OK, what's the position on Colorales/Prairies ?

GeorgeC

Member
Fellow Frogger
Joined
Oct 11, 2002
Messages
21
Location
Southern Tablelands, NSW, Australia
Under the discussion on surviving Fregates, we've wandered into questions about Colorales. I've picked up the final part of it below.

"George,
Does Jason Hinder have a restorable Colorale ute?
Or is it something else.. I've seen it but didn't take a lot of notice at the time.

Well, methinks we're getting a little off-topic about Fregates with our discussion of Colorales. But they're somewhat rarer, so I think I'll start a new topic on them and see what we can all turn up."

To add to the thread and answer the question. Jason has/had two Colorales (one a ute) and as far as I know both are available for sale.

It seems that a hundred or so vehicles from the Colorale range found their way to Australia, with old registration records seeming to indicate that just over 30 were utes. The Colorale range are fairly rare anywhere, but it seems from what I've read in a "Gazoline" article (top mag, but in French - <a href="http://www.gazoline.org)" target="_blank">www.gazoline.org)</a> that the rarest of all are the utes and four wheel drives.

So to the big question. Are there any Colorales/Prairies actually roadworthy in Australia, are any being restored, and which and what survive??

Cheers

GeorgeC
 
GeorgeC:
Under the discussion on surviving Fregates, we've wandered into questions about Colorales. I've picked up the final part of it below.

"George,
Does Jason Hinder have a restorable Colorale ute?
Or is it something else.. I've seen it but didn't take a lot of notice at the time.

Well, methinks we're getting a little off-topic about Fregates with our discussion of Colorales. But they're somewhat rarer, so I think I'll start a new topic on them and see what we can all turn up."

To add to the thread and answer the question. Jason has/had two Colorales (one a ute) and as far as I know both are available for sale.

It seems that a hundred or so vehicles from the Colorale range found their way to Australia, with old registration records seeming to indicate that just over 30 were utes. The Colorale range are fairly rare anywhere, but it seems from what I've read in a "Gazoline" article (top mag, but in French - <a href="http://www.gazoline.org)" target="_blank">www.gazoline.org)</a> that the rarest of all are the utes and four wheel drives.

So to the big question. Are there any Colorales/Prairies actually roadworthy in Australia, are any being restored, and which and what survive??

Cheers

GeorgeC
 
Sorry, I stuffed that up, try again.

George it seems we've stumped all the youngsters wrapped up in their dyno sheets and lowering spring conversations...

I think Jayson still has the Colorale ute. Last time I saw it it was in very average condition but basically it is a restorable thing. Like you said it would be a huge project with no parts or similar cars to look at in the country. I know of no others.

ipb
 
Well I'll add a bit more, not that it'll help a great deal unless we're very lucky.

Simon in Adelaide probably doesn't know more, but if you do Simon.....

The main gun dealer in Adelaide in the 50s and 60s as far as I ever noticed (don't approve) was one Hambly Clarke, with a shop on Rundle St East. Rumour had it that he had a Prarie. Not easy to follow up, but there aren't many leads at all.

With the Hectorville sightings, that really is all I ever knew.

JohnW
 
I can add a little info to go with the latter part of my question. About three years ago I was contacted by someone who was hoping to find a buyer for two Colorales somewhere in the upper Hunter Valley. From what I could gather they were sitting in the open in someone's paddock and almost certainly full of tinworms. One was, however, reputed to have been in the Redex Trial and still to have lead seals on the speedo etc. (Please don't ask me for contact details, long since lost I'm afraid).

But the key question is whether there are any restored or being restored.

GeorgeC
 
GeorgeC:
One was, however, reputed to have been in the Redex Trial and still to have lead seals on the speedo etc.
GeorgeC
This sounds like it could be the Hambly Clark car, as they did enter one in the 1955 Redex, they then entered a Fregate in the 1956 Redex (willing to be corrected on the dates, I'm working from fuzzy memory).

Also there was an unrestored Prairie on Ebay some time ago. The starting bid was $100, but it looked like it needed a lot of work, although it was supposedly all there.

Simon
 
Simon,

I presume Hambly Clark is long dead? No chance of checking up?

JOhnW
 
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