THE Definitive Aussie icon!

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

I actually thought it was the kangaroo or the wallaby but no it's the Ute!!!

And then there are the songs!
Kelly Hope - cute song!
[youtube]4BSf85ENH3c[/youtube]
Jayne Denham - Chick Ute Kind Thing
[youtube]2wGRJ239LGo&feature=related[/youtube]
Lee Kernaghan
[youtube]ASxYsC4dO1I&feature=related[/youtube]

You can go hear and listen to 10 more songs about Utes!!
http://www.myspace.com/utesinthepaddock/music/songs?filter=POPULAR

And in the spirit of the Holidays.
[youtube]Iv3m8HIorP8&feature=related[/youtube]

And I'd bet there are even more songs about Utes.

Of course then there is the Ute I'd like to have - whatever make and model it is. (In this song by Harmony James).
[youtube]z7nh8mfGiWM[/youtube]

What is it with Aussies and Utes?

-Ed-

PS Some of the very best country music on planet earth today is being produced in Australia. Here's hoping Ashley Dallas makes it big.

PSS Still can't figure out what a 303 is though. Occasionally referred to in Aussie songs.

 

[wombat666]

Ed,
A '303' is the much loved and still widely used SMLE [Short Magazine Lee Enfield] .303*, the former standard service rifle as manufactured and refined at Lithgow Small Arms in New South Wales between 1916 [I think that was the first run] and 1950 or thereabouts.
Every farm had a couple and almost all of us owned an SMLE when we were kids, or at least, those of us who had family 'on the land'.

The ute in Harmony James' clip is a nicely restored and lightly customised 1955-1956 Holden FJ, powered by a 179 cube straight six [a.k.a. the 'Grey Motor'], with 'three on the tree'.
Hugely popular and highly collectible, the FJ was preceded by the FX, which is the rusty one first in line on in the first pic.

Just an observation, the purple 'Ute' in Jayne Denham's clip is an HQ 'One Toner' [as in 1 Ton], a flat tray variation and not a bone fide ute.

I suppose utes are popular with Aussies because they really catered to a diverse market, from the country people to surfies to off road bike riders and Motocross riders, as well as a useful urban 'do anything' vehicle, most of us have used one on a regular basis, I'll even admit to owning one during my 'Surfing Phase'.

Ute is short for Utility, and is very apt, sedan comfort in the cabin with room in the tray for half a dozen sheep, a dozen hay bales, two Motocross bikes or surfboards, and somewhere to sleep and/or fornicate during a surfing weekend 'away' ...........................:ernae:

Sadly, today's models are none of the above, mostly driven by Bogans and owned by their finance company.

 

[demorier]

I know when Holden was designing the later model ute the most talked about item was "is the back long enough to fit a dirt bike in it ?", the earlier more solid HG's and the like were certainly capable.

Long time ago I used to have a HD Holden ute...went everywhere that thing.

 

[Tako_Kichi]

A '303' is the much loved and still widely used SMLE [Short Magazine Lee Enfield] .303*, the former standard service rifle as manufactured and refined at Lithgow Small Arms in New South Wales between 1916 [I think that was the first run] and 1950 or thereabouts.
Every farm had a couple and almost all of us owned an SMLE when we were kids, or at least, those of us who had family 'on the land'.

Ahh yes the good old 303! I put lots of rounds through those when I was a teenager in the Air Cadets (RAF cadet force) in the early 70's. I earned my first 'Marksman' badge with one on a 100 yard outdoor range and backed it up with a second one on a 25 yard indoor range with a .22 rifle.