The Australian Ford 'Ute’, the coupe-based utility vehicle, that was first produced in 1934, spawned the Holden Maloo 'Ute’, and American-market Ford Ranchero. The Chevrolet El Camino was first produced in 1958.
The Australian 'Ute's story began when a farmer's wife in Gippsland, Victoria sent a letter to Hubert French, managing director of Ford Motor Company of Australia, in 1933: "My husband and I can't afford a car and a truck but we need a car to go to church on Sunday and a truck to take the pigs to market on Monday. Can you help?"
French charged Ford Australia's only designer, 23-year-old Lewis "Lew" Bandt with designing a car that could fulfill the farmer and his wife's needs. With its steel-paneled bed integrated behind a coupe body, the 'Ute differed from the conventional pickups of the time, because they usually had wooden or metal beds mounted to a car chassis. By October 1933, Bandt had built two prototypes, and production began in early 1934. Bandt called the new design a coupe utility, which was quickly shortened to "'Ute" by Australians.
Originally based on a Ford Model 40 five-window coupe the coupe utility featured steel outer panels welded to the body for a smooth-sided look, with a wooden-framed bed. The original full size blueprint drawings are archived in Australia, while the restored coupe utility resides in a museum in the rural town of Chewton, Victoria.
Approximately 22,000 coupe utilities were sold from 1940 to 1954, and more than 455,000 Falcon 'Utes have been sold in Australia.

1934 Ford Bandt Ute. Now Completely Restored And In A Museum. Chewton, Victoria, Australia

1934 Ford Coupe Utility - Ute

1937 Willys Overland Ute