Specialist utes thrill owners

There is only one problem with the outstanding American-built Ford 250 ute series – availability. The Australian market is too small to warrant Ford’s commercial interest.

Queensland company Performax International, run by veteran conversion specialist Greg Waters, has solved this. Performax has a 29-year track record in converting highly desirable vehicles sought by connoisseurs to right-handed drive.

The company removes the red tape and difficulty of importation as it purchases the vehicles, converts them and makes them readily available. They will also convert a self-imported vehicle to order.

The company leads the Australian market in high-end conversions which carry a three-year or 100,000km new car warranty with 24-hour roadside assist. Performax has built a network of eight dealers across Australia, thus spare parts and professional service availability is strong.

“We have five engineers on board and we are doing R&D continually,” Greg notes. “We convert about 20 vehicles a month – this is a specialist business and my object is quality, not huge volume increase.

“A good conversion is not a simple operation. We would put 100-120 highly qualified man hours into each job.”

The Ford F-truck range is the most popular with farmers, ranging from the 150-450 models. Though some dealers offer more exotic brands such as Tuscany, available in several models including its special Blacks Ops version with two engine sizes. The long-popular Corvette is also available.

“Over the years we have firmly consolidated our strong network, working with trusted Ford, Holden and Toyota dealers,” says Greg. “Excellent conversion is our cornerstone, but equally important is the convenience of follow-up service, parts and support.”