My 1964 Mazda B1500 ute

….but on an apprentice mechanic's wage these were well out of reach. But after months of walking 8km to and from the railway station with his tool box, young Tim stopped in at a dealer's yard in 1988 and was directed to the crap trade-ins down the back.

There sat a 1970 Mazda Capella with bullbar and blown head gasket, a $200 deal. Over the next 270,000km Tim couldn't break that sedan, fell for the marque and Japanese machines in general; in a major way.

And so today he has a collection of 60-odd old Japanese vehicles, 70 per cent of these Mazdas, parked on a south-east Queensland hilltop.

But the prized possession is a rare 1964 Mazda B1500 ute.

"I've had a phone call from the Mazda museum in Japan, offering a reasonable-size cheque," says Tim. "But history wise I think it should stay here."

But he's happy to help the Mazda folk - who've now discovered 'a handful' of old utes - recreate another B1500, designed and built to compete with Toyota's Stout.

Tim Holland is the third owner of his 'twinkle blue' (a true factory colour) machine, one of the first batch imported into Australia through Brisbane, costing some 800. He spent three years restoring the rare workhorse "but it's still a challenge to drive".

In the 1960s Mazda was considered the pick of the Japanese brands by importers Westco, says Tim. And Westco believed the B1500's drivetrain the most robust to be offering farmers and the like in Australia; sold alongside the compact Carol 600 sedans these are reportedly the first Mazdas sold officially on the eastern seaboard.

Tim's ute was driven off the Brisbane docks in the dead of night and hustled down to a bodybuilder to fit a locally built styleside rear tray; only five were sold with this tray, Westco soon realised most users wanted a dropside body.

This particular 1964 ute measures 4150mm long by 1510mm wide, sitting on a 2495mm wheelbase. Australian vehicles also scored some body bling _ side mirrors and chrome strips on the mudguards.

Power _ 60hp _ is supplied by a 1484c, four-cylinder engine and rationed out through a four-speed gearbox controlled by a steering column-mounted shift.

"And yes, there are some brakes on these, four-wheel drums that need driver and passenger on the pedal," Tim says.

And while he will not part with this ute, there's another sitting among Tim's fleet that won't be leaving this paddock _ a forlorn 1986 Capella. He didn't have the heart to send that one to the crushers when he moved recently As for the rest of his Japanese treats, Tim has plans to build a museum, an RSPCA for old Japanese vehicles.

"They're things that not everyone appreciates," he admits.