Thread: you dont need a Land Rover or 4WD - Northern Safari

Most driving in outback Australia was in conventional cars until about 1960, with Landrovers (there was almost nothing else except disposals Jeeps) in short supply. Few people would have even considered a four wheel drive for long distance travel, as they were unfamiliar and regarded as too uncomfortable. Remember that the first four wheel drive aimed at the ordinary private owner was the Rangerover, from 1970 - and they were in even shorter supply and ridiculously expensive. And most cars in use in the 1950s were prewar, gradually being replaced, mostly by Holdens, although large prewar US models seem to have been the preference for outback travel.

But there was a major difference from today. Most cars, other than some most the UK, had adequate ground clearance, which they don't today. I can remember some time in the fifties reading an article in a motoring magazine, where the writer had interviewed a mechanic from the Sydney Rolls Royce dealer, who had just returned from a trip to western NSW to replace the sump on a customer's car. Met at the railway station (and that shows a difference!) by the Grazier in his other Rolls, he said he could easily see how the sump got holed in the new one - the man drove at high speed, ignoring the bumps and potholes - no sealed roads of course - I'm not sure there was any bitumen west of Lithgow except in towns at the time. (This would have been at the height of the wool boom)

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Most driving in outback Australia was in conventional cars until about 1960, with Landrovers (there was almost nothing else except disposals Jeeps) in short supply. Few people would have even considered a four wheel drive for long distance travel, as they were unfamiliar and regarded as too uncomfortable. Remember that the first four wheel drive aimed at the ordinary private owner was the Rangerover, from 1970 - and they were in even shorter supply and ridiculously expensive. And most cars in use in the 1950s were prewar, gradually being replaced, mostly by Holdens, although large prewar US models seem to have been the preference for outback travel.

But there was a major difference from today. Most cars, other than some most the UK, had adequate ground clearance, which they don't today. I can remember some time in the fifties reading an article in a motoring magazine, where the writer had interviewed a mechanic from the Sydney Rolls Royce dealer, who had just returned from a trip to western NSW to replace the sump on a customer's car. Met at the railway station (and that shows a difference!) by the Grazier in his other Rolls, he said he could easily see how the sump got holed in the new one - the man drove at high speed, ignoring the bumps and potholes - no sealed roads of course - I'm not sure there was any bitumen west of Lithgow except in towns at the time. (This would have been at the height of the wool boom)

Spot on, JD. I grew up in Winton in the 40's-50's-early 60's. virtually no bitumen much past Westwood other than main streets of the towns. Few bridges once off main roads. My family ran mail, goods, and passenger services from 1908 with horses and from 1916 with motor cars. One family member or other ran mail contracts with a few breaks until 2004 and he was the only one to ever use a 4WD, a used Nissan. In the prewar days they favoured first Buicks then Hudsons, Dodges, and IHC for the heavier trucks. An early GMC truck was converted into a side loader bus and it was still in service until about 1950 when vehicles became easier to get after the wartime shortages. There was a 1938-39 GMC "Mail Coach" still around in the early 50's. These were made by GM-H. Big Buick Eights were the prestige car of the times. One of my uncles had a big win at the races and bought a new 1933 Terraplane Eight. These were the Falcon GTHO of the ime. He was still driving it in the late 50's.

Yes. Talking of the car scene in the 1950s, When I was going to school (in Parramatta) one of the places I passed was one that specialised in selling parts for Chevrolet fours. These were replaced by a six in 1929, The business was still going, but beginning to look a bit shabby when I finished school in 1958.

When petrol rationing eased in 1946 (I think), my father got the Model T out of the shed and registered it again, I think mainly so he could use the petrol ration for it in his motorbike, but we did use it, albeit not daily. This was replaced not long after by a 1923? Reo, which was in turn replaced about 1950 by a 1931 Swift. Our first postwar car was a 1948 Austin, purchased in 1953.

There were only about half a dozen houses in our street, but into the fifties only two owned cars, both prewar, one was a Chev 6, the other I can't remember, possibly an Essex. Both were tourers.

My closest uncle got a 1926 Morris Cowley tourer as his first car in about 1948, replacing it a few years later by a 1936 Chrysler Plymouth saloon, and in 1954 by a Holden.

By the time I had finished high school, it was becoming unusual to see Model Ts, but a few people continued using 1920s cars into the 1960s. In 1962 or 1963 I was surprised to see a Chevrolet Six (about 1929 vintage) being used as a station 'town car', in very good condition - and with a roo bar in the main street of Aramac!

I'd say that two wheel drives were common in the bush into the seventies. The first person I knew to privately own a 4x4, purchased it in 1972, an unusual configuration for the time.
Teddy Walker, a dairy farmer from what is now Kipparing Shopping Centre, was still driving a Chev Four 'tilly into the 70s. Saitch might have a more accurate date.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Yes. Talking of the car scene in the 1950s, When I was going to school (in Parramatta) one of the places I passed was one that specialised in selling parts for Chevrolet fours. These were replaced by a six in 1929, The business was still going, but beginning to look a bit shabby when I finished school in 1958.

When petrol rationing eased in 1946 (I think), my father got the Model T out of the shed and registered it again, I think mainly so he could use the petrol ration for it in his motorbike, but we did use it, albeit not daily. This was replaced not long after by a 1923? Reo, which was in turn replaced about 1950 by a 1931 Swift. Our first postwar car was a 1948 Austin, purchased in 1953.

There were only about half a dozen houses in our street, but into the fifties only two owned cars, both prewar, one was a Chev 6, the other I can't remember, possibly an Essex. Both were tourers.

My closest uncle got a 1926 Morris Cowley tourer as his first car in about 1948, replacing it a few years later by a 1936 Chrysler Plymouth saloon, and in 1954 by a Holden.

By the time I had finished high school, it was becoming unusual to see Model Ts, but a few people continued using 1920s cars into the 1960s. In 1962 or 1963 I was surprised to see a Chevrolet Six (about 1929 vintage) being used as a station 'town car', in very good condition - and with a roo bar in the main street of Aramac!

JD, my memory says the Chev 4 people were Hazell Bros. They were still going well into the 1960's. When we lived in New Farm in 1949 there were about 24 houses in the street and four cars, Two Standard Vanguard, a 1938-39 Studebaker which was the company car of a sales rep (then known as Commercial Travellers) and a very well preserved 1936 Hupp which the business man owner drove into the early 60's. Ford T's vanished quickly from use in the early 50's and anyone still driving one by 1960 was regarded as an eccentric. Yes, some 1920's cars were still in use up until about 1960-62 but pre-war cars vanished quickly after that. Quite a few families had a motor cycle and sidecar as the family vehicle. Not uncommon to see a family going on holidays with dad as the pilot, a child behind, mum in the sidecar with a child (or two!!) packed in with her and the luggage strapped on the front and rear of the sidecar and behind the pillion. Very few homes had a telephone. Ice chests still outnumbered refrigerators and washing machines were rare.

No 4x4 in the around Australia Redex trails in the 50s , used to watch them leave Sydney with old Jellicknight Jack Murry showing the way . Great Days .

Originally Posted by V8Ian

I'd say that two wheel drives were common in the bush into the seventies. The first person I knew to privately own a 4x4, purchased it in 1972, an unusual configuration for the time.
Teddy Walker, a dairy farmer from what is now Kipparing Shopping Centre, was still driving a Chev Four 'tilly into the 70s. Saitch might have a more accurate date.

I still vaguely remember seeing Teddy walking his cows over the paddock that became the dump, then football fields!! Don't remember his car though.

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

JD, my memory says the Chev 4 people were Hazell Bros. They were still going well into the 1960's. When we lived in New Farm in 1949 there were about 24 houses in the street and four cars, Two Standard Vanguard, a 1938-39 Studebaker which was the company car of a sales rep (then known as Commercial Travellers) and a very well preserved 1936 Hupp which the business man owner drove into the early 60's. Ford T's vanished quickly from use in the early 50's and anyone still driving one by 1960 was regarded as an eccentric. Yes, some 1920's cars were still in use up until about 1960-62 but pre-war cars vanished quickly after that. Quite a few families had a motor cycle and sidecar as the family vehicle. Not uncommon to see a family going on holidays with dad as the pilot, a child behind, mum in the sidecar with a child (or two!!) packed in with her and the luggage strapped on the front and rear of the sidecar and behind the pillion. Very few homes had a telephone. Ice chests still outnumbered refrigerators and washing machines were rare.

Yes! Hazell Bros. I was trying to remember the name and could only come up with Hazelton, which I knew was not right. I did not mention that the Model T we had was a truck. Went on holidays to the beach several times in it, Mum and Dad in the front, three kids in the back in a sort of cockpit in front of the camping gear (mainly a disposals army tent). Nominal top speed, 15mph, actually would do perhaps 18mph.

We travelled a lot further in the Swift. First trip in it was to visit relatives out of Glen Innes - I remember waiting at the top of Moonbi range for my uncle to catch up - his car was a Rover 9 from the 1920s, and unlike the Swift only had three gears. I can still picture him coming round the last bend flat out in second, or perhaps first, with his head stuck out the side because the windscreen was blocked by the steam from the radiator condensing on it and picking up dust. On this trip the Swift had one of its rare breakdowns - the spring on the cutout broke allowing the battery to discharge overnight through the generator. However, it was easy to hand start, seeing it had a magneto.

Later we drove in the Swift to a friend of my mother's half way between Booligal and Mossgeil north of Hay. West of Narranderra the road was not even 'formed earth' - just a matter of picking the best looking track.