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…
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.
Vancaft was my business back in the seventies ,I designed and built the first Freedom machine van ,and the following year designed and built three identical vans that went to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, they were renamed “Easy Roller” except for the Melbourne van that was called ” Easy roller”.
I built a couple of years ago another bedford van for a good mate of mine Don Hailles , that was a blend of both vans and I named this one the Freedom Roller ,this van is currently shown at most shows throughout Victoria and driven daily.
I have re registered Sandman by Vancraft and we currently manufacture the Sandman canopies for late model commodore utes , here in Braeside Victoria , the contact for these is thru our parent company Fleeting Image pty ltd
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)
hi there, have been researching these chrysler Danimachine panelvans for some time, and would love to know any information or photos of relevence that isnt already known, i know there were 6 built, one for each state..all were 318 4 speed apparently too…any information at all would be VERY appreciated, thanks!
I remember a very popular Ford LTD custom panel van that was called “Sheer Heart Attack”.It was doing the major custom van and car shows back in the 70s.
It sure was a head turner.It was spray painted a gloss pink,it had a large heart shaped divider behind the two seats,plenty of pink crushed velvet throughout the rear cabin,and I think it had a cover of those small mirrored tiles on one side of the heart shaped divider.I think some white shagpile carpet was also included on the rear cabin floor.But tragedy struck I believe with a fire destroying the vehicle.I also believe the owners at the time were trailoring the van to a show at the old Exhibition Building in Carlton,Melb.
Anyone else remember that van?
Whatever happened to the “Waltzing Matilda”rocket truck of the late ’70s?It was a Ford jet truck I think,and it was painted a darkish blue and I even think it managed to grab a world land speed record for it’s class,back in the day.It was just amazing.
My father purchased the freedom machine back in 1983 at police auction in Brunswick vic.It was totally trashed.From memory it was repoed by cops in drug bust. My father completely restored it to its former glory. We had it for only a short time after he finished it .Was then sold to a guy in endeavour hills .He kept in contact with my father and I remember seeing photos of van & he changed the appearance of it so if its still around it could be blue.I will fish out pics & post them, cheers.
Hi Danny.
Can you post some pics please. Be very interested in seeing some old pics.
I have all three of the original un-used promotional easy roller stickers. As pictured on your page. The two Bedford Vans and the Chrysler panel van.
I personally collected them as a kid living in Victoria in the 70s
Yes I would sell them for a very high price if anyone’s interested.
My stepson has one of the original 3XY van in storage on his property in Victoria, believe to to be the only one left
Robert Brown. Do you know exactly which van he has as there was the Chrysler Denim Machine, then the white Freedom Machine and lastly 3 black bedfords, one called Easy Roller and 2 called Freedom Machine that went interstate to NSW and WA.
Hi is it the freedom machine? Does he want to sell it?
Danny, my van which I was led to believe was the Victorian Easy Roller is actually the NSW Freedom Machine , the Easy Roller was from my research written off in the 80s. The WA Freedom Machine is all modified and not in the best shape. Mine is not for sale.