3XY Coca Cola Easy Roller / Freedom Machine Vans
For a while there in the late 70′s it was every boy’s dream to cruise the streets and highways in a tricked-out Beford Van or Sandman Shaggin’ Wagon. The Hardy Boys, Hot Wheels and even Star Wars joined the rush to cash in on the craze, but the most memorable for me was the Radio 3xy / Coca Cola summer promotion that featured a customised Bedford van as the main prize, known variously as the Freedom Machine or Easy Roller.
The promotional stickers were ominipresent in Milk Bars and Service Stations, and I must have stuck down a hundred as a kid, so it was pretty cool to be able to score a couple of unused originals recently.
A quick Google turned up the original Freedom Machine as it is today, awaiting a restoration in the back-lot of a car-yard. Would love to see the final result gents!
There was a third vehicle called the Denim Machine, it was a panel van, but I don’t have that sticker yet…
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I still have some of the 3XY round stickers at home – just like the denim circle with the zip.
I don’t remember the vans though.
Hi, my mother was the original winner of the freedom machine and we still have photo’s of Peter Brock handing over the keys…We were at the drive in when the winner was announced via our numberplate shown on the big screen during intermission.
Wow! Great story, please send through a pic, I’d love to add it to the blog.
Will
Hi, i am the current owner who has the Easy Roller under a rebuild
I’m pretty sure that all the Coca Cola 3xy vehicles were customised at a place in Victoria,along Cheltenham Road in Dandenong called Vancraft.This place has long since ceased to exist,but in it’s day,was THE place to have your van customised.They had a great reputation for amazing and unique custom jobs.But when the times began a changing the business disappeared.
Van Craft did build the Easy Roller and Freedom Machines. The last place of trading was in Leslie street Dandenong. In the late 90′s or early 2000′s it was sold and now trades as Endesign and only do Perspex work, no longer have any fibreglass parts, i bought most of the moulds they had left for holdens and bedfords. Endesign is in Cheltenham road Dandenong.
Hi there,
The easy roller was built by vanmakers australia in cheltenham. I worked there
with john evans and a great crew.I have fond memories of buiding the van and
seeing it surrounded by some other well known vans
sorry i meant the freedom machine, I think that john & ron at vancraft built the easy roller.
Wasn’t there a Toyota Liteace van called “Happy Wheels” ? Can’t find anything anywhere. Pretty sure it was Coca-Cola, not sure if it was 3XY (but assuming it was)