Ian Stewart & Poppy
Car: VE 2 SS Commodore Thunder Ute Hometown: Port Sorell, TAS
What is it?
“It’s a 2012-plated VE Commodore SS Thunder Ute automatic with Active Fuel Management and Thunder goodies – leather bits, better suspension, etc.”
When did you buy it?
“In March 2013, from the Holden dealership, Motors, in Devonport. It had been used as a demonstrator and had 1200 kay on it.”
So you didn’t actually buy it from Frosty LaHood, a la the window sticker?
“I have a bit of an offbeat sense of humour and have always loved Roy and HG. Frosty LaHood was one of their ctional characters and program sponsors. It was a spoof caryard. I had the sticker made up. Have a look at the Frosty LaHood clip on YouTube. Frosty had a ‘special’ offer if you test drove one of his cars. So I’ve been asked twice now if I ever got the free r***. ”
Why did you buy it?
“I just really like V8s. We had two of them many years ago and wish I’d kept at least one of them. We had just sold a VR ve-litre Ute earlier that month. It was a pretty good drive, but getting a bit old and Anne didn’t like driving it as it was a manual. Went up to the Holden dealership a few days later just to see what they had. Saw this great looking red SS Ute, but it had the AFM badge on it, but really wanted a manual – AFM was available only on autos. They had nothing else of interest, but suggested I look at this one. Then they gave me an absolutely fantastic price with the full new car warranty. Took it down and showed Anne. I was due to have a left knee replacement in about three months, so she
was really wary of me buying another manual. She thought it was a great buy and said ‘Go for it.’ Had ample cash left over from my 2008 Timor deployment speci cally for something like this, so next thing, it was ours.”
How does it go?
“We have kept it totally standard. It has the sixlitre engine. It is the best car I’ve ever driven. Anne disagrees. She likes driving it far more than the previous Ute, but prefers her Subaru XV. I thought the old ve-litre had plenty of grunt, but this thing is unbelievable. Have only really pushed it hard a few times. The response is just brilliant and in some ways brutal. At 3000 revs plus, it becomes a real muscle car. Its handling ability is superb. It just purrs along on the open road, but has the capacity to absolutely snarl when required. It’s nothing like V8 vehicles of old. I said I had two V8s many years ago. One was an HQ Premier ve-litre which I loved, but now in hindsight, very 1970s rough around the edges. The Ute runs far better, has far more power and handles and stops far better (anti lock brakes, four wheel discs, etc). Generational change! Plus it has six airbags.”
Anything you would like to add?
“I don’t think Australians really appreciated the quality of the vehicles Holden and Ford were producing in their nal years in this country. This Ute of ours is testament to that quality. Look, we use it as a Ute. It’s not something wrapped in cotton wool. It’s carried loads of mushroom compost, pine bark, timber, etc, has done numerous tip runs, carries our kayak and all beach gear to the great beaches around here. Each time our lunatic border collie, Poppy, is taken to the beach (every week) she rides in the back. She also goes just about everywhere with me, and her sitting in the passenger’s seat using her puppy harness. I only have to grab the keys, say ‘car’ and she runs straight out to it.”