for the era, the product and for what it meant to everyday people. Keep up the great work.
For anyone who doesn't know, the Mainline name was applied to the ute/pickup version in Australia and the Customline name to the 4 door sedans. Curiously, the narration totally ignores this, despite the many Australian Mainline photos pulled from the internet.
The Mainline name was only used in Australian for the Utility, we did not get the OHV until 1955., Conversion of the Column shift linkage was very poorly executed for RHD vehicles and when it got worn you had great extremes of lever travel, due to the linkage coming under the box with lots of bearing surfaces that wore like crazy,
Virtually every Australian Ford sedan from 1934 onwards had a ute version. So not just a few years wait. A few months after the first Ford ute Holden in Australia released a ute version of the Chevrolet. A bit later Pontiac and Plymouth utes too. Also some based on GM and Ford smaller cars designs originating from the UK. So many working ute models made in Australia from 1934 it is hard to keep track of then. US collectors have imported a few in recent years. I think a search for Ford 1948 ute should show one as well as Holden Chevrolet 1948 ute.
My Father had a 54 Mainline two door sedan that stuck out in my then young mind as a classic POS. He traded a 49 Ford with the flathead V8 for it. The 54 was such a cheapie that it had the standard 6 and three speed and only had one sun visor, a radio (had to have that,) and a cap where the cigarette lighter (remember those?) was supposed to go. At 50 Kmiles, it was time to stick a fork in it. The old 6, which had a primitive upper end lubrication system including rocker arm shaft hold down bolts with fly cut grooves in them as the sole source of lubrication, had sludged up almost immediately causing the engine to chatter like a sewing machine almost from when new. What oil it didn't burn, it leaked. The throwout bearing was shot, making shifting a "grind me a pound" adventure, and the driver's side seat cushion was completely trashed out and down to the springs. ...And I always remembered my Father as a mechanically competent man who took care of his purchases. My aunt had a 54 Customline with the first generation V8, standard transmission, radio, and little more. The engine was a far superior and more durable engine. The interior was far classier (and even had dual sunvisors and a cigarette lighter) and held up much better.
I had a 1954 Mainline 2 door sedan with a Y block V8 my Senior year. Had a real hard time with leaking rear crankshaft seal. I liked the car but I sold my 38 Ford Standard Coupe to get it, what a mistake. So it goes.
Your comment is not constructive, it is destructive and that is why I had not responded, but I will respond to you now, maybe you don't know it but Ford is an American brand and that is why I mention this culture, but when I show a car, I try to show all its variants no matter if these are exclusive to Europe, Australia, Brazil, etc...
@@CarStory1 OK, then here is something directly constructive. Have the narration match the photos. Don't show unexplained photos that don't match the narration. For example, some of the photos are of the Meteor Rideau, a Canadian model that doesn't say "Mainline" on it anywhere and isn't even branded "Ford" despite it's obvious Ford origins. The Canadian models were also a good opportunity to mention the US manufacturing dominance that caused some countries to adopt local content laws so they could get some manufacturing activity. You like to tell the story of American success and trade barriers like local content laws emphasize how successful America was in the 50s. The photos of the Utes were a good opportunity to explain Ford had manufacturing operations in multiple countries and the Utes were made and sold in Oz. The Ute photos provide an opportunity to break from the discussion of American culture to explain the differences between the 50s culture and lifestyle in Oz compared with America's emerging suburb culture and life style.
thank you for posting. the 'station wagon' model you mentioned at 2:23 looks like a precursor of ford's ranchero. other photos identify this model as 'utility' or 'ute'. looks very practical for a couple w/o kids. looks like there might have been a bit of storage space behind the seat.
the first car I can remember, dad worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and we drove all over in that car, three of us kids in the back driving through the desert to White River with dad's beer cans on the back of our necks keeping cool, a burlap water bag hung on the hood ordainment, mom called it Robins egg blue (turquoise) w/ brown interior, all metal dash, when I found the meaning of sit down when I was allowed up front great car
What a great review. I appreciate the work involved in finding nice examples, including some light information on engines etc. It shows an appreciation for the era, the product and for what it meant to everyday people. Keep up the great work.
For anyone who doesn't know, the Mainline name was applied to the ute/pickup version in Australia and the Customline name to the 4 door sedans. Curiously, the narration totally ignores this, despite the many Australian Mainline photos pulled from the internet.
Excellent presentation thankyou
Those Utes are cool!
The Mainline name was only used in Australian for the Utility, we did not get the OHV until 1955., Conversion of the Column shift linkage was very poorly executed for RHD vehicles and when it got worn you had great extremes of lever travel, due to the linkage coming under the box with lots of bearing surfaces that wore like crazy,
Too bad those Australian Utes weren't available in the US.
I was thinking the same!
These cars are beautiful compared to the crap they make today.
Love those Aussie uts. If only we had them in the states.
in the USA the Y-block was either a 292 or 312 Cu In displacement. I have no idea if there werer variations for release in other countries.
If only that Australian Ute, had made it to the States? We would have to wait a few years for the first Ranchero in 1957.
Virtually every Australian Ford sedan from 1934 onwards had a ute version. So not just a few years wait.
A few months after the first Ford ute Holden in Australia released a ute version of the Chevrolet. A bit later Pontiac and Plymouth utes too.
Also some based on GM and Ford smaller cars designs originating from the UK.
So many working ute models made in Australia from 1934 it is hard to keep track of then.
US collectors have imported a few in recent years. I think a search for Ford 1948 ute should show one as well as Holden Chevrolet 1948 ute.
@@johnd8892I was referring to what was "factory available" in the States, specifically as it relates to Ford.
1954 V8 was 239 CID "Y" block. 272 CID engine didn't come out until 1955.
My Father had a 54 Mainline two door sedan that stuck out in my then young mind as a classic POS.
He traded a 49 Ford with the flathead V8 for it. The 54 was such a cheapie that it had the standard 6 and three speed and only had one sun visor, a radio (had to have that,) and a cap where the cigarette lighter (remember those?) was supposed to go.
At 50 Kmiles, it was time to stick a fork in it. The old 6, which had a primitive upper end lubrication system including rocker arm shaft hold down bolts with fly cut grooves in them as the sole source of lubrication, had sludged up almost immediately causing the engine to chatter like a sewing machine almost from when new. What oil it didn't burn, it leaked. The throwout bearing was shot, making shifting a "grind me a pound" adventure, and the driver's side seat cushion was completely trashed out and down to the springs. ...And I always remembered my Father as a mechanically competent man who took care of his purchases.
My aunt had a 54 Customline with the first generation V8, standard transmission, radio, and little more. The engine was a far superior and more durable engine. The interior was far classier (and even had dual sunvisors and a cigarette lighter) and held up much better.
I had a 1954 Mainline 2 door sedan with a Y block V8 my Senior year. Had a real hard time with leaking rear crankshaft seal. I liked the car but I sold my 38 Ford Standard Coupe to get it, what a mistake. So it goes.
Kudo's I'm 74 yrs old and I never saw a two seater Ford type El Camino vehicle before. Awesome, were these exclusive European releases?
The Ranchero was before the El Camino by a few years.
But they are not Rancheros, they are Australian UTE'S!
Ford "Fordamatic" A/T came out in 1951.
What about 1952 - 1953 flathead V8 's?
Did they make it to Australia? Most of the photos appear to be from there (RHD).
I traded mine in for a 57 Chevy 2dr ht.
Wow
GET THOSE DAMNED FUZZY DICE OFF THE MIRROR, VERY FEW REALLY DID THAT !
Just as a very , very few kids back then could afford a set of wide whitewall tires .
Me likem.
You talk about American culture, American TV, American post war prosperity, and then show multiple photos of utes that were not sold in America.
That's so we could dream of what COULD have been.
@@hotpuppy1 It's not about what could have been. The ute photos are included because the video creator doesn't know much about cars.
Your comment is not constructive, it is destructive and that is why I had not responded, but I will respond to you now, maybe you don't know it but Ford is an American brand and that is why I mention this culture, but when I show a car, I try to show all its variants no matter if these are exclusive to Europe, Australia, Brazil, etc...
@@CarStory1 OK, then here is something directly constructive. Have the narration match the photos. Don't show unexplained photos that don't match the narration. For example, some of the photos are of the Meteor Rideau, a Canadian model that doesn't say "Mainline" on it anywhere and isn't even branded "Ford" despite it's obvious Ford origins.
The Canadian models were also a good opportunity to mention the US manufacturing dominance that caused some countries to adopt local content laws so they could get some manufacturing activity. You like to tell the story of American success and trade barriers like local content laws emphasize how successful America was in the 50s.
The photos of the Utes were a good opportunity to explain Ford had manufacturing operations in multiple countries and the Utes were made and sold in Oz. The Ute photos provide an opportunity to break from the discussion of American culture to explain the differences between the 50s culture and lifestyle in Oz compared with America's emerging suburb culture and life style.
... so
Why show bullshit it's not available in this country?