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1932 Ford Model B Is a True Australian Ute, Living Stateside Since the 1960s

In the early Ford lineup of cars, the most famous are, of course, the Model T and the Model A. But shortly after the A exited the scene in 1931, there was the short-lived trio made up of the Model B, Model 18 and Model 46.
1932 Ford Model B 19 photos
Photo: Bring a Trailer
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They were in production for just two years, meaning finding one today is not exactly an easy task. Finding one in Australian ute configuration, and so well preserved it could enter a show and collection anytime, is close to impossible. Close, but not downright so.

Ford was among the first carmakers in the world to establish operations overseas. The Australian continent, with its vast expanses and courageous pioneers, needed means of transportation just as much as the city-riddled America. As a result, the Blue Oval focused on the region quite intensely, creating in the process at least one type of vehicle the world had never seen before.

Ute is how they’re called, and for a short timeframe, they were available in the U.S. as well. But the Ford Ranchero or Chevrolet El Camino will never come close in terms of appeal to the original Australian utes.

The one you see here, a Model B from 1932, is a ute through and through. It was built for the Australian market in the 1930s but made its way to America three decades later and was converted to left-hand-drive.

The car sold several times since landing on American shores and was part of impressive car collections. It’s now for sale again, having already received a $31,000 pledge from someone on Bring a Trailer, where the ute is presently listed.

It comes to the world in black with red pinstriping over a gray interior and packs a 201ci (3.3-liter) under the hood, a replacement unit that was lowered into the bay in 2018. The B is also equipped with a three-speed manual transmission and 18-inch wire wheels.

It now goes with 1,200 miles (1,931 km) on the clock (not the true mileage, of course), as well as service records, spare parts, and a clean Montana title.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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